“That’s my uncle’s store,” Brianna spoke up. “I stayed with them when I first came here from California.”
“Oh! I went there after I left the hospital to buy a thank-you gift for Wymon.”
“So you’re the one.” She smiled. “My uncle said this beautiful blonde woman came into the store and bought one of his most expensive Nez Perce saddle blankets. He said you had excellent taste.”
Wymon grinned. “Titus loves it.”
“I didn’t realize the man who waited on me was the owner. It’s my favorite kind of store. I bought a blouse while I was in there, too.”
“I bought a lot of things when I used to work for him. Sometimes I still help out, but only on the days when Libby isn’t with us.”
“How long have you been married?”
“Since March.”
“I’ve been looking at your ring. It’s absolutely gorgeous.”
“It’s a blue sapphire from the Clayton Sapphire Mine in a rare heart-shaped cut. Eli gave it to me on Valentine’s Day.”
“That must have been the most exciting gift you ever received.”
Wymon’s mother teared up. “Now there’s another gift coming. It’s wonderful news! Libby needs a sibling.”
“Does she ever!” Eli exclaimed.
Wymon sat back down and turned to Jasmine. “She’s going to love your horse.”
“If Libby is a horse lover, maybe you’ll have to get her a miniature horse. One of the women in the 4-H club raises them. They are adorable.”
“Eli?” Brianna said. “Could we get her one?”
“Hold on. One surprise at a time.” Everyone laughed.
After dessert, Eli and Brianna excused themselves to go back to their house on the property, explaining that they needed to make some phone calls to other family members. Before leaving, Brianna turned to Jasmine.
“Why don’t you and Wymon come over tomorrow night for tacos?”
“I’d love to.”
Wymon didn’t say anything, but he gave Brianna another hug. Jasmine offered to help do the dishes, but his mother wouldn’t hear of it.
“Dinner was out of this world, Mrs. Clayton. I just want you to know that I don’t expect to be waited on all the time while I’m here.”
“After helping Wymon do that canvassing, you need waiting on. Why don’t you go out on the back porch? It’s a lovely evening.”
Wymon gave her a hug. “Thanks, Mom.” But he had other plans and helped Jasmine with her chair. Instead of walking through the house to the back porch, he headed for the front door. When they’d gone outside, he grasped her hand.
“We need to talk. The only place for that is my truck.” He helped her in and took off up the mountainside.
“Your brother and his wife are so sweet. They seem so happy,” she said.
“I know Eli is ecstatic. I haven’t told you about his first marriage yet. Becoming a father again is already making a new man out of him. They need this baby. Brianna needs it, too, but I’ll explain later.”
“Where are we going?”
“To a lookout.”
A full moon bathed the landscape in light. When he reached his destination, which had a panoramic view of the Sapphire Mountains, he pulled over and turned to her.
“I owe you an apology, Jasmine.”
“For what?”
“You don’t need to pretend with me.”
She lifted her gaze to his. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Yes, you do. Ever since we met, I’ve been fighting my feelings for you. I offended you earlier today and made the situation between us so awkward, I’m surprised you’re even still speaking to me. But you were your gracious self at dinner tonight and impressed my family.”
She clasped her hands. “When you told me about Sheila and the actor she married after you’d planned your future with her, things suddenly made a lot of sense to me.”
He shook his head. “The love I felt for her died years ago. I only told you about her to explain my initial reticence to get involved with you.”
“Because you saw similarities in me and my interest in my ‘hotshot’ pilot,” she broke in on him, using his words. “I know.”
“We’re way past that, Jasmine.”
“I agree,” she came back in a quiet voice.
“What’s going on with me at this point is something entirely different. I shouldn’t have asked you to come with me to help canvass. It isn’t working. My mistake. Tomorrow morning I’ll drive you and Moondrop back to Philipsburg so you can enjoy your vacation.”
Silence enveloped them for a long time.
“Did I do something wrong?” she asked at last. The tremor in her voice broke his heart.
“Of course you didn’t,” he said.
Jasmine’s pain was so acute, she could hardly breathe. “Then you’ve decided you can’t see us together. I get it. Rather than allowing this to drag on in order to let me down gently, you’re doing me a favor right now. It’s what I should have done with Rob after the first month of dating him.”
Her eyes stung with unshed tears. She opened the window to breathe in the night air and gather her wits. “Thank you for your honesty. You’re a man who knows his own mind. That’s why you’re such a successful person. I told you before—you know how to handle any situation, no matter how difficult it is. I admire that.”
She hated it that her voice was shaking. “Once you drop me off tomorrow, I promise you won’t have anything to worry about where I’m concerned. No surprise visits, gifts or unwanted phone calls. Would you please drive us back to the house now?”
“Jasmine?” his voice grated. “Look at me.”
“I’d rather not.”
“You honestly don’t know the reason I need to take you back to Philipsburg tomorrow?” He sounded strange.
“It’s enough that you don’t want to be with me anymore. I don’t need to hear all the details. I’m a big girl. I can take it.”
She heard a sharp intake of breath. “Can you take it that I’m madly in love with you? Can you take it that all I want to do is go to bed with you and never get up again? Can you believe I wish we never had to say goodbye?” His voice was the one shaking now.
Jasmine jerked her head around in shock. Her heart was pounding too hard to be healthy. He’d finally spoken the words she’d been waiting for.
“Wymon—don’t you know how desperately I’m in love with you? I can’t function without you now! Why do you think I leaped at the chance to stay here on the ranch? I don’t want to be apart from you for a single second.”
He shook his head. “You don’t understand. I haven’t even known you a full month and already I want to marry you as soon as possible. I’m as bad as Eli, who knew he wanted Brianna for his wife within days of meeting her. The only reason they had to wait was to give his ex-wife a chance to bond with her little girl for a few weeks first.”
“What do you mean?”
“She had postpartum depression and divorced Eli. She even gave up her parental rights to Libby. But a year later things changed, and she wanted to be a mother again, just as Eli was going to marry Brianna. They separated for two weeks to give Libby time to be with her birth mother.”
“I had no idea things were so complicated.”
“I thought he was crazy to meet someone and want to get married that fast after what he’d been through, but I hadn’t met you yet.”
She smiled. “It must be a gene that runs in the Clayton family. I’m afraid it runs in the Telford family, too.” Jasmine reached for him and put her arms around his neck.
“I knew I wanted you for my husband when we were eating in the hospital cafeteria. When I was released, I had to see you again and dreamed up that gift so you’d know what was in my hea
rt.”
A groan came out of him before he began kissing her senseless.
“I love you, Wymon,” she said some time later when he let her take a breath. “I want to be your wife. I’d marry you tonight if I could.” She half lay in his arms trying to become one with him.
He covered her face with kisses. “You shouldn’t have said that.”
“I’m serious. I don’t ever want to be separated from you. We could go to the county clerk tomorrow, get a license and have a clerk marry us right there. Montana doesn’t have a waiting period. One of my college friends got married that way before her husband was deployed.”
“We couldn’t do that.”
“I could. I’d do it in a heartbeat if it’s what you wanted.”
“It’s what I want,” he said against her lips, “but your parents adore you and will want to give you away at a big wedding. I’ve talked with them. You’re the light of their lives. To cheat them out of that joy would be unfair.”
“We won’t cheat anyone, but we’ll plan a quick wedding soon. Let’s go back to the ranch house and tell your mom first.”
“You have no idea how long she’s been waiting for this day.”
“I already love her for being your mother. She needs to know I can’t wait to marry her wonderful son. Tomorrow we’ll tell my parents and pick a date.”
His eyes burned a hot silver. “You’re sure this is what you want?”
“Wymon—what do I have to do to convince you?” she said.
He shifted far enough away from her to reach into his pocket and pull out the most gorgeous ring she’d ever seen in her life. It gleamed green and gold in the moonlight. “This is it, Jasmine.” Wymon reached for her left hand and slid it home on her ring finger.
A gasp escaped her lips.
“This is a special green sapphire from our mine. My mother has kept it locked in her safe at the gem shop for years.”
“I love it,” she whispered. “The wide gold band is so beautiful. It’s exquisite. Oh, Wymon. I’m so in love with you I can hardly stand it.”
“This stone is the same color as your eyes. When I looked into them at the crash site, I knew something incredible was happening to me.”
“I had the same feeling.”
After another long, hungry kiss, he started the engine, and they drove back down to the ranch house with her planted against his side, kissing his neck.
“Do you think your mother is still up?”
“Yes. She rarely goes to bed before midnight.”
He helped her down from the cab and somehow they made it inside even though their arms were wrapped around each other.
“Mom?” he called to her.
“In the pantry!”
Wymon whispered, “She’s doing inventory before she goes shopping in the morning with Solana.” They walked into the kitchen. “Jasmine’s with me.”
“Oh!” In a minute, Wymon’s mother came out of the back room. Taking in the sight of them with their arms wrapped around each other, she stared.
“Are you ready for another surprise tonight?”
“Besides the baby?” She smiled a smile reminiscent of Wymon’s. “I already know.”
“What do you think you know?”
“I don’t think—I noticed the other day that the spring-green sapphire had disappeared from the safe at the shop. Now that I’ve seen Jasmine’s eyes, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out where it went. May I see it?”
Jasmine couldn’t hold back and held out her hand.
“Thank heaven my number-one son had the sense to put it on your finger. That’s the perfect setting, and it’s right where it belongs. Welcome to the family, Jasmine.” She held out her arms, and Jasmine ran into them. They hugged while Wymon stood there, his eyes shining.
“I knew something was going on the second I found out about that rescue. You’d have thought Wymon had been the one in the crash, not you. Though I prayed, I never thought I’d see him so beguiled by anyone. My younger sons always think of him as the solid one who doesn’t get fazed by anything.”
They all laughed. “My mother noticed I wasn’t myself after the crash either,” Jasmine confessed.
“Do you have a date in mind?”
“As soon as possible, Mom.”
“That sounds like you, but the wedding is for the bride. Do your parents know yet, Jasmine?”
She shook her head. “Wymon’s going to drive me back home tomorrow, and we’ll tell them then. I can’t thank you enough for being so gracious to me while I’ve been here.”
“I haven’t been this happy in a long time.” She looked at her son, and Jasmine saw tears in her eyes. “I wish your father had lived long enough to see this day. He’d be ecstatic.”
They said good-night and Wymon walked her through the house to the staircase. “I don’t dare go up with you. I’ll see you in the morning at breakfast, and we’ll load Moondrop into the trailer. Get a good sleep.”
“I won’t. I’m too excited for that. I love you.” She kissed him several times before dashing up the stairs.
When morning came, she was up with the sun. After packing up her things, she took her bag downstairs and popped into the kitchen where she found Solana.
“Will you tell Wymon I’m going out to the barn? I left my bag in the front hall.”
“You don’t want breakfast first?”
“Not this morning. I’m not hungry, but thank you anyway.”
She hurried out of the house and walked to the barn to load Moondrop into the trailer herself. “We have to leave this morning, but we’ll be back soon on a permanent basis, sweetie pie.” She kissed her. “You and Titus are going to become the best of friends.”
As she was closing the trailer door, Wymon pulled up in his truck. “Solana told me I’d find you here.”
“I’m too excited to sleep. I can’t wait to tell my parents our news!”
He hopped down and swept her up in his arms. “So you haven’t changed your mind?”
“Wymon—”
He laughed that deep laugh she loved, then kissed her thoroughly before helping her into the truck. She noticed it took no time for him to hitch the trailer to the truck. He’d done it enough times to get the knack.
“Did you eat breakfast?”
‘No. I thought we’d grab doughnuts and coffee on the way.”
“That sounds perfect.”
While they drove, she phoned her mom and told her she was coming back with Wymon. “We’ve had a change of plans. Is Dad there?”
“He’s in town at the feed store.”
“Do you think he would come home for lunch? We’ll be there by then.”
“I’ll make sure he does, honey.”
“Good. We’ll see you soon.”
She disconnected and snuggled up next to Wymon. “I’m sure she knows something’s up,” she said, smiling at him. He smiled back, and his eyes were filled with so much adoration that she could hardly keep from throwing herself at him across the seat.
She was engaged, and she and her fiancé were headed to her parents’ house to tell them the wonderful news. It didn’t sound real to her...but it was. Without a doubt, she would treasure this memory forever.
Chapter Eleven
Wymon was sure Jasmine’s parents had an idea what was going on, but he had his concerns about breaking the news to them. For obvious reasons, they might be skeptical about a wedding happening so fast. When he drove up to the Telford barn two hours later, they were outside to greet them.
After leaning over to give him a kiss, Jasmine got out of the cab without waiting for him. He shut off the engine and climbed out a few seconds later. She held out her hand to him, and they walked over to her folks.
�
��Mom? Dad? Last night Wymon asked me to marry him. We want to get married right away. He gave me this sapphire engagement ring from their mine. Isn’t it gorgeous?”
“Honey!” her mother cried, and they hugged.
Mr. Telford flashed Wymon a broad smile and patted his shoulder. “Congratulations. I’ve known how our daughter felt from the moment we found out you’d rescued her at the crash site.”
“It’s true, and we’re thrilled you’re going to become a part of our family!” Jasmine’s mother gave Wymon a big hug. “Let me take another look at that ring.”
He gave Jasmine a kiss on the cheek. “While you do that, I’ll unload Moondrop and take her in to her stall for some water and food.”
Her father helped him, and they walked the filly inside the barn. “I love your daughter, Mr. Telford. I swear I’ll do everything in my power to make her happy.”
“You already have, son.”
“But I’m sure you’re concerned that this has happened so soon after her breakup with Rob Farnsworth.”
“Jasmine was never in love with him. It’s a shame he proposed to her right before the crash and she had to turn him down, but that has nothing to do with you.”
“I agree, but it’s gotten ugly since he found out about us. One of the reasons I asked Jasmine to do some canvassing with me was so she could get away where he couldn’t find her for a while. But last night I realized I had to tell her how I felt. So we’re back for your blessing.”
“You’ve got it,” Jasmine’s father said, smiling at him.
“That means the world to me. My mother and family will go along with whatever we plan, but Jasmine’s your only child, and I want this to be her day.”
“You’re a good man, Wymon. Let’s go in the house and we’ll talk.”
On the way back, Wymon undid the hitch of the trailer. Then they entered the kitchen where Jasmine was helping her mother make sandwiches and iced tea. The four of them sat down at the kitchen table to eat.
Jasmine eyed her parents. “We’ve talked for hours and think we should get married quietly in front of the family so Rob doesn’t know anything about it. Once the election is over in November, we’ll have a big reception, and it won’t matter that the news is out.”
Made for the Rancher Page 14
