THE FIRST DAY OF THE LEONARDS’ NEW GLAMPING enterprise passed in a blur of activity. There’d scarcely been a moment to breathe, let alone think. But now their guests had been fed and were settling in at Cabin #1. Chet heard Irena invite Kimberly to stay and talk awhile. More about the job, he assumed. So he rode back with Sam, leaving his truck for Kimberly and Tara.
Restless and feeling the need to be alone, he saddled his horse and rode up the mountainside, headed to the plateau where he’d intended to propose to Kimberly.
Too late now.
Not everybody was cut out to live in a place like Kings Meadow. Not everybody was meant to be a rancher, either. Or a rancher’s wife. He’d always known that. And yet, he’d hoped. Maybe he’d been wrong to hope.
At the plateau, he didn’t dismount. He stayed in the saddle, staring across the valley. The evening shadows were growing long, but he could still make out the location of Cabin #1 in the distance. The pale canvas tent made it easier to find.
Was Kimberly still there with her friends? Were they telling stories and making her long for Seattle and the life she’d once had? Maybe she’d never stopped longing for that life. Maybe he’d fooled himself into thinking she had or ever could.
When his marriage had come apart, he’d tried for a long time to hold onto the wife who didn’t love him, the woman who didn’t want him or the life he could give her. Marsha had hated the ranch, hated him, in the end. He couldn’t allow himself to make that same mistake with Kimberly. He wouldn’t try to make her want to be here, to be with him. She had to want it on her own.
God, You’re going to have to get me through this. Right now, it doesn’t feel like I’ll know how.
Sounds from the forest intruded. He twisted in the saddle in time to see Kimberly ride her mare out of the trees. She was gripping the saddle horn hard, nervous but determined. He could see that from where he was.
“Kimberly?”
She gave him a weak smile.
“What are you doing here?”
“I need to talk to you.”
Did he want to hear what she had to say? Not likely. All the same, he felt proud of her for riding her horse all this way. She’d never ridden this far before.
“How did you find me?” He dismounted and stepped toward her.
“Sam came with me most of the way. He said this is where you come to sort things out when you don’t know what to do.”
“He said that, did he?” Chet took hold of the mare’s reins near the bit and waited for Kimberly to slip down from the saddle. “He knows his dad.”
“I’ve come to know you rather well myself.”
Why was she here? To torture him?
“Chet, you’ve done your best to avoid or ignore me all day.”
“No, I—” he started, then closed his mouth on the lie.
She took his hand and led him toward the edge of the plateau, her gaze taking in the stunning view of the valley below. “I can see why you come up here to think. It’s beautiful.”
You’re beautiful.
She turned and faced him, her nearness forcing her to look up and him to look down. “Do you know what I was doing before the Wainrights got here? I was praying. Really praying. About everything. But especially about you.”
His heart seemed to stop.
“Especially about us.”
It started up again.
“Chet, I’ve been a fool not to say this to you before. I have to say it now, before it’s too late.” She inhaled deeply, then met his gaze again. “I love you. Surely you must know that.”
“But that job in Seattle. It’s the life you wanted to go back to.”
“I’m not interested in a job that would take me away from you.” Her smile warmed him. “Did you hear me say I love you?”
“I heard.” He took hold of her upper arms, staring hard into her eyes. “But are you sure you want to stay?”
WAS SHE SURE? WHAT A QUESTION. KIMBERLY HAD never been more certain of anything in her life. Couldn’t he see that?
She grinned at him. “I rode all the way up here. On a horse, for pity’s sake. Of course I’m sure.” Then she rose up on tiptoe while drawing his head toward her and let her kiss tell him what words could not.
When the kiss ended, Chet didn’t let her pull away. Instead, he drew her close, her cheek resting against his chest, his chin pressing lightly on the top of her head. She listened to the beating of his heart, in perfect time with her own, and suddenly she felt like crying for joy. This was almost more happiness than one person could stand.
“I love you, Kimberly. Marry me.”
Okay, now it was more happiness than one person could stand.
“Will you?” he whispered.
“Yes,” she whispered in return. “Yes, yes, yes.”
He kissed her again, long and sweet and tender, and she let the happy tears fall. The end of the kiss was made salty by them.
“I love you.” He cradled her head between his hands. “It’s a love without end, Kimberly.” His eyes were full of the promise.
She smiled, hearing the melody of the song that had suddenly become theirs, and whispered, “Amen.”