Chapter 18 - What Waited at the End of the Trail
Walker Boone had faced stampedes without trembling.
He had faced Silas Mercer with a gun pointed at him.
But kneeling before Josephine Vance made his hands shake.
She noticed.
Naturally.
“Are you nervous?”
“No.”
“You're shaking.”
“It's cold.”
“It’s September.”
“Josephine.”
She smiled.
Walker produced a simple silver ring.
“My mother’s.”
Josephine stopped smiling.
Walker looked at Sam, then at her.
“I can't promise easy.”
She listened.
“I can't promise I'll always say the right thing.”
“You rarely do.”
“I'm trying to propose.”
“Then I'll be quiet.”
“Thank you.”
He took a breath.
“I can promise you'll never have to earn your place with me.”
Josephine’s eyes filled.
“You don't have to cook for it. Fight for it. Prove yourself for it.”
Walker took her hand.
“You already belong.”
Josephine covered her mouth.
“Josephine Vance, will you marry me?”
She looked at Amos’s grave in the distance.
Then at Sam.
Then Walker.
“Yes.”
Walker stood.
Josephine kissed him.
Sam immediately began crying.
Walker sighed.
“He does that every time.”
Josephine laughed.
“He wants attention.”
“He gets that from you.”
“Careful. I haven't married you yet.”
They returned to Caldwell engaged.
The cowboys celebrated as though they had personally accomplished something.
Dusty claimed he had.
“I predicted this weeks ago.”
Walker asked, “Didn't you also predict we'd lose half the herd crossing the Cimarron?”
Dusty considered.
“Nobody remembers the wrong predictions.”
Josephine laughed.
For the first time in years, she wasn't wondering where she would sleep next winter.
She knew.
May you like
Home was waiting.
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