I drive over to pick up Sarah from her house, and she’s dressed in a mini skirt, boots, and a strapless shirt showing off her summer tan. Though she’s beautiful, I’m not really into blondes. When she climbs inside the truck, she immediately grins.

“Hey! How have things been going?” she asks. As soon as she buckles, we head toward the ranch.

“Good. I don’t have any complaints.” I smile at her as we continue to make small talk. We chat about the rodeo and Cooper placing and how he won first place again.

“I heard him tell my daddy he was planning to go pro and wanted you to travel with him full-time,” she tells me when we park and get out of the truck.

“Yeah, that’s all true.” I leave the conversation there. I’ve lived in this town long enough to know that rumors travel like speed trains ’round here, so I’d rather not get into the specifics.

I grab a blanket from the back seat so we can sit on the grass comfortably. A tip Diesel offered when he told me he’d be proposing to Rowan today. As soon as we walk up to the crowd of people, I watch everyone’s eyes zip to Sarah, but no one says a word. I’ve never brought a woman with me anywhere, so I’m sure it’s a shock. Considering Maize is like a vault with her secrets, I doubt any of them would notice something’s off except for her or Kenzie.

I spread the blanket and lay it flat, then we sit next to Rowan, Chelsea, and her boyfriend, Trace. I met her once before and say hello to the group. She recently moved back so Diesel could see his son more and she could see where things go with Trace. Sarah leans into me and laughs as Riley runs all over the place chasing after Zach. He’s a cute kid, but I can already tell he’s gonna be a handful when he’s older.

John and Jackson are grilling burgers while a few of the others set up the fireworks. I watch as Alex takes Diesel and Riley off to the side. A moment later, “Life of the Party” by Shawn Mendes blasts through the speakers. Diesel walks across the pasture to Rowan and takes her hand. Dawson moves on to his mama’s lap and twirls his fingers in her hair.

Watching Diesel and Rowan dance is mesmerizing. It’s obvious how much they love each other. She smiles as Diesel dips and spins her around. Above, an airplane flies low, and everyone looks up to see the message drifting behind it.

It reads: Will You Marry Me, Rowan Bishop?