Page 30 of Backed By You (Montgomery Brothers of Montana #3)

Beau

Two months later…

I fumble with tying the ring box to Hulk’s collar. He huffs as my shaky hands drop the velvet black box for a third time. “Shit,” I hiss.

Hulk gives me a look that can only be described as judgmental.

“Don’t start with me,” I grunt, retrieving the box from the cabin floor.

His tail thumps once against the hardwood, unimpressed with my nerves.

I can’t blame him. I’ve faced insurgents with steadier hands than these.

Outside, Callie’s moving around on the back porch, arranging the blankets and mugs she brought out for our evening ritual.

Watching the sunset has become our thing over the past five months—a quiet moment at the end of each day to just be together.

Tonight, if I can get this damn box secured, it’ll mean far more going forward.

I finally manage to loop the ribbon through Hulk’s collar, knotting it with what I hope is enough security to keep the ring in place until the right moment. I adjust the box, making sure it’s visible but not uncomfortable for him.

“Remember the plan,” I tell him seriously. “When I call you over, bring this to Callie. That’s it. Simple.”

Hulk tilts his head.

“There’ll be a steak in it for you,” I add, resorting to bribery.

That gets his attention. His ears perk up, and I swear he nods in agreement.

“Good boy.” I scratch behind his ears, then take a deep breath. “Let’s do this.”

I lead Hulk through the living room toward the back door, careful to keep him on my far side so Callie won’t immediately spot the box.

My heart hammers against my ribs with each step.

It’s ridiculous, really. I know she loves me.

We’ve been inseparable for months now. The ring feels like a formality at this point.

So why the hell are my palms sweating as I step onto the porch?

She looks up from where she’s arranging a throw blanket on the swing, and the sight of her still hits me like the first time.

Her hair is loose around her shoulders, catching the golden light of the setting sun.

She’s wearing one of my flannel shirts over leggings, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows.

Nothing fancy. No elegant ball gown. Just…

Callie. My girl. Comfortable and at home.

“There you are,” she says with a smile. “I was beginning to think you’d gotten lost in there.”

I grunt, not knowing how to respond. I guide Hulk to sit beside the swing. The box dangles from his collar, and I position myself to block Callie’s view of it. She passes me a mug of Earl Grey, the steam rising between us.

“Everything okay?” she asks, sipping her tea. “You seem tense.”

“Never better,” I assure her, sitting beside her on the swing. I sip from the mug, barely tasting it through my nerves. She settles against me and I put my arm around her shoulders.

I take a deep breath of cool, September air as the sunset spreads before us, painting the mountains in shades of purple and gold.

Our cleared land stretches toward the tree line, evidence of the work we’ve put into making this place ours.

The garden she insisted on planting is still producing late summer vegetables.

The new shed I built stands completed to the right, housing my tools and her outdoor writing space.

“It’s so beautiful tonight,” she murmurs, watching the colors shift across the sky.

“Yeah,” I agree, though my gaze is trained on her, not the sunset.

We sit in comfortable silence for a few minutes, the swing creaking gently beneath us. I’m waiting for the perfect moment, when the sun hits the peaks, and the words I’ve rehearsed a hundred times will finally come out.

“Oh,” Callie says suddenly, spotting something near our feet. “What’d you find, Hulk?”

I glance down to see the box on the porch floor, the ribbon having slipped free from his collar. Before I can react, Hulk picks it up in his mouth and drops it directly into Callie’s lap, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

So much for that planned moment.

Callie stares down at the signature velvet box, then at me, her eyes widening with realization. “Beau?” Her voice is soft, questioning.

I take a deep breath. No going back now.

I set my mug aside and take the box from her lap, shifting off the swing to face her as I drop to one knee—the stunning Montana sunset now at my back. Her little gasp has me sweating and grinning and eager to get this right. “Callie—”

“Yes!” she blurts with a squeal, her feet hopping without touching the ground.

“Will you—”

“Oh my gosh, yes.”

I throw my head back on a chuckle.

She hides her face, tears in her eyes even as her cheeks pinken. “I’m so sorry, I just…”

“I love you, too, sweetheart.”

Her wobbly smile and teary eyes are all I need. My girl doesn’t need the big speech, the fancy lifestyle. She makes me feel like I’m the only damn thing she’ll ever need.

“You’re it, sweetheart,” I say. “I don’t want to spend another day without you by my side.

I want everything with you,” I tell her, echoing the words that have become our promise to each other.

“Every sunrise, every sunset, every moment in between.” I open the ring box in my hand, revealing a pear-shaped diamond on a diamond-studded band—chosen with the help of Shea.

“Will you marry me?”

She throws herself at me and we’re a mixture of tears and laughter. Her lips land on mine. “I love you,” she whispers against me.

I chuckle. “Is that a yes?”

“Yes,” she says against my lips. “Yes, of course, I’ll marry you.”

I kiss her then, tasting salt from her tears and sweetness that’s distinctly hers. When we finally part, I take her hand, sliding the ring onto her finger with steady hands.

“It’s perfect,” she whispers, looking at the ring, then at me. “You’re perfect.”

“Far from it,” I say with a laugh. “But I’m yours.”

“Mine,” she agrees, taking my face in her hands and kissing me again. “And I’m yours.”

The End.

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Ready for more Montgomery brothers? Keep reading for a sneak peak of Rhett’s story in Book Four: Restored by You.

XO,

A. Boss