Page 34 of The Earl’s Wrangler (Cowboy Nobility #3)

RANDALL PULLED his coat tighter around him to keep out the winter chill as he and Sawyer walked up the drive from their morning ride.

The last six months had been pretty amazing for both of them.

Randall had eventually broken down and agreed to a trial run of Sawyer’s afternoon tea idea.

He had limited it to twenty people besides himself and Sawyer.

The spaces had sold out in less than an hour, and in the end, Randall had enjoyed it much more than he thought he would, so they were working on a schedule for the next season.

Sawyer took his hand as they walked the garden paths toward the house, pulling Randall out of his thoughts. “What are you stewing about?”

“The tea thing,” Randall admitted.

Sawyer snorted. “Again?” That mischievous grin was back. “You need to let it go and admit I had a great idea. Mrs. Cook is going to run the entire thing, and it’s only once a week. She loves the idea, and all you need to do is show up and be the handsome, amazing man I fell in love with.”

Randall couldn’t argue with Sawyer, not when he looked at him like he hung the moon.

“What’s this?” Sawyer asked as they approached the house. A black BMW sedan was parked off to the side of the drive. Sawyer stayed with Randall as the car door opened and a man climbed out.

“Arthur,” Sawyer said happily and checked the time. “Did I forget about an appointment?”

He shook his head. “I’m sorry to drop in unannounced, but I was in the country and received some news, so I headed right out here.” They shook hands.

“Come inside,” Randall said, ushering them all into the great hall and then through the maze of sheet-covered furniture to their living quarters. “I know it seems kind of forlorn, but everything would be caked with dust otherwise.”

Their rooms were warm, and Randall offered Arthur a seat.

Poppy, the Yorkshire terrier they had rescued from a shelter, jumped up and settled next to Sawyer.

He sat on the other side of the man he loved with everything he had, girding himself for whatever news Arthur had to deliver.

“I didn’t want to speak about this over the phone. ”

“All right.”

“As you know, your father had filed a petition against your uncle’s estate, and that held things up in probate, but all that has been cleared now.” He bit his lower lip.

Sawyer nodded. “I understand that. Do you know where my father is?” Sawyer asked, slowly petting Poppy.

“Yes. He’s somewhere in Florida at the moment, probably still dodging debt collectors.

” Arthur smiled. “One of the people he owes money to actually filed a claim against any proceeds he might get with the probate court. That convinced them that your father was still gambling, so the estate has been cleared and the assets have been released to you. I will make arrangements for the money to be transferred to your account. I have a list of his other assets. You can look them over and decide what you wish to do with them.”

“Thank you,” Sawyer said somberly. “I wish I’d had a chance to know him. That’s what I really would have wanted.”

Arthur pulled out a case from his bag and handed it to Sawyer. “Your uncle requested that this be given to you. It was found among the papers he kept with our firm. There was one for your father as well, but in accordance with your uncle’s wishes, that disk has been destroyed.”

“So my father is actually still alive,” Sawyer said.

“Yes, but we know little more than that. Has he contacted you again?” Arthur asked.

“Not in months,” Sawyer answered. “Is it wrong to say that I’m relieved?”

“No,” Randall said softly. “He’s caused you enough hurt.” Both their fathers had, and it was time for the two of them to live good, happy lives and move past their issues with fathers who should never have been parents.

“I’ll leave the two of you to get on with your day. I just wanted to bring you the latest news.” Arthur stood, and Randall did the same before seeing him out to his car. When he returned, Sawyer had the DVD in the player.

“Huh?” Sawyer huffed.

Randall sat next to him once again. “Is that your uncle?” Randall asked.

“Yeah, I guess. I think maybe I do remember him a little from when I was a child.” He unpaused the message.

“You don’t need to watch this now,” Randall said.

“It’s okay.” He pressed Play and the message began.

“Sawyer, I know I didn’t have much of a chance to get to know you. Your father made sure that was pretty much impossible. But I did keep an eye on you as best I could.” The images changed to a picture show.

“That’s me singing in school when I was about ten,” Sawyer said before the image changed. “My high school graduation.” Sawyer swallowed hard, and Randall took his hand and held it firmly.

“I wish things had been different, but I was there for some of your life, even if your father didn’t know it.

I know that things didn’t turn out the way I would have liked, but I hope you’ll remember me in some way.

Use the money and the things I left behind to better your life, and above all, be happy.

” The message ended, and Sawyer sat still, other than lightly stroking the dog.

“I am happy,” Sawyer said before taking a deep breath. “Okay. That part of my life is over, and it’s time to just let it all go.”

“Do you think you can?” Randall asked.

Sawyer shrugged. “Maybe we both can… together.” Then Sawyer pulled him into a hug, and they held each other for a long time.

THE FOLLOWING morning, Randall shivered and wished he’d stayed in bed.

Part of him loved this time of the year.

The estate was closed for the season, so there were no tourists around and the landscape was quiet, with just the wind and the occasional whiff of woodsmoke on the air.

But the cold—he hated the cold and the fact that it was nine in the morning and it seemed like the sun had had a hard time getting up as well.

When he’d risen, there had been a note next to the bed asking him to get dressed and come out the main doors. Sawyer had said that he had a surprise for him and Poppy. Randall had to admit that he was more than a little curious.

Then he heard it, a sound that carried on the wind: bells. He looked around, at first to make sure he was hearing correctly, but they grew louder, and then an open carriage pulled by two horses came into view. For a second, it seemed like he had been transported back to another age.

“You’re doing well.” Sawyer’s voice carried on the wind as the horses drew close enough that Randall could see Clive was driving. Once the carriage pulled up in front, he came to a stop, and Sawyer climbed out.

“What is all this?” Randall asked.

Sawyer climbed down. “This is your surprise.” He held the door so Randall could get in.

Poppy settled right on the seat, looking out, tail wagging like this was his chariot.

“After I managed to get those roofs fixed, Mr. Waverly in the village approached me and took me to his garage. Off to the side, he had this, and he asked if I wanted it as a thank-you. I insisted that I pay for it, and we agreed on a price. Clive helped me, and we fixed it up. I’ve been teaching him how to drive it. ”

Randall settled in the seat. “Where did you get the horses?” These certainly weren’t Caesar and Augustus.

“I borrowed them for the day… sort of on approval.” Sawyer told Clive they were ready, and the carriage started forward.

Clive didn’t turn around and sat straight on the seat.

“I want to buy them and use them as draft horses. Having the carriages and buggies is nice, but we should be able to use them.” He spread a blanket out over their legs and settled back, both of them nestled in the comfortable seat, Poppy tucked in right beside them.

“You really want to do this?”

Sawyer turned to him. “I have a plan. We’re going to need six horses, but we can start with these two.

And we can offer buggy tours through the estate grounds.

They would be half an hour at most, and we could offer up to four a day.

We already have the paths we could use. Can you imagine it?

” They turned off the main drive onto one of the paths through the grounds.

Suddenly it was like they were gliding into the past, the world slowing down—at least for a while.

“I’ll have to think about it,” Randall said softly as Sawyer slipped an arm around him, tugging him close.

The cold receded, and it was just the two of them.

Randall sighed, turning his head toward Sawyer, who kissed him gently, but with just enough passion to banish the cold and make him glad for the blanket covering his lap.

Sawyer chuckled. “Thanks.”

“I haven’t said yes,” Randall said.

Sawyer nuzzled his neck. “Yeah, but you didn’t say no, and I have plenty of ways to get you to agree.

If my figures are correct, it will bring in enough money to pay for two renovations a year, once we’re truly up and running, so to speak.

” He slipped a hand under Randall’s shirt.

Randall smiled and soaked in Sawyer’s heat.

“Look,” Sawyer said as they crested the rise on the south lawn.

Randall turned, taking in most of the estate in a single view. “That’s a view I never get tired of.”

Randall looked into Sawyer’s eyes. “Me too.” He leaned against Sawyer as Clive started the horses forward once more until Clive pulled the carriage to a stop again. Sawyer fidgeted under the blanket.

“I wasn’t sure what the proper thing was to do for this, so I figured I’d go traditional.” He slipped from under the blanket and knelt on the floor of the carriage.

“Sawyer,” Randall said softly, this throat aching.

“Will you marry me?” Sawyer asked, opening a ring box. Poppy woofed softly as though urging him to agree.

“Yes… of course I will.” Sawyer slipped the ring onto his finger, and Randall pulled him into a kiss. “You beat me to it.”

“Huh?” Sawyer said.

“I have a ring for you up in my dresser. I was going to ask you this weekend.” Randall chuckled as Sawyer sat back down. “When do you want to do this?”

“I was thinking next spring.”

“Sounds perfect.” Randall pulled the blanket up around them and settled back, holding Poppy and leaning against Sawyer as the carriage rocked them lightly back toward what he’d finally come to feel was truly home.