Cowboy’s Christmas Bridesmaid (Trinity Falls: Icicle Christmas #8)

24. Valentina

24

VALENTINA

A week later, Valentina rode Emma’s horse, Clifford, around the paddock on the Williams Homestead, the wind lifting her hair, and her heart as light as a feather.

When Tanner asked what she wanted to do for their first date, she hadn’t been sure. But when he half-jokingly asked if she would like to have a horseback riding lesson on the homestead and then eat dinner with his aunt and uncle and Zeke, she had realized that was exactly what she wanted.

And that first lesson went so well that they had been continuing all week after Tanner was finished work each day. She would stop by to sit with Zeke while he did his forty-five minutes of math and Tanner made dinner, and then they would head over to the homestead to ride horses and enjoy each other’s company, before the boys dropped her off at the door to her building, then walked across the lawn to theirs.

Baz had brought in another promising young executive from his offices in the city to act as her replacement. And now that she was slowly handing off her work to Darcy, Valentina was a little less busy. Though she was spending an awful lot of time dreaming up ways to use the land that was now at her disposal.

“Go, Valentina, go,” Zeke called out to her from where he sat on the fence beside his dad. The radiant smile on his little face filled her heart. “And go, Clifford.”

Clifford was Emma’s elderly horse from her childhood. He was gentle as could be, but still had just enough gumption to be happy galloping a bit at the end of each lesson. And Valentina spoiled him with a nice brushing and a pocketful of carrots after every cooldown.

What was different about tonight was that they had come here straight after math, without eating. And after they dropped Zeke off at home with his babysitter, Valentina and Tanner were going out for dinner. It would be their first grownups only date.

She would definitely miss her Zeke time tonight. But it was exciting to think about dressing up and going out with her boyfriend.

“What are you smiling about?” Tanner teased as she and Clifford galloped past.

But she only laughed and enjoyed her ride, and the company of her two favorite guys in the world.

After the lesson, she went home again, where she showered and put on a pretty dress with some boots that had a sensible heel. It was nice to feel dressed-up without having to put on a suit and pumps.

“Hi,” she said to Tanner when she got downstairs.

In spite of all their plans, Zeke was right there by his side, holding a laptop.

“Don’t worry,” Tanner told her right away. “We’re still going to dinner. But we wanted to put the lights on for one last night.”

Valentina was surprised that Tanner hadn’t taken down all the holiday decorations right after Christmas. She guessed that a lot of people in town didn’t get around to that until after New Year’s.

But Baz and Emma’s New Year’s wedding had come and gone, and a week later, he was planning to turn them on again.

“Okay,” she said with a smile.

She certainly wasn’t going to say no to the beautiful display of lights. And besides, she suspected that maybe the real reason that he hadn’t had time to take them down because he was spending all his free time with her.

“Great,” he said. “Come on.”

He took her hand and Zeke hopped along beside them, so she wrapped her free arm around his shoulders.

“You sit here, Valentina,” Zeke said, pointing to one of the two stone benches in the center of the display.

She did as she was told, wondering what was going on when Tanner moved to take the laptop and set it on the opposite bench, opening it up and tapping a few keys. The familiar sound of a video call ringing followed, and then the distinct sound of her father’s voice.

“Tanner, is that you?” he asked.

“Where’s Zeke?” her mother’s voice followed.

“Here I am,” Zeke squealed, capering over to wave at the screen.

Of course Valentina had included Tanner and Zeke in her most recent family call, which went on long enough that Valentina had ducked out to start dinner. But she didn’t expect Tanner to be calling her parents himself. She certainly hadn’t shared their number.

He stepped aside, allowing her to see that it wasn’t just her parents. Rafe and Gabriel were there too in their own rectangles, all of them observing her with knowing smiles.

Zeke sat beside her, his little hand wrapping around hers.

“Valentina,” Tanner said, drawing her attention up to him. “I know I said that I would take things slowly because you’re so important to Zeke and to me.”

Something began to occur to her, and she glanced at the computer screen, but her whole family was watching Tanner.

“But I just can’t wait any longer,” Tanner went on. “I’ve spoken with your father, and if you say yes, we have his blessing.”

“Dad,” she murmured, her eyes back on the screen.

Her father winked at her, but even through the video feed, she could see that his eyes were glistening.

“From the day I met you, I knew you were special,” Tanner said. “You listen to me, and you care so much about everyone and everything you touch. And the way you love my son takes my breath away.”

“Valentina,” Zeke said, suddenly hopping up from the bench. “I want you to be my mama. I want to teach you how to go on hikes and ride horses, and you’ll teach me how to help people. I… I want you to be in my family, please .”

The first part had obviously been something he’d thought about ahead of time. But when he asked her to be in his family, she could hear the real note of pleading in his voice and she wrapped her arms around him, holding him close, unable to speak for fear she would start crying.

“Valentina Jimenez,” Tanner said, kneeling and holding up a little wooden box with a shimmering ring nestled inside. “We promise to love you forever. Will you be my wife, and join our family?”

“Yes,” she said quickly.

“ Yes, ” Zeke cheered, letting go of her and jumping up and down.

Her family cheered right along with him, and her tears finally broke, sliding down her cheeks as joy filled her heart.

Tanner was smiling at her with tears in his own eyes as he slid the delicate band around her finger.

He lifted his eyebrows as if to ask her permission before leaning in to kiss her, in full view of the laptop. It was a chaste kiss that still sent a shiver down her spine.

Then her brother made kissy noises that made Zeke laugh so hard he started hiccupping.

But Valentina didn’t have a care in the world. She might not have gotten her parents a house, but she had brought them a son-in-law and a grandson.

She had spent a lifetime chasing worldly success. But the most important thing that could ever happen to her had been given to her freely. She would never take that for granted.

“A penny for your thoughts,” Tanner said softly, as Zeke talked a mile a minute to her parents.

“I was just thinking how happy I am,” she told him.

“Thank you,” he told her, his deep voice breaking with emotion. “Thank you for agreeing to marry me. I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make you glad you did.”

“So, when’s the wedding?” Valentina’s dad boomed from the laptop.

Tanner’s eyes crinkled with mirth and Valentina smiled too.

“As soon as she’ll have me, sir,” Tanner said. “And as soon as all of you can be here.”

Everyone started talking about flights and schedules and best times for weddings, but Valentina just took it all in. She knew the details didn’t matter. Everything that mattered to her was right in front of her, on either side of that little screen.