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“She’s in the back, in the bathroom.”

He didn’t linger and immediately left, heading toward the bathroom.

Kate was there, on the outside of the bathroom, and she looked pale. He went to her, reaching out and cupping her face. “I’m here,” he said.

“I should have known you would hear.”

“That’s the danger of being in a small town. No one has any secrets.”

“Even though Tillie went to get me my test.” Kate let out a breath.

“Do you know?”

She shook her head. “I peed on the stick, and then had a mini freakout and came out here to stand with Tillie, and then Belle was barking. Tillie already figured you would hear the gossip. We think it’s a world record.”

“I love you,” he said.

Kate stared at him, and her mouth parted. “What?”

“I love you. I am in love with you, and there is so much I need to tell you and it’s not bad. You might be a little upset, but I love you. Regardless of what that stick says, I want you to belong to me. I want you to be my wife.”

“You love me?”

“Yes, I love you, and I want you to be my wife, and I want to have lots of kids, always running around us. I want us to have boys and girls, and I don’t care who stays on the ranch and who comes to work here. I want to have a big family, and I know I’m grumpy, but I love you. I have loved you for a long time. Marry me.”

“I don’t think he’s very good at this,” Jaxson said.

“Fuck off,” Cruz said, glancing behind him, but then Kate captured his face, pulling him in for a kiss. Her mouth was on him, and he wrapped his arms around her, holding her close, and he didn’t want to let her go. Not ever.

“I love you,” Kate said.

“Does that mean you’ll marry me?” he asked.

She chuckled. “Yes, it means I’ll marry you, but only if the offer still stands, if that says I’m pregnant or not.”

“It will stand for all eternity.”

He looked into Kate’s eyes, and he knew it didn’t matter what that stick said, whether they were pregnant or not, he was going to keep her, from here to eternity.

“You can’t keep waiting,” Tillie said.

Kate took a deep breath and opened the bathroom door. Cruz didn’t know exactly why it was closed, and he wasn’t going to comment. She took his hand, and together they looked at the test, and it confirmed what he already knew.

“I’m pregnant,” Kate said.

She nibbled her bottom lip, and he pulled her into his arms.

“Does this mean you two are going to get married quickly?” Jaxson asked.

Cruz was happy to marry her quickly, not just because she was pregnant with his kid, but because he didn’t want her to realize he could be a giant asshole.

Chapter Twelve

One Month Later

“You know, you can still take off,” Jaxson said. “I’ll help. I’ve got the getaway car right outside, and it would not be a problem.”

Kate looked toward her friend and shook her head.