Chapter 34

Tag climbed the steps to Opal's porch, which had been finished last week. The front door blazed at him in a bright blue, and he smiled as he opened it. Inside, the house still had plenty to get done, but Opal had windows now, and appliances, and cupboards hung in the kitchen.

She needed her quartz countertops, and the walls needed to be painted the off-set color from the crown molding and baseboards. She needed the furnace and AC unit hooked up, and she needed to do the final walk-through with all the inspectors. But the house was getting closer and closer and closer.

Opal sat on her bright purple couch, which she'd positioned in front of the big bay window that looked north, back toward the farm. She'd kept as many trees as possible, so she couldn't see much, and he wondered what she was looking at as he sank onto the couch with her.

"That's a big sigh," Opal said without looking at him.

"Our new horse is a diva," he said. "She's going to take a while to break, but we'll get there. Steele's doing great with her." And Steele needed the practice with a horse who didn't already know the rules. And this new horse—a pretty black thing named Black Gold—had come to them wild, pure, a blank page for them to train and teach.

Honestly, that was Tag's favorite kind of horse, and he couldn't wait to see Black Gold come into herself. "She might be a good one for you to ride one day," he said quietly, because the unfinished house held a soft spirit today, and he didn't want to puncture it with his loud voice.

Opal shifted and lay down, putting her head in his lap and continuing to look outside. "Okay," she said. "I'm getting better. Molly even says so."

"I'm sure." He stroked her hair and thought of the first time she'd made it into the saddle during her first riding lesson, a couple of weeks ago. She went to her cousin's farm a few times a week for the lessons—and so they could go over wedding plans.

Tag's impatience reared, but he tamped it right back down. He and Opal were getting married at the beginning of November, because she wanted to be in this house together, with him, for the holidays. He wanted that desperately too.

"What's wrong, honeybear?"

"Just feeling like things are moving so slowly."

"The countertops are only a week behind," he said, stroking her hair.

"Let's just get married tonight," she said.

He didn't chuckle, though he knew Opal was kidding. "I would, honey, but I've got that leatherworking class tonight."

She giggled for a moment, then fell back to silence.

"Jane's gonna have her baby in a few weeks."

"Yes," Opal said. "I can't wait."

"Have you heard on a name?"

"They're keeping it under wraps."

"Even from you?"

"Even from me."

Tag ran his fingers through her hair again. "Do you want me to get dinner?"

"Yes," she said. "Can we look at the stars tonight?"

Now that the thick of summer had arrived, the sun didn't set until quite late, and if Tag stayed up until it was truly dark enough to see the stars, it would be way past his bedtime. He'd be tired in the morning and all day long. But he said, "Sure thing, honeybear."

She sighed as she sat up, and Tag said, "That's a big sigh."

She gave him a weary smile. "I'm just tired from chasing West. He should be here soon, because he got a new trike, and we rode it here this morning, and he wants to do it again."

"So you'll be chipper for Westy, but not for me." Tag grinned at her. "I see how it is."

She slid into his side again. "Not at all, baby. I'm chipper for you." She touched her lips to his. "This is just one of many Opal-facets."

He breathed in the fruity scent of her hair. "I know you want this house done. It'll probably only be another two weeks. Four, tops. Way before we get married."

"You still want to marry me, even if you find me staring at nothing when you get home from work?"

"Opal-honey," he murmured. "I want to marry you because I find you staring at nothing when I get home from work."

"I have two wedding things for you tonight," she said as she sat up and pushed herself to the edge of the blow-up couch. "Are you game?"

"If I can get two things from you tonight," he teased.

Opal got to her feet and turned back to him. "Mister Crow, whatever do you mean?"

He grinned at her and draped his arm along the back of the couch. "They're surprises."

"So I have to agree before knowing what they are?"

"That's the definition of a surprise, yes."

She considered him for a moment, and he watched his playful, vibrant Opal emerge from wherever she'd been keeping her. "All right," she drawled the way he would when trying to impress her. "Let me get my folder."

"Oh, it's folder-wedding stuff?"

Opal walked away without answering him. "Can I see the dress?" he asked.

"No," she called over her shoulder. "And don't you dare snoop through my phone."

Tag saw it sitting over on the other side of the couch, but he didn't reach for it. Opal returned in only a few seconds anyway, and she had a blue folder in her hand. "That's your facilities folder," he said.

"Yes." She sat on his lap, and he encircled her in his arms. "I want you to help me pick a venue. I have to book one, and I promised them both I'd call by tomorrow."

"All right," he drawled.

"And." She shuffled some pages in the folder, drawing Tag's attention. "I want your opinion on where you'd like to go for our honeymoon."

Ah, the honeymoon. "Baby Bear, I told you to pick," he said gently. They'd already had this conversation—twice, actually. She was funding it, and he felt like she should get to choose where she wanted to go. He'd happily go with, and he liked beaches, mountains, and foreign countries equally, as he didn't spend a lot of time visiting any of them.

"I've narrowed it to three destinations," she said. She speared him with a sassy-Opal look. "I would like your opinion."

"Yes, ma'am," he murmured.

Satisfied, she looked back at her folder. "Grand Cayman," she said, holding up a full-color printout of the whitest sand Tag had ever seen. Teal, blue, and deeper blue water. Glorious sunshine.

"Nice," he said, wanting to board a plane and go right now.

"It'll be nice to escape the colder weather for the beach in November," she said. "That's choice one. Number two." She exchanged the beach paradise for a picture of what looked like a Swiss village. "Germany," she said. "They have the cutest little towns and festivals. And we'll be there sort of during holiday season, and we can go to their Christmas markets."

"Mm," he said, liking the other one better. "I don't have a passport."

"You have time to get one," Opal said. "I called and checked. Twelve weeks."

"Okay." He gave her a smile. "Third?"

"Okay, hear me out on this."

"Have I ever not heard you out?"

She gave him a beautiful smile. "No, it's one of the things I love most about you." She held up a picture of a cruise ship. "Caribbean cruise," she said. "All the Saints. Saint Thomas. Saint Martin. Saint Lucia."

Bright blue skies. Endless food and drinks. Trapped on a ship with Opal for days and days.

"Into…." She whipped out another picture and covered the first one. "A Mediterranean cruise. Spain, Italy, Croatia, Greece."

"Wow," he said, truly surprised. "Gerty will approve this much time off?"

"It'll be a little over three weeks," Opal said, clearly unconcerned. "With travel and time zones and stuff."

"How long are these cruises?"

"Eight days, and then twelve days."

"Wow," he said again.

"I know wow means no," Opal said, tucking her papers back into her folder.

"It means I'm processing." He leaned in and nuzzled her neck. She tipped her head back and let him too, so she wasn't truly upset. "I want a beach thing," he murmured against the delicate skin of her neck. "So Grand Cayman or the cruises. That's my opinion."

"Cruises are fun," she said. "I think you'd love it."

"Then let's go cruising," he said. "I just want to be with you, Opal."

She leaned into his chest and said, "I just want to be with you too, Tag."

"Venues," he said. "Then surprises."

"I already know what venue you'll like best."

"Show me anyway."

So she took out the two venues, one of which boasted luxurious indoor gardens—which Opal would definitely choose—and the other which portrayed a down-to-earth country wedding—if cowboy billionaires were planning and paying for everything.

In this case, a cowgirl billionaire.

"They're both great," he said. "And look, you can do a foliage option on the lodge."

She grinned at him. "I knew you'd like the lodge."

"It feels more like me," he admitted. "But the botanical gardens totally feels like you. I'm fine with either, as long as you're mine at the end of the night."

"I'm yours right now," she whispered, and Opal kissed him like her life depended on having her lips touching his.

He didn't mind that at all, and he still hadn't gotten to the surprises when the front door flew open, and an eighteen-month-old West yelled, "Ope! I here!"

Tag looked over as gravel crunched under someone's feet. Opal came around the corner of the barn wearing a pair of black shorts and a tank top the color of pine trees. "You owe me two surprises," she said as she sauntered closer, her lime-green chair over her shoulder.

"Where's West?"

"Mikey had a headache and came home from work early. They're napping together."

He looked back into the ring where Steele worked with Black Gold. "You okay, bud? I can take thirty minutes away?"

Steele didn't look away from his equine. "Sure. Go."

Tag moved away from the circle and took the inflatable furniture from her. "Where do you want to go? I have thirty minutes."

"Somewhere shady," she said.

"Come with me." He led her past the barn, past the stables, and just when he thought she'd utter a word of complaint, he heard the river. Opal obviously heard it too, because she looked at him. Another thirty yards, and he moved along a footpath and between two trees to the most magical place on the farm.

"Here you go, madam." He set down her chair, grinning, and then sat in it. She settled onto his lap, a sigh slipping from between her lips.

"This is amazing," she said. "You've been holding out on me."

"The water doesn't run all the time," he said. "But we had a lot of snow this year."

"It's so serene."

"Mm hm."

"Get talking," she said.

He chuckled, but he hadn't really been holding out on her. They'd simply gotten interrupted the other day, and they were busy. "All right, first up: my whole family is coming to the wedding."

Opal pulled in a breath and jerked her attention to him. "You're kidding. Your daddy too?"

Tag smiled as he nodded. "Heard from him over the weekend. Said he wouldn't miss it."

Her grin matched his. "Oh, that's great news, Taggart." She hugged him about the head and kissed him quickly. "Are you happy?"

"Yeah," he drawled out. "Of course, the twins are now blaming me for the constant barrage of texts they're getting from my mama." He shook his head and watched the water go by. "I keep tellin' them I don't have it any better. She's already haranguing me about grandchildren."

Opal giggled and leaned into his neck. "I can't wait to meet her."

"Maybe we can take a trip before the wedding," he murmured, thinking that if he didn't say it too loud, he could pretend like he hadn't.

"That's a great idea." Opal raised her head to study him. "Is that the second surprise?"

"No, honey." He grinned at her. "For the second surprise, we have to go to the house."

Opal got right to her feet. "Let's go."

Tag collected her chair and they started the walk back. He left the chair in the shade of the barn, and when Opal detoured toward the farmhouse, he squeezed her hand and nodded down the lane. "Your house, honey."

"My house?" She fell back to his side. "What could you possibly have done at my house?"

"It's a surprise," he said.

"I'm there every day, Tag."

"I'm aware." He bumped her with his hip. "But when you're with West, you don't see much further than your arm."

Opal sucked in a breath. "How dare you?" She then burst out laughing in the next moment. "So you're saying you trespassed onto my property when I was busy with West."

"That's what I'm saying." He sure enjoyed holding her hand as they walked down the dirt road, and Tag's version of happiness could be summed up in a summer afternoon with Opal at his side.

He led her around the back of the house to the basement entrance, ignoring her curious look. After opening the door for her, he gestured her inside. Then he followed her and said, "Last bedroom, honeybear."

She went into the bedroom first, and Tag closed the door behind them. The blinds had been pulled shut over the window, and he made no move to flip the switch. Even if he had, no lights would've come on, as the house had no electricity.

"What are you planning to do with this bedroom?" he asked.

Opal looked around at the bare walls, turning in a full circle before she focused on him again. "I don't know." She took a step toward him. "Taggart, there's no surprise here."

"I was thinkin'," he said. "Of maybe another piece of inflatable furniture."

"Well, if we have a lot of kids, I don't think that's going to work."

"But in the beginning," he continued. "But I'm thinkin' a mattress this time. A bed."

"A bed?"

"Then, you can come down here day or night, rain or shine, and lie down." He nodded to the floor. "And see the stars."

"See the—?" She craned her head back to look up, her voice cutting out like someone had pressed mute. She breathed out, the word, "Stars," coming with the air.

Tag got down on his knees and then lay flat on his back, stretching his arms up and behind his head. "Yep, there they are." He switched his gaze to hers. "Lay by me, honeylove."

Opal hastened to do that, and she curled into his side, one arm sliding over his torso, her fingers slipping into his belt loop on the opposite side. "Taggart," she whispered. "This is the best thing anyone's ever given me."

He laughed, because he'd paid someone to come paint the ceiling black and then use glow in the dark fluorescent paint to make the stars. "It's a little paint, honey."

"It's so much more than that."

"See Orion?" He lifted his free arm and pointed up. "The belt right there?"

"I see it," she whispered.

"So when you're feeling a little…down. Or off, or like things are moving too slow, you can come down here and see your stars." He pressed his lips to her forehead. "And you won't have to stare out the window at nothing."

"Mm." She laughed lightly too. "I do that sometimes, don't I?"

"Just a little bit," he whispered.

"I love this," Opal said.

"And I love you." He rolled toward her slightly, and she lifted her head to meet his kiss. She didn't say she loved him back—at least not in words. But he had the shape of her next to him and the stars above, and Tag couldn't wait until she was his and he was hers.