Page 51

Eight Months Later

T he wind carries the scent of pine and damp earth as we ride the worn trail. The mountain peaks in the distance still have a dusting of snow, but here in the valley, spring is already underway—wildflowers dot the ground and birdsong fills the air.

Briar leads the way, her hair loose beneath her hat, catching the sun whenever she glances back at Caleb and me.

We’re sharing a horse with him perched in front, my arm wrapped around his middle as he holds the saddle horn.

I’ve ridden this path countless times, and it’s always better when we’re together.

Between working on the ranch, breaking ground on Briar’s new children’s sanctuary, and Caleb starting kindergarten, our weeks are hectic.

Briar’s foundation should be fully operational by this time next year.

We’ve also begun designing a house that’ll be built on the far side of the ranch.

Julie and Samuel generously gifted us the land for Christmas, wanting us to have a home of our own and a place to grow our family.

With so much going on, we make sure to reserve every Saturday just for the three of us. We always enjoy ourselves, but I have something particularly special planned today.

Caleb twists to look at me, eyes sparkling with excitement. “Are we almost there yet, Dad?”

“We’re close, bud,” I promise.

“And then you’re going to ask Briar your question?” he whispers loudly.

He tries to keep his voice low, but his excitement is obvious. Luckily, Briar is far enough ahead not to hear him.

I chuckle. “Yep, real soon.”

Briar thinks the ride is the main event, but the real plan is to propose once we reach our destination. Caleb’s in on the surprise, but with how giddy he is, he might blurt it out before I get the chance. Hard to believe he’s the same quiet boy I brought to Bluebell last summer.

In March, I told Julie and Samuel I wanted to marry Briar, and they were thrilled.

Julie said she had something special for me and returned with a ring that had belonged to her mother.

Briar had admired it since she was a girl, so Julie offered it to me as her engagement ring if I wanted it.

The moment I saw the oval diamond set in a gold bezel, I knew it was perfect.

Not only does it symbolize a new chapter in our lives together but it also reflects how the Halsteads have always seen her as their own daughter—and how they’ll continue to give her the love and support she deserves.

For the past two months, I kept the ring hidden in the back of my sock drawer.

Last week, I finally took it with me to New York for a quarterly shareholder meeting to have it cleaned.

I couldn’t risk taking it to the local jeweler and having the news of our upcoming engagement spread like wildfire before I even proposed.

I gently pull back the reins as we near the knoll where I brought Briar on our first date. It’s become our sanctuary, and we visit often. Caleb loves tagging along, so I hung a tire swing from a sturdy cottonwood tree nearby, giving him a little piece of joy in our favorite spot too.

I lead our horse, Lucky, to a grassy spot and dismount, tying the reins to a nearby tree before helping Caleb down. He waits patiently nearby as I grab the blanket and picnic basket from the saddle.

He crooks his finger, and I crouch down beside him. “Yeah, bud?”

“Can I see the ring again?”

I let out a low laugh. “Just a little bit longer,” I assure him.

At this rate, he’s going to beat me to it if I don’t act soon. I rub my palms against my jeans, my heart pounding with anticipation.

“I can set up the picnic,” Briar says as she gets off her horse.

She makes her way over and takes the blanket from me, giving it a quick shake before laying it on the grass.

I’m still amazed that I get to call her mine. She’s the most thoughtful, kind and loving partner, and treats Caleb with a patience and grace I’ll never take for granted. The fact that I’ll soon be able to call her my wife feels like one of the greatest gifts I’ll ever receive—assuming she says yes.

“Caleb, can you bring me the basket? Your dad seems a bit distracted,” Briar says with a wink.

I blink, offering her a sheepish smile. “Sorry—got lost in thought,” I say, handing it to her.

“Thanks.”

Briar opens the basket and lays out chicken salad sandwiches wrapped in gingham cloth, a bowl of fresh fruit salad, chocolate-covered strawberries, and a mason jar of sweet tea .

She lets out a whistle. “Well, this puts my usual peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to shame. You really outdid yourselves.”

“Glad you like it,” I say with a smile.

Caleb and I made everything this morning with Julie’s help. I told her I wanted to go all out, and she was more than happy to lend a hand.

When we don’t move to sit down, Briar glances between us. “Don’t you want to eat? It all looks amazing.”

Caleb shakes his head. “Dad has an important question to—”

“Buddy,” I interject. “Remember what we practiced?”

“Oh yeah. I remember now!” He moves to my side, smiling wide at Briar.

“You two are being so silly,” she chuckles. “What do you have up your sleeves?”

Before I lose my nerve, I close the distance between us, and drop to one knee. Her breath catches as she watches me, stunned and speechless.

“From the moment Caleb and I stepped into the cottage, I knew things would never be the same.” I take her hands in mine.

“You’ve brought more joy and happiness into our lives than I ever thought possible.

Beyond being Caleb’s dad, nothing would mean more to me than making you my wife.

” I stare up into her beautiful brown eyes.

“When I decided how to do this, I thought back to how it all began—with the three of us—and knew I wanted this new chapter to start the same, and in a place that’s special to us. ”

My hand trembles as I take the ring from my pocket and hold it out to the woman who means everything to me.

“Briar Halstead, will you marry me?”

A quiet moment passes as she reaches over to gently squeeze Caleb’s hand. He beams at her, practically buzzing with energy. Her eyes shine with affection before she turns back to me .

“Yes!” she exclaims, tears glistening in her eyes. “Absolutely, yes.” She drops to her knees in front of me as I slide the ring on her finger. “Jensen… how did you get this?”

“Julie wanted you to have it.”

“I’ve always loved this ring,” she whispers in awe. “It’s perfect.”

I lean in and kiss her on the lips. “I love you, sugar.”

“I love you too, cowboy.”

My gaze lingers on the ring she now wears. I’m grateful for the journey that led us here and eager for the life we’re building together.

I nod at Caleb, like we’d practiced. We went over this part several times yesterday with Heath and Walker while Briar was out with her friends, and he’s been counting down the hours until he can ask Briar his own question.

He angles toward her. “Hey, Briar.”

“Yeah, little man?” she asks.

“Remember how, when you went to live with Julie when you were a kid, you started calling her Mama Julie?”

Briar’s face brightens. “I do.”

“Well, I live with you now, and I was thinking maybe I could call you Mama Briar?” he questions, bouncing on his feet.

Caleb approached me about it last week, asking if he could have a special name for her like she has for Julie. And together we came up with the idea of Mama Briar.

Briar draws him in, her eyes finding mine as she replies, voice thick with emotion. “Yes, sweetheart. I’d like that very much.” A single tear trickles down her cheek. “I love you so much.”

“I love you too, Mama Briar,” he whispers.

My heart overflows with gratitude as I watch Briar embrace our son.

We’ve agreed to wait until he’s older to decide whether he wants her to adopt him.

Briar doesn’t want to take away from the memory of Amelia and will respect whatever choice he makes.

We’re a family in all the ways that matter most, and that’s all either of us could ever ask for.

The woman of my dreams is going to be my wife, we have the most amazing son, and our home is full of laughter and joy. I’m living proof that sometimes the best kind of life is one with muddy boots, starry skies, and a heart full of love. It’s safe to say that I’ve been completely wrangled by love.

Caleb’s first time speaking after losing his mom was one of the most emotional scenes to write. While the chapter is told from Jensen’s POV, I felt inspired to share it through Caleb’s eyes in this special bonus scene. You can read it here.

Thank you so much for reading Wrangled Love . If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a review on your preferred platform(s) of choice. It’s the best compliment I can receive as an author, and it makes it easier for other readers to find my books.

Want more from Silver Saddle Ranch? Walker and Birdie’s friends-to-lovers, spicy lessons, cowboy romance is coming early 2026.