Releasing his hand, she said, "David, I have nothing more to say, except you'll never know how much I appreciate your friendship. You've been there for me for a long time, and it means a lot to me." She stood. "Thanks for rushing over here. Your days are always so busy."
Standing, he reached for her, "Eve, let's talk about this."
She took a step back. "David, my decision is made. I don't want to rush you, but I need to leave here in"—she glanced at her watch—"an hour, and I have to get ready."
His face fell. He knew her well enough not to argue. She let him pull her into a hug. He said, "If you change your mind, I'll always be here."
After a quick shower, she packed her bag and headed out the door with no time to spare. She was one of the last ones to board her flight to El Paso. Once in her seat, she called Tammy. "Hey, there. I'm taking a couple of days off. You probably think I've lost my mind. I'll talk to you soon and give you an update. Call if something urgent comes up, and email me when you need to."
Tammy said, "You do what you need to do to take care of yourself, and I'll handle things here."
Eve hung up and closed her eyes. After months of indecision, she was finally moving forward.
Soon the big plane reversed and began its taxi out to the runway. As a pilot herself, she could imagine what was happening in the cockpit, and she stared out the window with excitement. They arrived at the runway and lined up, then sat, waiting. At last, the pilot must have received permission to take off, and Eve imagined him thrusting the throttle forward as the airplane quickly picked up speed, racing down the runway, the nose coming up from the tarmac as they lifted into the air.
Gravity shoved Eve's head back on the seat as they angled steeply into the sky. She loved this and couldn't wait until it was her, in her own plane, seeking freedom from the earth. Jet and a mechanic had both agreed the Cessna 172 that she liked was a good buy, so she'd bought it last week. She'd never been happier to write a check.
She went over in her head what she would say to Caleb when she came face to face with him again.
The plane landed an hour and forty minutes later. Taking her carry-on from the overhead, she waited in line to debark, anxious to pick up her rental and get on the road. Caleb should be at the house when she arrived. He didn't know she was coming. What she had to say couldn't—shouldn't—be said on the phone.
She exited the plane and hurried to the car rental booth, picking up her SUV. Knowing her way to the ranch, it would be an easier drive this time. It was a sunny day, despite the clouds in the distance, and she rolled down her window, letting in the clean desert air as she got out on the highway.
Would Millie be glad to see her? Or would she think that Eve had been leading her son a merry chase and make Eve feel unwelcome? She had, after all, put her consulting business before Caleb at every turn. What mother wouldn't resent that? And Millie sure loved her sons.
A hard ball of anxiety knotted Eve's stomach. She cared about Millie and hoped she didn't have those resentful feelings. Eve liked Roy, too. She sighed, praying that her welcome would be a pleasant one.
The miles passed swiftly by. She sipped water, enjoying the silence of the open road, and tried not to think about the evening to come.
Near seven thirty, Eve spotted the gate to the ranch. She slowed and turned in between the haughty ferruginous hawks, then accelerated again, her pulse racing. The past months of worry had all come down to this. Pulling on the visor mirror, she inspected her reflection, then drew her lipstick from her purse. Slowing, she added color to her lips. Running her fingers through her hair a few times, she flipped the visor closed and picked up speed.
When she arrived at the house, she parked next to Caleb's truck. She removed her hands from the wheel, and they were shaking. This was it. Clenching them together, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
The next moment, she threw her door open, grabbed her purse and stepped out. Everything looked just as it had before as she walked to the door. Knocking firmly, she waited in the same peaceful silence that had surrounded her on her first visit to the house.
The door opened, and Millie stood there, her mouth an O of surprise. "Eve! Honey come in! We didn't know you were coming. Wait until Caleb sees you." She drew Eve into the house.
Her knees weak, Eve followed her inside. It was okay. Millie was happy to see her.
Millie called, "Caleb, you have a visitor."
Following Millie through the foyer and past the stairs, Eve looked for Caleb, wondering which direction he would come from.
He walked out of the family room and saw her. And froze. "Eve?" He rushed toward her.
Her heart leapt. She strode ahead, passing Millie in her haste.
He grabbed Eve and lifted her into the air. "Eve, honey."
She threw her arms around his neck and whispered in his ear, "You said to come to you when I was ready. I'm here."
Laughing, he swung her in a circle. "I did say that, didn't I?"
Her love was too much to hold inside. She cried, "I love you, Caleb."
Millie stood back, beaming at them both. "I'll go make a fresh pitcher of tea."
When they were alone, Caleb set her back on the floor, his joy reflected all over his face.
Eve took his hand and placed it on her belly. "I took the test."
His eyes widened—grew an even darker shade of blue. "Honey, are you saying—"
"There's another Govain on the way." She grinned.
"Hell, yeah!" He picked her up again, his hands cupping her bottom as she wrapped her legs around his waist, and he carried her into the family room.
Roy, having heard Caleb's yell, headed toward them.
Caleb said, "Dad, you'd better sit back down."
Millie walked in. "What in the world is going on with you two?" She went over to join Roy, who sat on the couch.
Caleb let Eve down and knelt in front of her, taking her hand. "I’ve been preparing for this. Eve, I want to spend forever with you. I want to be there by your side in your moments of joy and in your moments of sorrow. I want to share your laughter, and I want to be the hands that wipe your tears. I want to be your everything, just like you're my everything. Will you marry me, Eve?"
His words touched her to the depths of her soul. She leaned down and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck, "Oh, honey, yes, I'll marry you. I love you, Caleb."
He stood and hugged her close. "I have your ring. But first ..." He faced his parents. "Do you want to be called Papaw and Gigi, or Grandma and Grandpa, or something else?"
Eve stared anxiously at Millie and Roy. Would they be upset that she was already pregnant?
Millie's hands flew to her mouth. She looked at Roy, then back at Caleb. "She's ...?
He grinned. "Yep."
Millie threw herself at Eve, hugging her so tightly that Eve laughed. Millie said, "I'm so excited! And I want to be called Grandma."
Eve let out a breath and smiled. Thank God. Caleb’s parents were happy.
LATER, MILLIE FIXED Eve a light dinner of leftovers, then Millie and Roy went to bed, leaving Eve and Caleb alone.
Eve, exhausted from the release of her anxiety, yawned as she finished eating.
Caleb noticed and said, "Let's go to bed. My room this time. I want to give you your ring." He pulled her close, kissing her thoroughly. "You can be first in the shower."
She followed him from the room, tingles racing through her body, knowing that she had the whole night ahead in his arms.
He carried her suitcase into the room and then caught her hand. "Just a moment." Taking a ring box from his dresser drawer, he opened it and removed a beautiful oval solitaire in a platinum setting and slipped it on her finger. It was a little loose. "I had to guess your size. My jeweler can fix it."
Holding up her hand, her heart swelled with warmth and love. It was beautiful—perfect, just like Caleb. She was so lucky. She would have to work hard every day of the rest of her life to deserve him. "It's beautiful�
�just what I've always imagined my engagement ring would be. You know me so well, Caleb."
He grinned and hugged her. "I was hoping you'd like it."
"I love it."
Later, after they'd both showered, they snuggled close under the covers. Her head lay on his chest, and his fingers played with her hair. She said, "I worried about coming here. Worried if your mom thought I'd been leading you on. And what they would think when they found out I was already pregnant."
"My parents aren't like that. I hope you'll get to know them well enough that you'll never worry about things like that again."
She kissed his chest. "Me, too."
He eased her over on her back. "I need to look at my future child."
She giggled.
Laying his palm gently on her belly, he began to rub her tummy in slow circles. "I think I feel a tiny bump here."
Smiling, she said, "I think you do, too. I looked in the mirror after I took the test, and I'm pooching out a little bit."
He laughed softly. "Pooching out?"
"Yep, a tiny bit. I never thought I'd be happy about a poochy belly."
Leaning down, he kissed her tummy. "My baby's first kiss. We need to write it on the calendar." He thought for a moment. "Have you seen a doctor?"
"No, I just took the home test this morning."
He leaned back on his pillow, his arm behind his head. "We've got to figure out the logistics of our life together. I have an idea for your business that I'm excited about, but we can talk about it in the morning."
She snuggled into his chest again. "Really?"
"Yes, I did some researching of my own."
Pulling her on top of him, he growled, "Tomorrow, woman. Right now, we have more important things to do." He drew her down and kissed her deeply, sensuously, leaving her in no doubt as to what those other things were.
Desire pulsed in her core. This loving man was her everything.
THE NEXT MORNING AFTER breakfast, Caleb led her to his office. "Sit down for a minute. Let me print something off."
She was curious about this research he'd done. He seemed so confident. Had he really found an answer to their problem? She'd already made peace with giving up her work.
Papers slid out of the printer, and Caleb caught them up. He sat down next to her, handing her a set of them. "David had a good idea when he suggested that you teach a ranching for profit school. I just came up with a better, cheaper way for you to do it."
She stared at him. "What?"
He smiled. "Hear me out. Ranching consulting is just one type of consulting. I researched other kinds. You could use the same model for your training."
He pointed to the first page of notes. "Here are the approximate costs to you of putting on a five-day training at a Holiday Inn in Wichita, Kansas. Clients would pay for their own hotels and air fares. Others could drive in but would be encouraged to stay at the hotel because of the evening networking and brainstorming sessions." He grinned. "I read that on one of the sites I visited."
Flipping to the next page, he said, "I figured out the cost, per client, by averaging what four other companies charge for their trainings like this." He tapped the third line. "I put a limit of fifty clients per class, because I figure you're going to want small-group breakouts and some one-on-one with these groups." Moving his finger down to the bolded bottom line, he said, "As you can see, your net profit is amazing."
He looked up at her. "Eve, you said you wanted to help ranchers improve their profit—to make an impact on many more lives. This will allow you do that in a massive way. And you don't have to build a building, and you can do it married to me, living here at the ranch. We have a big bedroom here on the bottom floor that I can make into your office, and I'm sure we can hire an assistant for you. What do you think?"
The possibilities whirled in her head. She could keep her business? And be married? She'd lose her beloved Dallas office, but she'd get Caleb. She'd gladly take that trade off. She threw her arms around Caleb's neck. "Honey—Caleb—you're brilliant. I love it. I absolutely freaking love it. You were right all along. There was an answer to our problem."
He stood and lifted her into his arms, laughing. "I'm glad you didn't give up on me—give up on us, Eve."
She hugged him tight. "Me, too." Her dreams had come true. She could fly and she was marrying her pretend husband—her one.
Chapter Thirteen
THREE MONTHS LATER, Eve's life had completely changed. She'd closed her Dallas office, said a tearful goodbye to Tammy, sold or donated her furniture, and moved the rest of her things to the ranch. Her new office on the bottom floor was up and running, and she had an assistant—a young woman who'd married a rancher's son and who had no interest in outdoor work. The job with Eve was an answer to the woman's prayers. And, Eve's wedding was just around the corner.
When Ann, Eve’s older brother Lance’s wife, had found out that Eve was getting married, she'd pitched in, helping Eve's mom with the wedding. Eve gave them her colors, those of spring and summer, and told them to have fun. Eve had been so busy moving her business and herself, it had been a Godsend to have the two women manage the wedding preparations.
In a shocking announcement, Roy and Millie had decided to build a garden home several acres away, leaving the ranch house to Caleb and Eve.
Millie told them, "This old house is too big for us, anyway. You raise your family here. It's meant for Govain children. We'll still be close so we can grandparent those kids of yours."
Caleb said, "Kids?"
Roy answered. "Get busy. I already said you're no spring chicken."
Eve had laughed. "We'll do what we can."
Another exciting thing that she and Caleb had shared was hearing their baby's heartbeat together for the first time. She’d decided to start out with a doctor in Ft. Stockton since she'd be living at the ranch for most of her pregnancy. She had her first visit right after Caleb asked her to marry him and flew back each month until she’d actually moved into the ranch house. Caleb attended all her appointments with her, and she adored him for it. They were going to take Lamaze classes together, too.
Now that she had her pilot's license, she'd booked lessons that would start after the honeymoon at the airport in Ft. Stockton to get her instrument certification. With her own plane, she could fly to visit her parents as often as she liked. Now that there would soon be a baby in the picture, her mom and dad expected her to bring their grandchild for regular kisses and cuddles.
Adam, Caleb's brother just younger than him, was as handsome as Caleb, though he had dark hair and wasn't quite as tall. He was best man and ribbed his brother unmercifully for hiding his beautiful fiancée from him for so long.
Caleb had said, "I told you, she wouldn't marry me. I had nothing to tell!"
Dylan, the younger brother, would take a quick flight out for the wedding, then fly right back to school so he wouldn't miss his classes. She couldn't wait to meet him.
TWO DAYS LATER, EVE shifted the bouquet of roses of all different colors from one hand to the other nervously as she and her father waited for the organ to play the wedding march. She'd chosen a beautiful white dress with an empire waist to minimize her precious baby bump. Ann was her matron of honor and stood ahead of Eve in the hallway of the church. Ann's nephew, the ring bearer, looked cute in his little black suit, as did Ann's niece in her frilly little white dress.
The children fidgeted.
Ann reached down and tugged on the little girl's dress.
Eve shifted from foot to foot.
Her father patted her hand and smiled.
Eve started as the organ pealed out the chords of Mendelssohn's Wedding March.
Ann touched the children's shoulders and urged them on their way down the hall.
Soon, they turned into the chapel.
Eve's gaze raced ahead of her.
Caleb stood, tall and handsome in his black tux, his gaze catching and holding hers, a smile like the sunrise on his face.
&nbs
p; The music faded, faces in the church disappeared as her sight centered on this man, her beloved, her future. She didn't feel her father escorting her down the aisle, didn't see the bright flowers decorating the pews, didn't know her feet took the steps up to the pulpit. The luscious scent of the huge bouquet of roses behind the pastor was lost to her. She knew nothing until her father placed her hand in Caleb's.
He gripped her, forging a bond, warm and strong.
She clasped his fingers firmly.
The pastor asked, "Who gives this woman's hand in marriage?"
Her father replied, "I do."
The pastor commanded, "Stand before me."
Caleb led her to their place. His arm brushed her shoulder, and an intense sense of belonging overwhelmed her. He was hers, and she was his.
The pastor spoke to them, telling them that they should always love and respect each other and what loving and respecting each other looked like.
She squeezed Caleb's fingers, and he squeezed hers back. Smiling, she leaned against him, needing more connection, more of this man who was the center of her life.
Soon, the pastor finished speaking, and it was time for their vows. Adam handed Caleb the ring, and he held it to Eve's finger, saying in a clear, strong voice, "Eve, I knew I loved you from the moment we met, and I've been hopelessly in love with you ever since. You're my every wish and the person I want to grow old with. From this day forward, let's build a home together filled with love, laughter, and joy, where two become one and we create a family built on love. I promise to hold our love as a love everlasting. My heart is yours forever." He slid the ring on her finger.
She held his gaze, moved beyond words, and wanted desperately to kiss him.
Ann stepped forward and handed Eve Caleb's ring.
She held it to his finger and said, "Caleb, my commitment to you is one I give willingly, absolutely and without hesitation. I am yours, utterly. I feel we were married before today, pretend husband."
He threw his head back and laughed.
The Cowboy's Fate (The Govain Cowboys Book 1) Page 11