“Yeah?”
My old man knows me so fucking well that he already knows what’s going on without me telling him a single word. Or him asking a single question.
And time and time again, he proves to always have my back.
If this isn’t what makes family so great, I don’t know what does.
“Yeah,” I answer and walk straight over to him to lean down and wrap him up in a big hug. “Love ya, old man.”
“Love you too, son,” he says and pats a hearty hand to my back. “Now, I think it’s safe to say you better get on outta here and get ready to head to Salt Lake in the morning.”
“Damn straight.” I grin and step back. “I don’t know what is gonna happen, but I’m gonna try like hell to make sure I come back to this ranch with Leah.”
His smile damn near lights up the whole room. “So, I guess it was a good thing I hired that doctor to babysit you all along.”
I narrow my eyes at him. But I also laugh.
“Too soon?”
“If I manage to get her back here where she belongs, then by all means, I give you free rein to make as many jokes as you want.”
He chuckles at that.
“Ornery bastard.”
My dad just grins, but then he furrows his brow. “So…not trying to be nosy or pushy, but are you planning on asking her to marry you?”
That question should probably be insane.
And up until this very moment, I hadn’t really thought about what I was going to say or do; I just knew I needed to go to her. But subconsciously, I think I knew that’s what I was going to do all along. Of course I want to ask her to marry me.
I want to spend the rest of my life with the woman I love.
“You know what?” I eventually answer. “Yeah. That’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
“Wait right here a minute.” He holds up one finger and walks out of the office. And a minute or two later, he’s stepping back inside with a little black box in his hands.
He pops it open and reveals a ring that’s been in our family for many, many years.
It was my grandmother’s ring. And before that, it was her mother’s ring. And before that, it was her mother’s ring.
“About a month ago, your mama told me to get this ring out of the safe in the lodge and put it in our bedroom, and honestly, I thought she might’ve gone nuts,” he comments. “But hell, if that woman doesn’t always know every-fucking-thing.”
“What?” My jaw damn near hits my boots. “She knew?”
He nods. “She fucking knew.”
I take the ring box out of my dad’s hand and stare down at it.
“That girl belongs at this ranch,” he says, his voice quiet. “She’s the one for you. I knew it after we got back from the hospital. She’s strong and smart, and she knows how to handle you when you’re being a real prick.”
I laugh.
“And she’s soft and kind and treats Joey like one of her own.”
I nod at that.
“She’s the one, son,” he says. “Now, all you have to do is go get her and convince her to spend the rest of her life with a stubborn son of a bitch,” he teases and pats a hand to my shoulder. “Who is also a strong man with a heart of gold who provides and cares for a family. A man who’s been through hell and deserves to have a woman like that by his side.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah,” he says. “Go get her, son.”
Go get her.
I really fucking hope it’s that easy.
Because when I look toward my future, I see her.
August 14th, Friday
Leah
My mind is a basket case of anxious thoughts.
I can’t stop thinking about Rhett or Joey or what’s going on back at the ranch.
I can’t stop wondering if he’s read my letters.
I can’t stop regretting leaving the ranch the way I did.
And I certainly can’t stop wishing I could turn back time and do it all differently.
On a deep inhale and exhale, I force my mind to focus on finishing up wrapping Kevin Bird’s ankle so he can get back to practice.
“You okay, Doc?” he asks, his curious eyes looking down at me as I add an ACE wrap over the blue medical tape.
“Yep.”
“You sure?” he questions. “Because you look like something’s bothering you.”
The fact that I look so bad that a big-ass professional basketball player who’s currently busy with rigorous training notices, tells me all I need to know about my current state.
I’m sure my tired, swollen, red eyes and current messy attire of jeans and a wrinkled T-shirt aren’t helping my facade, but I’m finding it harder and harder to get through the day when I feel like someone yanked my heart right out of my chest.