His heart expanded. She was everything. Daisy Reed? Yeah, that had the best ring to it.
He grinned. “And what about Hunter? What if we adopted him forever?”
Daisy threw her head back and laughed. “Yes. To all of it. We can work out the details. We can work out everything. Life gives us that ability. As long as we have life, we can make all of this work. Do you see that? This is just the starting point.”
His heart beat harder. “I’m seeing that. And you mentioned kids? Does that mean marriage? You want that with me?”
“With only you.”
“What about fostering a kid?”
“That’s another possibility. We’ll do whatever works for both of us. Give and take. Compromise. We figure it out on the way.”
“What if we ever had a little girl? Could we name her after my mother?”
She smiled. “Yes. Nothing would be better.”
“So, we decide our futures together?”
“Forever this time.” She added with a lopsided smile, “Well, as long as our lifespans allow us. But if you believe in me as much as I believe in us, it’ll all work out.”
He believed her.
Hugging her, he glanced around. “This place could use some crown molding to spiff it up a bit.”
She leaned back, laughing at his suggestion. “Know a decent carpenter?”
“Nope. But I sure as heck can’t wait to try out my skills. I’m sure I can find a YouTube video for that—”
She cringed. “Or we could always ask your dad…”
“Well, there is that option. If you prefer a man with experience and all. But you’ll have to let me try some things. A little compromising?”
She scowled. “Only if you don’t abuse it. Now, I’d really love to go home.”
“To our home?” He gave her a smile. “Reed Ranch?”
She nodded and with a simple smile said, “Finally. Forever. And always. Let’s go home to Reed Ranch.”
“God, my mom would have loved to know about this.”
She set a hand to his face and her eyes grew large with care and sympathy. “She does know. I believe that, Kate knows everything, like always. But I know what you mean. And she’d love this. Us. What we finally decided.”
He blinked to hold back tears. “She’d have asked what took me… us… so damn long.”
Daisy chuckled. “She would. She would have.”
He gripped her hand in his and they webbed their fingers together tightly. “But she’d have loved what we decided and what we’re doing. And that we are together.” The pain of thinking of his mom, and her not being with them ever again, might always feel like a punch to his gut. But with Daisy, at least she understood, and she knew exactly what to say to make it tolerable.
Together. Home. At the ranch. Dizziness overwhelmed him. He never foresaw her wanting him, let alone his ranch too. But here they were stepping out of her office, which was her compromise to being with him. He vowed she would never regret it. He’d spend their lives making sure Daisy was fulfilled and satisfied with choosing him and here, and this lifestyle at Reed Ranch.
Thank you for reading River at the Ranch!
I hope you fell in love with Daisy and Asher as they figured out their dreams, supported each other through triumphs, tragedies and finally finding a way to have it all… together.
Read on to find out how Lillian Rydell comes to get to know the father of her only child! One-click River to the Ocean now!
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Keep reading for an excerpt of River to the Ocean…
Excerpt
“When you asked me if I had any kids. I didn’t answer it. I should have told you yes. I do. I have one son.”
Matt’s entire posture sank. Then a slow smile filled his face. He reached forward and took her hand in his. Warm, gentle, and soft, he squeezed her hand like he always did to show her his care and concern.
“That’s what has you sitting here so dejectedly, like you’re waiting for the sky to fall on you? That’s not a problem. Not for me. I mean, whatever we decide to do, that won’t pose any problems. We can handle it if there is an us, however you see fit.”
Her heart lurched with relief. She wanted to grab his face and shake it, demanding that he stop trying to make this so easy on her. Stop trying to be so good. The guilt only got worse.
She blinked and reeled her thoughts back in. Trying to stay steady, she searched for the words to tell him. Then he asked her, “What’s his name?”
She lifted her face and stared into Matt’s eyes. Studying the slope of his forehead, the dip of his nose, the flare of his nostrils, the arches of his dark eyebrows, the perfect O of his mouth and synchronized widening of his eyes. It was all familiar to her, the same as their son. “Benjamin Mathew Rydell. He’s named for my father and—”
How could she say it? Her stomach roiled with ragged nerves. Here she goes. Stating the truth that could change everything. She gulped down the lump in her throat and held his gaze. Strong and sure, her voice barely wavering, she said, “—and his.”
It took Matt a few moments to mull over the name and register what she said. He replied, “That’s a strong name—” but stopped.
He shook his head, and looked at her, then away. His brain was cataloguing, shuffling through all of her comments until she knew he landed on the most important one, the one that could change everything.
“Didn’t you think my name was Mathew?”
“Yeah. I always thought that was your name.”
Continue reading River to the Ocean.
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