As my brows pucker in a frown, I can’t help recalling the dark days after my father’s arrest when Sutton North, despite his own trauma at the time, had ensured my family and I were taken care of. He’d made it so I could escape to Manhattan and be with Emmy, no questions asked.
“I don’t think I’ve ever met a man with a greater capacity to care for a loved one’s wellbeing, aside from Caden, and he clearly got it from his father.”
There’s silence in the cab for a beat before Emmy places a soft palm on the back of my hand resting on the gear stick. “Just because Caden got his capacity to love from his father, doesn’t mean you got anything from your father aside from his dark hair and broad build.”
I shift my gaze to hers as she watches me with a keen understanding ofexactlywhat makes me tick. Precisely what demons drive me and the inner fears I keep locked away deep down inside me.
“Besides, have you met your mother?”
I can’t help but guffaw, Emmy’s tinkling laugh joining mine as she continues. “You got your heart from her. There’s no question in my mind.”
Before I put the truck in drive, I lift our joined hands to my mouth and press a kiss against the back of hers before murmuring, “It’s a heart that’s so full of love for you, Tink, that sometimes I think it might explode right out of my chest.”
Her broad smile sends a wave of pleasure through me as I drive away fromNorth StarRanch. The space between us fills with a comfortable silence, and I watch Emmy out of the corner of my eye, waiting for her to notice that I’ve steered us in a different direction.
Soon enough, her forehead twitches with the beginning of a frown, and she twists to face me. “This isn’t the way back to the house.”
I shake my head with a smirk. “Nope.”
Even though my eyes are on the road that’s given way to a dirt track, I can see her quirk an eyebrow in my peripheral vision. “Were you planning on telling me where we’re going?”
A chuckle reverberates through my chest as I repeat myself. “Nope.”
But before she can say another word, the scene I worked so hard on preparing earlier today while Emmy was helping Momma homeschool a reluctant Finley comes into view.
“Oh my God.”
Emmy’s low gasp of delight fills the cab as I bring the vehicle to a slow stop.
“What’s this?”
I shift about on the seat, absorbing her gorgeous face as eyes filled with wonder find mine.
“We’ve missed over five years of date nights, Tink. That’s…” I squint, trying to work out the maths quickly. “One thousand, eight hundred and forty-eight days.”
She gasps, cutting me off as a flush of emotion pinkens her cheeks before I cup them in my hands and lean close enough to brush my lips over hers. “Let’s call this missed date number one and work from there, baby.”
EMERSON
“How did I not know this was here?”
My eyes amble over the secluded water hole before us, complete with a miniature waterfall and rope swing hanging from the enormous oak tree shading the water. Bright wildflowers surround the space, their scent filling the evening as Ford helps me down from the truck before enclosing me in his embrace.
He wraps his arms around my neck, holding me close to press a soft kiss to my forehead, then he pulls back enough to find my gaze. “Whispering Willows didn’t need to be functional when Circle H was in operation. Never bothered to visit this part of the property, and it wasn’t until Momma reminded me of the hot springs here that I had the idea to bring you tonight.”
My eyes widen in delight. “Hot springs?”
Ford’s whole face lights up as he nods before loosening his hold to loop his hand through mine and lead me closer. He looks entirely too pleased as he arches a dark brow.
“There’s more.”
More?
We step around the giant oak tree overlooking the springs, and my jaw unhinges when I discover a cream linen-covered table with delicate chianti chairs on either side. An unlit tall candle is in the center, surrounded by coral peony petals, and a bottle of red wine and two glasses are standing alongside it.
“There’s a picnic basket with all your favorites—meaning cheese, cheese, and more cheese—in the truck bed.” He bumpshis shoulder against mine, and I look up to find a self-satisfied grin plastered across his face. “And check this out.”
He tugs his cell from his pocket, presses a button, and one by one, lights begin to pepper the late evening sky. As I twist about, I squint my eyes, looking closely enough to notice mason jars hanging from the thick branches of the oak tree above us. The light within them illuminates the space, and my breath catches in my throat when an instrumental version of “Iris” softly sounds from God knows where.
