Loving You (The Bridesmaids Club Book 2) (36 page)

“I can’t…” Annie closed her eyes.

Dylan took a step backward. “It’s okay. I understand. You don’t feel the same way…” he looked around the trail, not sure what he should do. He should probably go back to the truck, take Annie home.

Tears filled his eyes. He was so sure she felt the same way about him. So sure that what they had was more amazing than either of them had ever found. “I’ll meet you back at the truck.”

Annie reached out and touched his arm. “Wait…”

Dylan wiped his eyes and waited for her to tell him what he didn’t want to hear.

“I thought I loved a man once. He told me he loved me. I don’t know if I can be a wife again.”

“I’m not your ex-husband. I’m me. I’m not perfect. I’ve got flaws and baggage. I obsess about small things, I hate cabbage and I snore. But with every drop of blood inside of me, I love you. I want to make you happy, to be someone you can be proud of.”

Annie pulled a pile of tissues out of her pocket. “Do you want some?”

Dylan nodded and she passed him a handful of tissues out of another pocket.

She blew her nose and left her bike leaning against a wire fence. “My nose runs when I’m biking in the morning.” She looked up at him. Her eyes were incredibly blue, shining with unshed tears. “They come in handy when someone tells you they love you, too.”

She stuffed the tissues in a pocket and sighed. “I thought you wanted to be my boyfriend?”

“I did…I do. But I want more. Not physical more…” He quickly glanced at Annie. “Not that I’m complaining. I can’t believe how much…” He closed his mouth. Talking about making love to Annie wasn’t helping. He couldn’t look at her without wanting to pull her into his arms and show her how much he loved her. So he looked at the meadow in front of them. Mystic Lake shimmered in the distance and wildflowers grew everywhere.

With her new bike, Annie would be able to ride along the ridge, follow the edge of the lake until she finally hit the water. He would have enjoyed finding more trails with Annie, discovering parts of Montana that he’d only read about. But that wouldn’t be happening. Not now. Not when he’d told her he loved her and she didn’t feel the same way.

He heard Annie move, felt her arm brush against his body as she stood beside him. He looked down at her. She was staring across the same meadow, looking at the same view.

“Tess and Logan are getting married in October…”

Dylan frowned.

“My family won’t want to be involved, but your mom and sisters might enjoy the planning. How does next April sound? Ireland should be beautiful in the Spring.”

He stared at Annie. “You want to marry me?”

She raised her hand to his face and wiped away his tears. “I’ve got baggage, too. I’ve got a stubborn streak that gets me into trouble and I’m super-sensitive about money. But I love you.”

“You do?”

Annie nodded and he reached down and lifted her into his arms. She wrapped her hands around his shoulders and hugged him tight. She loved him. After everything that had happened she was willing to spend her life with him, share her heart with him.

He heard a soft droning sound and looked into the sky. He saw a black speck in the distance, waited for it to get closer before showing Annie. Her lips were doing crazy things against his ear, making him think that maybe what she was about to see didn’t matter.

“Annie…”

She nipped his earlobe and he groaned.

“Turn around.”

Her lips left his neck and she smiled.

“I want to show you something…” He laughed at the grin on her face. “Not that. Look up at the sky…over there…” He pointed to the plane as it dipped close to where they were standing. The pilot had attached a banner at the back of the plane. Dylan’s voice broke as he read aloud the big, bold words. “Will you marry me, Annie O’Leary?”

She gazed at him with so much tenderness and love on her face, that his heart felt as though it would burst.

“I love you, Dylan. I’ll marry you in the Spring and love you for the rest of my life.”

And that, he thought, was the best plan he’d heard in a long time.

THE END

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Loving You.
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Keep reading for a preview of
Head Over Heels,
Todd and Sally’s story.

HEAD OVER HEELS

BOOK THREE IN THE BRIDESMAIDS CLUB SERIES

All she wanted was a home for a shelter dog.

What she got was a man with the biggest heart she’d ever seen and a past that made her cry.
 

Sally looked in her rear view mirror and glanced at the big, shaggy head of Max, the Irish Wolfhound she’d been looking after.

He was staring out of the window, blissfully unaware of the life-changing event that was about to happen. She just hoped Todd knew what he was taking on. At 130 pounds, Max wasn’t the kind of dog that melted into the background. With in a big heart and a personality that loved people, you had the makings of a great family friend or a disaster waiting to happen.

“It won’t be long now, boy.”

Max yawned, hunching further into his seat as they passed under a sign that welcomed them to the Copper Creek Ranch.

She didn’t know an awful lot about Todd Randall. What she had managed to find out created more questions than answers. He leased most of his ranch to a neighbor and kept to himself. He had a part-time job at one of the local veterinary practices, disappeared for weeks on end and scared the living daylights out of most people.

The last part might have been a slight exaggeration, but Sally wasn’t taking any chances with Max’s care. Todd’s reputation around town didn’t exactly paint him as Mr. Wonderful, and Max needed all the wonderful he could find.

After six months in the Bozeman animal shelter, Max was running out of options. She’d been working hard to find the perfect home for him, but it hadn’t been easy. Todd might be Max’s last hope of having a happy life.

She parked her truck close to the main house, not liking what she saw. She was beginning to worry that she’d made a mistake. Her dad always said that you could judge a man by the care he took of what was his. Todd didn’t live by the same standard. The fences surrounding the pasture were well tended and the rolling landscape around her was breathtaking. But his house would need more than a lick of paint to make it look even half decent. With its flaking paint and sun-blistered roof, it looked neglected and unloved.

Max stuck his head through the gap between the front seats and sighed.

Sally frowned at the old wooden swing on the porch. “It’s okay, boy. I won’t leave you here if you’re not happy.”

Max turned his head and ran his massive paw along one of the doors beside him. Sally smiled at the way he let her know exactly what he was thinking. He wanted out of her truck, and he wanted it now.

She undid her seatbelt and opened her door. Max stared at her through the window, his goofy smile making her heart clench tight.

“Are you Sally Gray?”

Sally turned around and watched a man walk toward her. He was big, easily as big as her brothers. He’d pulled his cowboy hat low over his face, shielding himself from her curious gaze. He moved quickly across the yard, not bothering to hide his irritation at being disturbed.

Sally pulled her spine straight and ignored the bark that came from inside her truck. “I’m looking for Todd Randall.”

The man in front of her glanced at Max, then back at her. “You’ve found him.” Todd’s blue eyes flashed impatiently at her.

Sally narrowed her eyes to let him know she wasn’t intimidated by his grouchy attitude. Living with four older brothers had given her an advantage when it came to bossy men. She’d learned to ignore the caveman tactics her brothers used, and focus on what was important. And in this case, it was Max. She didn’t care if Todd Randall was grumpy. What she cared about was that he’d give Max a good home.

“You offered to look after Max. I want to make sure he’ll be okay.”

Todd frowned. “Why wouldn’t he be okay?”

Sally stuck her hands in her pockets. She wasn’t going to take offense at the suspicious look on his face. “He’s a big dog. He needs space, somewhere warm to sleep, and someone who understands his needs.” She didn’t add that someone with a heart would help, too.

Todd looked over his shoulder at his barn. “Max came and saw me with Dylan a few weeks ago. He seemed happy enough.”

Dylan was Sally’s best friend’s fiancé. He’d met Todd at a counseling group for men dealing with post traumatic stress issues. Sally hadn’t asked Dylan why Todd went to the sessions. It wasn’t any of her business, but what was her business was Max.

Ever since she’d started bringing the Irish Wolfhound home from the animal shelter, all of her friends had been doing what they could to find a new home for him. So far, Todd was their best bet.

Todd looked at his watch. “I really need to get back to the barn. Max will be fine with me. Can you come back another day to look around the ranch?”

Sally shook her head. “I’m a school teacher and I’ve got a busy week ahead of me. The earliest I could come back would be next Saturday.”

Todd’s steady gaze saw right through her intentions. “You’re worried about Max?”

“He’s a great dog.” She looked at the barn and saw another truck parked outside its big wooden doors. The truck belonged to Chris Harvey, one of the local animal vets. “Is something wrong?”

“My mare gave birth an hour ago.”

Sally frowned. “Is she okay?”

“We had a couple of issues. I would have called you to postpone Max’s arrival, but with everything that happened, I forgot.” Todd glanced at Sally’s truck. “Max looks as though he wants to get out. If you’re happy to take him for a walk, I could meet you back here in thirty minutes?”

Sally smiled at the paw Max planted against the window. “I won’t let him get close to the new foal.”

“Thanks. I’ll see you soon.” Todd turned toward the barn.

“I hope your mare and foal are all right,” Sally said quickly.

Todd didn’t look as though he’d heard her. He kept walking, making short work of the distance between Sally and the barn.

She opened Max’s door and attached the leash to his collar. “Come on, boy. It’s time to explore.”

Max didn’t need to be told twice. He bounded out of the truck and pulled Sally along behind him. He was excited and Sally supposed that was something. At least he’d get a chance to stretch his long legs before they saw Todd again.

Max headed across the yard in the opposite direction to the barn. She didn’t know where they were going, but Max did.

“What’s over here, boy?”

Max gave one sharp bark before lunging forward. Sally held onto his leash, stomping through the tall grass and wildflowers surrounding Todd’s home. A few minutes later she knew what had sent Max dashing into the great unknown. Geese. A mad flap of wings and deep throated squawks sent Max hurtling toward the edge of a wide creek. The birds took flight, heading in a deceptively lazy formation away from an excited Irish Wolfhound.

Max stood on the edge of the water, panting as if he’d just run a marathon. Sally patted his back and stared around her. This wasn’t your run-of-the-mill, almost dry creek that ranchers dealt with in the middle of summer. This creek was full of fresh water. It gently cascaded over boulders, lapped at their feet and moved along a route forged by millions of gallons of water.

As well as looking pretty, the creek was a huge asset that most ranchers in the area could only dream about. She didn’t know Todd’s reasons for buying the property, but he couldn’t have chosen a better one.

She pulled Max along the edge of the water. Living here would be exciting for him. He could chase geese every day if he wanted to, and with a new foal joining the ranch, it would give him another reason to be happy.