“I understand you’re scared.” Carter forced himself not to reach out to Avery, even though he was terrified of losing her. He would do anything in his power to make her stay. “I don’t want you to leave, but I’ll respect your decision if that’s what you want to do.”
Appearing uncertain, she glanced around at the people surrounding him until her attention returned to him. “I wasn’t expecting this.”
His pulse raced. “What?”
“You.”
His heart jolted. Maybe he had a shot.
He rubbed his hands over the crystal in his pocket, hoping for clarity on what to say next.
“I love you.” Wait. That wasn’t what he meant to say. But the words were true. He had no doubt about that. “I didn’t mean to fall in love with you, Avery, but I did. Probably sometime during our horseback tour of the farm. Maybe as soon as we spoke on the phone the first time.”
Her eyes glistened. “You love me?”
“I do.” Carter wouldn’t let her go without a fight. “I love how you stand up for yourself, even if you’re quick on the draw. I love how much Mercury means to you, and that you’ve turned down jobs that didn’t have a stall for him. I love that you shower attention on Ruff no matter the time of day, whether he’s wet or dry. I love that you understand how much the land means to me, and you want to help me make my dreams come true.”
“I—”
“Not finished.” Needing to touch her, he cupped her face. “I love that your beauty shines from the inside out. You’re intelligent, funny, and caring. But I only want you to stay if that’s what you want. You can’t force someone to love you, and I won’t try. If you want me to say goodbye, I will.”
Even if doing that would break his heart.
He made himself to continue. “So what do you say?”
* * *
Avery couldn’t answer, not with the lump of emotion burning in her throat. But she needed to say something. Carter, sweet Carter, deserved an answer.
She swallowed. That didn’t help, so she cleared her throat. That sort of did.
“Ever since my mom kicked me out, I’ve been trying to keep my heart safe. I was attempting to do that with you, but I failed.”
His wide eyes matched the smile spreading across his face.
“It’s too late to play it safe now. I’m afraid, but I’d be more terrified without you.” She took a breath. “I love you, too. The way you care for the land, live your life, and how you involved your crazy family in stopping me from leaving so you could have one final moment with me.”
Someone snickered behind her.
Another person laughed.
There may have been a giggle or two.
Avery ignored them. “I’m sorry for not being brave like you.”
“You have nothing to apologize for. You are brave.” He ran his thumb along her jawline. “After everything you’ve been through on those other farms and with your mom, you never gave up. You could have run away from here when things got complicated, but you didn’t. You stayed.”
Heart pounding, she stared at him. He was giving her the chance to change things between them, if she wanted. Was she as brave as he believed she was? Avery wanted to be.
She took a breath. “I want to stay now.”
“That’s what I want, too.”
He brushed his lips over hers.
His kiss contained the promise of a future together. She couldn’t wait.
Much too soon, he drew the kiss to an end and lowered his hand.
“We haven’t known each other long, but when something is right, it’s right. I want you to know I’m committed and the farm is your home now, too, if you want it to be.” After dropping to one knee, he reached into his pocket. “I don’t have a ring, but I have this crystal that was supposed to give me clarity—and it did. It made me realize how much I love you and want to spend the rest of my life with you. Avery Scott, will you marry me?”
Her heart slammed against her chest. She covered her mouth with her hand. Happy tears stung. “Yes. Of course I’ll marry you.”
Carter’s cousins and whoever else happened to be there—she was afraid to look—cheered and clapped.
“Take this for now.” He handed her the crystal. “I’ll get you a ring as soon as I can.”
“This is perfect.” She studied the pinkish-toned stone. “What kind of crystal is it?”
“Clear quartz for clarity,” he said. “I was so confused, and Riley thought it would help me figure out my feelings for you.”
“It would have if you’d gotten the right crystal.” Riley peered at Avery’s hand. “This is a rose quartz. It’s not for clarity…but for love.”
Carter’s forehead creased. “There must have been a mistake. I asked for a clear crystal to bring clarity. Ambrosia said this one was exactly what I needed.”
“It was because things worked out just as they should.” Avery rose up to kiss him. “I love you so much.”
Joy and love shone in his eyes. “Just remember who said it first, cowgirl.”
EPILOGUE
March 5th
Sitting next to Avery, Carter laced his fingers with hers. He realized she had a job to do, one that took her away from the farm, but in his heart, he knew she would always return to him and Ruff. And Mercury, of course. Still, Carter was grateful to be spending this weekend with her. No chores, interruptions, or family to distract them.
Not even the lights outside the limousine window drew his attention away from the love of his life. Being with her made everything in the world seem better, full of more joy and contentment. He raised their linked hands and kissed hers. “I missed you.”
“I was counting the minutes until we were together again.” Avery leaned into him. “Only two more trips, and then I won’t be away as much.”
The feel of her warmth against him was so much better than the video chats before they went to bed. But her traveling wouldn’t be forever. “You’ll be able to focus on the farm that really matters.”
“Home,” they said at the same time.
She laughed. So did he.
Avery rested her head against his shoulder. “I can’t wait until we’re working together, side by side, each and every day. Making Quinn Organics into what you and Ben dreamed it could be.”
The changes he’d implemented so far had made a difference. Spending time apart from Avery while she went to her consulting jobs, however, had been a lesson in patience. “Soon.”
A pensive expression formed on her face. “Are you sure about this?”
Avery had asked the same question when they parked at the airport in Lewiston, Idaho; and after they’d changed planes in Salt Lake City, Utah; and when they’d arrived at their destination with the sun setting in the desert and Lady Luck calling visitors to take a chance.
Except Carter knew the odds were in their favor. “I’m one-hundred-percent positive. I’ve never been more certain about anything in my life.”
“Your family…”
He kissed her hand once more. “My family will celebrate with us when we’re home.”
Even though Avery had been accepted as an unofficial Quinn, he wanted to start their forever on equal ground.
Just him and her.
Not him, his family, and her.
Which was why they were here now. The two of them.
She nodded. “I just wanted to make sure because I know how much your family means to you.”
“This is what I want. You are what I want.” No uncertainty could be heard in his tone. None existed in his heart. There hadn’t been a moment of doubt since he’d come up with this idea. “Everyone will understand.”
“I hope so, because this is what I want more than anything in the world.” The affection in her voice wrapped around his heart and hugged it tightly.
He stared into her eyes. Something he could never do enough of much to the amusement of his family, who ribbed him constantly, pointing out each time his no-longer-dormant dimple a
ppeared.
The limousine stopped. The driver exited. Less than a minute later, the right-side passenger door opened.
The uniform driver grinned. “We’re here.”
Carter squeezed her hand. “Do you have the paperwork?”
She raised her other hand. “I haven’t let it go since the clerk gave me everything.”
He followed her out of the limousine into a small building that resembled a cabin from a fairy tale with its wishing well out front. The charming building was nothing like he expected a wedding chapel near the Las Vegas Strip to be.
The receptionist brightened. “That was quick.”
Carter nodded. “There weren’t many people ahead of us.”
“Here you go.” Avery handed over the marriage license required by Clark County to get married. Unlike the movies, a couple couldn’t just say “I do” and be wed in Las Vegas. They had to appear in person at the county’s Marriage License Bureau at the Regional Justice Center. A good thing this wedding chapel included limousine service to pay the fee and obtain a marriage license.
Taking the papers, the receptionist beamed as if she loved this part of her job. Maybe she was a romantic at heart and believed in happily ever afters.
Carter did now.
“Everything is here.” She handed over the bouquet and boutonniere, which were also a part of their wedding package. “Are you ready to say, ‘I do’?”
Avery’s love shone brightly on her face. She was his present and his future. She also held his heart in her hands. He didn’t mind at all.
“I’m ready,” he announced, eager to make this commitment.
“So am I.” She rose on her tiptoes to brush her lips over his. “But you’re the one who’s telling your grandmother we eloped. Not me.”
He laughed. “I will.”
“And your mother,” Avery added.
“Her, too.” He ran his fingers along her jawline. “But not until after the honeymoon. Until then, nothing else matters except you and me.”
Avery sighed. “I love you, Carter Quinn.”
“And I love you, cowgirl.”
* * * * *
Want more Quinn Valley Ranch? A new book in the series is released every other Monday. My next one, featuring Ivy Quinn, will be out on July 1, 2019!
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
USA Today bestselling author Melissa McClone has written over forty-five sweet contemporary romance novels and been nominated for Romance Writers of America’s RITA® Award. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, three children, two spoiled Norwegian Elkhounds, and cats who think they rule the house. They do! If you’d like to learn more about Melissa, please visit her website or email her at [email protected]. You can find Melissa at her Facebook page and her McClone Troopers Reader Facebook Group or connect with her on Twitter and Instagram.
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Carter's Cowgirl (Quinn Valley Ranch Book 8) Page 12
