Into the Storm (Signal Bend #3)(91)

He led Shannon to Edgar’s stall. She came, but he could feel her resistance building up. “What’s going on, Show?”

Edgar was in the corner of his stall, his face in his water bucket. Damn horse. Show blew a gentle whistle. “Get over here, fella.” The horse nickered and took the few steps to the stall door, dropping his head over it. His forelock was braided with green ribbon. Shannon noticed, and her brow wrinkled. She wasn’t getting it.

Show felt stupid. He wasn’t one for grand gestures, and now he thought even trying something like this had been a ridiculous idea. But he wanted to do this right, make up for the way he’d proposed and the way he’d been acting.

“Show?”

Fuck it. He’d gone this far. Might as well play it out. He took her hand. “We were out here with Edgar the first time I felt the thing that became what I feel for you. The love. I don’t know if you remember, but for me, it was here. You were teasing me about knowing how to braid a mane. You looked at me in a way that felt…it felt like my heart started up again. It hurt. It scared me. I didn’t want it. I wanted to stay dead inside. Felt safer to stay dead. I was an idiot. I still am. I’m sorry I wasn’t listening about the wedding. I’m sorry I proposed with my hand up your dress. I want to do it again and do it right.”

He pulled a small blue box out of an inside pocket of his kutte. He’d bought it in St. Louis and had it for a couple of weeks, but hadn’t found the right time. Almost since he’d proposed, every time getting married had come up, they’d fought.

He thought about getting down on one knee, but that didn’t feel right to him. So he handed her the box.

“I love you, Shannon. You brought me back. Filled me up when I was rotted hollow. I will love you until I die. Will you marry me?”

She was holding the box in her hands, staring down at it, but she hadn’t opened it. Now Show was starting to worry that he’d f*cked everything up again.

Finally, she opened the box. “Oh, God. Show!” she gasped.

“You are a beautiful woman. You love beautiful things. That was the most beautiful ring I saw.” He took the box from her and pulled the engagement ring out. There was a matching wedding ring for later. The engagement ring was a diamond solitaire set in platinum, with a diamond-encrusted band. The band was wrought in a pattern the salesperson had called “infinity.” Show had thought it apt.

He lifted her left hand, her nails polished a rich plum, and slid the ring onto her slim, pale finger. It looked perfect, and fit like it was made for her alone.

“God, Show. It’s amazing. But it’s too much. It must have cost—”

He grabbed her face in one hand and kissed her quiet. She knew too damn much about engagements and weddings. He didn’t want her to ruin the moment with a number. It had been expensive. But things had changed for him, the Horde, the town. He could afford it. More than that, she deserved it.

When she’d relaxed into him and wrapped her arms around him, he lifted his lips from hers and whispered, “Don’t talk about money. Do you like it? Will you marry me?”

She smiled. “Yes. And yes. And for the record, this was lovely, all of it. But I also loved the way you proposed the first time. I don’t need grand gestures from you. I just need you.”

oOo

“I want you to come with me next weekend.”

They were sitting in their yard, in new wooden lawn chairs, listening to the cicadas. They’d been talking about Adrienne and her continuing adventures in Europe. She was in Italy now. Hearing about her travels made Show think about Daisy and all that she’d wanted to do in her life.

He missed his girls. And they needed to know Shannon before he married her. He couldn’t just drop a stepmother on their heads.

“How will Holly feel about that?”

“Holly already knows about us. She probably knows we’re getting married. She has friends in town still.” He laughed. Holly was an inveterate gossip. She’d always been right in the center of the hens every Sunday after church. “They keep her informed.”

“She’s okay with it?”

He shrugged. “She left me, remember. And yeah. She seems to be. She’s made a couple of sarcastic comments, but nothing big. I’m sure she’s heard what you look like. She’s probably jealous.”

She smiled a little at that, and Show winked when she met his eyes. She blushed and looked away. A little guilty vanity—she liked the thought of Holly being jealous. It was cute. For some reason, it made him feel a little proud.

“I guess they should have a chance to meet me before we get married.”

“What I was thinking.” They were getting married at the end of August, the one weekend without a big event scheduled at the B&B. And they were doing it in the woods, next to the little creek. A barbecue on the lawn afterwards. That’s what she really wanted. Simple. Easy. Except for the part where the whole town was coming to the barbecue.

“I’ve spent my life avoiding kids. I hope they don’t hate me. I hope I know how to act.”

He took her hand in his. “You’re good with Gia, now. And Rosie and Iris are older. Thirteen and ten.

Also, they love girly shit. I’ll call and let them know you’re coming so they’re not surprised. It’ll be okay.

They’re good girls.”