Page 83 of Trusting a Cowgirl

“This couldn’t wait.”

Tilting her head slightly, Grace studied him. That’s when she noticed the small tremors. His cheek twitched and he shifted slightly in her embrace. Even his hands shook a little where they held her. “Is everything okay?”

Without a word, he stepped back and dropped onto one knee, then pulled out a ring. And it was perfect. The modest stones were arranged in a way that didn’t appear too gaudy. The main stone was a perfectly shaped square. And the whole thing was set in glowing white gold.

A gasp ripped from her throat. Around her, people who were passing paused or stopped completely. She dragged her focus to Riley, willing her heart to slow down so she didn’t have a heart attack. “Riley, what are you doing?”

He cleared his throat, his eyes never leaving her face. “You make me happier than I can ever remember being. I knew it from the first time you spoke. For me it has always been you and no one else.”

It was as if an electric current flowed between them, connecting them in a way that had never happened before. His words resonated within her right to her core, and she couldn’t bring herself to speak for fear it would dissipate like fog on an early spring morning.

Riley shifted his gaze to her hand, his brows lowering. “I’m not perfect, but I’m trying to get better. And I know you deserve more—”

She dropped down to her knees, forcing him to meet her eyes. “Deservemore?” She shook her head with a huff. “You areallI will ever need.” She held his free hand firmly within both of her own. “I love you, Riley Scott.”

The corners of his mouth quirked. “Grace Callahan, will you marry me?”

“Yes, yes, yes!” she replied.

They rose to their feet as one and stared into each other’s eyes. The smile she wore radiated the happiness she felt.

“Are you going to kiss me or what?” she said, raising her brows.

Riley chuckled. “I want to kiss you more than I want breath itself.”

Grace’s lashes fluttered, a sense of déjà vu inundating her senses. She cocked her head and repeated the question she’d given him back before they’d shared their first kiss. “Then why don’t you?”

The corners of his lips twitched, then lifted. “Because once I do, there is no going back.”

“Good.” Grace pulled him down, firmly kissing him, claiming him as her own. There was no way she’d ever want to go back. She was right where she wanted to be.

EPILOGUE

Two weeks later

Grace stomped into the kitchen and threw her cowboy hat onto the table. Faye jumped and Brielle rolled her eyes, but neither of them asked her what she was upset over. Of course they wouldn’t care. They didn’t have to deal with the awful truck that continued to leech money from her.

“I have to take the truck back to the mechanics. Again.”

Brielle glanced up from her phone only briefly. “You said you wanted it. This is part of taking care of an antique.”

“It’s not anantique. And I don’t want it anymore. Honestly, I’m about ready to sell it to the McCullen’s for parts.”

Faye gasped. She jumped out of her seat and hurried around the table. “You can’t do that. It’s Mom’s truck.”

Grace sighed. “I don’t even remember her, Faye. I can’t hold onto something like this when it’s causing so many problems for me.”

Faye shook her head. “You can’t get rid of it.”

“Faye. I have literally sunk thousands of dollars into that heap of junk to keep it running for the past year. I’m to the point where I just can’t take it anymore.”

“I’m sure Riley would help fix it up for you.”

Grace scowled at her sister. “Just because we’re engaged doesn’t mean I’m going to be asking for money for something like this. In fact, he said we could go look around for a replacement today. That’s not how I wanted to spend my Saturday, but the way I see it, I have no other choice.”

“I’m not going to let you sell it. You can’t,” Faye continued to insist. “If you don’t want it, give it to me. We can take it to the mechanic, and I can ask him what needs to be done.”

Grace studied her older sister. Faye had always been the sister who put more value on memories and objects that reminded her of happier times. She was only about a year older than Grace which meant she had about the same memories of their mother. But for some reason, she didn’t want to let go even two decades later.

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