Page 127 of The Billionaire Who Hated Me (Until He Loved Me)

“You’d be willing to leave Yosemite for me?”

I laugh from relief more than anything.“Damned if I’m saying this, but yes.If I had to, yes, I would.I’d leave everything and everyone behind for you.”

She’s stunned.She’s staring at me with her mouth open in disbelief.My hands start to sweat so much that I worry the box will squirt from my fingers and tumble into the abyss.

“You haven’t answered.Please answer me before I stroke out.”

Victoria drops to her knees in front of me, bringing her hand to the side of my face.“Yes, I want to marry you, Cal.Yes, of course I do!But—”

“But what?”

“You can’t leave Yosemite Ranch.I won’t let you.This place is in your blood.It’s who you are, and it’s part of who I am now, too.”

I’m seeing spots.

“I’ll live here with you, though I’ll have to travel for my-”

“Of course!So you’ll marry me?”

“Yes.”She pulls my face to hers and kisses me with more love than I’ve ever felt in my life.Then she lets me go and smiles softly.Her green eyes sparkle in the light, and I suddenly snap to.

Her left hand hovers in the air, which I think means she wants me to slip the ring on her finger, so I do.It looks perfect.It looks like it was made for her.The delicate diamond and deep blue sapphire sparkle.

“Cal, this is stunning.It’s… oh, wow.It’s an antique.Is it an heirloom?”Victoria stares at her hand, changing position to admire how it looks in the light.

“It was made in 1912 for my great-grandmother, who passed it down to my mother, who told me that one day I would know the woman who should wear it next.My mother was right.”

Victoria looks up, tears welling in her eyes.

“It’s filigreed platinum.Edwardian period, I was told.I know it’s very old-fashioned, so if you’d prefer something more modern—”

Her lips crush against mine, and then she collapses into my arms.Her tears are on my cheek.Or maybe they’re my tears.

“It’s absolutely perfect and I love it.I love you.”She mumbles all this into my shoulder, but eventually she straightens, sniffs, and locks her eyes with mine.“This ring has meaning and history and it is incredibly beautiful.I’m honored to wear it.Thank you, Cal.”

I stand and bring her with me.She wraps her arms around my neck and produces the most beautiful, perfect, happiest smile I’ve ever seen on anyone’s face, though I imagine my grin is equally big.

“Does this mean I’ll be a MacLaine?”

“If you want.Or you can stay a Backlund if that’s what you choose.But baby, please don’t ask me to hyphenate.I gotta draw the line somewhere.”

We ride back to camp just as dusk falls.We’ve planned out how we want to tell everyone that we’re officially a couple.We want to be low-key about it, not make a production.

But then we see that camp is swarming with people, including all the MacLaines.Dad’s there, and Jasmine, Phyllis, Summer, Phoebe, and half of the ranch payroll.The tents and temporary structures have been taken down.Almost everything is loaded onto trailers or flatbeds or SUVs.The horse trailer is hitched and ready to go.

“Victoria!”Jasmine runs up to us as we dismount.“Do you love Bella?I love Bella so much!She’s such a good horse and nice to ride!Do you love riding her?”

I see Finn staring off into the distance, clearly exhausted from Jasmine’s relentless energy.

“I do!I love her!”Victoria bends down to kiss the top of Jasmine’s head.

“Are you staying now, Victoria?Are you staying forever?Are you marrying Uncle Cal?”

Victoria slowly straightens, noticing she’s surrounded by a sea of expectant faces, inching closer.

I move to her side.“Everyone back up.Give us a second.”

“It’s all right.”Victoria raises her face to me and smiles.She slips her hand into mine before she returns her attention to the crowd.