“This is for happiness,” Nash said, slipping the precious cargo into his jean pocket.
“That was paid for with money,” Frenchie chuckled.
“Money that we got from making people happy!” Nash pointed out.
Business at Winthrow ranches all across the country had been booming ever since the day Nash had worked a shift at ‘The Horseshoe’. It was almost funny that the one grand act they hadn’t planned was the one that had pushed them over the edge. It was almost an entire year later now, and Winthrow ranches were seen as staples of good, family fun in states all over the country.
Frenchie was even talking of expanding the family business. Nash was thinking of expanding his family too.
“Wish me luck!” he said, as he bounded out of the lobby door of his office building—well, Frenchie’s office building now.
“Break a leg!” Frenchie shouted after him.
Nash took off in his truck and, in no time flat, he was pulling up into The Horseshoe parking lot. He watched as the last customers of the day started to straggle out the front doors. Suddenly, his phone started to vibrate. He checked the caller ID. It was his mom. He answered right away.
“Hey, Mom. What’s up?” he spoke into the receiver.
“Is it over? Have you done it yet?” his mom asked with excitement bursting through her voice.
Nash smiled. “Not yet. I’m just about to. I said I’d call you after it was done. You don’t have to worry.”
“Don’t have to worry,” his mom playfully scoffed. “You didn’t pick up my calls for months at one point last year, and now you want to tell me not to worry? I’ll worry all I please, mister. Just make sure to video call after it’s all over. I want to see the happy couple’s faces.”
“Will do, mom. Wish me luck.”
“Oh, you’ve never needed luck. I’m sure you’ve worked your butt off to make this moment just right.”
Boy, did his mother have his number. “Talk to you soon,” he said.
“Love you.”
“Love you too.”
When he saw the last customers leave, Nash got out of his truck. He took a deep breath and patted his pocket for reassurance, then he made his way into the restaurant.
“Hey there, cowboy,” Lola smiled as the chime above the front door went off. “I thought you were Austin for a second there.”
Nash tipped his white Stetson at the young woman. He knew full well how similar he looked to Stacey’s boyfriend, the four of them had gone on enough double dates by now to have figured that out.
“Heather’s just in the office,” Stacey said, as she came out from the back and saw Nash in the doorway. There’d be no double date tonight, Nash had a very special and intimate evening planned for just Heather and him.
He went to the back and pushed the door open to see Heather putting her new sandals on. “How do they fit?” he asked.
Heather smiled when she saw him. A little fashion show ensued as she showed off the wardrobe that she’d picked up on one of their shopping trips to Denver.
“Beautiful,” he told her.
“You still haven’t told me where we’re going tonight. Are you sure I’m dressed appropriately?” Heather asked as they walked through the kitchen and then out the back of the restaurant.
“You’re perfect, as always,” Nash smiled. His heart was starting to beat faster. This was really happening.
He held the door open for her as Heather jumped up in his truck and they waved hello and goodbye to Austin, who was walking in the front door of The Horseshoe just as they were pulling out.
“What a beautiful night,” Heather mentioned, as she gazed out of the passenger’s window. She was right. They’d seen the kind of sunset that was happening right now a hundred times before, but it was impossible to get enough of. It reminded Nash of Heather—no matter how much time they spent together, he never got over just how amazing she was.
“Sure is,” he agreed with her. Nash’s heart felt so full he was worried it might burst. He was nervous, but he was also certain about how things would go tonight. This wasn’t like the first time around. They’d known each other for long enough now that their first month together seemed like a distant dream.
Heather audibly gasped when Nash pulled up beside a familiar barn. She placed a palm on her chest and looked at Nash. “No way!”
Nash just nodded. “You better believe it.” He held Heather’s hand and led her from his truck and into the barn. They walked up the steps to the second floor and Heather gasped again when she saw the quaint little table.
“It’s just how I remember it,” she sighed as Nash pulled out a chair for her. She didn’t sit down right away though. Instead, they both turned to the glassless window pane before them and watched as the sunset cowboys put on their final show for the day.
As Heather watched, Nash took a quiet step back. He reached into his pocket and got onto one knee. The hay carpet on the ground provided him some relief while he waited for Heather to turn around. She was so enraptured by the scene outside though, that Nash felt forced to give a little cough to hurry things along. He was an ex-football player after all; he was always at least a little sore.
He watched as Heather slowly turned around. She looked confused when she saw that he wasn’t beside her anymore, but when she finally found him, she let out her third gasp of the still early evening.
Nash smiled and held up the shimmering ring. “Heather Hoover, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. You make me happy beyond words. I feel like the luckiest man alive to have met you; now, will you make me the happiest?” Both of Heather’s hands fluttered over her wide-open mouth. Nash couldn’t wait a second longer. “Will you marry me?”
Happy tears welled up in her eyes as she furiously nodded. Nash beckoned for her hand, and then slipped on the ring. It fit perfectly. He was overcome with happiness.
Nash’s knees wobbled ever so slightly as he stood up. “I love you so much,” he said, running his thumb over Heather’s newly adorned ring finger.
“I love you too,” Heather said, through her tears. Nash leaned in and they shared their first official kiss as true fiancées. The taste of Heather’s tears made it all the sweeter. It was all real this time—this was their forever.
Epilogue
Heather
“You look stunning!” Constance announced.
Mrs. Winthrow agreed. “What wonderful hair my grandchildren are going to have.”
Heather and Constance giggled in response. A rumbling sound suddenly came out of Heather’s belly. “And quite the appetite.” Constance added, rubbing the air around her daughter’s stomach.
“It’s a good thing you two make good money, because your grocery bills are going to be astronomical,” Mrs. Winthrow laughed. “No point in starving yourself, anyway. Let me go get you something to eat. What’ll it be?”
“I really shouldn’t” Heather tried to resist, but it was no use. She couldn’t say no to mama Winthrow. “But if you see any roasted pheasant lying around anywhere, you can clean it up and bring it back here.”
“Oh you,” Mrs. Winthrow giggled. “You two stay put. I’ll be right back.”
“Oh, I’m not going anywhere,” Heather assured her with a smile. It wasn’t like she even could if she wanted to, not fast anyway. Her wedding gown was gorgeous, but it was also long and tight, and her thighs were constantly clamped against one another.
“You really do look wonderful,” Constance repeated, as she played with Heather’s hair, trying to get the strands to stay in place.
“Thanks, Mom,” Heather smiled. She was so glad that Constance had finally fully come around to Nash. It definitely didn’t hurt that Mrs. Winthtrow, or Babs’ as Constance referred to her, had quickly become one of her best friends. The two spent almost as much time together as Nash and Heather did, and the two older ladies definitely went on more vacations.
“Ready?” asked Constance.
Heather nodded. She’d
never been more ready for anything in her life. Today, she was marrying her one true love, Nash Winthrow, and everything was right with the world.
The ranch business was booming and Nash and her spent all the time they wanted together, but Heather had also maintained a life outside of him. She’d been the maid of honor at Stacey’s wedding, just three months earlier, and she was constantly helping Lola with her undergrad studies. She had finally quit her job at The Horseshoe though, but only because Nash had made her a promise.
The ranch was finally doing well enough again to start donating large chunks of its profits to charity. Heather had been the first person Nash had gone to for ideas. It was then that she’d told him of her dream to work with and for the underprivileged in and around Colorado. It wasn’t long after that that Nash had set up a meeting with a literal senator to help make her dreams come true.
After this wedding, the newly married couple would have a few months to honeymoon, but then it was right back to Eden Prairie. Heather was going to be partially in charge of setting up the single biggest youth service center in the state. She was nervous as could be, but she also knew that she could accomplish anything. Stacey and Lola had instilled so much confidence within her through their friendship, and Nash had topped it all off with his love. Heather felt complete, but never satisfied. She knew better than anyone just how privileged she had become, and she was going to be damned if she didn’t use that new privilege to help as many people as possible. Lola had been one of the first recipients of that help, as Nash and Heather had awarded her a scholarship so that she could afford to go to university. They’d also helped pay for Stacey and Austin’s wedding. It was the least they could do. Without her two friends egging her along, Heather might never have even met Nash in the first place.
When Mrs. Winthrow returned with some strips of roasted pheasant, Heather quickly gobbled the snack up. It wasn’t long after that that a knock came at the door. “It’s time.”
Heather took a deep breath and followed her mother outside. It was early afternoon on a brilliant summer day. Family and friends from far and wide filled up the makeshift white pews that had been set up on the field where the Winthrow cowboys sent off the ranch’s visitors every evening. Heather spotted Uncle Ernie in the crowd and they exchanged ecstatic little head nods. Coach Ernie’s new quarterback project was currently exceeding all expectations; he was already on his way to accomplishing even more than Jax Shepherd ever had.
Heather saw her two maids of honor next. Lola and Stacey were brimming with excitement. Frenchie was nearby, looking as dapper as ever.
Then, Heather’s eyes landed on the reason why she was there. Her handsome cowboy, Nash Winthrow stood tall and proud and beaming at the end of the aisle. He still made her heart stop. Their gazes met and, as Heather walked down the aisle towards him, she knew that she wasn’t just walking towards her new husband, she was walking into true happiness.
Also by Savannah McCarthy
A Cowboy’s Secret Baby
A Cowboy's Fake Fiancée Page 16