“Hey, there,” Lloyd said, coming around to her side. “You’re back.”
“I—” Olivia turned off the car and opened the door. “I was hoping to talk to Sawyer, if he’s around.”
“He’s down at the barn,” Lloyd said, angling his head in that direction. “You could catch him there, no doubt.”
“Okay, I’ll try that.” She smiled gratefully. “Thanks.”
Olivia slammed her door shut and headed toward the long gravel drive. Behind her the side door to the house opened, and she heard Lloyd’s tone soften.
“Kids look good on you, Evelyn.”
And Evelyn’s soft laugh. “I wouldn’t mind three or four of my own.”
“You don’t say...”
The door closed then, and their voices were cut off from her hearing. Olivia glanced back at the house over her shoulder, and she couldn’t help but smile at that. Lloyd was falling for Evelyn, and it seemed like Evelyn wasn’t exactly running away from the West Ranch, either. Maybe those two would make something of their relationship, after all.
The sun was sinking, red flooding the sky as the golden orb sunk low and oblong against the horizon. The wind was cool, but not cold, as Olivia walked. A little privacy would be nice—if she made an utter fool of herself, at least she wouldn’t have an audience for it, aside from some cows.
The barn door opened and Sawyer came outside. The door thunked shut behind him, the sound surfing that cool breeze. He pushed his hat down, and then raised his head. It was then that he saw her, because he froze.
Olivia raised her hand in a wave. Did he even want to see her? Was she stupid to have come at all? Her steps slowed, and she considered turning back, but it was too late now. Sawyer had started walking toward her, and as he walked, his steps got faster until he was jogging.
So maybe he did want to talk a bit...her eyes misted with tears, and she picked up her pace, too. When Sawyer reached her, he didn’t say a thing—he just wound his arms around her waist, pulled off his cowboy hat, and covered her lips with his.
She sank against his broad chest, drinking in the warmth of him as she kissed him back. When he finally pulled away, she blinked up at him.
“Hi,” he breathed.
“I’ve been thinking about something,” she said softly. “And I wanted to talk to you about it.”
“Tell me you’re thinking of coming home to Beaut,” he said, his voice a low rumble.
“Actually, I am...” She smiled mistily. “I saw Irene at Mia’s grave. I know you don’t like them much, Sawyer, and I know they’ve been rude beyond imagining, and they’re completely out of line, but they’re family. And they’re not graceful people, but they’re grieving, too, and—”
“What are you trying to say?” he asked uncertainly.
Olivia sucked in a breath and looked around herself at the barn, the road leading up to the house... Could she do this? Could she forgive a town for crushing her spirit?
“I gave Irene some advice about being able to humble herself and come back to the town she can’t stand.” Olivia grimaced. “Irene lost a lot in Beaut, and she has some hard feelings, but she wants to do what it takes to earn your trust and to be a grandmother to your girls. Anyway, I told her that coming home meant trusting in people’s goodness—yours, namely. If she was to be able to earn your trust and be a part of the girls’ lives in a balanced way, she was going to have to trust your basic goodness.”
“Okay...” he said uncertainly. “So you came back to get me to talk to her?”
“No...” She laughed softly. “The two of you will have to work that out on your own, but I realized I was preaching to myself as much as to her. I might have to do the same thing—trust in people’s basic goodness again. I have some painful memories here, but leaving you—Sawyer, that’s going to hurt more.”
Sawyer met her gaze seriously. “Tell me you’re staying.”
“I’m...thinking about it. It kind of depends,” she said, swallowing.
“On what?” he asked softly. “Name it.”
“On...you.”
Sawyer’s face cracked into a grin. “Well, I’ve been told off by my uncle, and he made a few good points. I work too hard, number one.”
Olivia laughed softly. “Yeah, we all know that.”
“And number two, I need to relax a bit and follow my heart.”
Olivia sucked in a breath, waiting for his next words, but they didn’t come. She eyed him uncertainly.
“And?” she prodded.
“I thought that was obvious,” he replied, dipping his head down to peck her lips. “It leads straight to you.”
Olivia felt a rush of relief. “Oh, I’m glad...”
“Look, Olivia,” he said seriously. “I’m not going to ask you stay here and just see how things go, because I know how I feel about you, and it’s not going to change. More memories won’t change what I have with you right here and now. I want to marry you. I want you to raise my girls with me. I want to come home to you, and go to church with you and needle Lloyd about his crush on Evelyn with you.” He smiled ruefully at that last one.
Olivia looked up at him, stunned. The breeze blew a curl into her face, and she brushed it away, her mind spinning. He’d just proposed. Was this crazy? It had all happened so fast...except that it had been simmering in her heart for years. She loved this man, and she realized in that moment that this was what she wanted—a life with Sawyer on the ranch, a life in boots, with little kids and family around. Coming back to Beaut wouldn’t be easy, but it would be worth it if she could do it with the man who filled her heart.
“I don’t know if I could afford to move back, though,” she confessed. “I’m
