Page 103

"It’s the perfect way to do it," Jane had said. "And Tess will never suspect..."

I entered the barn and Oliver watched me from his stall, ears pricked forward curiously.

His bridle hung on a hook inside the tack room, the leather supple and well-cared for. I took it down, turning it over in my hands, trying to decide exactly where to attach the ring. Itneeded to be secure enough not to fall off but obvious enough that Tess would notice it right away. My fingers felt clumsy with nervousness, fumbling with the buckles and straps.

I finally settled on threading the ring onto the cheekpiece. After fumbling with it for a bit, I finally got it in place. It looked both beautiful and slightly ridiculous there.

I was a little bit worried that she wouldn’t see it, but that was silly—a ring with a diamond that large is pretty obvious.

My hands were sweating despite the chill as I carefully hung the bridle back on its hook. Too late to reconsider now. I could hear the crunch of Tess’s boots on the gravel outside.

I quickly checked my reflection in the small mirror hung by the tack room door. My hair was a disaster from running my hands through it all morning. I tried to smooth it down, then gave up. Tess had seen me looking far worse.

The barn door opened, sending a shaft of golden spring light across the floor. Tess stood silhouetted against the brightness for a moment, her hair pulled back in a practical ponytail, her riding clothes hugging her curves.

"Didn’t expect to see you out here," she said, smiling as she spotted me. She crossed the concrete floor and rose on tiptoe to kiss me. She handed me the baby monitor, indicating that I was now on baby duty. "And you were up early. Couldn't sleep?"

"Something like that," I managed, hoping she couldn't feel my heart hammering against my ribs.

Oliver nickered from his stall, demanding Tess's attention. She moved away from me to greet him, scratching under his chin as he stretched his neck over the stall door.

"Good morning, handsome," she cooed. "Ready for our ride?"

I hung back, watching as she moved through her familiar routine. She slipped into Oliver's stall with a curry comb, running it over his coat in practiced circles. He leaned into hertouch, eyes half-closed in pleasure. I remembered the first time I watched her with him, how struck I'd been by the obvious bond between them.

"It's gorgeous out today," Tess was saying, unaware of my internal panic.

"Yeah," I said simply, my voice oddly strained. She glanced at me curiously but didn't comment.

She finished grooming Oliver and reached for his saddle pad, then the saddle, which I helped her lift into place. I fumbled with the girth strap, causing Tess to gently nudge me aside.

"You okay there, cowboy? You’re hands are shaking a little this morning. Too much coffee?"

"I'm good," I lied. "Just, um, didn't sleep well."

She gave me another curious look before reaching for the bridle. I held my breath as she lifted it from the hook. That's when the sunlight streaming through the barn windows caught the diamond, sending prisms of light dancing across the wall.

She froze, her hands stilling on the leather straps. "Charlie..." she whispered, her eyes fixed on the ring. "What is this?"

I stepped forward, my heart a frantic drum in my chest, and carefully unthreaded the ring from the bridle. It felt cool in my palm as I dropped to one knee on the barn floor.

"Tess." My voice cracked, and I had to clear my throat before continuing. "You've shown me what true happiness feels like and I want that for forever. Will you marry me?"

Her hand flew to her mouth, eyes wide with surprise. Tears began to well in her eyes, and a slow, beautiful smile spread across her face.

"Yes," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "Yes, Charlie, I'll marry you."

Joy crashed through me. I stood, slipping the ring onto her finger with trembling hands before pulling her into my arms. Iburied my face in her hair, breathing in the familiar scent of her shampoo.

"I love you," I murmured against her temple. "God, I love you so much."

She pulled back enough to look at me, her hazel eyes bright with tears. "I can't believe you involved Oliver in your proposal," she said with a watery laugh. "That's the most perfect thing ever."

Oliver, impatient with being ignored, chose that moment to nicker.

"I think he approves," I said, grinning.

"Of course he does." She kissed me then, her lips soft and warm against mine. When we broke apart, she looked down at the ring glittering on her finger. "It's beautiful, Charlie."