How to Rope a Loyal Cowboy by Anya Summers

21

In the morning, Morgan felt like pure, undiluted sludge.

But to thank her hosts, she was standing at their stove, whipping up breakfast for them. She figured she would serve them breakfast, then beg Bianca to take her to Noah’s house so she could finish packing, and leave.

Because she had made some decisions in the early morning hours when she couldn’t sleep.

She would take Amber up on the offer she’d made last night. After Morgan had arrived, Bianca had called in reinforcements. Both Amber and Grace had shown up to console her over her relationship with Noah blowing up.

Amber had offered her a job—an accounting position—in the ranch offices that came with a rent-free cabin to live in if Morgan wanted it.

But she worried it was far too close to Noah.

Granted, it would give her a chance to see Wade and Zack occasionally. Out of everything that had happened yesterday, hurting them had been the worst part of it. She doubted she would ever forget the way their tear-stained faces had looked.

She had an option that didn’t leave her homeless. And it could be just what she needed to tide herself over until she did know what she wanted to do with her life. Maybe she would work for Amber and get her bachelor’s, then she could search for accounting jobs in Denver or Colorado Springs or, hell, outside of Colorado if she wanted.

“Morning,” Maverick said, striding into the kitchen, making a beeline for the full coffeepot.

“Morning,” she replied, and pasted a smile she didn’t feel, on her face.

“Morgan, did you really cook us breakfast? Oh honey, you didn’t need to do that.” Bianca joined them in the kitchen.

“Shush woman, if Morgan wants to cook for us, I say we let her. I mean, have you taken a good whiff?” Maverick stated with a wink in Morgan’s direction.

“I made cinnamon rolls,” Morgan offered with a sly grin.

“You made… oh hell, Maverick’s never going to let you leave,” Bianca stated with a sigh.

“You got that right,” Maverick said, then walked over to Bianca and placed a kiss on her forehead.

Morgan served up breakfast and joined them at the table.

“Have you made any decisions? And it’s okay if you haven’t. You can stay with us as long as you want to,” Bianca said with concern marring her face.

“Oh yeah, stay. I could get used to eating like this every day,” Maverick exclaimed around a mouthful.

“I have. I’m going to take Amber up on the job offer. I just need to get my things from Noah’s house, including my truck. Then can get myself settled from there.” It was the best option Morgan had at the moment, and she wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

“Are you sure that’s what you want?” Bianca asked, her brow furrowed with concern.

“It is.”

“Then I’ll drive you over to Noah’s after breakfast. You sure you don’t want to stay with us?” Maverick asked, reaching for his fourth cinnamon roll.

“I appreciate the offer. I really do. But I don’t want to impose, not with how busy you guys are getting your house built and all.”

“We don’t mind. Really. Especially not if all your meals are this good.” Maverick gave Morgan a lopsided grin, and took another bite like he was in heaven.

“I’m sure.” She nodded and pushed the eggs around on her plate, not really hungry, but wanting to pretend she was eating for her friends.

When breakfast was finished, Maverick excused himself for a minute, saying he needed to grab his phone and wallet from the bedroom, and then they could leave.

Bianca walked Morgan out to his truck, hugged her and said, “Call me if you need anything. Even just someone to commiserate with over a bottle of wine.”

“Thank you, truly. I don’t think I would have made it through last night without your help,” Morgan said, and climbed into Maverick’s truck. Maverick loped down the front stairs, the picture of a hunky cowboy. He strode over to Bianca and hauled her into his arms.

Morgan blushed and turned her face away as Maverick gave Bianca one hell of a kiss goodbye before he joined her in the truck and they headed off.

Maverick drove them along the back route to Noah’s place. “It’s okay if you change your mind and decide to stay with Noah, you know.”

They were pulling up in front of his house. Morgan’s stomach turned in knots at the prospect of seeing them all again. “I want to, but I don’t know that I can be with a man who doesn’t love me.”

“You sure he doesn’t love you?” Maverick asked with the corners of his lips curling.

“Well, yes,” she replied, not really understanding why he was asking her that.

“Might want to revise that statement.” Maverick jerked his chin.

Morgan had been avoiding looking at Noah’s house because she knew it was going to be the last time she did. But when she finally looked at it, what she saw nearly stopped her heart.

In the yard, Wade and Zack stood grinning with expectant faces, wearing little navy suits and ties while holding a banner of construction paper between them. On the banner in bold, block lettering, it read:

Would you Marry our Daddy?

“I don’t understand,” Morgan whispered with her heart in her throat.

Before she could compute or ask Maverick a question, Noah was at the passenger door, opening it, and tugging her out of the truck.

She stumbled after him, too surprised and confused to stop him.

“What’s going on, Noah?” She felt dizzy, like she was going to pass out, and realized she was hyperventilating.

He towed her into the yard until they stood beside Zack and Wade. It was then she noticed he was wearing a dark gray suit. She had never seen him in anything but jeans and tee shirts. What was happening here?

Then he turned her way, not letting her go, and said, “Morgan, I’m so sorry that you walked in on Kate making a pass at me the other day. She was the one who made the advance. It truly meant nothing to me, and wasn’t something I wanted.”

Overnight, after talking with Amber, Grace, and Bianca about it, Morgan had come to that very conclusion. “I appreciate it.”

He cupped her face in his hands. She had never seen the tiny specks of green and gold in his hazel eyes appear so bright before. “And there’s one more thing. I love you, Morgan.”

Her heart stuttered to a halt. Not daring to hope, she whispered, “You love me?”

Noah smiled then, and in his eyes was everything she had always hoped to see. “Yeah, more than anything. I’ve been sleepwalking through my life these past few years, just trying to stay afloat. But then you walked into our lives. I kept telling myself that I cared, and that was enough. When the truth was, from the moment I touched you, you were mine, and I started falling. I haven’t stopped.”

“Noah.” Her lip quivered, and moisture filled her eyes at his confession.

“And I have a very important question to ask you,” Noah stated, and went down on one knee. “Morgan, I love you so much. I never thought I could love anyone ever again. But I was so wrong. The thing is, I never knew I could love someone this much. Boys, you want to help me out now?”

He drew a black ring box from his coat pocket. Morgan’s heartrate went into overdrive, she couldn’t believe this was really happening.

Wade and Zack shouted like lunatics, “Would you marry our daddy?”

Holding up the ring, Noah said, “Marry me, Morgan. I know I’m a package deal, but we all love you more than anything.”

Tears spilled over her lashes and trailed down her face. She glanced at Wade and Zack with their bright beaming smiles, and then back down at Noah. She sucked in a breath at the love she spied on his face. It was everything she wanted. He was everything. It was a big step—the biggest of her life—but she couldn’t stop the wellspring of joy that bubbled up in her chest and burst in a dazzling array.

Through her tears, she nodded and replied, “Yes. Yes, I will.”

Noah’s smile was full of joy and happiness as he slid the ring over her finger while Wade and Noah shouted, “Yay!”

Then Noah rose, and took her face in his hands, and kissed her. Noah kissed her, and all the heartache melted away as if it had never been. He kissed her, and she could see with perfect clarity the years before them, together, loving one another as they raised Wade and Zack and watched them grow into loyal, honorable cowboys, just like their daddy.

Noah lifted his mouth as Wade and Zack threw their arms around them. She glanced down at them, full of so much love for her guys, she thought she might burst.

Happy tears slid down her face. Noah pressed his lips to her forehead and then said, “Welcome home, Morgan. We waited a lifetime for you.”

Home. She was finally home. Not because of the house or the land, but because of the man and his sons. They were her home.

She lifted her mouth for another kiss, amazed that this wonderful man loved her and wanted to spend his life with her. Not a day would pass when she wouldn’t be grateful for the gift of them in her life.

Noah’s lips descended again. Seconds before he claimed her mouth for another kiss, Wade said, “Since you’re getting married now, we’d really like a little sister.”

Noah chuckled and addressed him. “We’ll see what we can do about that, bud. Won’t we, Morgan?” He shifted back her way with a wicked gleam in his eyes, like he was thinking about all the nights they would spend together making another sibling for the brothers.

“Sure thing, Daddy, I’m game.”

And then Noah kissed her. It was a kiss filled with promise and love, a confirmation that her love was returned in spades, and that she had found the home for her heart.