35. About Time

Chapter 35

About Time

O akleigh relaxed on the leather sofa, enjoying her hot coffee beside the warm, crackling fireplace. A restful lull had draped over the ranch house that afternoon as the family unwound from the excitement of the night before. She was always thankful when Maeve allowed them to sleep in and delay chores for even a few short hours. After the last couple years of rigorous early morning ranch work that had set her body clock in motion with the rising sun, sleeping in wasn’t really the same as it used to be.

Maeve had been gone for the duration of the afternoon and early evening. It wasn’t unusual for her to hold back sharing every detail of her day, but her absence had been noticed. When Oakleigh asked her about it, Maeve simply shrugged and kept her explanation brief —

“I had things to do.”

Oakleigh sipped her coffee in silence, feeling somewhat relieved that she hadn’t seen her mother since the night before. Maeve had informed her that morning that Harper had booked her flight home. There was still an undercurrent of unspoken turmoil between them, and it seemed as though their relationship would remain unsalvageable.

Maeve had been right again — not every prayer would be answered the way she hoped.

The front door opened, letting a gust of chilly air into the living room. Sawyer had finally returned from his lengthy list of evening chores.

“Well, it’s about time,” Oakleigh teased.

“Don’t even start with me,” Sawyer murmured. He went to the kitchen, and took his place at the island. Maeve whisked by, placing a mug of coffee and a plate of reheated dinner in front of him.

“Oakleigh’s going to shadow you tomorrow,” Maeve informed him. She turned to give Oakleigh a wink despite Sawyer’s audible sigh.

Oakleigh sat all the way back on the sofa, casually clasping her mug between her hands. She couldn’t help but feel a burst of pride over her promotion.

It would be a slow transition.

She still had much to learn, but she had a vision for the ranch. Oakleigh looked forward to working beside Maeve, continuing to build their legacy of success. Even though Sawyer grumbled about it, there was a touch of levity about him that hadn’t been there before.

The front door slammed again. This time, she was glad to see it was the one she had been waiting for all day .

Crew pulled off his gloves, placing his palm on the wall to steady himself as he removed his wet boots. He wiggled his cold, stiff fingers before unzipping his thick winter coat and hanging it on the hook. His eyes finally connected with hers, and a broad grin spread across his bruised face. Much to Oakleigh’s relief, the dentist had gone to work late the night before to restore his sparkling white smile.

Meeting him in the entryway, she wrapped her arms around him and sank into his strong arms.

“Where you been, cowboy?” she asked, running her fingers down his rough five o’clock shadow. She sighed, looking into his cool blue eyes surrounded by dark black bruises.

“Does it hurt?”

“Not too bad,” he replied. “How was your day bosslady?”

Oakleigh chewed her lip, considering his playful quip about her newest promotion. “Is it going to be weird?”

“Nah, I kind of like it,” he shrugged. “Just give me a break on fixin’ fences for a while.”

A sarcastic burst of laughter was heard all the way from the kitchen. “Keep dreaming!” Maeve shouted.

Oakleigh rolled her eyes. It seemed like they were never completely alone in the large house. “The real bosslady has spoken.”

Crew leaned an elbow on the wall of the entryway, running his fingers through his blonde hair as he considered. “You know you’re gonna have to get better at roping if you’re going to take the lead.”

“Don’t remind me,” Oakleigh muttered.

“How bout’ we go practice?” he suggested.

Oakleigh cocked her head to the side as her eyebrow went high. “Tonight?”

“Yeah, out in the arena,” Crew replied, nodding in the general direction.

“In this weather?” Oakleigh’s terrible memories of the accident had faded, but she still felt herself digging in her heels.

“Why not in the barn?”

He pulled her in close again, brushing a wayward strand of blonde hair off her brow and tucking it behind her ear.

“Because.”

Oakleigh felt every resistance fleeing her mind as she felt secure in his embrace.

Crew at least advised to take the Jeep, blasting the heat all the way down the rugged dirt road leading to the South Pasture. The bright arena lights were already illuminating the snowy patch of earth. Oakleigh couldn’t help but be frustrated that the place still brought her just the slightest touch of unease.

“Why are we doing this again?” Oakleigh asked. “It’s flippin’ freezing, Crew.”

“Just trust me,” he reassured, pulling on his cowboy hat. He went around to the driver’s side and opened her door in the gentlemanly way she had become accustomed to. Offering his sturdy forearm, she took it as she stepped out onto the icy ground. She wrapped her arm in his, walking together to the metal fence .

Ducking through the rails, Oakleigh took in the sight around her. Despite her efforts, the empty, quiet arena still brought to mind the vivid memories of the night she had nearly lost him. She found herself so distracted that she hardly noticed Crew offering her the bundle of rope.

“Love?” he prompted, jarring her from her thoughts. “You all right?”

Oakleigh nodded, taking the bundle from his hands. She unwound it, and went to the haybale in the middle of the patch of dirt. “Let’s get this over with.”

Her warm breath puffed a cloud into the cold night air.

“Here goes nothing,” she declared, whirling the rope over her head. She finally let it go, flinging it toward the hay bale, missing it entirely.

“Why am I so bad at this?” she exclaimed.

A sprinkling of snowflakes began falling around them. She felt Crew wrap his strong arms around her, taking her wrist.

“Like this,” he whispered in her ear. His warm breath sent a charge of electricity through her.

Focus Oaks.

She steadied herself again, and spun it over her head. Feeling his rough, ranch-worn palms guiding her, she released the rope. It landed on target this time, perfectly looping around the hay bale. She felt a sense of satisfaction as she pulled the rope tight.

“Crew!” she practically squealed in delight, flipping around to give her cowboy a tight celebratory hug .

Her breath escaped.

Crew was down on one knee, his eyes cast up at her with an open ring box in his hand. There was an intense yearning and dedication in his blue eyes that she’d never seen in him before, even in the fiercest competition.

“Crew,” she stammered, throwing her hands out to encompass the arena. “Here?”

“This is where you saved me, Oakleigh,” he breathed. “Here in the blood and dirt.” He paused as he considered. “We got through the worst together here, and we made it through.”

She looked down at the snow beneath her feet, feeling another wave of guilt over one of the worst decisions she had ever made. “And then I left.”

“I never doubted you,” Crew replied. He had forgiven her, and she had always known he meant it.

“So —” He grinned, sending warmth through Oakleigh as she looked down at him. “You going to let me freeze out here, or are you going to marry me?”

Pulling her gloved fingers across her damp cheeks, she swiped under her runny nose before it could freeze to her face. She was thankful there were no cameras, because she was certain she did not look even slightly cute.

Oakleigh nodded through her tears.

“Yes! Of course,” she announced, savoring the smile that spread across Crew’s still battered, yet chiseled features. He leaped to his feet and swept her into his arms. She felt the softness of his lips brush hers as she settled into the warmth of his touch. It was all even more perfect than she could have ever imagined it would be.

Interrupting their moment together, she heard the sound of someone’s voice off to the side of the arena.

“I can barely stand it! I’m literally dying.”

And then another scolding voice, responding loud and clear. “Mia! Let them have their moment!”

She stepped out of Crew’s embrace, peering through the glare of the bright arena lights. When her vision adjusted to the darkness, she could hardly believe her eyes.

Oakleigh took a sharp sip of icy cold air.

“It can’t be.”

Crew squeezed her hand and gave her a playful nod.

“Mia?” she exclaimed, throwing her hands wide as her best friend ducked through the rails, and pulled Oakleigh into a firm hug. “What are you doing here?”

“I had to pull you know who along, kicking and screaming,“ Mia admitted with a dramatic wide-eyed expression. She threw a thumb toward the sidelines to the other person, bundled up from head to toe and holding a phone high to record.

“Who is that?” Oakleigh asked. Her brow furrowed as she squinted through the pitch black darkness, trying to make out any recognizable features.

“Oaks, it’s me.”

Oakleigh’s mouth gaped, “Paisley?”

Finally stepping into the light, her younger sister ducked through the fence rails wearing her signature obnoxious grin .

Oakleigh pulled her gloved hand over her mouth in a feeble attempt to stifle her sob, as tears filled her eyes and flowed down her cheeks.

“Paisley, I’m — I’m,” she stammered, trying to verbalize the apology she had rehearsed for the off chance she would ever have the opportunity to give it.

“I know you are,” Paisley replied, graciously finishing her sister’s words. She ran her gloved thumb across Oakleigh’s cheeks, wiping away the tears. “And I’m sorry for letting it go as long as I did.”

Oakleigh threw her arms around her sister, squeezing her tight. “But what are you doing here?” she asked.

“Someone had to hold the camera?” Paisley chuckled, swiping a tear from her own eye with her pinky finger.

“Congrats, Oaks. I’m so happy for you.”

“I hate to interrupt the moment,” Mia interjected, holding her arms close to her chest. “But I’m really cold.”

They climbed into the Jeep, escaping the frigid mountain air. Crew took the driver’s seat, steering them back down the bumpy pasture road. In the warmth of the vehicle, Oakleigh whipped off her gloves and tried on her ring for the very first time. Although she had seen the large diamond before, she felt her heart nearly burst at seeing it sparkle on her finger.

“Well done, cowboy,” Paisley congratulated. Reaching from the back seat, she gave Crew’s shoulder a squeeze.

Mia sighed. “It’ll be nice to see Sawyer again. ”

Oakleigh swiveled, pointing a stern finger. “Don’t you even think about it.”

She was fiercely determined to protect Sawyer and Bethany until they made it down the aisle, even if that meant Mia wouldn’t get a cowboy of her own.

“So he’s taken?” Mia asked, her voice going high with disappointment.

Crew chuckled. “'Fraid so.”

“All the good ones are,” Mia grumbled.

Listening to the soft patter of snowflakes on the windshield, Oakleigh was still bursting to pepper them with questions.

“Paisley, really though,” she gathered the nerve to ask.

“I told you,” Paisley shrugged. “I had to document your big night — for the fans.”

Knowing how much she loathed all things social media, Oakleigh pressed her lips together and raised a skeptical eyebrow.

“Fine, I’ve been thinking about it for a while,” Paisley conceded. “I wasn’t in a good place, and Mom was being — well, Mom.”

Oakleigh knew exactly what she meant.

“You did what you needed to do,” Paisley said. “Mom and Dad needed to be called out, but —” her voice faded as she considered. “You left me to pick up the pieces, Oaks.”

Crew reached over and grabbed Oakleigh’s hand, intertwining his fingers with hers.

“I’m sorry, Pais,” she said again .

Paisley shrugged, directing her eyes across the dark pasture.

“You could have just texted me, though,” Oakleigh’s voice quivered. “You didn’t have to come all the way out here.”

“Oh, I can answer that!” Mia chimed in. “Harper reached out, and I —”

Oakleigh’s swiveled again. “She did what?”

Paisley gave a slight eye roll. “Yeah, Mom called Mia,” she said. “I guess she knew she’s the only one who’d ever pick up.”

“And then I picked her up in the jet,” Mia’s voice bounced, “and here we are.”

Oakleigh’s brows pulled together. “— But why?”

“Who cares,” Paisley bit back. “Maeve gave us a big lecture all the way from the airport all about —”

“It wasn’t a big lecture ,” Mia corrected with a deep eye roll. “You and Oakleigh are so alike sometimes.”

When they pulled up in front of the ranch house, the moonlight was glistening off of the snowy eaves.

Paisley tucked her arms to her chest.

“If Mom is waiting in there to talk — so help me,” she remarked callously. “Mia, you promised she wouldn’t be here.”

“Oh, Paisley,” Mia chided. “She’s flying out first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Not soon enough,” Paisley murmured, pushing open her door. “Let’s give these two some privacy.”

“Paisley,” Oakleigh stopped her. “There’s always a place for you here, if you need it.”

She gave her sister a sincere glance .

“Plenty of great snowboarding here, too — if you need a break from the beach.”

Paisley’s comforting, warm smile reached all the way to the corners of her eyes. “Thanks, Oaks.”

“But,” Crew interjected. “You will be awakened at the crack of dawn by the loudest, most obnoxious rooster—” he burst out laughing as Oakleigh gave him a dramatic gaping look at his sheer audacity.

Mia slid out of her seat, sighing as she gave the couple one last long glance. “You two are just perfect together.”

The young women bundled up tightly in the blustery frozen wind, and trudged up the porch steps. They opened the front door and disappeared into the warm glow of the ranch house.

“So that’s where Maeve was all afternoon,” Oakleigh commented.

“Yeah,” Crew grinned. “Couldn’t have done it without her.” He took off his seatbelt and leaned over to give her a peck on the lips. “And your mom gave me the whole idea for the proposal.”

The words flipped so casually from the cowboy’s mouth that the pertinent information nearly sailed past Oakleigh entirely.

“She what?” Oakleigh’s eyes went wide.

Crew nodded, his brow furrowing.

“That’s okay, right?”

Oakleigh looked down at her sparkling white diamond, using the moment to take it all in.

“Yeah,” she whispered. “It’s great.”