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She nodded as I wiped her tears away with my thumbs.
“I would give up everything if it means making you happy. If you’re not by my side in this life, I’m lost. I’ve been lost for far too long and I’m never looking back. We’re on this journey together, and someday I’m going to marry you.”
A sob slipped from her mouth, and she pressed her lips tightly together.
“I’m going to make every single dream of yours come true. Every one of them.”
Her chin trembled as she placed her hands over mine. “Rip.”
Leaning down, I captured her mouth with mine. The kiss was soft and slow. Dropping my hands from her face, I picked her up, carrying her into the house. We spent the rest of the night learning every single inch of each other’s bodies.
Saturday, we spent the morning hiking, then took a dip in the river. The afternoon was spent back in bed until we needed to get up and dressed before dinner came.
“That was some of the best brisket I think I’ve ever had,” Chloe said.
“You must have forgotten what my dad’s brisket tastes like.”
She crinkled her nose and giggled. “It’s been so long since I had his!”
“Speaking of my parents, they want you to come over for dinner this week.”
“I’d love to.”
“It won’t be weird, will it? Mom is probably going to cry. You know how she is.”
Chloe wore a wide grin. “I don’t think it will be weird. When you picked me up for the dance, and I kissed you in front of my folks, it felt so natural. This all feels so perfect.”
“I’m sorry about the gossips in town.”
With a heavy sigh, she waved her hands as if to brush it all off. “They’ll be on to the next prayer chain drama in a day or so. Besides, who cares what they think?”
“Not me,” I stated.
She smiled. “Me either.”
“I think we need to make use of that hot tub tonight.”
Chloe looked out over the dark hill country and then up at the star-filled sky. When she faced me again, she winked. “Looks like nighttime to me.”
Chloe
A MONTH HAD passed since that weekend in Wimberley. We had closed on the house and moved in enough furniture that was handed down from our folks to sleep, sit, and eat on. Rip and I tore things apart at night. During the day, I worked at the ranch full-time, and he worked part-time with Jonathon and part time at the ranch. My father was against us moving in together right away since we had just started dating. It didn’t take me long to change his mind. Rip and I had always been inseparable. Now that we were a couple, it only made sense. Plus, we owned a house together.
A house.
I smiled as I thought about the farmhouse.
“Do I want to know what is making you smile like that?” My father’s voice caused me to look up at him. “I know it’s not the new marketing plan you’re coming up with.”
I leaned back in my office chair and tilted my head as I regarded him. “It just might be. I do love my job, Daddy.”
“Right. I’ve seen that look before, and that is not an I-love-my-job dreamy look.”
“Really? What sort of look is it?” I asked as he sat down in the chair before my desk.
“It’s more like I’m-in-love-and-can’t-stop-thinking-about-my-man look. I’ve seen it before on your mother’s face.”
I smiled. My parents were madly in love with each other. So much so that I would often catch the two of them staring when the other wasn’t looking. It was a sweet, long-lasting love. One that I knew I had with Rip.
“I am in love with him, Daddy.”
He nodded. “I know you are, sweetheart. You have been for some time. I have to give you credit for realizing that before you made a mistake with Easton.”
“It wasn’t just loving Rip that made me say no to Easton. It was you, the ranch, Momma, Gage, Grammy, and Grandpa. I couldn’t leave all of this. Not for a man I didn’t love the way he needed me to love him.”
Daddy pulled in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. “How is the house coming along?”
I could feel myself beaming at that question.
“Good. We’ve gotten the entire kitchen gutted. I told Rip I wanted to start in there. Mike is already working on the cabinets.”
“What have you gone with?” he asked.
“Knotty alder. Glass doors, I think.”
“I like the sound of that.” His phone rang, and when he took it out, I saw Rip’s name on the screen. “Excuse me, darlin’. I need to take this.”
I nodded.
“This is Steed.”
Dad’s eyes met mine. “I’m sitting in my daughter’s office.” He pulled the phone away while rolling his eyes but smiled. “He told me to tell you he loves you.”
