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Elise wanted to throw her arms in the air in triumph, but she was too tired. Tears welled up in her eyes instead, and she didn’t bother to brush them away. “Thank you, Garrett,” she said. “You just made everything better.”
10
Garrett took his cowboy hat off as he stepped into Elise’s house. His palms were sweaty, and he wiped one hand on his pants. He had a plan for tonight, but why was he so nervous? It wasn’t like it was real. He was just following through on their plan. True, it probably wasn’t a part of the plan Eise was expecting, but it needed to happen.
Elise said something from where she walked in front of him, but Garrett had to shake himself to remember to listen. “What did you say?” he asked.
“I got pizza for dinner.” Elise stopped in the kitchen and turned to face him. She furrowed her eyebrows and tilted her head. “Are you okay?”
Garrett cleared his throat. He had hoped it wasn’t that obvious. “Yeah, fine.” He ran his fingers through his hair, feeling anything but fine. “Probably just tired.”
“Busy day today?”
He nodded. “Normal ranch stuff really. But it has been busy.”
“I hope I’m not keeping you from anything by being here.”
Garrett didn’t want to admit that he could think of at least ten things he could be doing at the ranch. He had agreed to this plan, and he would do what it took to see it through. And to make it look real. He simply shrugged. “There’s never an end to the work. It will still be there tomorrow.”
“I’m beginning to understand that. It’s not the same, but I’m still learning all the things my mom did around here. It seems like no matter how much I do one day, there’s still so much to do when I wake up the next.”
“It’s not always a bad thing. Work, that is. Work is good. I’m glad to have a purpose and something to keep my hands busy. I like work.”
Elise stared at him with a look of admiration. “I know you do. And you’re good at it.” She paused and bit her lip. “I need to learn to appreciate work like you do. I’m afraid I’ve complained too much. But I hope you know once we’re settled at your house, I plan to work there.”
Garrett furrowed his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”
Elise’s cheeks flushed pink as she looked to the floor. “I know we won’t have a real marriage, but I can still keep a house for you. Do laundry, clean, buy groceries, cook.”
Garrett stepped closer and waited for her to look up at him. “Elise, I’m not expecting you to be a maid.”
Elise blinked rapidly and swallowed. “I know. But the boys are a handful, and we take up some space. I just want you to know I plan to not be a bother and to help out.”
“I have never thought you would be a bother,” he said gently.
Elise turned and placed both hands on the counter as she hung her head.
Garrett stepped to her side and peered over her shoulder. Instantly, he saw the tears already rolling down her cheeks. “Elise,” he said, his voice sounding so tender he almost didn’t recognize it. “What is it?”
She shook her head and pressed her lips together as if she couldn’t speak. Garrett waited. After a few moments, she took a deep breath and spoke through a broken voice.
“I still can’t believe you would do this. But I need you, Garrett. I’ve never been on my own before. And even though I don’t think I’m a spoiled person, I had a lot of privileges I never realized. My parents just handled things for me, for all of us. They didn’t ask me to do much around the house or help out paying for college, except for the scholarships I got. I’m not saying they thought I was a burden, but I don’t think I’ve carried my own weight. Now here I am begging you to take us in, and you didn’t even blink an eye. How can I ever repay that?”
Garrett didn’t think, he just put his arms around her. Every inch of his body reacted to being that close to her, and he steeled himself against it. This wasn’t about any of that. It was about helping her and the boys. But seeing her standing there so vulnerable and feeling guilty, he couldn’t take it. “Elise, I’m not asking for anything. You don’t have to repay anything. We decided together to do this, and it’s what we’re going to do.”
She moved slightly in his arms, and he released her as he stepped back. She turned to face him.
Garrett knew this was the moment. Maybe it was nothing like she had ever imagined, but it was time, and he knew in his heart it was the right thing to do. “This isn’t a temporary favor that you can repay. It’s a life, Elise. We are choosing to do this, and even though it’s for a different reason than most people, I still want you to know that we’re making a commitment. I’m committing to you, and I won’t break that promise. We’ve known each other a long time— a lifetime really— but we’re going to be together for the rest of our lifetimes.” Slowly he reached into his pocket and produced the small box that had been weighing his pocket down since he arrived. “Elise, I never thought I would ask anyone these words, but I know it’s the right thing. He slipped open the box and revealed the simple, solitaire diamond ring. “Will you marry me?”
Elise gasped at the sight of the ring while her hands flew to her mouth. “Garrett, you shouldn’t have.”
“Yes, I should. I’m in this, Elise, for good. And I want to do it right. You deserve more than I can give you, but I’ll give you what I can. So will you?” Garrett asked. Knowing the answer could only be yes didn’t make him any less nervous as he looked into her eyes pleading for the word.
She kept her eyes locked on his as she nodded. “Yes, Garrett. I’ll commit to a lifetime with you. I’ll marry you.”
Garrett’s hand shook as he took the ring from the box and slipped it on her finger. Opening his arms, she stepped into them, and he wrapped her in a hug. Somehow she felt just right in his arms. Maybe this was a deal, a contract, and a plan to keep a family together. But just for a moment, it felt like this was exactly where she was always supposed to be.
11
