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Her dad’s eyes softened. And have mercy, one corner of his mouth edged into a faint smile. “You’re a little late.”
She drew in a sharp breath. “What?”
“Matt made it clear that he intends to prove there’s been interference with the county inspections. And he said that he plans to spend his last nickel to pursue the matter in court.”
“However, we resolved the issue without going that far.”
Stunned, she froze at the sound of that deep voice. She hadn’t heard anyone else enter the room.
“And he willnotbe disinheriting you, no matter what you say.” Strong, warm hands settled on her shoulders. “But if you do marry, I strongly advise a pre-nup to protect your future assets.”
Awareness shimmered through her and her heart took an extra beat.“Matt?”
She turned in his arms and looked up into his warm brown eyes. Saw the laugh lines crinkling at the corners and the flash of his teeth as he smiled.
He looked over her shoulder at Robert, then lowered his mouth to hers for a kiss that sent warm sensations rocketing through her.
When his arms folded around her and held her close, the world narrowed to the warmth of his chest and the pounding of her heart.
Matt lifted his head a few inches, his eyes searching hers with such intensity that she nearly melted. “Your dad and I...worked things out. He’s a decent man, just a little...uh...overprotective at times.”
Dad shifted uncomfortably. “He...well...I guess I might’ve been wrong about him. And I didn’t say anything about a pre-nup.Hedid.”
She stared at her father, speechless. Never, in her thirty-three years, had she ever heard him admit to being wrong.
And then Matt kissed her again. “I love you, Jolie. I didn’t realize how much until you were gone. I don’t ever want to lose you.”
At a shuffle of movement, Jolie turned and saw the entire Maxwell clan crowding through the door. Annie and Charlie, too, and when Matt beckoned, they came forward with shy smiles.
“Will you, Jolie? Will you marry us someday?” Charlie’s lower lip trembled as he looked up at her. “We want you to be our new mom.”
Annie hung back at first, then she stepped forward, too. “I’m sorry for anything bad I said. I never meant it, honest.”
Jolie hugged them both, then turned back to look up into Matt’s beloved face. Probably from the very first day they’d met, there had never been any other answer she could give.
“Yes,” she said simply.
And then she pulled him down for another kiss to tell him just how much she meant it.
EPILOGUE
Warm, early October sunshine set the golden aspen leaves ablaze and washed the higher peaks of the Rockies in glorious light as the last of the wedding guests arrived.
Matt wrapped an arm around Jolie’s shoulders as they looked out over the friends and relatives who had gathered in the small meadow high above the main buildings of Walking Stones Ranch.
It had been almost a year since they’d first met. How had the time passed so quickly?
“It’s not too late to change your mind,” he said, the corner of his mouth lifting in a quarter smile. “We could always wait.”
“Not on your life.” She gave him a teasing nudge with her elbow. “You would have to be the one to tell Annie and Charlie, not me. Just look at how excited they are.”
During the past few months, Charlie had chattered incessantly about Jolie, the llama, and the ewe moving tohishouse, and his important role as Best Man. He’d clearly been driving his sister crazy.
But Annie had been excited as well, beaming over the beautiful, pink satin dress being made for her, and announcing thatherrole as Maid of Honor was even more important, because she had to help Jolie witheverylast detail of the planning.
Her attitude had really improved—and she’d started feeling better—once she started on her continuous glucose monitor and insulin pump. And at last, she was making friends with some nice girls at school. Seeing the happiness in her eyes was such a blessing.
Both kids were now sitting on a quilt with Mandy, Bobby, and Connor, their four-month-old.
