“Absolutely.”
Cole waited until Will’s car started up, then he got his own show on the road, racing back to the ranch as quickly as traffic laws allowed. He was filthy after running around at that old house, and that did not mesh with his plans for this evening. He bounded up the stairs when he got home, rushed inside and turned on the shower. It took a few minutes to wash away the grime, but he was focused.
As he looked at himself in the mirror and shaved his stubble away, he rehearsed a few things in his head.I love you so much. I can’t lose you again.Just the thought of saying those words put a lump in his throat. He hoped to hell he could actually do this. With no time to overthink it, he dressed in a pair of jeans and a clean shirt. Before he ran out the door, he grabbed the most important piece of this puzzle—still residing in his sock drawer, at the very back, tucked away for six years. The ring. He popped open the box to make sure it was still there and indeed it was, just as sparkly and lovely as the woman he hoped would wear it. Now to get his answer.
His heart flip-flopped in his chest as he climbed into his truck and headed over to Dani’s. The thought of what he was going to ask her made his hands clammy. A bit ironic considering he hadn’t felt a lick of nervousness breaking into a criminal’s stash of gold a few hours ago. But he hadn’t waited as long to do that as he’d waited for this. Much more than the six years they’d been apart. He shouldn’t be so unsure of himself, but if Dani could be relied on for anything, it was the unexpected. If she said no, he wasn’t sure he could survive, but he couldn’t think like that. Not now. He’d lost his precious family once, and there was no way he was going to lose them again.
* * *
Dani drove home just after 10:00 p.m., exhausted. It’d been an amazing night of business at the restaurant and everything had gone great, but she’d forgotten how hard it was on her body to be in the kitchen during the dinner rush.
She was struck by the thought that kept cycling through her head—she wished she were going home to Cole. She wanted nothing more than to share a glass of wine with him, fall into his arms, make love with him and slip into blissful sleep. That was all she needed—the simplest, but most beautiful of things in life, with Cole.
She was also listening loudly to her heart right now, which was whispering to her, pointing out that what Dani really wanted was marriage. She wanted to go home to Cole every night. Not just this one.
As she pulled into her neighborhood and turned on to her street, she smiled to herself when she realized that she could be the one to ask Cole to marry her. She could look into his beautiful blue eyes, tell him she loved him and pop the question. Would it be the craziest thing in the world? She did love the idea of catching Cole off guard. It would be an amazing story for their grandchildren.
When she approached her house, Cole’s hulking truck in the driveway was unmistakable. Her already present smile grew wider. She did get to come home to Cole. Or at least see him for a little bit. Now she was feeling decidedly less exhausted.
As soon as she opened the garage door, things got confusing. The minivan was gone, which was not right for this time of night. Were the boys home? What about Elena? She parked her car and turned off the ignition, rushing into the house. It was incredibly quiet. Almost too quiet. “Hello?” Her voice echoed in the back hall off the kitchen. She got no response, so she hurried upstairs.
The boys’ bedroom door was closed, and sure enough, when she opened it, they were sound asleep in their beds. Elena would never leave them alone, so what in the heck had happened to the minivan? And if Cole’s truck was here, where was he? She tiptoed in and straightened their blankets, kissed them each on top of their heads, and quietly closed the door.
She headed into her bedroom and jumped when she saw what was waiting for her—Cole, asleep on her bed. He was reclining on several pillows propped up against the headboard, a book resting on his chest. The bedside table lamp was on, casting him in a warm glow. She couldn’t contain her grin as she approached him. He was so handsome it nearly sucked the breath right out of her. Good God, she loved him. That much she didn’t have to worry about ever again.
She perched on the edge of the bed, sitting right next to his leg. She gently picked up the book, but that was enough to get him to stir.
“Hey. You’re home,” he said, looking sleepy and more than a little sexy.
“I am. What are you doing here?” She rubbed his arm gently, feeling so lucky that the dream scenario she’d cooked up in the car might actually happen.
“I came over as soon as I finished up my work stuff. I wanted to spend some time with the boys. We swam for a while, and then I took them out for burgers for dinner.”
“Oh, yum.”
“We had french fries and shakes and everything.”
Dani nodded. Cole’s mischievous side was definitely one of his more appealing qualities. “Healthy.”
“It wasn’t. But it was delicious.” He unleashed his electric grin.
“Where’s the minivan?”
“I told Elena I had everything under control. She went to a movie, I think.”
“So what happened after dinner?”
“We came home and I gave the boys a bath and read them stories and put them to bed.”
Dani didn’t cry easily, but she felt that single tear leak from the corner of her eye, and she knew it was futile to try to stop it. Another tear followed. And another.
“Why are you crying?” Cole sat up and put his hand on her shoulder, seeming truly concerned. “Oh my God. I completely forgot I was supposed to call you. I was so wrapped up in work, and then I wanted to get over here to see the boys, and I don’t know what happened. Time just sort of got away from me. I’m so sorry.”
She shook her head, thinking about everything tumbling around in her head, everything she wanted and everything she’d waited so long for. Everything Cole had waited for, too.
“It’s not the phone call. You didn’t do anything wrong. You did everything right. I love you, Cole. More than I have ever loved another man. I will never love anyone as much as I love you.” She took his hand in hers. “Can we get married? Is that something you would consider?”
The corners of his mouth drew down. It was a full-on, no-doubt-about-it frown. “Dani, don’t ask me that.”
