Page 85 of More Than Falling in Love

“What a great idea.Want me to call your dad & see if he has some time to go out there?”

Mason furrows his brow.“Let me think.”After tapping his mouth several times, he nods.“You should text him.”

I pull into the parking lot at the hardware store and shoot off a text to Kent.

Me:Just picked up Mason.He wants to play in the butterfly field.Want to meet us there?

Kent:I’ll meet you at the main house.We’ll ride over together.

Holding up my phone, I meet Mason’s gaze in the mirror.“He’s going with us.”

“Good.”Mason uses his shirt to wipe crumbs off his face.

Kent is waiting when we make it back to the ranch.He gives me a kiss, then tousles Mason’s hair.“Butterflies, here we come.”

Staring out the window as we drive through the ranch, I reminisce about the last year.“Ava and Dad’s anniversary is tomorrow.”

“Oh, wow.Really?”Kent clasps my hand.“I wonder if they’ll do something special.”

“They’re going to Scotland in a couple of weeks.I’m going to housesit for them.But I told you that.”

“You did.We’ll be neighbors.”He squeezes my fingers.

I’m waiting for him to connect the dots.“If the anniversary is tomorrow, you know what that means, right?”

“They’ve been married a year?”

“Kent, we met a year ago today.”

Mason giggles in the back seat, and I know I’m being played.

When Kent stops at the field, he leans across the cab and kisses my cheek.“Happy one year anniversary.Let’s try to stay out of the river today.”

“That’s my plan.”I wander into the field, which is swarming with butterflies.

Mason runs farther into the grassy area, holding out flowers and luring the butterflies to him.He’s facing away, but when he turns around, he points behind me.

I’ve learned to pay attention to his warnings.Thanks to Mason, I’ve sidestepped lots of cow poop and avoided getting stung by a wasp.

I spin around and gasp.Kent is on one knee and is holding out a tiny box with a ring inside.

“Flutter, I love you.I want you to be part of my life until death do us part.I can’t offer you a bustling city.Around here, there aren’t restaurants serving food in the wee hours of the night, and after ten, almost everything is sleeping.The only thing open all night are my arms, and I want you in them.Will you marry me?”

I swipe at tears before launching into his arms.When he catches me, the box goes flying.

Mason dives as the box bounces down the embankment and toward the water.When he stands up with the box held high, Kent sighs.

“I got it!It didn’t fall in the river.”Mason grins like he’s saved the day, which he totally has.Then he points at me.“Poppy, you have to answer the question.”After handing over the ring, he snaps a picture with Kent’s phone.

I cup Kent’s cheek.“Yes.I’ll marry you.Your arms are where I want to be, even when I’m falling.I love you.”

“I love you too.”Kent brushes a tear off my cheek, then kisses me.“Let’s get this ring on your finger before I drop it again.”

Once the solitaire is on my finger, I pull Mason into a group hug.“And I love you too.”

He wraps an arm around each of us and buries his face in Kent’s side.

Kent rubs his kid’s back.“You okay?”

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