Page 108 of Wrangled Love

Between working on the ranch, breaking ground on Briar’s new children’s sanctuary, and Caleb starting kindergarten, our weeks are hectic. Briar’s foundation should be fully operational by this time next year. We’ve also begun designing a house that’ll be built on the far side of the ranch. Julie and Samuel generouslygifted us the land for Christmas, wanting us to have a home of our own and a place to grow our family.

With so much going on, we make sure to reserve every Saturday just for the three of us. We always enjoy ourselves, but I have something particularly special planned today.

Caleb twists to look at me, eyes sparkling with excitement. “Are we almost there yet, Dad?”

“We’re close, bud,” I promise.

“And then you’re going to ask Briar your question?” he whispers loudly.

He tries to keep his voice low, but his excitement is obvious. Luckily, Briar is far enough ahead not to hear him.

I chuckle. “Yep, real soon.”

Briar thinks the ride is the main event, but the real plan is to propose once we reach our destination. Caleb’s in on the surprise, but with how giddy he is, he might blurt it out before I get the chance. Hard to believe he’s the same quiet boy I brought to Bluebell last summer.

In March, I told Julie and Samuel I wanted to marry Briar, and they were thrilled. Julie said she had something special for me and returned with a ring that had belonged to her mother. Briar had admired it since she was a girl, so Julie offered it to me as her engagement ring if I wanted it. The moment I saw the oval diamond set in a gold bezel, I knew it was perfect.

Not only does it symbolize a new chapter in our lives together but it also reflects how the Halsteads have always seen her as their own daughter—and how they’ll continue to give her the love and support she deserves.

For the past two months, I kept the ring hidden in the back of my sock drawer. Last week, I finally took it with me to New York for a quarterly shareholder meeting to have it cleaned. I couldn’t risk taking it to the local jeweler and having the newsof our upcoming engagement spread like wildfire before I even proposed.

I gently pull back the reins as we near the knoll where I brought Briar on our first date. It’s become our sanctuary, and we visit often. Caleb loves tagging along, so I hung a tire swing from a sturdy cottonwood tree nearby, giving him a little piece of joy in our favorite spot too.

I lead our horse, Lucky, to a grassy spot and dismount, tying the reins to a nearby tree before helping Caleb down. He waits patiently nearby as I grab the blanket and picnic basket from the saddle.

He crooks his finger, and I crouch down beside him. “Yeah, bud?”

“Can I see the ring again?”

I let out a low laugh. “Just a little bit longer,” I assure him.

At this rate, he’s going to beat me to it if I don’t act soon. I rub my palms against my jeans, my heart pounding with anticipation.

“I can set up the picnic,” Briar says as she gets off her horse.

She makes her way over and takes the blanket from me, giving it a quick shake before laying it on the grass.

I’m still amazed that I get to call her mine. She’s the most thoughtful, kind and loving partner, and treats Caleb with a patience and grace I’ll never take for granted. The fact that I’ll soon be able to call her my wife feels like one of the greatest gifts I’ll ever receive—assuming she says yes.

“Caleb, can you bring me the basket? Your dad seems a bit distracted,” Briar says with a wink.

I blink, offering her a sheepish smile. “Sorry—got lost in thought,” I say, handing it to her.

“Thanks.”

Briar opens the basket and lays out chicken salad sandwiches wrapped in gingham cloth, a bowl of fresh fruit salad, chocolate-covered strawberries, and a mason jar of sweet tea.

She lets out a whistle. “Well, this puts my usual peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to shame. You really outdid yourselves.”

“Glad you like it,” I say with a smile.

Caleb and I made everything this morning with Julie’s help. I told her I wanted to go all out, and she was more than happy to lend a hand.

When we don’t move to sit down, Briar glances between us. “Don’t you want to eat? It all looks amazing.”

Caleb shakes his head. “Dad has an important question to—”

“Buddy,” I interject. “Remember what we practiced?”

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