I think. Had he been trying to ask what she thought he was trying to ask? Maybe her fevers were back? She waited till Mama wasn’t looking and then discretely felt of her forehead. She didn’t feel warm. She closed her eyes. After so many years of longing… would the Lord finally grant her wish?
Her fork clattered against her plate and Mama cast her a worried look. “You sure you’re feeling alright, dear?”
Oh, no. She was definitely not feeling alright. “I’m fine, Mama. Really.” Where did he go?
She caught movement out of the corner of her eye. His blue shirt, black hat, familiar stride. He paused before Papa and said something. Papa stopped with a fork half way to his mouth and gave him a long level look, then a slow smile split his face and he held out one hand. They both glanced her way.
She fumbled to set her plate down on the bench before she dropped it. Her heart beat a tympani against her ribs. Breathe.
His gaze never leaving hers, Cade made his way through the benches and dashing children. He paused a stride away and settled his thumbs into his belt. His gaze darted to Mama, and when he returned his focus to her, humor danced in his expression. “Shar, I was wondering if you might be interested in taking a ride with me in the Hackney? I have it ready. There’s something I’d like to… talk to you about.”
Heat bloomed in Sharyah’s cheeks and she worked her lower lip, unable to even formulate a response. The silence stretched.
Beside her, Mama squirmed and simpered, “That’s a delightful idea, dear. Do go. A ride in the fresh air will do you some good.”
Cade arched a brow and held out his arm. “Shall we, then?”
Could this really be happening to her? This was what she’d wanted ever since she could remember. Giving herself a little shake, she stood. “Y-yes. That sounds lovely. Thank you.” She suppressed a grimace. She sounded like a nervous school girl giving her first oral lesson.
Cade helped her up into the Hackney and then climbed up beside her and set the team down the road at a smart trot.
He didn’t go far before he pulled the team off the road and directed them out across a flowing meadow. Here and there purple crocuses poked their heads above the soil and yellow daffodils bobbed and swayed in the breeze. The sun arched high in the sky, the warmth of its rays chasing off the last vestiges of winter’s chill and she turned her face to its welcome rays. Somewhere a squirrel chattered fiercely, apparently not appreciating their intrusion into its domain. Birds sang lustily and even a small herd of deer cropped grass at the far end of the meadow.
Cade pulled to a stop in the dappled shade of a cherry tree with blooms just beginning to open. He wrapped the reins around the brake handle then turned to look at her, his palms rubbing against his knees. He scooted closer.
She closed her eyes and held out one hand. “Cade please be sure you mean your words before you say them.” Her heart couldn’t take another breaking.
Warmth enveloped her hand as he clasped it and pressed it against the solid warmth of his chest.
She chanced a peek.
Moisture glinted on his lower lids and he reached out and traced a caress from above her eyebrow to her cheek bone. “I thought I’d lost you…” He slid his fingers into her hair. “First when I told you there could be nothing between you and me, then again when I woke to find your cabin engulfed in flames, and a third time when you were shot. Each time I told myself what a fool I was not to have made it more clear exactly how I feel about you.” His thumb skimmed over her lower lip, his focus dropping to her mouth as he leaned closer. “I don’t aim to let that happen again.”
A tremor raced through her. “Cade, I just want you to be sure y—”
The silken caress of his lips sealed off her words. All her years of pent up longing escaped on a low moan, and she leaned into him as a curl of sheer desire rolled through her. Her fingers skimmed over the rough stubble of his cheek to the smooth skin just behind his ear, then entwined in his hair.
He scooted closer and deepened the kiss for just a moment before he eased back a fraction and rested his forehead against hers. He pulled in a rapid breath and cupped her face with both his hands, his thumbs resting against her mouth. “I love you, Shar. I want to spend the rest of my life with you by my side.” He pushed her face away just far enough to focus on her eyes. “Marry me. Right now. Today.”
She gasped. “Cade! We can’t—”
He gave her a quick silencing kiss. “Just hear me out. All our family is here. The minister is waiting. And your father gave us his blessing.”
“Papa… knows about this? About you wanting to marry me today?”
He nodded.
Excitement jolted through her, but she scooted back, pressing him away. Needing to think. “Cade, I don’t know. We need to be sure….”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in all my life.”
A breathy laugh of disbelief escaped. “Cade, we don’t have a place to live.”
He leaned close and kissed her again. Lingering this time over the task. “You act like I haven’t been planning this for months now.”
“Months! You never said a word to me!”
“You’ve been so sick. I just didn’t want you to have to worry over anything.”
She tilted him a glance. “Where are we going to live?”
A grin bloomed on his face. “Is that a yes?”
Laughter bubbled up. “Where?”
“I bought Sam Perry’s place.”
“Sam P—wait… you bought his ranch?”
He nodded. “He and Missy are going to move back east. I figured we could stay around here for awhile. But if you want to move back to Shiloh, I can find someone to manage the place for us. However, the school board was so happy with the job you’ve done, they’ve agreed to let you stay on as the teacher for as long as you’d like, married, or not.”
She leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Do you promise to come to my rescue the next time Brandon McBride puts a spider in my lunch?”
Cade’s thumb traced a hot trail along her jaw line. “Every time.”
“And what about when outlaws break in and steal me away?”
“They’ll have a harder time with that now that Pa has stepped in as Sheriff.”
She pulled back. “He did? I hadn’t heard that.”
“Shar…?”
She could hear the need for an answer in his tone. But she wanted to savor this moment. Tipping her face up she closed her eyes. A bee droned in the distance. Above them, a bird chirruped its happiness. One of the horses shook its head, jangling bit and harness.
She parted her lids and studied him. Blue eyes lined with black lashes, waiting for an answer with barely disguised impatience. Clean shaven jaw, shadowed with tomorrow morning’s stubble. Black curls that begged for her fingers to run through them.
She gave in to the begging. “Ask me again.”
He grasped her forearms and pressed his forehead to hers. “Marry me?”
“Yes.” She grinned, then allowed a full out laugh. “Yes. Yes. Yes!”
“Thank you, God!” He crushed her to him and breathed, “I thought you’d never say it.”
And as she lifted her lips to receive one more kiss, she knew she would never in her life forget this sanctuary, this holy place canopied in cherry blossoms and carpeted with crocuses and fresh spring grass, this place where the Lord had finally granted her the fullness of His goodness and mercy – true love.
Dear Reader,
If you’ve read your way through all 4 books in The Shepherd’s Heart series, I hope you have fallen in love with the characters as much as I have. For now, their stories have come to an end. Maybe in the future I will revisit some of them as secondary characters in another series as some of you have emailed to request. In the mean time, if you’ve enjoyed this series, if the stories have touched you in some way, it is a big blessing if you have a few minutes to leave an honest review on your favorite site. Thanks for your help in sharing these stories!
I’d love to connect with you. You can find out more about me by visiting www.lynnettebonner.com, signing up for my infrequent newsletter (you'll receive a free contemporary romance novella), or on Facebook.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Born and raised in Malawi, Africa. Lynnette Bonner spent the first years of her life reveling in warm equatorial sunshine and the late evening duets of cicadas and hyenas. The year she turned eight she was off to Rift Valley Academy, a boarding school in Kenya where she spent many joy-filled years, and graduated in 1990.
That fall, she traded to a new duet—one of traffic and rain—when she moved to Kirkland, Washington to attend Northwest University. It was there that she met her husband and a few years later they moved to the small town of Pierce, Idaho.
During the time they lived in Idaho, while studying the history of their little town, Lynnette was inspired to begin the Shepherd’s Heart Series with Rocky Mountain Oasis.
Marty and Lynnette have four children, and currently live in Washington where they pastor a church.
If you've enjoyed this story and would like to keep informed when new stories are released, you can sign up for Lynnette's newsletter here: Newsletter Signup. You'll get a free contemporary romance novella, My Blue Havyn, for signing up.
The Shepherd's Heart Series: A Boxed Set Book Bundle Collection Volumes 1-4 Page 111