Jane stared at the cursor blinking back at her on the computer screen. Ugh. She couldn’t seem to get this sentence right. Leaning back in the chair, she tipped her head, gazing up toward the ceiling as if she’d find the answer written there. She didn’t, of course. Unfortunately, it never proved to be that easy.
What she needed was a break—a chance to stretch her legs. Jane pushed back from the desk and walked away from the computer, attempting to pace some energy into her imagination. Over the last two months, Toby had provided her with plenty of romantic inspiration, but he’d been gone for almost two weeks with back-to-back events, so she had to finish this book without him.
Hmmm. Pacing didn’t seem to be working. Chocolate! She needed chocolate. Jane marched into the kitchen and opened the cabinet where she kept her secret chocolate stash only to find a pile of empty wrappers. Nooooo. She’d forgotten she’d finished it off last night when she’d started the final chapter. In the last twenty-four hours, she only managed to eke out twenty-five words onto the page and no amount of chocolate seemed to be helping.
Okay, plan B. She pulled out her cell phone and started flipping through the pictures she and Toby had taken the day before he’d left to return to the circuit. They’d taken a horseback ride up to their spot where they’d had a picnic…and quite the memorable make-out session on a blanket underneath the trees. They’d taken a series of selfies together, and even though she couldn’t write to save her life right now, she had to smile flipping through those pictures. Her face glowed in each one, and it wasn’t only because of the beautiful sunshine. There was one with Toby kissing her cheek, one of him making a face while she laughed, one of him simply staring at her with that intense loving gaze while she smiled for the camera.
She sighed the happy sigh that seemed to come out of her whenever she laid eyes on the man she loved. Yes, she missed him when he was gone, but it felt wonderful to have someone to miss. It felt wonderful to have someone to call, someone to dream with, someone to share her successes and failures with. She flipped through a few more pictures, but it didn’t seem to help her get any writing done so she went back to her computer and forced her butt into that seat.
The cursor winked at her again. Jane did her finger stretches, but that didn’t seem to generate any words either. She stood up again. This was getting serious. She’d promised herself she wouldn’t leave her cabin until the final chapter had been written, but she could really use an entire box of dark chocolate covered almonds. Maybe she could send Beth an SOS text and beg her to drop off some of her specialty brownies…
The phone rang in her hand—Toby’s picture lighting up the screen and her heart. Jane fumbled with it before she finally managed to answer. “Hey.” It was something between a breathless plea and a whimper.
“Hey, sweetness.” That deep resounding greeting was enough to melt her. “How are ya?” he asked with wind whispering through the speaker. He was probably outside at a rest stop somewhere between Texas and Oklahoma where his next event was supposed to be.
“I’m okay, but I’d be even better if you were here,” she said in her sultriest tone. “How are you?”
“I’m good.” She could hear him smiling. He must’ve had a good feeling about his upcoming competition. “How’s the book coming along?”
“Weeellll…” She glanced around at the mess on her desk. “I’m out of chocolate.” That explained it all.
“Oh no,” he said in mock horror. “How can I help?”
“I don’t know.” She sighed. “Maybe I’m not cut out for this writing stuff.” Maybe she didn’t have any more books in her. Going down this path was part of her process. “I wish you were here.” She simply wanted him to pull her into his arms and kiss away her doubts. Then they could fall into the bed they’d shared most of the summer…
“Go sit down at your computer, sweetness,” Toby murmured. “Not only are you going to finish the book, you’re going to write the hell out of that last chapter.”
How did he know she wasn’t sitting at her computer? Jane did as she was told. He’d likely seen her battle enough writer’s block that he knew what to expect.
“I don’t know what to write.” Jane stared at the computer screen. “I’ve tried so many different angles, but none of them are working.”
“Try a different angle,” Toby suggested. “Look up.”
“Look up?” With a gasp, Jane raised her head to peer out the window. There. Down by the lake. Toby stood at the shoreline in front of a canoe, his jeans rolled up to his knees.
“God, you look gorgeous.”
She couldn’t say anything. She couldn’t find words. He wasn’t supposed to be home for another week and a half!
Squealing, she scrambled out of the chair, dropping the phone in the process, and ran for the door, tearing it open so she could jump into his arms. “You’re home!” She finally found her voice halfway down to the shoreline.
Toby opened his arms and she stumbled into them. “What’re you doing home? What about the competition? What—”
He silenced her with a long, savoring kiss. “That’s all I’ve been thinking about since I left,” he uttered when he pulled back.
Jane simply sighed a happy, contented sigh. “Mmm-hmm.” She peered up at him. He looked a little tanner than he had when he’d left. “I thought the Oklahoma ride was important.” He’d already qualified for the finals in November, but she knew he needed to get as much practice and experience as he could before then.
“Oklahoma’s not as important as you are.” He locked his arms around her waist. “Three weeks was too long. Hell, two weeks was too long. I can miss one ride if it means I get to be with you.”
“Thank God.” Jane shot him a smirk. “Now that my muse is back maybe I’ll actually be able to finish my book.”
“I think I can find some ways to inspire you,” Toby whispered in her ear. “But first, I was wondering if you wanted to go out on the lake with me.”
“I would love to.” Three months ago, she would’ve said no. She wouldn’t have even been standing this close to the water, but the lake didn’t scare her the way it used to. Not much scared her anymore.
Toby helped her climb into the canoe, and then he pushed them off. It was the perfect late summer afternoon—the sun seemed to amplify the blue sky to be a hundred times brighter and the surface of the lake sparkled.
“I still can’t believe you’re here.” Jane couldn’t take her eyes off her cowboy, off that mix of passion and tenderness in his eyes when they met hers. “How do you always seem to know when I need you?”
“Probably because those are the same times I need you.” He rowed them away from the shore, effortlessly working his arms while Jane sat back and enjoyed the view. “I do, Janie. I need you in my life.”
Emotion settled in her chest, swelling her heart. “This is the best surprise I’ve ever gotten.” She never would’ve asked him to come home, to sit out a competition just to be with her, but she couldn’t remember ever being happier.
“Well, I have another surprise that might be even better.” Toby let go of the oars and reached into the well behind him, removing a blanket to reveal the most beautiful bouquet of flowers Jane had ever seen.
The canoe wobbled as he lowered to a knee in front of her, holding out the mix of roses and sunflowers and daisies. “I hate being away from you because I belong with you. We belong together. You are smart and strong and so incredibly talented. And you are the most beautiful woman in the world to me.”
“Toby…” Jane wiped the tears away. “I love you. And I know I belong with you.” On some level she’d known it since that first time he’d kissed her. She’d known there was passion and strength and substance between them even then. It had simply taken them both some time to grow into it.
“Marry me, Jane Harding. Marry me, and I promise that I will always be here for you. To inspire you, to love you, to make you happy.” He held out the bouquet toward her, and something very sparkly caught the sun. He’d tied a delicate solitaire engagement ring to the stem of a red rose. “I didn’t want to drop it in the lake,” he explained with a sheepish grin.
Jane laughed through happy tears. She eased as close as she could to him without tipping the canoe. “I promise I’ll always be here for you too. I’ll always love you no matter what, Toby Garrett. You’re the man I’ve been waiting for my whole life.”
Toby’s smile grew. “So that’s a yes?”
Unable to keep one inch of distance between them any longer, Jane got on her knees and wrapped her arms around his neck so she could kiss him. “That’s definitely a yes.”