To Love A Cowboy: A Billionaire BWWM Western Romance (10 page)

"You are a lucky woman. Not many men would be able to work
through that with their woman. They would be jealous of her success
or even worse, not willing to wait while she chases her dreams."

Kate nodded. "I am a lucky woman, aren't I?"

"I would say so."

"Who knows, there may be marriage bells in your future."

"He did ask me to take the next step and confirm we are both
committed to one another."

"What?" Linda's remark came out as a shriek. She covered
her mouth and came into the office so she could close the door.

"Oh, he is going to propose so soon."

Kate rubbed her forehead nervously. "I'm not sure I'm ready for
that."

A confused look came over Linda's face. "You are kidding me
right?"

"No, I'm not."

"So let me get this straight. You have a wonderful man who loves
you, asked you to commit, is supportive of your ambition, and you are
not sure if you would consider marriage?" As Linda spoke, she
counted each of the positive attributes off on her fingers.

"I hear you. It's not a slight against him. I'm just not sure if
I'm wife material."

"You're crazy."

"Linda, don't tell me you are one of those women that spend her
life planning her wedding."

"Is there something wrong with that?"

"Maybe it's something wrong with me. I just never fantasized
about getting married. Except for the matter of wearing the dress."

Linda shook her head. "You, my dear, are a mess."

"I'm just being honest."

"Well, maybe you should start thinking about it. I mean, it
sounds like that is what he has next on his mind."

"See, that's what I don't want to do, Linda. Assume he wants to
get married just because he mentioned he wants a commitment."

"My poor hopeless friend." Linda looked at Kate with
sympathetic pity. "You keep thinking that."

"Anyway," Kate interjected, ready to change the subject.
"How are things here at the boutique?"

"Wonderful. More than wonderful actually. We have some new
orders there in your inbox. Amelia has also scheduled a few prospects
for interviews for your assistant. The interviews begin tomorrow at
noon. And you also have a meeting with a new designer tomorrow who
would like to carry her line here in the store."

"Sounds good to me."

Linda opened the door. "I'm going to leave you here with your
thoughts. And hopefully it comes in to your mind to consider the fact
that Bruce may be on the verge of proposing." She left the
office with a wink.

Head in her hands, Kate did what she did best. Shoved the thoughts of
her private life to the back of her mind and focused on her business.

*****

Kate came home to find a slender box laying in front of the door. It
was midnight blue and wrapped with a white ribbon. She juggled her
house keys, her purse, and her briefcase as she bent over to pick up
the box. Once inside, she threw her keys on the table in the foyer
and dropped both her purse and her briefcase on the couch. She was
now able to open the box.

The fragrant aroma of roses infused in the air. She read the card
inside.

Answer the door.

"What is this?" she sat out loud to herself.

Peering out the front door window, she saw Bruce standing there.

"What a welcome home."

"Were you surprised?"

"Yes." She wrapped her arms around his shoulders in a hug.

His kiss on the cheek warmed her.

"I missed you. After spending a full week with you everyday, I
needed to see you."

"The flowers were a perfect touch." Kate fished around in
the kitchen for a vase. She found the perfect one to use and after
trimming the stems, arranged the flowers in the vase.

Bruce sat down on one of the kitchen bar stools. "I wanted to
also know how you really felt about the conversation we had."

Kate continued to busy herself arranging the flowers. "I told
you I agree with you. I love the idea of us being more committed to
one another. I really don't think it will be much of a difference. We
have been with each other for a year now, and I don't know about you,
but I haven't seen anyone else but you in that year."

Bruce folded his hands. "Of course I have only been with you.
But I think there is something to say for making sure we are on the
same page."

"Bruce, I'm pretty sure we are on the same page. Do you think we
aren't for some reason?"

She took a moment to look up from what she was doing. There were
those deep baby blues staring into her soul again.

"I'm glad to know we are. It's nice to get confirmation. As far
as the commitment, I figured that. But I wanted to know where you see
us in the next few years."

There was only so much arranging the flowers she could do. She had to
face him. Kate placed the vase on the kitchen island and came over to
take a seat next to Bruce.

"Look, I'm going to be honest. I have never considered being
married before our conversation the other day. The mere thought of
being married is terrifying to me. I'm not sure why. I think it's so
right for some people, but for others it can go so wrong. And I like
where the two of us are right now, and I would hate for things to go
horribly wrong because we put unnecessary constraints on our
relationship."

Bruce nodded. "I can understand having some apprehension.
Marriage and commitment are serious matters. Why would think things
would go wrong between us?"

She shook her head. "I can't tell you the answer to that. I hear
so many stories about how people fall in love, get married, and then
end up hating each other. It would break me if that happened between
us."

Bruce took her hand in his. "That could be scary. But I think
those things happen when people are not together for the right
reasons. I think you and I are together for the right reasons. And I
also think the two of us are mature enough to talk things out when we
have issues."

"I agree. But are we seriously looking at marriage?" Kate
figured the best thing to do was to put it all on the line.

"Kate, let me tell you something. I'm a forty-one year old man.
I know what I want. I'm not interested in playing around. I'm not
interested in frivolously dating. I want to build a life with someone
who loves me and lets me love her."

Tears threatened to fall when Kate heard those words. "It feels
so good to hear you say that. It's just all happening so fast. The
whole concept of love and marriage is intimidating. How do you know I
would be a good wife? I wouldn't know where to start."

"My love, I have never been anyone's husband. It would be
journey the two of us would be on together."

That one tear that was on the verge of falling, finally escaped. "I
never thought of it like that. That takes a bit of the edge off."

He squeezed her hand. "We don't have to rush things. It will
happen in due time. When we are both ready."

The tears fell more steadily now. "That is just what I needed to
hear."

Bruce gently wiped her tears. "Just know I am here and I love
you. We are doing this together."

Kate nodded as his lips touched hers.

*
****

6 months later

"I want the centerpiece right there on that table." Kate
gave direction to the event coordinator.

"We have about ten minutes until Bruce arrives. Let's get it all
in place."

She made sure the finishing touches were perfect for the surprise
party she was throwing for Bruce's birthday. He had a knack for
surprising her and she wanted to return the favor.

Once everything was in place, she hushed all of the attendees and
told everyone to find a hiding place. Just as the final person found
a place, they heard Bruce whistling as he approached.

Kate gave the signal, just as Bruce came through the door.

"Surprise!"

Bruce jumped back as he tried to make sense of what was going on.
Kate jumped to the forefront, ecstatic that she was able to pull off
the surprise.

"You did this?" he asked, beaming.

"I did."

Friends came up, patting Bruce on the back with well wishes and
salutations.

"Wow, this is great."

Bruce took her in his arms, kissing her.

The cake was rolled out and cut, music was playing, people danced and
enjoyed themselves. Kate booked a hotel suite and told Bruce they
would be having a small intimate dinner with just a few friends.
Instead, she'd invited friends and family and threw a full on party
complete with a deejay and a three tier chocolate cake.

As far as Kate was concerned, Bruce deserved a party full of fun,
family, and friends.

The party rolled on into the early evening. Wine and champagne flowed
and people were having a great time.

Kate took the opportunity to take a breather on the balcony. She
looked up when the sliding glass door opened.

"This is spectacular. I can't believe you pulled this off
without me knowing."

"I like to keep you on your toes," she winked.

"I am pleasantly surprised. But I have something for you."

"Bruce, you spoil me. It's your birthday. How can you have
something for me?"

"Just a little something," he shrugged as he handed her a
small blue gift bag.

"What is this?"

"You won't know until you open it."

She slid her hand in and pulled out two velvet boxes.

"Really, Bruce. You spoil me."

"I know that. It's my job. Open it."

The first box was rectangular. She flipped it open and found a
necklace with a locket on it.

"This is beautiful."

She turned around so he could help her put it on.

"Just a little something to keep me close to your heart."

She glanced at the engraving on the heart. BS. KW. It made it even
more special that it was engraved.

"Now open the other one."

It was a small square box.

She flipped it open to find a small band with diamonds encrusted
around the perimeter.

"Bruce?"

"It's a promise ring. Let's say it's the step before engagement.
Just the two of us and a promise to one another."

He held his hand up to show that he was wearing a matching ring.

Kate held her hand out so he could slip the ring on her finger.

"I take that as a yes that you will wear it?"

She nodded.

"Kate Walker, as I slide this ring on your hand, I promise to be
there for you, support you, love you. Even when you are impossible,
insecure, or scared. I promise to love you through any and everything
that comes against us. I promise to be your friend and I promise to
be the man you can depend on."

Her emotions were caught in her throat and Kate knew that if she
spoke, she would surely cry like a baby.

Taking a deep breath, she opened her mouth to speak. "I don't
know what to say."

Bruce stared deep in her eyes.

"Tell me the first thing that comes to mind."

"Bruce, I love you," she began to confess. "You have
made me the happiest woman on earth. I appreciate the fact that you
are patient with me, kind, loving. You have been all that I've needed
in my life and I am proud to say that I promise to love you, be there
for you, and be more open to love and all that it has to offer. As
long as I can do all of that with you, I know I have nothing to fear.
And I've also learned something else."

Bruce slid the ring on her finger and pulling her hand up to his
lips, kissed her fingers.

"What is that, my love?"

These past few months had taught Kate so much. After learning from
Fancy and from Bruce's parents the ultimate fact that she would have
to find a way to balance love and life, she knew she would be able to
do so as long as she had the man she loved by her side.

She pointed at the party goers inside the hotel room. "Your
party is filled with friends and family. That room in there is filled
with love. And life is absolutely nothing without the one you love."

They sealed their promise with a kiss and for the first time, Kate
felt optimistic without reservation that she would be able to conquer
all.

The end...
but there's more:

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This
has been part 1 in the series. You can see other parts here:

1. My
   Billionaire Cowboy
   .
   

2. To
   Love A Cowboy
   .
   

3. Marrying
   The Cowboy
   .