She’d rendered him speechless. For the first time in Boone’s entire life, his facile tongue failed him.
He didn’t say yes. He just stood there staring down at her like six feet two and a half inches of tongue-tied Texan fool.
Hannah giggled. “Are you going to leave me hanging here, McBride?”
Finally, he managed, “This is wrong, so wrong. It’s backward. I’m supposed to be the person down on one knee! I’ve been planning. It’s Operation Lightsaber. I was going to do a big, over-the-top proposal. That’s the way we do it in Eternity Springs.”
“Beat you to it. You snooze, you lose. Besides, it’s a brand-new world, Texas. A brand-new life. So what do you say? Are you going to live it with me?”
“On one condition.” He tugged her back onto her feet. His arms slid around her waist.
“What’s that?”
He pulled her hard against him. “You don’t breathe a word about the way this happened to Jackson and Tucker. They’ll give me hell.”
She giggled again. “Nope. No conditions. No negotiations. Yes or no. What’s your answer?”
“Unbelievable,” he grumbled. “Outmaneuvered by a Yankee. I’m going to have to turn in my cowboy card.”
His lips swooped in and captured hers in a long, steamy kiss. When he finally broke to breathe, he gasped, then said, “My answer is yes. Yes. Yes. Oh holy hell, yes, I’ll marry you whenever and wherever you want, although I really like your suggestion. Now let’s go home where we can roll around naked without having to worry about rolling right off a cliff, shall we?”
“I like that plan, but first, I have something to give you to mark the occasion.” She picked up the leather jacket and tugged open one of the zippers. She placed something gold and lightweight in the palm of his hand.
Boone stared down at the chain and pendant in shock. He recognized it, all right. “An Angel’s Rest blazon? Where did you get an Angel’s Rest blazon?”
“Celeste gave it to me.”
“Celeste gave it to you,” he repeated. “You got one, and I didn’t? What the heck? That’s not the way it works!”
“Take it up with the angel, McBride. Later. Let’s go somewhere and make love.”
“The Angel’s Rest blazon.” He scoffed. “Well, that solves one problem, I guess.” He began tugging at the buckles on her motorcycle chaps.
“What are you doing?” she asked, slapping at his hands.
“I’m going to make love to you. Right here.”
“No, you’re not!”
“Right now.” He estimated he could carry her to the backseat of his truck in two point seven seconds.
“This is a public place. You’re an attorney! Besides, what about the rolling-over-the-cliff thing?”
“We’ll be fine, Hannah.” He dangled the Angel’s Rest pendant in front of her eyes before swooping her up into his arms. “After all, we’ve got wings.”
Epilogue
REDEMPTION, TEXAS
On the morning of his wedding day, Boone met his cousins Jackson and Tucker for a motorcycle ride through Enchanted Canyon. Just as he’d done on their first visit three years ago, Tucker led the way out of Redemption on his H-D Road King. Jackson followed on his Harley Fat Boy, while Boone brought up the rear on a Kawasaki Ninja. They made the fifteen-mile trip to the canyon at a leisurely pace, though they gunned their engines and stirred up dust just for fun when they turned onto the original narrow dirt road that cut through the scrub brush and flat, rocky terrain.
It was a perfect day for a ride, not a single cloud in the brilliant blue sky, and the current temperature hovering in the sixties. The forecast for this evening was for clear skies and temps in the seventies—perfect for an outdoor wedding and the wedding night he had planned for them beneath the stars. Hannah had enjoyed their visit to Stardance River Camp so much that he’d decided to create their own luxurious glamping tent here in the canyon. He’d finally found a purpose for Ruin, the outlaw conclave at the far end of the canyon, and renovating it into a glamping resort would be his next big project. Once he felt like tackling big projects again, that is. For the next little while, he intended to concentrate on his little family, his wife and child, Hannah and Bree.
Life was good for Boone McBride, and he was a happy man.
Where the road curved and the canyon first came into view, the three men cycled to a stop, switched off their engines, and climbed off their bikes. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder gazing out toward where the earth had fallen away.
It was a beautiful spot. Jackson had a vivid way of describing Enchanted Canyon that had always stuck with Boone: “It’s like God plunged his fingers into flat, barren land, ripped it asunder, and then breathed life into it.”
Below him, patches of summer green clung to life amid the changing colors of autumn. Listening hard, he could hear the distant roar of a waterfall, and he knew if he paid attention as he descended to the canyon floor, he’d see a variety of wildlife. Enchanted Canyon was different from Eternity Springs, but every bit as beautiful. How lucky was he that he’d get to live in both places with the people who mattered most to him in his life?
Jackson interrupted Boone’s reverie by saying, “That first time we rode out here, I was so damned miserable. I’d just lost the custody battle for Haley, and I couldn’t write a decent song to save my life. But the instant I laid eyes on this place, I experienced the weirdest sensation. I knew that my life had irrevocably changed, but I never would have guessed that the change would be so huge. I never dreamed I could be this happy, this blessed. Married to the most fabulous woman in the world, Haley living with us, and a new baby on the way.”
“Plus, you are writing kick-ass songs, and your vision for the dance hall has proven to be a huge success,” Tucker offered. “Good job, cuz.”
“Good job, yourself,” Jackson replied. “You’re not doing too shabby either.”
“That’s the damned truth.” Tucker shoved his hands into the back pockets of his jeans as a slow, satisfied grin spread across his face. “Who would have thought that a rough old army man like me would become so enthralled with satin and lace? Gillian rocks my world.”
Boone eyed Tucker thoughtfully. “So are the two of you thinking to give little Caroline Junior a cousin anytime soon?”
“Emma,” Jackson said. “We’ve settled on Emma.”
“Emma McBride. Beautiful family name. Excellent choice, Jackson.” Tucker’s grin widened, and a gleam entered his brown eyes as he added, “Actually, Gillian doesn’t want to steal any of Hannah’s thunder, so we’re waiting until after your wedding, Boone, to make any announcement.”
“Hah!” Jackson said. “Awesome.” He clapped Tucker on the back.
Boone snapped his fingers. “I knew it. Gillian didn’t drink any champagne at the rehearsal party last night. I bet Hannah five dollars that you’d knocked her up.”
“Don’t be crass. Like Grandma used to say, she’s in a family way.”
The three men shared a grin, then Boone punched Tucker’s shoulder in the way that substituted for a hug among the McBride cousins. “I’m really happy for you, Tucker. Congratulations.”