Page 62 of Riding the Storm
Caison smiles up at her, steady and sure. “Will you?”
Her breath comes out in a shaky laugh. “Whaaaat?” she stammers, voice trembling.
He chuckles softly, never looking away. “Will you be my riding partner for life?”
For a second, she doesn’t move. She just blinks down at him. Then she lets out a sound somewhere between a sob and a laugh and throws her hands over her mouth.
“Oh my God,” she whispers, nodding her head, tears streaming down her cheeks now. “Oh my God.”
He stays there, waiting patiently. The firelight dances across the oval diamond in the box.
“Yes!” she cries out suddenly, voice breaking. “Yes! Of course I will.”
Before anyone can react, she leaps into his arms. He catches her easily, standing with one arm wrapped around her waist, her face buried in his neck. The whole crowd explodes in cheers and whistles.
I’m clapping so hard that my palms sting, laughing and crying, all at once. Shelby’s bawling into Cabe’s shoulder, and Imma Jean’s got her hand over her heart, whispering to the heavens. Having one of her conversations with Mom.
Caison sets Matty back down gently, his forehead resting againsthers for a heartbeat. Then he takes the ring from the box and slides it onto her finger.
It fits perfectly.
She looks down at it like she can’t believe it’s real, then back up at him, eyes shining.
“I love you,” she whispers.
“I love you too,” he says softly. Then he takes her mouth in a searing kiss.
The cheers grow louder, and Imma Jean wipes at her eyes. As Uncle Boone and Aunt Irene appear, carrying ice buckets holding bottles of champagne, Imma Jean grabs one and pops the cork. It shoots straight up into the night, a trail of fizz catching the light.
The cork lands somewhere in the yard. Imma Jean pours the bubbly into two flutes for Caison and Matty. Grandma Evelyn pops another bottle and starts filling paper cups, and Daddy passes them around.
Once we all have one, Imma Jean raises hers into the air. “To the happy couple!” she calls out.
We raise our cups high, voices echoing into the night. “To Matty and Caison!”
Matty laughs, still wiping at her eyes, and leans into him as he wraps his arm around her shoulders. They look like the picture of happiness. Like a country love song come to life.
The silver band glints on her finger as she bounces to where Shelby, Harleigh, and I stand. She waves it in front of us. “Can you believe this?” she says, voice shaky. “He totally surprised me. I didn’t even—oh my gosh!”
Shelby sniffs, laughing through her tears. “Yes, we can. We’ve been helping that man plan this for weeks.”
“Wait, what?” Matty turns toward her.
Harleigh grins mischievously. “Yep. Why do you think I hurried home early?”
“Y’all are so sneaky,” Matty says, shaking her head.
“You really weren’t suspicious?” I ask.
“Hell no,” she says. “I had no clue. Not about the party or the proposal. I thought last night’s dinner and dancing at The Soused Cow was it. I never expected all this.”
“Good!” I take a sip of champagne, feeling the bubbles tickle my throat.
The stars overhead seem brighter somehow, the air lighter.
Bryce appears beside Caison, clasping his shoulder and offering his congratulations.
I glance at him from the corner of my eye.
