Page 67 of The Cowboy's Unlikely Love

Epilogue

Colt settled in therecliner across from the Christmas tree. Two-year-old JJ ran over and climbed into his lap. Colt said, “We’re going to open presents in a little while, mister.”

“Daddy, I want my present.” Colt had adopted JJ officially shortly after marrying Taylor, and he loved being the little guy’s daddy.

“Why don’t you go play with what Santa got you first? We need to wait for Momma.” Santa had brought him a huge rocking horse with authentic sound effects. The boy climbed down from Colt’s lap and went over to it.

This was their first Christmas in their new home. Taylor had sold her house in Matador, and they’d used that money as a large down payment on their mortgage. They’d built the log house on Colt’s family’s ranch, and Taylor said she was the happiest she’d ever been.

She walked into the room and took a seat in the other recliner. “Are we ready to open presents now?” She had a wide grin on her face.

“I get first pick. I want you to open mine,” he said, and got up to retrieve her present from under the tree. He’d thought hard about what to get her this year. It had been expensive—he’d had to take money out of savings to pay for it—but he didn’t regret a penny of it.

He handed the small, beautifully wrapped gift to her, glad that the store had taken care of that for him.

She grinned. “What could this be?”

“Hurry up. I’ve been dying for you to open it,” he said with a grin.

As she carefully unfolded the wrap, he glanced over at JJ, who was rocking on his horse, oblivious to his parents.

The paper fell away, revealing a maroon ring box. Taylor’s mouth dropped open. “What?”

“Dang it, woman! Open it!” he said with a laugh.

She did. “Oh, Colt! It’s gorgeous!” She slid the ring on her finger.

“It’s a sapphire in white gold. I know blue is your favorite color.” He was so excited he could pop. Her happy expression was everything to him, just what he’d dreamed of when he’d bought the gift for her.

She got up and threw her arms around his neck. “I love you, honey. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.” She stepped back and held up her hand, admiring the ring again. “It’s absolutely beautiful, sweetheart. It’s the best gift you could have given me.” Then she grinned. “I hope you love your first gift as much as I love yours.”

She walked to the tree, stopping to give JJ a kiss on the cheek along the way. When she returned, she handed Colt a shoebox-shaped, brightly wrapped present.

He took it and shook it. Nothing rattled, and it didn’t weigh much. “Hmm, what in the heck could this be?” Then he grinned. “It’d better not be a tie. I hate wearing those.”

“Hint: it’s not a tie,” she said, smiling.

“Okay, give me another hint,” he said as he ripped off the bow and wrapping paper.

“No time for hints. You’re too fast, cowboy,” she said, laughing.

The box was full of wadded-up tissue paper. He dug around and came up with a tissue-wrapped rectangle. He held it up. “Huh? What the heck is this?”

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