Total pages in book: 127
Estimated words: 120708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 604(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 402(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 120708 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 604(@200wpm)___ 483(@250wpm)___ 402(@300wpm)
Tanner reached for my hand and gave it a squeeze before our fingers laced together.
“My daughter happens to have a small fortune of her own, Mr. Shaw. And when I pass away, she’ll inherit even more. If you think for one second you’re going to get your hands on—”
“With all due respect, Mr. Holden, I’m not the least bit interested in your daughter’s current or future financial holdings. If we decided to marry and Timberlynn asks me to sign a prenuptial agreement, you will not hear any arguments from me. I’m a rancher by nature, sir. Money isn’t something my family has strived for. It’s been nice to have, but it doesn’t buy my happiness. What makes me happy is seeing your daughter smile at me first thing in the morning. Hearing my niece and nephew laughing as they run around the yard. Seeing my folks dancing in the kitchen while my mama hums her favorite song. Those are the things in this life that make me happy. Not money.”
I placed my hand over my stomach to calm the sudden rush of flurries. If my father hadn’t been in the truck, I would have told Tanner right then and there how much I loved him.
Tanner looked at me and smiled. Those blue eyes of his sparkled, and his dimples were on full display, which caused my heart to speed up ever so slightly.
“That was a nice speech,” my father said.
I closed my eyes and sighed.
“I’m sorry you thought it was a speech because it was from my heart.”
The rest of the drive was made in silence. We pulled up to the gate of the Shaw ranch and Tanner clicked the gate opener.
“Did you want to freshen up first before you meet the rest of Tanner’s family?” I asked.
My father didn’t reply. I turned around in my seat to find him staring intently out the window. “Dad?”
He didn’t respond, so I followed his gaze. Six horses were out in the pasture. It was a stunning sight to see with the Bitterroot Mountains in the background and the sky turning a soft pink as the sun dipped lower.
I focused back on my father. “Dad?”
“Your mother would have loved it here,” he softly said as he smiled. It was such a genuine smile. “She loved horses, like you do, Timberlynn.”
My throat worked to swallow the emotion that had suddenly built up. It was the first time he’d mentioned my mother in...I didn’t even know how long. “I know she did.”
He broke his gaze and looked at me. “What did you ask me?”
“Would you like to freshen up before you meet the rest of Tanner’s family?”
He shook his head. “No, I’m fine, sweetheart.”
I smiled softly and then turned to look straight ahead. My father had just gone from ice cold to warm. It was something he had done often when thoughts of my mother hit him.
We drove down the long driveway, winding around snow-covered pastures dotted with both horses and cattle.
“What’s down there?” my father asked as we passed a road off the main drive that went to the left and had a little gate on it.
“That takes you to my brother Brock’s house,” Tanner said. “We’ll pass a few more roads, mostly dirt roads that take you to various parts of the ranch. Then as we get closer to my folks’ place, we’ll pass the road that takes you to Crystal Lake and my house.”
“And your other brother? He lives on the ranch too?”
“He lives with Kaylee on a piece of property that’s adjacent to the ranch,” I said.
Tanner nodded. “It used to be part of the ranch, but my parents subdivided it for my brother a number of years ago.”
“I see, like they did for you?” my father asked.
“Yes,” Tanner answered, not giving him any more details.
The house soon came into view, and I took in a deep breath. I had no idea how this night was going to go, and I couldn’t shake the strange feeling of uneasiness that bubbled up in my chest.
But suddenly, my father said the one thing I hadn’t expected him to. “I’m sorry for coming off as a hard ass, Tanner. It’s just…she’s my only daughter.”
Tanner looked in the rearview mirror and nodded. “No apology needed, sir.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
TANNER
The moment I parked in front of my folks’ house, the front door flew open and out piled the entire Shaw clan.
“Oh no,” Timberlynn whispered.
“Looks like they’re excited to meet me,” Frank said with a chuckle. His mood had lightened, and to say I had been shocked when he apologized would be an understatement. Timberlynn still seemed to be stunned by Frank’s apology. I took the excitement in Frank’s voice as a good sign. Timberlynn hadn’t noticed it though, because it appeared she was attempting to keep herself from hyperventilating at the thought of her father meeting my whole family.