“I don’t know what to say.” She stroked the silky fur around his ears and eyes. He closed his eyes and heaved a big, puppy sigh. She scratched under his chin, which he lifted for her obligingly, and said, “You’re the sweetest men I’ve ever known.”
She closed her eyes and felt tears slip free as she stroked under his collar. Something metallic and warm from the puppy’s body heat moved against her finger and she opened her eyes, thinking it was the D-ring on the collar.
A flash and sparkle caught her eye, and she gasped in shock when she saw what was attached to his collar. A ring. Lifting it from the bed of white, puppy fur it lay on, Lydia gasped again.
“Oh my—” The diamond in the setting had to be at least two carats, if not more. The puppy looked up at her and grinned again, like it was all his idea, then stood up and licked her chin.
The warmth of her handsome, loving men closed in on both sides of her as they sat on opposite edges of the lounge chair, with her in between, right where she wanted to be.
Chance brushed his lips against her cheek and murmured, “Make me the happiest man in the world, baby. Marry me.”
Clayton nuzzled her jaw and said, “Lydi, I want to love you every day of my life. Marry me, too.”
Palming both their cheeks, she looked at Chance and said, “I’m so glad I took that chance and left Fort Stockton with you, handsome.” Looking into Clayton’s eyes, she said, “Cowboy, I feel so blessed that you love me, too. I want to spend the rest of my life loving both of you.”
The puppy stood, wagged his tail, put his front paws on her thighs and licked her chin. They all laughed as he grinned, gave a little bark, and then softly howled “whoo!” as though he’d been the one responsible for sealing the deal. It was a moment she’d never forget.
Epilogue
Not quite a month later, in late August…
Dressed in boots and jeans, Lydia stood with Chance and Clayton. She’d never been to a wedding where she hadn’t worn a dress and heels, but then again she’d never been to a wedding quite like this one.
With all of their friends surrounding them on the bank of the Divine Creek, Kendall, Boone, and Richard Warner stood on a large, flat rock positioned just a few feet out in the creek. With them stood Blake Gray, a good friend of Ethan Grant’s, who had driven from Dallas to perform the binding ceremony. Rachel had told Lydia that he had done the same thing for Grace and Teresa when they married their men.
The guests and attendants all stood or sat informally along the creek bank after riding out on whichever type of conveyance they’d chosen. There was a row of ATVs, a couple of SUVs, and even several horses were tethered nearby.
Lydia, Chance, and Clayton had ridden out on horseback, and she rolled her eyes and couldn’t help but laugh when Mack plopped down at her feet and grinned up at her. The puppy followed her everywhere she went.
“Look at that face,” Chance said. “He’s just as smitten with you as he can be.” Mack’s ears perked up. He grinned at Chance, and then turned his devoted gaze back to his mistress with a small “whoof,” as though Chance were stating the obvious.
When people asked her why she’d named the beautiful Great Pyrenees puppy Mack, she said she could tell by his humongous feet that he was going to be as big as a Mack truck, so it fit him.
Chance caressed Lydia’s palm and whispered, “Smart dog. I’d follow you around all day if I could, too.”
Lydia’s smiled up at him, remembering their lovemaking from early that morning. If her men spent any more of their time at the ranch house than they already did, the place would fall down around their ears. Chance and Clayton could never be accused of not being devoted to her pleasure.
Eli Wolf and Ethan Grant began to play a sweet melody on their guitars. Lydia recognized the tune as “From This Moment On” by Shania Twain. Standing nearby with tears in their eyes, Grace Warner and Rachel Wolf watched their husbands as they set the mood for the gathering.
Adam Davis embraced Grace from behind, his large hands sliding over her swollen abdomen in a loving caress as he pressed his lips to her temple. Jack lifted Grace’s hand and pressed a tender kiss to her knuckles. Lydia had felt mild concern for her earlier because Grace was nearly full term and moving slow, but Grace insisted she wasn’t missing this wedding, no matter what. Her men had stuck close to her since they’d arrived.
Rachel smiled at her husband Eli as she stroked her rounded abdomen. Eli gazed at Rachel with such adoration that Lydia felt tears prickle in her eyes.
Rosemary Piper and her husbands, Wes and Evan, stood nearby chatting quietly. Rosemary nodded at something Wes said and then smiled when Wes gave her a gentle kiss. Evan followed suit then whispered in her ear. Both men chuckled as Rosemary blushed a bright pink.