“Look! It’s in here, all of it.” I thrust the magazine at him.
“What’s this?”
“I don’t know what you said to them, but they sure came through. We’ve got a picture on the cover and they did a whole story inside.”
He spread the issue out on his desk, flipping through the four-page spread Samantha and Jay had put together. The article didn’t just cover the wedding venue—it went into detail about the people who came together to find a way to save their beloved town. There were pictures of the house, the grounds, and even one of Shotgun with her litter of puppies.
“Have you shown Shotgun yet?” he asked.
I laughed. “No. But I will when I get home. Poor girl needs a break from those demanding puppies. They haven’t let her have a moment’s peace.”
Bodie touched his nose to mine. “More like you need some cuddle time with the pups.”
“Yeah, maybe I’ll give her a break and let them crawl all over me for a while.” I might joke, but I loved being around Shotgun and her puppies. “Have you decided which one we’re going to keep?”
“If it were up to you, I think we’d end up with all of them.”
I grinned as I shrugged my shoulders. “When we get that place in the country you keep talking about, we’ll have room.”
“Well, we’re for sure keeping the boy. I can’t be the only male around.”
Nodding, I took his hands. “I figured you’d say that. Fine, the boy it is. And maybe one or two of his sisters?”
“We’ll see.”
“You sure you can’t leave early today?” I wrapped an arm around his waist, snapping his hips to mine.
“I’ve got another lead on that dog-fighting ring. I told Suarez I’d follow up on it this afternoon.”
“Good. But don’t work too late. I’m making brisket for dinner.” I arched a brow as he nuzzled my neck, whispering promises of what he’d do to me later.
My phone buzzed in my purse, a number I didn’t recognize. “Hold up a sec.” Bodie pulled back as I answered. “Hello?”
“Hi, I saw the article in theTexas Timesabout your wedding venue. I’m wondering if you have any openings for this fall. I know it’s short notice, but it sounds like exactly what my fiancé and I have in mind.”
I grinned up at Bodie. “Of course. Why don’t you give me your name, phone number, and the date you’re looking at? I’ll need to check the calendar when I get back to the office, but I’m pretty sure we can work something out.”
I jotted down the information on a receipt I found in my purse then disconnected.
“We did it.” I held up the piece of paper, a proud grin making my cheeks feel like they were splitting in two.
“You did it, Sweets.” Bodie pulled me in for a hug. “You were the one who had the vision, the drive, and the commitment to make it happen.”
“Jojo’s going to be thrilled. I’ve gotta go. I need to tell her.” As I tucked my phone in my purse, it buzzed again. I glanced to Bodie. “What do I do?”
He laughed. “Answer it.”
“Ido, Texas, providing homegrown happily ever afters. How can I help you?” My eyes widened as I listened to yet another bride inquire about booking the space.
While the woman carried on, I ran my gaze over the man in front of me. He was just as responsible for this as I was—probably even more so. If he hadn’t come back and forced me to face my feelings, I’d probably be waiting tables somewhere, afraid to set foot in Ido, Texas, ever again. I jotted down another number and disconnected.
“You were right, Bodie. It’s happening.” I stepped close, wrapping my arms around his waist.
He kissed me, slow and deep. Then pulled away, a grin on his face. “You know what you need to do now, don’t you?”
“What’s that?” If it was up to me, we’d go home, snuggle the new pups for a bit, then crawl into bed and not come up for air for hours.
“It’s time for you to call a press conference.”
“Oh no. The last time I did that, things didn’t go so well.” My heart leapt into my throat as I thought about the last time I’d faced the town.
“Yeah, but this time you’ve got big news.”
“And what exactly am I supposed to tell them?”
“That’s easy, Sweets. You tell them Ido, Texas, is open for business.”
