Always Enough

by Elliott, Kelly

  And she did. She pulled my mouth to hers, and we moaned while we came at the same time.

  I held my body off of her but didn’t attempt to pull out. Being connected like this was the best feeling in the world.

  Looking into her eyes, I took a few deep breaths and then smiled.

  “Will you marry me, Kaylee?”

  Her eyes went wide, her mouth gaping slightly. Then her gaze bounced all over my face and landed back on my eyes. When she lifted her hand to the side of my face, I leaned into it automatically.

  “Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  I leaned down and kissed the single tear that had slipped free. “You just made me the happiest man in the world.”

  We lay there for a few more minutes, me holding her while we listened to the sounds of nature. When a bird landed in the tree above us, we both looked up at it.

  “Look how beautiful he is,” Kaylee whispered.

  Before I had a chance to respond, the little bastard let a poop bomb go. And it landed on me.

  Right. On. My. Mouth.

  I jumped up, screaming as I searched for something to wipe it off, while Kaylee stood there, half-naked, laughing her ass off.

  “Okay, they say it’s good luck for a bird to crap on you, but I think you earned bonus points for it landing on your mouth.”

  I shot her a look. “You think it’s funny?” I said between swallows of water and my practically rubbing my lips off. When she nodded, I reached out and pulled her to me. She pushed against me, laughing and screaming for me not to kiss her while she attempted to get away.

  “Pucker up, baby, you’re getting some of this good luck too.”

  I couldn’t keep my eyes off Kaylee. She was moving around my mother’s kitchen like she’d been living here her entire life. Something happened to my heart each time she laughed or my mother looked at her with love in her eyes. I loved that they were close.

  I hadn’t given her the ring yet; I was saving it for the cabin this weekend. I’d already enlisted Lincoln’s help with planning it all.

  Blayze sat on the kitchen island, his eyes also glued to everything Kaylee was doing.

  “Kaylee, have you decided if you’re going to help Mrs. Kennedy with her daughter’s wedding?” my mother asked.

  “I have. I told her I couldn’t commit to it. As much as I love planning events, it’s just not my thing. I tried it and love doing it for fun, for family especially, but turning it into a business—I don’t think so.”

  A part of me had wondered if it was my fault Kaylee had been doing fewer and fewer events. She had also been working a shit ton on her book editing. And, much to her credit, she was trying to learn as much as she could about the ranch. I loved that she was taking an interest in what I did, so in return, I asked her questions about her job. I was honestly interested in learning why she did what she did for a living.

  She even read to me part of a book she was writing. She told me it was young adult, more for kids in late middle school or high school. It was good; she was good. Damn good. I’d asked if she was going to publish it, and as of then, she’d only had plans to write it. She’d figure out what she would do once it was finished. Whatever she decided, I’d be right by her side.

  “Blayze, should you be on that counter?” Brock asked as he walked into the kitchen with Morgan in his arms. The moment she saw me, she let out a scream of excitement and reached for me.

  “Come here, princess,” I said, taking her from her father’s arms. “Did you miss your favorite uncle?”

  My father walked into the kitchen and gave my mother a quick kiss on the cheek.

  “Dinner is almost ready. Why don’t you start taking the food to the table?” Mama motioned to Kaylee, Brock, and Lincoln.

  Blayze jumped off the counter and reached for Kaylee’s hand. “Want some help, Aunt Kaylee?”

  I’d already filled Kaylee in about Blayze having a crush on her a month or so back.

  “Ty, would you mind grabbing a bottle out of the little cooler I brought?” Lincoln asked me. “It’s in the living room.”

  “Sure.”

  With Morgan in my arms, I headed into the living room. A large picture window looked out over the front yard and the front pasture. I could see someone driving down the gravel driveway. I walked to the front door and opened it, Morgan gazing up at me with those big blue eyes of hers.

  “I know, princess, you’re hungry.”

  With a quick glance back to the drive, I saw it was Dirk’s truck as he drew closer.

  “Is that my little sweet pea?” Dirk said once he reached us, making goofy faces at Morgan and causing her to giggle. Then she held her little hands out for Dirk to take her, which he promptly did.

  “Come on, dude, even my niece? You’ve got to capture her heart as well as the millions of other single women out there?”

  Dirk laughed and kissed Morgan on the cheek. “This is the only girl I’ve given my heart to, so back off. You got your own girl.” I smiled, and Dirk raised a brow. “I don’t think in all the years I’ve known you, Ty, I’ve ever seen that smile on your face.”

  “Probably not.”

  “Holy shit. You’re in love with her.”

  I nodded.

  He stared at me for a moment, then laughed. “Dude, you’ve got it bad. I’m happy for you.”

  “Thanks. I actually asked her to marry me earlier today.”

  Dirk’s eyes went wide. “No kidding. Did she say yes?”

  “Of course she said yes, dickhead. It’s me we’re talking about here.”

  Laughing, he walked past me and shielded Morgan from my outstretched arms.

  “Give her back to me.”

  “No, you get to see her all the time. I don’t.”

  “She’s my niece, dickhead.”

  “Mine too.”

  “Not by blood.”

  “So!”

  “So!”

  When the door opened and Kaylee stared at both of us, we stopped. “Do you two hear yourselves?”

  “He started it,” Dirk said, giving me a smirk.

  “Whatever,” I shot back.

  I walked up to Kaylee and kissed her as Dirk made a gagging sound from behind me. “There are little eyes watching—they don’t need to see that crap.”

  “You’re just jealous, Dirk. But someday, someone is going to catch your eye, and you’re going to fall in love,” Kaylee said.

  “Hard pass,” Dirk replied, walking by the two of us and going into the house.

  “Welcome home, Dirk!” Kaylee called after him. He simply raised a hand and gave a wave.

  When she turned back to me, I saw the happiness in those baby-blue eyes of hers.

  “Your mama asked me why I was in such a good mood. Am I normally not in a good mood?” Her brows were furrowed, and it was the cutest thing ever.

  I chuckled. “Well, even I’ve noticed the smile that seems to be plastered on your face permanently.”

  “Lincoln asked me if I was pregnant because there’s an ‘air’ about me.” She raised her hands and put air quotes around the word.

  Our hands laced together as we walked back into the house. “Want to tell them?” I asked.

  She jumped and faced me. “Can we? Oh my gosh, Ty, it’s killing me not to say something!”

  I pulled her to me and leaned down, brushing my lips over hers. When we both needed some air, I barely moved away from her lips and whispered, “I haven’t given you your ring yet.”

  Her eyes sparkled with excitement. “That’s okay.”

  “I was planning on it this weekend.”

  “You have it?”

  Laughing, I kissed her on the tip of her nose. “Yes, baby. I have it. You okay telling them without the ring?”

  “Yes!”

  “Then let’s do it.”

  “Okay. I’ll let you do it when you’re ready, since it’s your family and all.”

  “Fair enough,” I said, giving her one more quick kiss.

  Th
e second we walked into the dining room, Kaylee let out a squeal of delight.

  All eyes turned to us.

  “We’re getting married!” she cried out.

  My mouth dropped open, and I stared at her. So much for me telling the family.

  Lincoln and my mother both jumped out of their seats and rushed Kaylee. Lincoln hugged her first, and then my mama wrapped them both up in her arms.

  Brock and my father both stood and made their way over to me. Brock shook my hand, then pulled me in for a quick hug. “Congratulations, I’m so happy for you both.”

  I slapped the side of Brock’s arm. “Thanks, Brock.”

  Then it was my father’s turn. He gave me a wide smile, shook my hand, and also did the quick hug. “You couldn’t have picked a finer woman, son.”

  “No doubt about that, Dad.”

  Then my eyes landed on Dirk. He grinned, then said, “My chances are getting better and better. Just need to get the last Shaw brother hitched, then all the single women will be mine.”

  Morgan let out a little scream of excitement that caused all the women to look over at Dirk.

  “Don’t worry, sweet pea, you’ll always be my number one girl,” Dirk said as he tilted Morgan back and expertly gave her a bottle.

  A collective chorus of sighs echoed in the room as my mother, Lincoln, and my new fiancée all stared at Dirk and Morgan.

  Chapter Thirty

  KAYLEE

  Ty didn’t drive far out of town before we were pulling up to a small cabin that was just a ways down from a larger house. I stepped out of the truck and looked at the Bitterroot Mountains and smiled. The blue sky seemed to give way to the mountain ridge. Random puffs of white clouds dotted the sky, giving it that familiar picturesque look I had come to love so much. It stole my breath, it was so beautiful.

  “That’s Blodgett Canyon. You should see it in the fall. It’s beautiful.”

  I turned to face Ty. “This whole area is stunning, any time of year.”

  Ty’s eyes looked out over the vast land before us as he smiled. “I do love Montana.”

  My heartbeat sped up slightly. It was crazy to me how much my life had changed in the last year. Simply because my best friend had decided she needed to move to another state and start fresh. I let out a contented sigh and faced Ty.

  “Do you know the owners?”

  He nodded. “Yes, I went to high school with Roy and his wife, Carol. They bought this fifty acres right out of college. Roy had the guesthouse built for his family on the East Coast who come out to visit. Sometimes they rent it out as well.”

  “It’s beautiful. Not as beautiful as the ranch, but a close second.”

  Ty beamed with happiness, then kissed me on the forehead. “Come on, I want to introduce you to them.”

  “Okay,” I said, letting Ty slip his hand in mine and lead me over to the large home that sat a few hundred yards away from the cabin. A row of trees separated both houses, giving each property a sense of privacy. The smell of gardenias wafted around me. The scent instantly made me take in a long, deep breath. This was a place to come to completely unwind and relax.

  Two dogs, a black Lab and a boxer, came running toward us, their tails going a mile a minute. Ty stopped and reached down to pet them both. I followed his lead. The Lab jumped and spun around, he was so happy.

  “Hey, Frog! Louise! Good dogs.”

  I laughed. “Did you just call him Frog?”

  Ty nodded. “Yeah. When he was a puppy, he used to do this really weird bounce, like a frog. Hence, his name.”

  With a gentle rub on the Lab’s belly, I gave him a little pout. “Poor baby, you’ve got a terrible name.”

  His tongue was hanging out the side of his mouth, and he didn’t seem to have a care in the world. I couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Ty! Damn, man, it’s good to see you!” A dark-haired guy stepped off the front porch with a strikingly attractive woman by his side. Her chestnut-brown hair was pulled up into a ponytail, and her hands were resting on a very pregnant stomach. They were a pretty couple, and if I had to guess, I’d go with football star and head cheerleader. They had that look to them.

  “Kaylee, I’ve heard so much about you from Ty! It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” Carol said as she made her way over. She gave me a friendly hug and then stepped back and gave me a once-over. “He said you were beautiful; he didn’t say you were stunningly beautiful.”

  I felt my cheeks heat. “Thank you,” I said. I wished I could tell her I’d heard a lot about her, but Ty had literally just mentioned Roy and Carol to me only moments ago.

  It was Roy’s turn. He reached out for my hand and shook it. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kaylee. When Ty called me and asked about coming up here, I had to say I was shocked. It’s about damn time he finally met a woman who could put up with his shit.”

  I smiled, and then my gaze drifted to meet Ty’s. He winked at me, and I felt my stomach flutter at the idea that Ty had been talking about me to his friends. I looked back at Roy and said, “Thank you so much for letting us stay here. It’s beautiful.”

  “Just wait,” Carol said, giving me a saucy smile that said she knew something I didn’t. Then she laced her arm around mine, and we started walking up the steps of their house. “We just got back to Montana. We’ve been in Europe for over a year. So Ty had to fill us in on everything. I was stunned to hear Brock got married and had a baby. To your best friend too! It’s like something out of a romance book.”

  “I didn’t mention it, but Kaylee is a book editor,” Ty said from behind us.

  Carol stopped walking and faced me. “What kind of books?”

  “I do a few different genres, but mostly romance and historical romance.”

  “Oh my gosh, you and I just became best friends. We are going to talk nothing but books this weekend. I need a list of all your favorites.”

  I laughed. “Okay.”

  Ty came up and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me from Carol’s hold. “Sorry to break the news to you, Carol, but she’s mine all weekend.”

  Carol pouted, then rubbed her stomach. “Ty, I’m eight months pregnant. Are you really going to steal my new best friend?”

  “Yes. Yes, I am, because she’s my best friend.”

  My heart hammered in my chest at his words. Ty looked at me with so much love in his eyes that I nearly melted on the spot. It was hard to believe that I’d ever had any sort of happiness before this man, because his smile alone filled my heart with so much joy.

  Roy let out a laugh and wrapped his arm around his wife. “Listen, the cabin is stocked with food. You should have everything you need for the weekend. Any problems, just give us a holler.”

  “Thanks, Roy,” Ty said.

  “I made a lasagna and put it in the refrigerator. You just have to heat it up. There’s also some fresh french bread, right out of the oven this morning.”

  “Wow!” I said. “Homemade bread and lasagna. I may never want to leave.” I gave Carol a smile that said thank you.

  “If you guys want, tomorrow morning I can make my famous french toast. Just let me know when you wake up.”

  “Will do,” Ty said, suddenly taking my hand and leading us back down the steps.

  “Okay, well, I guess that’s Ty’s sign he’s finished being sociable,” Roy joked.

  “Have fun, you two!” Carol called out.

  I looked over my shoulder and said, “Thanks again!” I couldn’t help but giggle. “Why the sudden departure?” I asked.

  “I’m ready to kiss you. Touch you. Be inside you.”

  A chill ran down my spine in anticipation of all that.

  “But first, we’re going on a picnic.”

  And just like that, I felt like a little girl again, excited for my first real adventure with a boy. Of course, my first adventure with a boy was his asking to push me on the swings and my thinking I had just scored better than Christmas morning, because the boy who’d asked was also the cute
st boy in school. He ended up being the biggest dick in school too. I had a feeling this time things would be much different.

  After we grabbed our bags, we headed into the small cabin. It was perfect. The living and kitchen area were one big room. Large plank floors made it all warm and cozy. The furniture was leather, giving the space a slightly rustic feel. Large throw pillows lined the sofa, and I imagined myself curled up with a blanket and a book.

  The back of the cabin had large sliding-glass doors that led to a small patio with chairs and a fire ring. The view of the mountains looked like a picture from this spot. When I walked up to the glass doors, I could see a small lake. I smiled as I gazed out at it. The mountains reflected on the water, making it look magical and romantic. Just when you thought you’d seen the prettiest view, Montana yelled, “Surprise, here’s an even better view!”

  Ty walked up and wrapped his arms around me, his chin resting on my head as he asked, “What’s the smile for?”

  “This lake makes me think of one Lincoln and I saw when we first drove up to Montana. We were only a few miles from Hamilton and had gotten out to stretch. I remember feeling so lost on that trip. I was sad that Lincoln was leaving me, and the thought of going back to Atlanta seemed all wrong. The entire drive up here was beautiful, but there was something about that lake and the way the mountains reflected off the water. I had a sense of peace come over me. I knew in that moment that Lincoln was doing what she had to do, and eventually, I’d find my way again.”

  “I’m glad your way included a stop with me.”

  Turning in his arms, I looked up at him. My finger ran lightly along his jawline as I stared into those sky-blue eyes. “It’s not just a stop. I think you were my destination the entire time.”

  Ty’s eyes softened as he leaned down and gently brushed his mouth over mine. “I love you.”

  I smiled against his lips. “I love you too.”

  After a deep kiss that left my knees wobbly, Ty drew back and looked out the doors, then back to me. “Come on—we’re actually heading to that lake for lunch.”

  We quickly placed our bags in the bedroom, and I couldn’t help but stand in the middle of the room and spin in delight. The master bedroom was decorated like something straight out of a romance book, with white lacy fabric and roses placed all over the room. The scent hit me immediately, and I couldn’t help but smile when Ty pulled a single rose out and ran it over my face while he looked at me like he wanted to strip me naked and make love to me. Somehow he managed not to, and we headed over to the lake in his truck with a large picnic basket that had clearly been prepared ahead of time.