by Caroline Lee
And not just any woman. She wasn’t particularly tall, but she held herself tall; her shoulders back, her chin up, her arms by her side. She was strong, and confident, and so incredibly beautiful.
“Who is that?” Mr. Claymore is asking. “Is that Halle Berry? Did she get an invite?”
But Archie wasn’t listening. “Excuse me, sir,” he muttered distractedly as he handed the older man the un-touched martini. “I have to…”
He didn’t know what he had to do, other than move. He had to be closer to the vision of confident beauty standing at the top of those stairs. Without his brain telling his feet to move, he found himself floating across the room towards her.
And from her dais over all the mere mortals, she looked down and met his eyes, and Archie discovered he’d forgotten to breathe.
It was Cait. She was here.
Her dark skin seemed to glisten against the pure white of the strapless gown she wore. The sheer material managed to sparkle in the dim lighting, and matched the diamonds at her ears. Her short black hair was slicked back—not as it had been when they’d swum in the lake together, or when they’d been sweaty and dirty from a day on the trails, but with some kind of artful style. There were more sparkles throughout it, as if she wore some kind of netting of stars on her head.
She deserved it.
Archie stopped below her, one knee bent with that leg several stairs higher than the other. His heart was beating frantically in his chest, and he suddenly sucked in a great lungful of air.
What to say? She was here. She was here. She was here.
There was nothing more to say, really. He lifted his hand to her, and prayed.
Cait stared down at him for a long minute. Finally—finally!—she placed her bare hand in his and stepped down a few stairs. She didn’t bother fussing her dress or looking anywhere else than in his eyes, regal as the queen he knew she was. She halted when they were eye-to-eye.
And then, God help him, she still didn’t speak.
But she was here, and that had to mean something.
“I was coming,” he finally said hoarsely. “Tomorrow. My flight for Spokane leaves at noon, and I was coming to you. I’m sorry I didn’t sooner—the movie—the production. I had a contract, and I didn’t think—”
He nearly bit off his own tongue when she shut him up by raising one hand and simply placing it on his cheek. Still no words, but that gesture had to mean something.
His voice caught. “I’m so sorry, Cait. I should’ve found a way to reach you. I was so deep in filming, but I could’ve written to the ranch or something. I could’ve—”
And that’s when she smiled. Her too-wide smile with the gap in between the teeth, and her mismatched eyes sparkling.
“You shaved.”
Archie’s mouth was still open, and something inarticulate burbled out. Shaved? That wasn’t what he’d expected to hear.
“What?” he finally managed.
Her smile grew. “You shaved. You’re wearing a tux and cowboy boots and you look hotter than I could imagine—although I did really like the beard.” She leaned forward just slightly. “But you know what the best part is?”
Mutely, he shook his head, still in shock.
“You’re not wearing your contacts.” She lowered her voice as her fingers slowly caressed his cheek and sent shivers throughout his body. “You’re you. All the yous you’ve ever been, wrapped up in this body.”
Archie’s knees went weak, and if he hadn’t been standing on two separate stairs for balance, he might’ve fallen over in the face of her clear, beautiful, incredible acceptance.
There were no words. Nothing he could possibly say would convey the way his heart was pounding only for her. The way every breath was harder than the last, because he thought his heart was pushing against his lungs, filling his chest until there was no room for anything other than his love.
Instead, he pressed his free hand against hers, where it rested on his cheek, and tried to keep from crying.
“Do you know why I’m here, Archie?” she asked in a quiet voice.
He didn’t have any trouble hearing her though, and just shook his head slightly, never dropping her gaze.
“I came to find you. To find out if you could possibly see yourself with someone like me. To see if you were just using me on the ranch, to see if you might feel some smidge, some tiny iota of the love I feel for you.” Her fingers moved under his. “I sold my Tacoma to pay for this trip. The plane, the ticket to get in here, this ridiculous dress. I spent my savings, because I had to know… And you know what I discovered?”
Archie’s brain had hiccupped when she’d claimed she loved him. The fact that she’d given up her overlanding truck—given up her savings and her dream—to come here, was the bravest thing he’d ever heard, but—but—but—she loved him. His mind kept repeating that.
She loves me she loves me she loves me.
He couldn’t even answer her question.
Without looking away, Cait stepped down until she was on the same stair as his lower leg, and the bent knee brushed against the angelic gown she wore. She had to tilt her head back to look into his eyes, and Archie knew he should step back, give her room. But with her hand still in his and her other hand still on his cheek, he couldn’t make himself.
She loves me she loves me she loves me.
“Archie,” she whispered. “My heart was broken for so long. I loved you, although I never told you. When you left like that…” She shook her head slightly. “I never want to feel that way again. I gave up everything to come here, and I was more nervous than I’d ever been. But then…” She sucked in a breath. “Then you looked at me—really looked—and I knew. If you were coming to me tomorrow, then…then…” She exhaled. “It was worth it.”
He couldn’t stand it any longer. He released her hand and put his arms around her and kissed her. Kissed her right there in front of everyone in the industry who should matter, but who didn’t at that moment. Kissed her with all the longing and built-up passion and desperation he’d felt in the time since he’d seen her last.
And she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him right back.
It was a million heartbeats too few when he finally released her. Just far enough to press his forehead against hers and breathe deeply, his heart pounding in the most beautiful way.
“I love you, Caitlin Quinn. I’ve missed you so much, and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that. I love you, I love you. I love how strong you are, I love how adventurous you are, and I love how you don’t think changes are bad things.”
Her fingers were playing with the hair at the back of his neck as she slowly breathed with him. “I love you too, Archie. I would’ve never thought someone like me could fall in love with a real-life movie star, but you’re the only man I’ve ever met who I could love. We’re perfect for one another.”
She loved him.
Slowly, Archie straightened, ignoring their audience. He grinned down at Cait. “Do you have plans for next week?”
She blinked. “Um…no? I have a return flight booked, in case this was a total flop, but—”
It was his turn to interrupt her. “Excellent.”
He dug his cell phone out of his back pocket, and thumbed through his contacts without loosening his hold on her, there on the steps. Finding his assistant’s number—the man had come to the premiere tonight, but had disappeared after the viewing—he pressed “talk”, all the while staring into her eyes.
“Dan? Hey, I need you to do me a favor.” On the other end of the line, the young man indicated he was ready to take notes. Archie smiled at Cait. “Cancel my flight to Idaho tomorrow. Instead, I want two tickets to Panama leaving Monday. Yeah, next to each other, obviously. And book us a nice resort somewhere down there, with a Canal cruise—that’s the important bit, okay?”
He hung up, and his smile grew at Cait’s wide-eyed expression. “That should give us tomorrow and Sunday to get a new wardrobe for our upcoming adve
ntures.”
“Adventures?” she repeated softly.
“Oh yes,” he repeated seriously, his heart soaring. “I have it on authority my travel partner wants to see the world. Climb trees in the rainforest, hike up sand dunes on the Skeleton Coast, go scuba diving near the Great Barrier Reef.”
As she heard her own words repeated back to her, Cait’s smile widened. “Really, Archie?”
He tightened his hold on her. “I’ve seen the world, Caitlin Quinn. But the idea of not being there when you see it is just heartbreaking. I want to be the one to do all those things with you. I love that you’re always ready for the next adventure.”
“Life is an adventure,” she repeated in a whisper.
“And I want my adventure to be with you. Please?”
“Oh, Archie, yes. Yes, please!”
He wrapped both arms around her, and pulled her against him, not caring if he was crushing her fancy gown.
And they were both smiling as he lowered his lips to hers.
EPILOGUE
“How’d you talk her into this, if it’s a surprise?”
Jack was lounging against the side of the yacht, looking way more at ease than Archie felt. Distracted, he tugged at the collar of his tuxedo shirt, and wondered if that thing was strong enough to support Jack’s weight. What was that thing called anyhow? A…half-wall? In all his roles, he’d never had to learn his way around a yacht. But since he’d bought Chasing Change for Cait, he was going to have to learn.
Still, his friend was waiting for an answer, as was Cait’s brother, who was standing nonchalantly by, enjoying Archie’s nervousness.
“I…” He cleared this throat. “I told her I wanted her to help me christen the yacht with a nice dinner out on deck.”
Patrick grinned. “So right now, my sister is below, thinking she’s getting ready for a quiet date with you, not realizing her family and closest friends are up here, waiting?”
Stated like that, it did sound bad. “Uhh…yes.”
Patrick smiled and met the eyes of his parents, the stately couple standing beside Archie’s Mum. Mrs. Quinn, a tall African-American woman, was just as regal as her daughter could be, but Cait had obviously gotten her shorter stature and strength from her father. The older man pushed his glasses up further on his nose and gave Archie a cheery wave.
Cait didn’t know they were here. She didn’t know anyone was here.
Maybe he should’ve warned her. But the unexpectedness was what made this so perfect for them, as far as Archie was concerned. He’d spent months jetting around the world with her, and he knew—he knew, down to the marrow of his bones—that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.
So he’d pulled out that stunning white strapless gown she’d surprised him with at the premiere of Big Sky Divide—a box office sensation—all those months ago, and flown her family and Katie, as well as his mother and Jack, out to Hawaii where the yacht was waiting.
As far as he was concerned, with Chasing Change under them, he and Cait could go anywhere in the world for their honeymoon…as long as they ended in Australia in March, where he’d start filming his next project. In between shots, he intended to take her to the Great Barrier Reef to learn to scuba dive.
And he’d do it knowing, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that she’d love whoever he became.
Jack cleared his throat. “Did she ever tell you what she did with that money you sent?”
Archie blinked. Had he really never told his friend about that? About how she’d sold her dreams to chase him down? The memory of her sacrifice still stole his breath away, and he renewed his vows to make her happy.
“Yeah,” he said simply. Then, remembering what Cait had told him about Riston Elementary needing new books, and about how much Jack enjoyed visiting his sister in Riston when he had the opportunity, Archie had an idea. “I’ll have to make sure you get a chance to visit the school where she donated it.”
Jack’s scowl had to be world-famous by this point, since it was plastered on every movie poster. “What are you talking about?”
But before Archie could tease his friend further, they were interrupted.
“She’s coming! She’s coming!”
Katie’s frantic whisper as she burst out of the door to the cabins—Archie really was going to have to learn the name of these boat-parts—shook him out of his daydreams of the future. He let out a long, slow breath.
Okay. Here goes.
Jack clapped him on his shoulder. “Good luck, man.”
Archie nodded and started across the deck towards his destiny.
Cait felt like a princess. At Archie’s request, she was wearing the gown she’d purchased at that fancy boutique to wear to his launch party, although without the professional stylest she’d met with that afternoon all those months ago, her hair and makeup weren’t nearly as magical.
Oh well. In the months since that party, Archie had seen her muddy and sweaty and bruised and in one memorable—and scary—occasion, bloody from a fall down a canyon in South America. He’d held her then, kissed her no matter how she looked, and she knew he loved her.
Still, a girl didn’t mind getting dressed up every once in a while. Especially while bobbing around on this gorgeous yacht. Archie claimed he’d purchased it for her, but he’d been a kid in a candy store, showing it off, and she loved the idea of “sailing” to Australia with him.
But first they were going to have a romantic dinner under the stars together.
Cait, less concerned about her appearance than she’d been the last time she’d worn this gown, was holding the hem up as she stepped out onto the deck. Looking up, she met her brother’s grinning expression with a shocked gasp, dropped the dress and grabbed the door handle, just as Archie appeared in front of her.
He was wearing a tuxedo. Well, she was wearing a gown, but why was he wearing a tuxedo with her family and Katie and oh-em-gee was that Jack Raven over there?
“What’s going on, Archie?” she asked in a somewhat frantic whisper.
His smile was a little weak, and he leaned towards her. “I think it’s traditional to get down on one knee in these situations, Cait…but I’m so nervous my knees are knocking, so I think I’ll just stay upright, if it’s okay with you.”
“’These situations’?” Her eyes narrowed. “Archibald St. John, you bought me a yacht. You made me get all dressed up. You’re wearing a tuxedo, and don’t think I don’t notice your best friend and Ricky over there wearing matching boutonnieres.” Katie was bouncing up and down in a pretty mauve gown, as well, but Katie was always excited about something. “It seems to me that you might maybe, possibly, be up to something.”
This time his grin was full-blown and a little lopsided. Since he’d shaved off Jeneske’s mountain man beard, he’d gone through every iteration of facial hair she could imagine. It seemed that when it came to beards, Archie liked to change things up.
She did too.
Today he was clean-shaven and he…
Oh.
He was wearing those same black cowboy boots.
“Will you marry me, Caitlin Quinn?” His voice was that same growly timbre she’d heard up on top of McIver’s mountain, and she loved it.
“Did you get all these people together and then spring a marriage ceremony on me?” she asked teasingly.
He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “The captain can marry us, right here and now. We’re all dressed for it, and we can start off on our honeymoon cruise tomorrow morning.”
“And leave all our guests in Hawaii by themselves?”
“I’m sure they’ll be able to find some amusements.” His eyes twinkled with joy.
She loved this man so, so, very much.
Archie took her hand in both of his. “Cait, please say you’ll marry me here and now. I want you—all of you—in my life forever. I want to grow old with you, one adventure after another. I want to wake up each morning and not know what the day will bring, but that we’ll meet it toge
ther.”
“Oh, Archie.” Cait melted, and reached up to cup his smooth cheek. “Don’t ever change.” No, wait, that wasn’t what she’d wanted to say. “I mean, I do want you to change. I don’t want you to think I only love you for Archie St. John, who has one blue eye and one green eye and learned to fish from his Mum. I fell in love with Clay Jeneske and Caleb Nutter and Wyatt Tipton and everyone you’ve ever been and ever will be.”
He captured her hand in his and brought it to his mouth, placing a kiss to her palm. She felt her love for him filling her chest and spilling out of her.
“And you will never understand how incredibly special that is, Cait. I love you with all of me, and all the mes I’ve ever been and ever will be. I’ll never deserve a woman as strong and brave and adventurous as you are, but I want to try.”
Her throat was blocked by the emotion pushing up from her chest. It wasn’t until he reached up to wipe the tears from her cheeks that she realized she’d been crying. It seemed fitting, somehow.
Reaching on her tip-toes, she brushed her lips against his. They’d kissed many times in the last months, but this simple brush seemed…special somehow. It was their first kiss of a lifetime together.
“Those sounded like wedding vows, Archie,” she said softly as she pulled away.
He smiled and offered her his arm. “Shall we make it official, then?”
As she linked her arm through his, she smiled up at him. “There is nothing I would rather do, my love.”
And together, surrounded by their family and friends, they stepped forward to meet their next adventure.
Of course you’re curious about Katie and her family (when is Andrew going to get his HEA?) and all the goings-on over in Quinn Valley? Don’t worry, all your questions will be answered soon!
You can find all of the River’s End Ranch books here.
And the next book’s first chapter can be read here.
