Seymor was already waiting for them, and so were several of the ranchers.
He couldn’t mess this up.
Brice parked up outside, and Drew stepped out, knowing that he wanted this to be something Raven remembered.
Licking his dry lips, he stepped toward the door, and several people inside turned to look at him.
“Cathy, I’d like to see my woman please,” he said. His voice was clear, not giving away to his nerves.
Damn, Raven could turn him down in public, and everyone would be laughing at him.
Think, focus, and don’t panic.
Think, focus, don’t panic.
Don’t panic.
“Raven, someone is here to see you,” Cathy said.
Don’t panic.
“Who would want to … Drew, hey,” Raven said. She gave him that smile, and all of his doubts faded away. “What are you doing here?”
“Raven Howard, for as long as I can remember you have held a special place in my heart. Seven years ago, you saw me in a less than flattering, um, state, and before I got a chance to talk to you, you were gone. For seven years I’ve been going through life without really living. There’s no enjoyment. There was no love. I had sex, but I didn’t have a connection. No one even came close to being the woman that I needed, that I wanted, that I yearned for.”
“Drew?”
“Seeing you standing with Cathy that day, in that instant I felt like I’d been woken up again. That with you gone, I’d only been sleeping, waiting for the day to wake up. Just one look at you, and my world tipped on its axis, spun out of control, and I knew I couldn’t let you go, not now, not ever.” Slowly, he got down on one knee.
Tears were in her eyes, and he hated that he was making her cry. He hated any kind of tears, whether they were happy or sad.
“Drew?”
“I love you. Before you now, I’m half a man, but being with you, I’m a full man. I love you. I love you more than anything in the world. I’m not good with romance, and I’m not good at always saying the right things. I know ranching, I know hard work. I promise you, to always love you, to always take care of you, to be the best lover you’ll ever have, the only lover you’ll ever have. I will provide, be the most caring husband, and the best father to our kids. I’ll also take out the trash and do the dishes.”
“Because they help a marriage,” she said.
“Yeah, that’s right. Raven Howard, heart of my life, will you do me the greatest honor of becoming my wife?” He presented her the ring and waited with bated breath.
“You were wrong about something, Drew Reynolds,” Raven said.
“What was that?”
“You are very romantic.”
“Is that a yes?” he asked. He’d never been so nervous than in the five seconds it took her to respond.
“Yes, you doofus. I accepted your proposal weeks ago.”
He got to his feet, pulling her in his arms, and slamming his lips down on hers. Cheers erupted around them, but he didn’t care. She had said yes, and as far as he was concerned, that was the best damn thing that had ever happened to him.
She pulled away, smiling up at him. “I didn’t know you could be romantic.”
“Well, do me a favor,” he said.
“What?”
“Whenever I do something to piss you off, remember how good I was today, and don’t hold my assholey words against me.”