After my time making plans with Mom, I head out to find Jason before he heads to the bar. I catch him in the kitchen and take him to the barn office and close the door. When I tell him my plan to propose to Sage, he’s all excited and wants to know what he can do to help. I tell him I will let him know.
Next, I track down Mac in the barn. He’s just as excited as I am.
“About damn time, man,” he says. “Ever since I’ve known you two, I knew you two belonged together. I like seeing you both happy.”
Now the girls. I had planned to wait until tomorrow to talk to them, but I know Blaze hates keeping things from Riley. It’s how I feel at the thought of keeping something from Sage. So, I figure I’ll do it today and cut him some slack.
Megan is at the hair salon she owns in town, and I don’t have time to meet her before dinner. I decide to do a video call with her. The bonus is I can skip the strong hair salon smell.
“Hey Colt, what’s wrong?” she answers the call.
“Nothing. Can you go somewhere private? I don’t need the town gossips in on this.” She laughs and heads to the back room.
“Okay, I’m in the storage room, but I can’t promise they don’t have their ears to the door out there.”
I sigh. “I want to ask Sage to marry me.”
She has no emotion on her face. “Okay….?”
“How do you feel about it?”
“Oh Colt, you don’t need my permission. I love how happy you two are. What kind of sister and friend would I be to stand in the way of that?”
I smile. “Thanks, Megan. Mom and I have an idea for a proposal. Will you help?”
“Of course!”
“Okay. Head to Mom’s when you get out of work. I still need to talk to Riley.”
“Okay. Later, Colt.”
“Later, Megs.”
I hang up and look out the office window. Sage and Riley are working a horse out in the pen. How do I get Riley away from Sage without raising suspicions?
Blaze.
I head to the barn on the east side of the property and step into Blaze’s barn office.
Me: Hey, I need to get Riley away from Sage. Can you ask her to meet you in your barn office?
Blaze: But I’m not there.
Me: No, I am. This way I can talk to her. Sage won’t think twice about you asking her to come here.
A good minute goes by like he’s thinking about it.
Me: Or else I will have to wait until tomorrow to talk to her.
Blaze: Fine.
Fifteen minutes later, Riley walks in.
“Oh, sorry. I was looking for Blaze.”
“Actually, I asked him to text you. I wanted to talk to you but didn’t want Sage to know.”
She narrows her eyes at me.
“And why would that be?”
I smile. “I want to ask her to marry me.”
Her face lights up, jumping up and down.
“Oh my God! Really?! Oh, finally. I can’t wait!”
“Listen, it needs to be kept a secret. Mom and I came up with the epic proposal she deserves, and I need your help.”
“Of course! What do you need?”
“After dinner, will you ask Blaze to go for a walk with you and then head over to Mom’s and get the details from her?”
“You got it!”
We chat for a few more minutes. Then she heads back to help Sage. I can’t keep the smile off my face.
Deciding I can’t stay away from Sage anymore, I finally track her down. What I find stops me dead in my tracks.