“Wake up!” Randy bellowed into Austin’s ear. “I’ve got to take off.” It was Saturday morning of Labor Day weekend, and he was kicking it off right.
“What? What’s going on?” Austin jolted up in bed, rubbing his eyes. “Is it AJ?”
“No, he’s sleeping. I need the good platter. The one that matches Mom’s dishes. You know, the one with the roses. Where’d you put it?”
Today was the day Randy was proposing to Hannah. After a summer of training Barley, who was turning into a good-natured, disciplined dog, hanging out on weeknights, driving her to his favorite fishing spots and having Sunday suppers with her big family, Randy was ready to make it official.
He wanted Hannah to be his wife more than anything in the world.
“If I don’t hurry, I won’t be able to surprise her.” Not that she was going anywhere this early on a Saturday.
“I thought you were waiting until tonight.” Austin got out of bed. “What changed?”
“I can’t wait that long. I’m bringing breakfast over and popping the question.”
“You’re not seriously tying the ring to the end of a fishing pole and pretending to reel her in, are you?” Austin’s arm grazed his as he left the room. Randy was at his heels.
“No.” He couldn’t keep the hurt out of his tone. He’d always thought the ring on the fishing pole was perfect for proposing. But he had a better plan now. “Mac’s genius idea of me tossing the ring box in her lap and saying, ‘Well?’ was worse.”
“Yeah, I’m worried about him. He hasn’t been himself since his dad died.”
“Raising Kaylee can’t be easy, either.”
“Well, she is fifteen. It’s not like bringing home a baby.” They met each other’s eyes and laughed. “Remember the first time you tried to change AJ’s diaper?”
“I’ll never forget it.” Randy shook his head, enjoying the memory. “Sorry, man, I think I threw away half the kid’s wardrobe. I couldn’t stand dealing with those blowout diapers.”
“Between you and me, I threw away the other half. I couldn’t, either.”
They went into the dining room, where the hutch filled with the good dishes was located.
“The platter, you said?” Austin poked around the upper shelf. “I thought it was up here. Oh, wait. I moved it down below.” He crouched, opening the doors at the bottom. He rooted through the clutter until he found it. He took out the platter and handed it to Randy.
As soon as it was in his hands, he got jittery. Ned joined them, watching him. “It’s okay, buddy. This is a good heartbeat thing.”
“Need anything else?” Austin asked.
“Nope. I’ll call you later to let you know how it goes.”
Austin gave him a quick hug. “Don’t worry. She’ll say yes.”
He gulped, nodding, and snapped his fingers for Ned to come. Minutes later, he was driving back to town. He’d showered earlier and changed into a crisp button-down shirt and his best jeans. The ring box was in his pocket. All he had to do was stop at the Barking Squirrel to pick up the breakfast for two he’d ordered and take it to Hannah’s.
Twenty minutes later, he parked near her apartment. With trembling fingers, he took out the jewelry box. Opening it, he stared at the round diamond with the twisted halo of diamonds surrounding it. He’d instantly known it was the one. Just like he knew Hannah was the one.
He tied a pink ribbon around it, then attached it to Ned’s collar and tucked it under so she wouldn’t see it right away. Then he gathered the box holding two place settings of his mom’s dishes, hooked the bag of food over his wrist and got out of the truck. Ned joined him, and his palms grew clammy and his heartbeat thumped as he knocked on the door, waiting for her to answer.
The door flung open, and Hannah’s smiling face chased away all his fears. Barley stood next to her, and Ned walked inside, greeting Barley and going down the hall.
“Here, let me take something.” She wore a pair of jeans that fit just right with a pretty, short-sleeved shirt.
“No, I’ve got it.” He went straight to the kitchen and set everything down on the counter. Then he dished the food onto his mother’s plates.
“Wow, this is fancy.” She brought two mugs of coffee over to the table where he was setting the plates. “Ooh, is that cinnamon French toast?”
“I know you have a thing for it.” He knew her favorite foods. He’d memorized them all.
There was no way he’d be able to eat a bite of this delicious meal until he asked her the important question—the big one. He gulped.
She reached for a chair, but he placed his hand over hers. She frowned, meeting his eyes.
“Wait.” He swallowed. “Before we eat, there’s something I need to say.”
She looked even more confused.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.” She smiled.
“Every day that goes by I’m more convinced we belong together.” The side effects of the medications had all but disappeared since the doctor adjusted his doses, and he felt better about the future, whether he died suddenly or not. He and Hannah had also talked on several occasions about getting married and having children and what that would entail.
Life was full of risks, and it was a risk they were both willing to take, even if one or more of their kids ended up inheriting his condition.
“I am, too.”
“Good. Because I’m ready for more. You’re the sunshine in my life. You brought hope to me. You’re pretty as any flower I’ve ever seen, and you’re sweeter than sugar. I know that sounds corny, but it’s true. That house of mine feels awfully lonely whenever you aren’t in it. I’m ready to change that if you are.” He got down on one knee. “Hannah Carr, will you marry me?”
“Yes!” She threw her arms around his neck, and he lifted her off her feet. Then he slowly set her back down, keeping her close to him, and kissed her. Thoroughly.
This woman. He’d walk through fire for her. Take a bullet for her. Go shopping all day at a mall for her. He loved her that much.
“I love your enthusiasm,” he said, his voice husky. “I love the way you go after the things you want. I love your patience when you’re working with Barley. I love the way your hair curls when it’s rainy. I love that I’m the one you ask to take the top panels off the Jeep on nice days. I love your smile. And I love your mom’s brownies.”
“Everyone loves Mom’s brownies.”
“I think she puts extra love in mine or something.”
“I wouldn’t put it past her.” She grinned, then bit her lower lip. “Um, Randy?”
“Yeah?”
“I don’t mean to sound whiny or anything, but is there a ring?”
He stepped back, smacking his forehead. He’d forgotten the most important part!
“Ned,” he called. The Lab wagged his tail all the way over, and Randy almost laughed as he saw that the pink ribbon had come loose from where he’d tucked it, leaving the ring dangling near his doggy chest. “I had a whole speech planned and everything. How the dog knew my heart better than I did, and it was only fair to have him give you mine.”
She spotted the ring instantly and hugged Ned, who licked her face before she untied the ribbon. Randy helped slide it on her finger. She beamed up at him, her eyes glistening. “It’s perfect.”
“Well, shall we set the date?”
Her laugh rang out loudly. “When you’re ready for something, you don’t wait around, do you?”
“Not when I see what I like. And I like you.”
“My knees are going to buckle if you keep talking like that.”
“I’ll be here to catch you if they do.”
If you enjoyed this K-9 Companions book, be sure to look for An Unlikely Alliance by Toni Shiloh, available July 2022 wherever Love Inspired books are sold!
And don’t miss the previous books in Jill Kemerer’s
Wyoming Ranchers miniseries:
The Prodigal’s Holiday Hope
A Cowboy to Rely On
Available now from Love Inspired!
Keep reading for an excerpt from The Rancher’s Family Legacy by Myra Johnson.