“I don’t know what yet?” Granddaddy asked, walking into the room. He smiled when he saw me and quickly made his way over to me. “My little girl is finally home.”
When he wrapped me up in his arms, I nearly cried again.
Good grief, Chloe. Get your emotions together, will you?
After I got a good hug and kiss, he stepped back and I held up the engagement ring.
“Easton asked me to marry him, and I said yes.”
His smile never faltered, but I saw the hesitation in his eyes for the briefest of moments. Another person disappointed.
Taking my hand, granddaddy looked at the ring. “Well, will you look at that. My little girl is going to be getting married.”
“Yep,” I said, glancing over to Easton and smiling. He returned my smile and mouthed he was sorry.
“Steed, go grab some of the good champagne down in the wine cellar. We are going to celebrate early,” Granddaddy said.
Easton walked over to me and took my hand in his. “I’m sorry I slipped.”
“I’m sorry I reacted the way I did. It was just important for me to tell them myself.”
He nodded. “I get it. Listen, Chloe, I’ve been thinking. I know how much you love this place. I don’t know if you ever dreamed of getting married here when you were little.”
I grinned. “I did at one point.”
There was a beautiful meadow right off the river that overlooked a good portion of the ranch on the south side. I had always dreamed that would be the spot I got married. Under the large oak tree that held so many beautiful memories. There were countless times I told my parents that that tree was where I would get married someday.
“I want to have the wedding here.”
My eyes widened and my breath felt caught in my throat for a moment. “What? But, your family would have to come so far.”
“That doesn’t matter. You’re leaving your family for me. The least I can do is let you get married at this place.”
The words felt like arrows tossed into my heart. Instead of making me fall in love, they did just the opposite.
“This place?”
He smiled. “The ranch. Your home. The place you grew up.”
That should have made me feel better, but it didn’t.
“Do you have a special spot where you’d like to be married?” he asked.
My mother walked up and looked between us. “Did I hear you right? Are you getting married here on the ranch?”
“Yes!” Easton said. “I was just asking Chloe if she had a special spot for the ceremony.”
Glancing my way, my mother grinned wide.
Before she could say anything, I replied, “I think the backyard here at Grammy and Granddaddy’s place would be the perfect setting.”
“Here?” Easton said, sounding a bit disappointed. “I mean, how many acres is this ranch, Chloe? Surely you have a spot you liked when you were younger.”
“The south pasture?” my mother asked, looking confused.
I shook my head. “This house means the world to me. It’s where my family still meets once a week for dinner. I’ve grown up here. It will be perfect.”
Easton leaned down and kissed my cheek. “That’s fine. I’d marry you anywhere, Chloe.”
My heart warmed at his sweetness. I knew he meant every word.
“Easton, grab some chairs and help, will you?” Gage called from the back door.
Glancing out the back window, Easton’s eyes grew big. “How many people are you expecting? There looks like enough seats for a hundred.
Laughing, I replied, “Just my dad’s family is nearly thirty.”
“And they have weekly dinners? Thirty people?”
“Almost thirty. You should have seen it when all my cousins were little. It was a madhouse.”
“Easton!” Gage called again. I was positive that Easton suspected Gage had a serious attitude about the engagement.
“Ignore him. He’s upset I’m going to be moving.”
With a sad look in his eyes, Easton kissed me once more. “It’s all going to work out fine, baby. I promise.”
“I know,” I said, not really convinced, but not wanting to give up either. I had committed myself to Easton. A part of me did love him and would figure out how to make this work. So now I just needed to convince my heart to play catch up with my mind.
He headed out back. Before I had a chance to go help, my mother grabbed me and pulled me through the kitchen and down the hall into the study.
“Mom, what are you doing?”
“The backyard, Chloe? That’s where you want to get married?”
“Yes, what’s wrong with the backyard? It has a beautiful view of the sunset, and Grammy has the spring fling dinner and benefit dinner there every year.”
The spring fling was a huge dinner Grammy and Granddaddy threw after the entire weekend had been spent vaccinating the cows and castrating them. It might sound gross, but it was one of my favorite times of year on the ranch.