by Julie Benson
“Don’t tell me you’ve changed your mind.” Though a teasing tone filled her voice, he read uncertainty there and in the worry lines creasing her forehead.
“You deserve the kind of proposal women dream of. One that takes a while to plan. I don’t even have a ring.”
She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him. Her body molded against his and he felt the frantic beating of her heart against his chest. When she pulled away enough to gaze up at him, her eyes filled with more love than he could ever deserve. “I’ve got the most important part of the proposal, the right man making it.”
He knelt on one knee in front of her and clasped her tiny hands in his. “Cassie Reynolds, you came into my well-ordered boring life, turned it upside down, and I’m so damned thankful you did. I can’t imagine a life without you in it. I love you. Will you marry me?”
“Yes, I’ll—”
Cheers and clapping erupted from within the nearby trees, followed by Aubrey and Ella burst into the clearing. As the pair raced toward them, Ty asked, “How long have you two been eavesdropping?”
“We arrived as you started proposing.”
He scooped Ella into his arms and considered asking her if Aubrey was telling the truth. Then he decided he didn’t care. “What do you think about you, me, and your Aunt Cassie becoming a family?”
Ella looked at him, her brows furrowed. “I thought we already were. Didn’t you know that?”
Ty laughed, thinking how long it had taken him to realize what this child saw so clearly. “Of course I did.” Now. “I just didn’t know you knew, but I should have because you’re a very smart girl.”
“She takes after her aunt.” Cassie linked her arm through his and whispered in his ear. “It just took you longer, but better late than never.”
Cassie would keep him on his toes, but thank the good Lord his life would never be boring again.
“It’s about time you two stubborn lug heads realized you belong together,” Aubrey said, a big grin on her face. “Congratulations. I’m so happy for you two.” Then she turned to Cassie. “The next time you give a well tour, you’ll have a new story to share about a wish coming true. One that I made for a certain pigheaded brother, but we’ll talk about that later over a bottle of wine.”
Ty stared at his sister. With the way they’d sniped at each other over the years, hell over the last week, who would’ve guessed Aubrey would make a wish for him? He glanced at his family, realizing what a blessing he’d been given. He’d have to think of how to thank Aubrey for making the wish because sometimes the best gift was the one a man didn’t even know he needed.
If you enjoyed To Love a Texas Cowboy, you’ll love the other Wishing Texas stories!
The Wishing, Texas Series
Book 1: To Love a Texas Cowboy
Book 2: To Catch a Texas Cowboy
Book 3: To Tame a Texas Cowboy
Book 4: To Marry a Texas Cowboy
About the Author
An avid daydreamer, Julie Benson doesn’t remember a time when she wasn’t creating stories. After graduating from the University of Texas at Dallas with a degree in Sociology, she worked as case manager for a social services agency before having her children. Three boys, and many years later, she started actively pursuing a writing career to challenge her mind and save her sanity. Now she writes full time in Dallas, where she lives with her husband, their three sons, two lovable black dogs, a mischievous brown one and a turtle. Julie says, while her house is never quiet or predictable, it is full of heroes.
For more from Julie:
Visit her website at JulieBenson.net
Join her mailing list
Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @julierbenson
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