Vivienne went utterly still at that. “But wouldn’t that interfere with the working of the ranch?” Her voice was quiet, as if speaking too loudly might break the moment.
Cody shrugged, stroking her fingers. “We could make it part of the working of the ranch. I went on the internet and saw that there are other ranches that have people come and stay and help with some of the basic ranch chores. Kind of like you did when you came on that cattle drive. You’d never done it before.”
“It was fun.”
“And at the end of the day if guests could sit down to a gourmet cooked meal…” He didn’t finish the sentence, hoping her imagination would fill in the rest.
“And I could do some catering from time to time.”
“You have your first gig doing Cade and Jasmine’s wedding. Once word gets out, you might have more work than you know what to do with.”
Vivienne lifted her head from Cade’s shoulder, her eyes sparkling with a life that Cody had never seen before. “If we do this, I could use the money Grandpa George willed to me. I could use it to help bring more business to Clayton. We could have different events.” She turned to him, her shining eyes making him love her even more, if that was possible.
He smiled in return, his heart overflowing with thanks.
“Maybe a dance,” he said, tracing her features with his finger. “And maybe I’ll ask the girl I’m crazy about to come with me.”
To his surprise, Vivienne blushed. She looked down. “I was a silly girl for turning you down in high school,” she murmured. “I wonder what my life would have been like if I had said yes then.”
He brushed a kiss over her forehead. “It doesn’t really matter now, does it? We’re together now and I have no regrets.”
“That’s a good way to live.”
“It’s how I hope and pray we can carry on. And with God’s help, I’m sure we will.”
She nestled against him and eased out a sigh. “Me, too.”
Cody held her close and gave the swing a push, and the creaking of the chains kept time with the satisfying words running through his head.
Vivienne and Cody. Together at last.
Special thanks and acknowledgment are given to Carolyne Aarsen for her participation in the Rocky Mountain Heirs miniseries
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ISBN: 978-1-4592-1477-4
THE COWBOY’S LADY
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