“Haven’t you always wanted a horse?”
“Of course I have! But Cole! No! It’s too much. It’s way too much.”
He shook his head, pulling her into a hug and wiping a tear from her cheek. “It’s not, Jess. And besides, Sky Dancer won’t even look at the rest of us anymore. That horse is completely in love with you. He’s useless to the rest of us.”
“I don’t even know what to say. I’m completely floored.”
“Good.” Cole grinned. “Now open your last present.”
“Are you kidding me? You just gave me a horse! How can there be anything else?”
He shrugged, amusement in his eyes. “It goes with the horse.”
Jess reached into the bottom of the stocking, her heart leaping when she found a shiny box with a fancy bow. She swallowed hard.
“Cole?” She held the box cautiously.
“Don’t panic. It’s not a ring. Box is too big, right?”
“Oh. Right.”
She should be relieved, right? As well as things were going, they certainly hadn’t talked about permanency here. Hadn’t talked about marriage.
Certainly hadn’t talked about kids since that night in the hayloft.
So, why was she actually a little disappointed?
She opened the box gingerly, folding the wrapping paper carefully. In the box were two folded sheets of paper, and she braced herself as she unfolded them.
He put one hand over the words before she could read them, using his other to tip up her chin so she was looking into his eyes. “Before you look at these, there is absolutely no pressure intended. None. We haven’t talked about this, and I respect your right to say you never want to. But I just wanted to let you know that I’m open to all possibilities here.”
What was he talking about?
He pulled his hand away so she could see the print, and once again, she felt her eyes go as wide as golf balls. One sheet was from an adoption agency in Billings, and the other was an informational sheet about foster care.
She felt her forehead furrow as she read the words, but they blurred before she got two lines in. Was he suggesting—kids? Together?
He slid the pages out of her hand, then reached up behind the couch cushion. Before she could process what he was doing, he’d knelt on one knee in front of her.
Oh. God.
“Jessalyn Alcott, I have been in love with you since the day you stepped onto this ranch, only I wasn’t prepared to admit it because it scared the hell out of me.” He closed his eyes and grimaced. “Sorry. That wasn’t very romantic.”
She laughed, squeezing his hand. “It’s perfect.”
“I do love you, and when you agreed to come back here with me this summer, it felt like suddenly, my life fell into place. It felt like all these years, I’ve just been waiting for you but I didn’t know it.”
“That was definitely romantic.”
“Shut up, cowgirl. I’m trying to propose here.”
Jess put her hands to her mouth, laughing and crying at the same time. “Okay. I’m quiet. Go on.”
“This present here? These papers? If we’re meant to have children, then we’ll find a way. And if we’re not, then we’ll be the best damn auntie and uncle in Montana. Either way is fine with me. We’ve got a big family, and there will be kids everywhere. We wouldn’t even remember which ones are ours, anyway.”
She laughed, picturing herds of Driscoll and McKee kids taking over the ranch. Then she sobered, because she’d stayed up way too many nights dreaming of making Whisper Creek her forever home, and she needed to be dead sure Cole didn’t have blinders on as far as the kid question was concerned.
“But you love kids, Cole. You live and breathe kids. Have you really, truly thought this through? Are you really ready to be okay with not having your own?”
He took both of her hands, his eyes intense. “Jess, I love you. So you can’t have children. That is a crime committed upon you that I will be angry about for the rest of my life. Angry for you. With all I have, I wish that you could have kids. Of course I do. Because you would be the best mother in the world.
“But here’s the thing. Daniel and Hayley already have two, and I wouldn’t be surprised if more were on the way someday. Kyla and Decker are on their way to the big family they want, and good God. We have piles of kids here every week. We will definitely have kids in our life, whether they’re ours or not.
“I’m okay with that, Jess. I’m okay with whatever we decide, when we’re ready to decide. But what I do know is that the thought of you ever leaving Whisper Creek would kill me. You belong here. We want to make it your home. I want to make it your home.”
He squeezed her hands gently. “So what do you say, cowgirl? Will you stay? Will you marry me?”
Jess closed her eyes, wanting the warmth and magic of this moment to last forever. When she opened them, his eyebrows were comically high.
“This is the part where you say yes.” He nodded slowly, like he wanted her to mimic him. “I mean, in case you haven’t done one of these before.”
Jess laughed, throwing herself into his arms. “Yes, Cole. Yes-yes-yes-yes-yes. I will marry you.” She pulled back. “But—I can’t promise I won’t drive you crazy once in a while.”
He smiled, his dimples making her want to trace his face with her fingertips. “I look forward to it, cowgirl.”
Epilogue
“You sure you’re ready for this?” Cole glanced over from the driver’s seat as he put on his blinker to turn down the Whisper Creek driveway.
“Ready.” Jess nodded, barely able to contain her smile.
“Because we could still turn around. We could go back to the hotel for a few more days. I would totally be fine with that.”
He slowed down, inching toward the main lodge. “Speak now, because once they see us coming, it’s all over. We won’t have any peace for a month.”
“Peace is overrated, right? Isn’t that what you said?” Jess reached over to slide her hand into his.
“Definitely.” He squeezed her fingers, then let go to steer into a parking spot near the front entrance. “I’m assuming there’s no point going straight to the cabin.”
She shook her head, laughing. “No point at all.”
Two minutes later, Cole opened the lodge door and ushered her through it, and the great room erupted in cheers and squeals. Jess laughed as she looked around the room. The whole family was here, and a big welcome banner had been hung across the giant stone fireplace.
Ma stepped forward first, enveloping first Cole, and then Jess, in huge hugs. Tears were streaming down her face as she looked down at their feet, and she reached down to unbuckle the car seat straps.
“Come here, little one. Come meet your gramma!”
She lifted the tiny baby up and cradled her like she’d done it just yesterday, and everyone else crowded around to get their first look at Jess and Cole’s baby girl.
Kyla touched her tiny head in wonder, then lifted her little boy to see. “This is your cousin, DJ! You have a little bitty cousin!”
She handed two-year-old DJ to Decker, then pulled Jess into a warm hug. “Congratulations, mommy.” Her eyes sparkled with happy tears as she pulled away from Jess. “I’m not sure I’ve ever been this happy before.”
“Sure you have, sweetie.”
“Not this happy for someone else before. How’s that?”
Jess smiled as she watched Ma pass through the room with the baby, who had nestled right into her shoulder. Then she pointed at Hayley’s belly. “That works. But in a few months, you’ll have to do it all over again.”
Kyla laughed. “Can you believe this? Who could have ever predicted the three of us would end up having this life?” She pulled on Jess’s arm. “Come on. Let’s reclaim your baby before Ma disappears with her.”
Jess grabbed Cole’s hand, and they followed Ma toward the windows, where a giant buffet table was laid with enough food to feed fifty people.
“Ma? Did yo
u invite the whole town?” Cole’s eyebrows went sky-high.
“Nah. Only family. Just got a little carried away with the food. It’s not every day we have a new baby at Whisper Creek, after all. I was excited.”
Jenny came around the table to hug Cole and Jess, then picked up a frosting cone. “I couldn’t quite finish the cake because we didn’t know her name yet, but I’m ready!” She posed with the frosting tip over the blank spot on the cake. “Are you ready to tell us what you decided?”
Jess looked up at Cole, who reached out to take the baby from Ma. Everyone gathered close as he turned her around in his arms, and he cleared his throat carefully as he kissed the baby’s head.
“Before we formally introduce this little munchkin, Jess and I want to thank you all for—well, for going on this journey with us. Thanks for believing in us, for speaking for us to the adoption counselors, for filling in for us while we did eight miles of paperwork—”
His voice broke, but he took a deep breath, and Jess squeezed his hand. “Most of all, though—thanks for just being there every step of the way. There’ve been a lot of highs, and a lot of lows, but bringing this little one home today makes all of them worthwhile.”
“And speaking of this little one”—he took another deep breath, and Jess felt her own throat constrict as she watched the emotions play out over her husband’s face—“Jess and I are ecstatic to present Layla. Layla Emily Driscoll.”
Ma’s hands both went to her mouth, and Jess felt her own eyes well as Ma’s tears ran down her face. “You named her after your sister.” She pulled them both into a fierce hug, and didn’t let go.
Finally, she broke away, wiping her eyes. “You Driscoll boys keep making your old Ma cry, and your wives are gonna think I’m just a big ole pile of mush.”
Cole put his arm around her shoulders and hugged her hard. “Mush inside of steel, Ma. We all know that.”
“That’s right. Better. Okay, everybody eat up all this food.” She wiped her hands on her apron and reached out for Layla. “Now you give me that baby. I’ve been waiting for a lo-ong time for this one.”
Jess and Cole laughed as Ma scooped Layla into her arms and headed for the rocker by the fire. As the rest of the family started ladling food onto plates, Cole pulled Jess outside onto the porch, which was bathed in twilight.
“So, cowgirl.”
“So, cowboy.”
He gathered her into his arms, resting his chin on top of her head. “Once upon a time—”
Jess laughed. “There was a handsome cowboy prince named Cole.”
“Exactly. And he found his perfect princess in a faraway land called Bostonia.”
“And they lived happily ever after?” Jess turned to smile up at him.
He squeezed her gently. “They did. Because they had Whisper Creek magic, cowgirl. Whisper Creek magic.”
This one’s for my sweetheart. Your forever is my forever. Magic, indeed.
Acknowledgments
It’s been a whirlwind year, and I am more grateful than ever to be surrounded by people I cherish. Without them, I wouldn’t be who I am, I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing, and I most certainly wouldn’t be enjoying it as much as I do.
Huge, huge thanks go to my fabulous, tireless agent, Courtney Miller-Callihan. In a year full of excitement and possibilities, I’m ever-grateful for her calm, measured guidance.
To Sue Grimshaw—a monstrous thank you for falling in love with Whisper Creek, and especially with Jess and Cole’s story. I’m so honored to be part of your team!
To Jennifer Brodie, my critique partner and dear friend—your boundless optimism, keen eye, and any-time-of-day-or-night friendship keep me sane in a sea of crazy.
To the real Christyne, who is not a social worker or counselor, but has the grace, dignity, and chutzpah to be both. Thanks for inspiring me from the very first day of this journey.
To Stacey, Lynne, Paula, and Kris—who’ve taught me what forever-friends really are.
And lastly, but most importantly, to my girls—for their love, their support, and their pride. It means everything.
BY MAGGIE MCGINNIS
Whisper Creek
Accidental Cowgirl
A Cowboy’s Christmas Promise
Once Upon a Cowboy
PHOTO: GEOFF MCLOUGHLIN
MAGGIE MCGINNIS started writing when her twins were infants and she was desperately seeking sanity. The fact that she found it only with imaginary people makes her a bit concerned, but at least they do what she tells them to…usually.
She lives in New England, but spends an inordinate amount of time on Arizona real estate sites in mid-January. While snow piles up to her windowsills, she cyber-stalks the blue skies and pink houses of the Southwest.
She used to be an English teacher, a certified black belt, and a cool-car driver. Then…twins. Now she swills caffeine while driving the one vehicle she swore she’d never own—a minivan. It sort of hurts even to admit it.
Her debut novel, a cozy mystery, was a Golden Heart® finalist, and her debut romance, Accidental Cowgirl, is a USA Today bestseller!
You can find Maggie on her author page on Facebook and at:
maggiemcginnis.com
@Maggie_McGinnis
The Editor’s Corner
Summer is here! Are you ready to take the vacation of a lifetime with Loveswept? Come on, let’s go places…
New York Times bestselling author Kathy Clark takes us to Colorado in the first two books of her new Denver Heroes series, After Midnight and Cries in the Night. Fans of Nora Roberts will adore this series of pulse-pounding romance. South Carolina is our next stop for New York Times bestselling author, Sawyer Bennett’s Cold Fury novel Zack—get ready for a very emotional ride. Head to Florida in Falling Fast by USA Today bestseller Tina Wainscott, where first love and long-awaited redemption smolder. Then enjoy a little western romance from USA Today bestseller Maggie McGinnis in Once Upon a Cowboy. Jennifer Chance’s Rule Breakers series turns up the heat as a wealthy playboy and a beautiful con artist engage in a high-stakes game of seduction in Risk It. And author Charlotte Stein releases Never Loved, the first novel in the Dark Obsession series, which tells the story of a beautiful wallflower who falls for a chiseled street fighter—and learns just how dangerous love can be.
Plus a special treat for romance fans—welcome to Vegas in Play Me, the entire series from New York Times bestselling author Tracy Wolff is now on sale as one book! Sebastian and Ethan—Oh My!
Travel the country with Loveswept and stay tuned for more in July, because next month’s travels are just as exciting!
Happy Romance!
Gina Wachtel
Associate Publisher
Read on for an excerpt from
Last of the Red-Hot Riders
by Tina Leonard
Available from Loveswept
Chapter 1
“Don’t stop,” Saint Markham said, groaning, sure he’d explode if the sexy redhead stopped doing what she was doing. He was going to explode if she kept going, too, so either way, he was in for the ride of his life. Cameron Dix was sweet, she was hot, and she was driving him mad, stroking him with sure hands, every once in a while tantalizing him with a flick of that sexy pink tongue he’d been staring at for months. He had been determined to avoid the fiery redheaded honey trap Mayor Judy Jasper thought she was going to lay on him.
He’d avoided the trap, but Cameron’s hands were just too soft, too eagerly determined to turn the heat up to full blast on him. “Don’t stop,” he growled again, reaching for that long, red, wild hair he’d been dying to run his hands through—coming up with short, silky handfuls of hair instead.
His eyes flew open. “Damn it, Prince!” he yelled, and the golden-furred dog greeted him with chocolate doggie eyes, gave Saint’s ear one last lick, and hopped out of his bed to head to the back door, waiting impatiently for his bowl to be filled.
Saint cursed, dragged himself from bed, tugging on his jeans over his
rock-hard erection. Dream number one thousand by now, surely. Cameron Dix haunted him, her spell on him as sure as any spell Hell, Texas, had ever seen. He couldn’t even be free of her in his sleep. Five o’clock in the morning, and the only action he was getting was from Trace Carter’s hound, whom he’d agreed to keep for a few days, slurping at his ear to wake him for breakfast.
He wanted Cameron Dix. Had the hots for her like nothing he’d ever wanted before. The fine line drawn in the dirt between them had deepened somehow when Cameron’s teammate, Ava Buchanan, had taken down his buddy Trace. Neither of them had ever mentioned the new tension, but it was there. They’d always observed professional distance, not only in that respect between people focused on their jobs, but in their silent agreement to agree to disagree on Mayor Judy’s team of female bullfighters that was designed to grow Hell. But now they had distance that felt awkward.
Distance was a good thing. Underrated, especially when it came to a certain redheaded fireball with giant opinions and a sexy ass guaranteed to stop traffic.
“Damn dog,” he told Prince, who barked at him to open the door and get on with serving the eats. He ruffled the dog’s ears affectionately, patted his back, and pulled open the door.
Cameron Dix stood on the other side, her red hair wild and beautiful, her pink lips wide open, as he’d clearly caught her in the act of doing something she didn’t want to be caught doing at his back door.
Prince was going to get a treat later for alerting him to his early, early morning visitor. This woman wanted him, she wanted him bad, and now all the pretense of distance could be swept away.
Not that she was going to get what she’d come for—but let the record note that she’d ventured onto his turf.
Once Upon a Cowboy Page 26
