I hit the grill with Uncle Eddy, Aunt May’s husband, and Hank. Of course, Hank tries to steal the food with false claims of being the taste tester, but we manage to wrangle him before he can.
In the distance, I watch Sloane talking to the other women in town who are around her age. She’s gotten a lot closer to the other women, which makes me happy to see.
One of the things that worried me about her moving here was whether she’d even like it without women her age around. They obviously existed, but Sloane wasn’t making a habit of meeting people when she believed she’d only be here for six months.
Now, she’s managed to build a whole friend group, some with kids and others on the way. Sloane is the only one without them, but it isn’t like we aren’t trying.
She’s clad in a light, flowing sundress paired with her cowboy boots, and I can’t seem to take my eyes off her. The grilling becomes secondary the moment my eyes find her.
One of her friends glances toward me before tapping her arm to point in my direction.
When she looks up, she meets my gaze, and we share a meaningful look. She mouths the words, “I love you,” to me, and it’s easy to say it back, leaving her blushing.
“Hey, stop making eyes at the lady and finish these weenies. I’m gettin' hungry,” Hank says, pulling my attention back to the grill.
I roll my eyes. “Oh, you’re just now getting hungry?” I ask jokingly, rotating and flipping everything over.
Uncle Eddy takes a sip of his beer, watching our exchange before speaking. “Hey, Gage, I heard from May you’re thinking of proposin’,”he says, pointing at me with the bottle. Hank stares in shock, the news clearly not reaching him yet—mostly because I think his big mouth would’ve spilled it already.
“Yeah, I’m thinking tonight,” I tell him, and he nods, taking another drink.
“Well, I’m happy for you, Gage, truly. Sloane is a lovely woman,” Eddy says, and I smile appreciatively at him. Uncle Eddy and I aren’t as close as I was with Uncle Sam, but I always know that when I need something, he’ll be there for me in an instant.
The same goes for Hank. “I cannot believe you didn’t tell me.” I roll my eyes, then stare at him. “What? You think I’d say somethin’ to her?”
“Maybe not to her, but you got a habit of talking about not keeping secrets,” Eddy says before I can respond.
I’ll never forget the time Uncle Sam told him about Aunt May’s daughter being pregnant with her first child, and Hank went and blabbered it to the other ranch hands.
Needless to say, Aunt May wasn’t pleased when she found out early—they were planning one of those gender reveals.
Uncle Eddy doesn’t seem to be over it either.
I glance up and see Sloane approaching, using my hands to signal them to lower their voices as she gets closer.
She wraps her arms around my waist from behind. “How’s the food coming, gentlemen?” she asks as I open the grill and test the tenderness of the burgers.
“About two minutes,” I reply.
She smiles warmly, kissing me briefly. “It smells amazing.” She runs her hand down my chest before pulling away and making her rounds again.
How am I going to get through the rest of this when tonight is getting closer?
Late afternoon turns to dark. Food has been served, and everyone is mingling among themselves as music plays quietly in the background. It’s been an overall success, and I’ve been barely uncomfortable.
Sloane sits with her friends around the fire pit, talking about the latest books they’re reading.
I fiddle with the ring in my pocket for the hundredth time tonight, like it’s weighing me down. I thought about waiting until everyone left, but the wait is getting too difficult.
My nerves set in. I take a deep breath, then walk toward her. I stop behind her and kneel down slightly to whisper in her ear. “Can I steal you for a moment?” I ask as she looks up, concern flickering across her face.
“Is everything okay?”
I nod, holding my hand out to help her to her feet. She looks back at her friends and tells them she’ll be right back as we walk off together. I take her down to our place behind the mesquite tree. The clearing is lit with fireflies, the stars and moon casting a glow over an already beautiful spot.
When I decided to share the place with her, I knew it was no longer just my spot, but ours. Everything up to this point has become ours, and it’s been the best decision of my life. And now, I’m about to make the biggest decision yet.
“What’s going on?” she asks, and I let out a deep breath.
