She crossed the room and pulled the old cowboy into her arms. “I couldn’t have done it without you, Todd. I can’t begin to thank you for what you’ve done.”

Todd squirmed, blushed and pulled away. The shuffle of his feet and his downcast eyes clearly said, Aw, shucks, ma’am.

“Now, I need one more favor. Where’s Cole?”

He pulled away from her. “I promised him I wouldn’t tell you.”

Darci stared at him in disbelief. “You mean to say that after all this, all your help, you won’t let me go see him?” She threw up her hands and spun away from him. “Why, Todd? What was it all for if not to help Cole?”

Todd’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “I said I couldn’t tell you. But I think maybe that secretary of yours has some information you might find helpful.” He kissed her lightly on the cheek. “Good luck, little gal. You’re going to need it. That’s one stubborn man you’ve got yourself, and he isn’t going to make it easy for you.”

“Maybe he’s forgotten just how stubborn I can be when I’m riled. Thanks for your help, Todd. I’d tell you I’ll invite you to the wedding, but it’s too late for that. Maybe we’ll finally have a reception. And you’ll be the first to get an invitation.”

The excitement that had carried her through these past few weeks faded at the sight of Cole. Now that she was so close to her goal, the fear returned, almost paralyzing her. She’d laid it all on the line for love. But Cole carried some very deep scars. She had to convince him to take a chance, to live his life again, to live it with her. A silent prayer slipped through her, asking for the right words, the right magic, to make him understand.

She leaned against the fence, watching him ride the horse in the corral. A wince marked his handsome face, and she knew that his hip was bothering him. She also knew he was determined to work again, determined to ride again, no matter the cost. His body would never withstand the demands of rodeo, but he could still work as a cowboy on a ranch somewhere.

But if Darci had her way, he’d be working by her side at Blackmore’s, and they’d save up enough money to buy a little ranch of their own. A place where their love could flourish and their children could roam free. A place where Cole could still feel the freedom a cowboy’s heart demanded.