It had been just as hard as he'd thought to keep her inside resting. Last week, he'd finally relented and let her go out and tinker with the tractors, though he’d insisted she not do any heavy lifting per the doctor's orders.
Not everything had been easy. Two weeks ago, the water heater had nearly exploded. There'd been water damage and the expense of replacing the unit. But Molly had reminded him to be thankful that neither of them had been hurt and that the damage wasn't worse.
He'd held her loosely in his arms. Having her close was reminder enough about what they'd been through. Almost losing her.
Who cared about a stupid water heater when he had Molly?
She'd insisted on a weekly date night, even if that meant staying in and eating together in the kitchen with a candle between them and no television on.
He'd learned things about her he hadn’t known before, like how much she missed her mama and some of the precocious adventures she'd had as a child. It had been difficult for him, but he'd shared himself with her, telling her about past broken hearts and some old, old memories of his parents. It had been especially hard for him to open up about Mackie, and she'd suggested he see a counselor to dig through some of those old hurts.
She'd been seeing someone in town to work through what had happened with Toby, and it seemed to be helping.
He was still thinking on it, but she might be right.
Now, all he could do was stare at Noah's front door.
It was Molly who raised her hand and knocked.
They waited sixty seconds with no answer.
She glanced at Cord and then knocked again, more firmly this time.
Another sixty seconds. And sixty more, for good measure.
Still no answer.
This time when she turned to him, there was sadness in her gaze. "I don't think he's going to answer."
He nodded as his heart sank. He'd hoped to fix the rift between them. Some wild idea of maybe being able to help Noah leave the recluse life behind and rejoin the community of Sutter's Hollow.
Molly slung her arm around his waist as they walked back toward the truck. She leaned her head on his shoulder. "It doesn't mean that he doesn't want to be your friend," she said softly. "It just means he's not ready."
He brushed a kiss against her temple. "You are a wise woman."
She laughed. "And you are a smart man to say so."
Hours later, he and Molly were snuggling on the couch as the sun went down. She had a book open in her lap and he was content just watching her read. A pot of stew was sending its savory fragrance from the kitchen and Hound Dog was lying across the floor on the other side of the coffee table.
He was still disappointed that he hadn’t been able to see Noah, to make things right. In the weeks since Molly’s abduction and accident, he’d apologized to both Iris and Jilly. They were back on track to a strong friendship. Molly had a game night with them scheduled for next week. He’d spoken on the phone with West several times. There was still some old hurt between the brothers, but they’d agreed to see each other when West’s tour ended.
Things weren’t perfect.
But he was happy.
There was just one thing that would make him happier.
He saw her turn the page to finish a chapter.
“Take a break?” he asked.
She stuck her finger in the book to save her place. She leaned her head back and tipped her face to see him. “What’s up?”
A whole horde of butterflies took flight in his stomach. “I’ve been thinking a lot about the ranch. And us,” he added quickly. No detours. No chickening out.
Her nose crinkled adorably. “Are you getting tired of me already?”
“No.” He looked down. Slipped her hands away from the book and held both of them in his. “I was thinking that I want to know you’re going to be around forever.”
All of a sudden, she was holding her breath.
He let go of one of her hands to grab the velvet ring box he’d hidden beneath his thigh when they’d sat down. His hand was shaking as he offered it to her.
“You’re it for me. I can’t live without your coffee or your kisses.”
She smiled with trembling lips and that gave him the courage to go on.
He popped open the box to reveal the small solitaire inside. "I love you. Molly, will you marry me?"
Her dawning smile made every color around him brighter. "Yes. I love you, too."
Her lashes were wet with tears as he took the ring from the box and slid it on her finger. Bright emotion made him want to weep, too. Molly was his. And she would be forever.
Maybe Mackie had meant to punish him by leaving him the No Name. Maybe she hadn’t given him a thought, had just lived her life and then passed. Whatever she’d intended by making the ranch his inheritance, he’d gained immeasurable happiness. Because he had Molly in his life.
She came into his arms and he kissed her with all the thankfulness in his heart.
And if a joyful tear or two spilled over, he knew Molly would never tell.
If you liked His Small-Town Girl, look for Secondhand Cowboy, coming June 2020!
She’s everything they told him he couldn’t have.
She’s the only thing that makes him whole.
He’s going back to Sutter’s Hollow? Bad idea.
Never show weakness. Callum’s childhood mantra is back in play as fate sends the bull rider back to his hometown. Ten years ago, he was run out of town under a cloud of suspicion. But he’s not a banged-up foster kid anymore. He only wants one thing: to prove he’s not the trailer trash they said he was.
Fate must be laughing. Iris was supposed to escape the small town life and have a ballet career on stage in NYC. But family issues kept her home long enough for opportunity to pass her by and now she’s going nowhere, fast. She’s blindsided when she comes face-to-face with the boy who walked away from her and broke every promise. Callum hasn’t changed from the boy she remembers. He’s just better at hiding his scars.
Secondhand Cowboy is Book 2 in a brand new trilogy from Family Fiction’s #1 Essential Christian Romance Author (2020)
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Also by Lacy Williams
Sutter’s Hollow series (contemporary romance)
His Small-Town Girl
Secondhand Cowboy
The Cowgirl Next Door
Looking Back, Texas series (contemporary romance)
10 Dates
Always a Bridesmaid
Love Lessons
Wyoming Legacy series (historical romance)
The Homesteader’s Sweetheart
Roping the Wrangler
Return of the Cowboy Doctor
The Wrangler’s Inconvenient Wife
A Cowboy for Christmas
Her Convenient Cowboy
Her Cowboy Deputy
Catching the Cowgirl
The Sawyer Creek series (contemporary romance)
Soldier Under the Mistletoe
The Nanny’s Christmas Wish
The Rancher’s Unexpected Gift
Someone Old
Someone New
Someone Borrowed
Someone Blue (newsletter subscribers only)
The Bull Rider
The Brother
The Prodigal
Wild Wyoming Heart series (historical romance)
Marrying Miss Marshal
Counterfeit Cowboy
Cowboy Pride
Courted by a Cowboy
Cowboy Fairytales series (contemporary romance)
Once Upon a Cowboy
Cowboy Charming
The Toad Prince
The Beastly Prin
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The Lost Princess
Kissing Kelsey
Courting Carrie
Stealing Sarah
Keeping Kayla
Melting Megan
Heart of Oklahoma series (contemporary romance)
Kissed by a Cowboy
Love Letters from Cowboy
Mistletoe Cowboy
Cowgirl for Keeps
Jingle Bell Cowgirl
Heart of a Cowgirl
3 Days with a Cowboy
Prodigal Cowgirl
Not in a Series
Wagon Train Sweetheart (historical romance)
Copyright © 2020 by Lacy Williams
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