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Chapter 28
Tyler
Kent knocks as he pushes open the front door.
“Dad!”Mason jumps into his dad’s arms.“Tyler let me have Bottle Caps.They are so good!”
I mouth “Sorry” to Kent, but he just laughs.“They are good, aren’t they?”He sets Mason on his feet.“Gather your things because Tyler has to go.”
“He’s having dinner with Jasmine.”
Every word I say is picked up by those little ears.“Heard that, did ya?”
“Yep.And she made a chocolate s’more cake.That sounds good.Dad, can I ask Miss Ava to make me a chocolate s’more cake?”
“We’ll see.”Kent lifts his eyebrows, failing at his attempt to hold back a grin.“I didn’t make you late, did I?”
“Nah, I’m good.”I step closer to Kent as Mason stuffs toys into his backpack.“And I didn’t know he could hear her.I need to turn down the volume on my phone.”
“He hears everything.Turning down the volume won’t help.”Kent sighs.“It’s a good thing I don’t ever plan to have a girlfriend.”
Mason hums as he drives a car along the back of the sofa.
“You ready, bud?”
“Yep.”He shoves the car in his pocket and picks up his bag.“Tyler loves Jasmine.Are they going to get married?”
Kent looks at me, and it’s clear he’s waiting on an answer.
I squat in front of Mason.“I hope so.But I haven’t asked her yet, so we can’t talk about it around other people.You can talk to me and to your dad, but that’s it.”
Mason grins, his head bobbing up and down.“I can keep a secret.The lady who came to the ranch to make the cows better, she called Parker a dumpling, and I haven’t told anyone.”
Dumpling?I file away that tidbit about Parker and the vet.Because I won’t rat out a four-year-old, I won’t mention it to Parker.Not yet.
But Mason’s slip makes it clear that Jasmine will eventually hear that I want to marry her.I can only hope it’s after I pop the question.
Kent pokes the kid in the side, then tosses a giggling Mason over his shoulder and walks out.“Have fun!”
“Thanks.”I step into the bedroom and pull open the top dresser drawer.The velvet box is barely visible from where it’s poorly hidden under my socks.I’ve had it out so many times.Just to look.I flip up the lid of the small velvet box.The ring won’t come with me tonight.But I’m not going to be able to wait much longer.
I stuff it back under the socks, then hurry to my sweetheart.
When I knock on Jasmine’s door, it swings open as soon as I make contact with the wood.“Hello?”
“Changing.Be out in a sec.”Jasmine’s bedroom door closes, then opens again.“Make yourself at home.”
Home.This cute little house feels as much like home as the ranch does.But my favorite person sleeps here.
She’s arranged the jars of bottle caps, which are now sorted by color, on her shelves.Her colorful yoga mats are in a basket in the corner, and she’s stored the hoard of candies I bought in a basket under her side table.
Every inch of this place reflects a facet of her personality.And I’m smitten with every bit of her.I step out back to peek at the garden.Plants are much bigger than when she put them in, and some even have blossoms.
“Stuff is taking off.It won’t be long before I make you that sauce I mentioned.”She circles her arms around my waist and rests her head on my back.
“I can’t wait.”
“We should go.They’ll know why we’re late if we stand here snuggling in full view of their windows.”She slides her hand into mine.
