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Hawk laughed and reached to put the truck back in drive. “Well, that beats all I’ve ever heard. But I like Elise, we all do. So if you’ve changed your mind, and you’re ready to settle down, it’s alright with me.”
“Thanks for your permission,” Garrett said wryly.
“Man, you don’t need anybody’s permission but God’s. So if you’re good with it, and she’s good with it, and you have a clear conscience before God, then go for it. Even if you’re going to get a few strange looks.”
“You’re right. People are going to think it’s crazy, and it probably is. But I think it’s right.”
“Then don’t worry about anybody else.”
7
Elise sat staring at her phone. The boys had been asleep for a while now, and Elise was alone with her thoughts. Now Garrett had texted her. She hadn’t heard much from him since he left the house the other day. Only a text to tell her he had to go out of town for a couple of days, and they could talk when he got back.
Now she stared at the words on the screen:I think we should move forward. Let’s start thinking about a plan.
She had read the words over and over and still couldn’t process them. He was really willing to marry her, and he wanted to make a plan. What did that mean? A plan for a wedding? Would they even have a wedding? There wasn’t any money or time for that. But she would need to pack to move and get the house ready to sell. She put her hand to her forehead. Her brain hurt just thinking about all the details.
All she could think to reply was:Ok. You don’t know how much this means to me. I’ll be thinking about it too, and we can talk when you get home.”
Home. That word was about to take on a new meaning. They would need to move things along quickly. Before she knew it, when she said “home” she would mean Garrett’s house. With him.
A shiver ran down her spine as she thought about it. How many times had she pictured that as a teenager? Her friends would whisper behind their hands, “There goes your future husband.” Elise would blush and shake her head. “We’re just friends,” she would say. But she always hoped one day he would change his mind and see her as something different.
Now he really would be her husband, but not in the way she’d ever dreamed of.
Elise groaned as she stood up. “This can’t be real. I’m not really doing this. Am I?” There was no one to ask but herself. She hadn’t told anyone about her plan yet. “No,” she said. “I won’t think about how crazy it is. If I do, I’ll talk myself out of it, and this is the best thing I can do right now.”
Besides, she’d always wanted to be a Macklin. Why would she run from that, even if it wasn’t what she’d expected.
Her phone buzzed, and she looked at the screen to see another text from Garrett.Could I call you now?
Was he that eager to put things in motion? Or was he also trying to keep himself from backing out of it?
Sure.
She took two deep breaths and sat down on the couch before her phone rang. She would have to get used to him calling and texting her. “Hey,” she answered, hoping she sounded calmer than she felt.
“Hey, how’s it going?” he asked.
“Fine,” she said a little too quickly. She cleared her throat and told herself to speak at a normal pace. “How are things with you?”
“Fine. Hawk and I are in Abilene for an auction, but we’ll be home the day after tomorrow. Unless it’s a wasted trip, and we don’t actually buy anything. Then we’ll head home tomorrow.”
“Does that happen a lot?”
Garrett sighed. “Sometimes. It’s a risk we take, but sometimes we come home empty-handed.”
“Mmhmm,” Elise mumbled. “That must be hard.”
“It’s just part of it.”
“Yeah.”
“There are a lot of things about ranch life that are unpredictable. You’ll learn to roll with it.”
Elise bit her lip. “I hope so.”
The line went silent for a few moments. Finally, Garrett spoke again. “Do you want to talk about a plan?”
