Dean swallowed hard, nodding to himself for a moment. “There are a few things that I’m
traditional about. I want to have your folks here for the next holidays. I want to put a
diamond on that cute finger. And I want to ask you important questions properly.”
Those lively brown eyes locked with mine, as I whispered, “I’m pretty sure you’re going to
get the answer you want.”
His arms wrapped around me, his hands under my shirt so fast I didn’t think he even
realized he was doing it. I adored how much his body craved mine, like he truly needed me
in every way.
As he kissed me, I felt the warm tingle that I always did when Dean held me. Yet there was
something extra special at this moment. Maybe there was no such thing as a pre-
engagement, but our lives were certainly entwined, and permanent. That was certainly
enough for me at the moment. But I dearly loved that he was thinking ahead.
Perhaps that was a country thing – always watching the sky, needing to know what the weather would be tomorrow so that you could plan ahead.
EPILOGUE TWO
* Dean *
*** Three Years Later ***
“Dean?” Joanna’s soft voice calling into the barn always soothed me. I couldn’t stand it
when she was more than a few miles away. But last night she’d stayed with her friend Kim
so that she could go to her doctor this morning.
“In here, sweetie,” I called from the sink where I was scrubbing up from hauling some fresh
topsoil to the greenhouses.
“What did the doc say?” I asked, rushing over to take her hands in mine. My thumb
immediately rubbed in a circle around her wedding ring.
“Everything is tip top. She said that it was fine that I stopped taking the pill last month, and gave me a list of things to keep an eye on. I already picked up prenatal vitamins. But she
warned me that it might take a few months for the pill to get out of my system completely,
so she made me promise not to worry if it takes us up to a year.”
Joanna’s eyes were shining with excitement, and from the way her fingers were already
digging into my neck, I knew she could feel the wave of heat already overtaking us.
“Are you telling me that you’re absolutely, definitely sure that you’re ready to have a baby
with me?” I asked, holding her delicate face between my palms.