Todd had waited for her, and when all of his relatives, and her family, had left her studio, they locked up and headed home.
Jessie was silent in the truck on the ride. Todd reached for her hand and laced their fingers together. “What’s on your mind?”
“My heart is so full I think it could burst at any moment.”
“At least you’re feeling positive. My family could be considered overwhelming.”
“Oh, I’m totally overwhelmed,” she laughed. “But in the most wonderful way.” She turned to him. “Todd, they threw me a party, and they invited my mom and sister. Women are usually caddy and callous—especially business woman. But these women...”
“They’re unique, aren’t they?”
Jessie let out a sigh. “I love every one of them. It’s like gaining an entire group of sisters. And brothers and cousins,” she added. “My whole life was me and my sister. Of course, my brother too, for that short amount of time that we had him. I didn’t have what you have.”
He gave her hand a squeeze. “Lydia wishes she were here. She sends her love. She’s happy for us and she didn’t think I’d ever get married,” he snorted a laugh.
Jessie eased back in her seat. “We won’t even think of getting married until she’s home. She needs to be here.”
“I agree. But she’ll be here soon. I’m not supposed to say anything to anyone, so you didn’t hear it from me.”
“Then what will you do?” she asked. “Go back to the ranch?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. But everything will fall into place. I think she’ll need me for a bit. After that, I guess I’ll have some decisions to make. However, I won’t make them alone. We’re a team now, you and I. I suppose that’ll be a bonus that comes with marriage. Someone to help you decide,” he joked and she let out a sigh.
“You realize I’ll be a business owning Walker woman.”
“A force to be reckoned with for sure.”
And he knew she’d be as successful as the rest of the Walker women.
Todd helped Jessie carry all of her gifts into the house. She still couldn’t believe in a few hours her new family could throw together something so wonderful.
Every time she thought of how lucky she was, she would tear up.
As she sorted through the gifts, and put the leftovers sent home with her away, Todd stayed out of sight. Perhaps he was too afraid she’d start crying.
“Got a minute?” he called from the living room.
“Yeah, let me put this last bit in the fridge.”
She finished putting the extra condiments in the refrigerator's door, then she made sure the extra cake was well wrapped. As she secured the lid on it, she let her finger drag through the icing.
Walking into the living room, she sucked the icing off of her finger, and stopped when she saw Todd on one knee, a ring box in his hand.
“What are you doing?” she asked as she made sure her finger was clean.
“I’m making this a more appropriate proposal.”
“You already did that,” she said, but her eyes were fixed on the ruby in the box.
“My aunt doesn’t think so.” He smiled up at her.
Jessie moved toward him, and instinct had her kneeling down in front of him.
“Jessie,” he began, “I love you. My aunt gave me this ring to give to you. It was one of my grandmother’s. She thought you’d appreciate it.”
“Todd, it’s beautiful.”
“Just like you,” he offered as he took the ring from the box. He set the box on the floor and held the ring out. Jessie lifted her hand to him. “I’ll buy you any ring you want, but this is yours to pass on to one of our daughters some day.”
Now the tears fell, as they had threatened to. “Oh, Todd.”
“Will you marry me? Officially?”
This time she only nodded, because she couldn’t even speak.
“That makes me as happy as it did last night.”
Jessie laughed through the tears as he slid the ring on her finger and she held it up to look at it.
“Your grandmother had good taste,” she humored as she took in the exquisite ring.
“She did. And she would have loved you.”
Jessie lifted her wet eyes to his. “You think so?”
“I know so.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a kiss to his lips. She was so incredibly happy she wasn’t sure how she was supposed to contain it.
As she eased back, Todd licked his lips.
“Have you been in the frosting?”
Jessie laughed and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she joked as she rose to her feet, holding her hand out in front of her, taking in the sight of the ring on her finger. “I need to call your aunt.”
Todd laughed and pulled his phone from his pocket, opening it up to his aunt’s number, and handed it to her.
He’d never expected to propose to the woman he loved without first buying her a ring, but when the moment had been right—it was right. When his aunt had dropped off the ring before the party, Todd had to give it a lot of thought. Did he want to give her a hand-me-down ring? No, it wasn’t like that. It was an heirloom, and Jessie understood its significance much better than he had.
He could hear her in the other room gushing about the ring and his proposal. He’d lost count of how many times she’d thanked his aunt.
A few minutes later Jessie returned with his phone.
“Lydia texted you while I was talking to your aunt,” she said and stood near as he looked at the text.
When he looked up at her, he was sure she’d already seen its contents.
Three days and counting.