Two days later, Christine sat across from Parker, eyeing him. He was tapping the keys of his computer, taking his time to notice her. She swallowed. How was she going to ask him to help with the Petty ranch? Especially since he already thought she had done a terrible job.

The clicking noise stopped as Parker turned to look at her. “Now, you wanted to talk to me?” He raised his eyebrows. They rose above the black-rimmed spectacles perched on his nose.

Christine took a deep breath and sat up straighter on her chair. “Yes. I want to discuss the Petty ranch.”

He took his glasses off and began to clean them with his tie. “I thought that file had been finished.” He paused. “Did you find a mistake you made?”

Great. In one sentence, all her confidence flew out the window. “No, not that. I—um, wanted to discuss what we could do to help.”

Parker coughed as he replaced his glasses. “Christine, the IRS is not in the habit of handing out charity to everyone who decides that they just don’t want to pay their taxes.” He peered over at her.

“I understand that. It’s just that, there were reasons why the taxes weren’t paid. Good reasons.”

Parker pressed his hands together and rested his elbows on the desktop in front of him. “I’m intrigued.”

Thankful that he wasn’t kicking her from his office, Christine smoothed her skirt and began. She told him about Mr. Petty. About how his wife got sick. How he used the money to fund the treatment. She told him how hard Sean had worked to save money and how there was no other person in the world more suited to run that ranch then him.

Parker studied her as she spoke, rocking slightly in his desk chair. He didn’t look mad, but he also didn’t look happy. Christine wasn’t quite sure how to read his facial expressions.

When she finished, she met his gaze. It looked like he was contemplating what she’d said. He picked up a pile of papers and shuffled them.

“Do you know why I think you’ll make an amazing auditor?”

Christine stopped. Did he just say that she’d make an amazing auditor? Was he serious? “Um—what?”

Parker leaned back in his chair again. “When your uncle asked me to take you on, I didn’t want to. I hate when family members hire other family members. I thought you were going to be a stuck-up snob who would run to her uncle every time something got hard.”

She parted her lips to say that she would never do that, but Parker raised his hand.

“Let me finish. You’ve never done that. You meet every deadline. Work harder than anyone on your floor. And when I sent you into the field, you not only got the job done, you also did more.

“See, people think we are just there to add numbers. Go through receipts and report what we find. But there’s so much more. We understand that it’s hard and everyone has a different experience.” He gave her a smile—something she hadn’t been sure he was even able to do. “And you came to me with your findings. Not your uncle. So, if you want to see if there’s something the IRS can do for the Petty ranch, then I’m okay with looking into it.”

A huge weight lifted off of Christine’s shoulders as she stared at him. Who had taken Parker, and what had they done with him? She discreetly pinched her leg just to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. She was awake.

“I’m a little shocked, but. . . thank you.”

Parker nodded. He glanced over at her as he turned back to his computer. “Did you need anything else?”

Christine forced herself to shake her head. Shock still paralyzed her body. This had been the last thing she’d expected when she walked into his office a half hour ago. She pushed her body out of the chair and left.

Out in the hall, she leaned against the wall, tipping her face toward the ceiling. Not only had Parker complimented her on her job, but he’d also said that he’d look into helping out Sean. Her heart surged as she thought about what this meant.

Sean would be able to keep his ranch. The place he loved. That thought made her happier than she’d been in a while.

“I have a surprise for you!” Tylinn sang out.

Christine glanced over to see her friend walking up. “So do I,” she said.

Tylinn raised her brows. “I bet mine is bigger.”

“No. Mine is.” Christine linked arms with her best friend and walked down the hall with her.

Tylinn snorted. “I highly doubt that.”

“Would you believe it if I told you that Parker actually told me I was good at my job? That he knew I was a hard worker? That I rose to the occasion?”

Tylinn peered over at her. “No. I’d say you’re lying.”

Christine shrugged. It felt good to say those words out loud. Like it made them real. “Well, he did. And he said he’d help me find a solution for the Petty ranch.” Just saying Sean’s last name caused her stomach to twist. She’d be lying if she said she didn’t miss Moose Falls—or Sean.

“Well, you’re just telling me things I already know. I’m happy that Parker finally realized it too. You deserve it, sweetie. All the things he said were true.”

“Thanks.” Christine felt as if she were walking on cloud nine. The only thing that would make this perfect was if Sean flew to Washington, DC and declared to her what an idiot he’d been. But that was a fantasy. “So, what surprise did you have for me?”

“That.” Tylinn nodded down the hall, toward the large foyer of the building. Standing in the middle, with a huge bouquet of daisies, was Sean. He had on his signature plaid button-up shirt and jeans. With a cowboy hat and boots. He looked like he’d just stepped out of a rancher’s magazine. If there was such a thing.

Tylinn squealed next to her, grabbing her arm. “This is insane! No wonder you were distracted in Moose Falls. If that was who I was investigating, I’d be distracted too!”

“Tylinn!” Christine said under her breath. She was pretty sure she knew the reason Sean was here, but just in case there was another reason he’d showed up here, clutching flowers, she didn’t want him to overhear her loud best friend.

“Oh, please. That boy is so smitten with you.” She snorted as she pulled Christine toward him.

Sean shifted from one foot to the other and his eyebrows rose as they neared. Tylinn reached out her hands.

“Tylinn Grace.”

“Sean Petty.”

The deep sound of Sean’s voice washed over Christine. Her heart picked up speed as she thought back to their time in Moose Falls. The feeling of his arms wrapped around her or his lips pressed against hers. Had he only come here to taunt her? He was playing with her heart and she was pretty sure it couldn’t break anymore.

“So, Sean Petty, what brings you to the IRS building dressed like—” Tylinn waved her hand toward his clothes.

His cheeks flushed red as he glanced around. “You said Pride and Prejudice was your favorite movie. Is this something Darcy would do?” He leaned closer to Christine.

She couldn’t quite find the right words to speak, so she just quirked an eyebrow.

He cursed under his breath as he straightened. “Emma made me do this,” he said.

Christine should’ve known. Emma was a sneaky girl. But the one word that stood out to her was made. Emma had sent him to apologize? He didn’t want to?

“Well, I’m not sure why she would do that. From my experience, you don’t do things you don’t want to.” She side stepped him and headed to the front doors. There was no way she wanted to stand here, listening to how it was his duty to say sorry. Or that his best friend’s pregnant wife had scared him into coming. If he didn’t want to be around her, then she’d make it easy. She’d leave and never look back.

Just as she stepped outside, her gaze fell on a horse-drawn carriage. She paused as she studied it. Wow, this was getting ridiculous. Dipping her head down, she pushed through the throng of people who had gathered around it. The need to leave grew stronger.

“Christine Jordan.”

Sean’s voice caused her to slow.

“Can someone stop that woman. Please?”

A hand tapped her on the shoulder. “I think that guy wants to talk to you.”

Realizing that there was probably no way she was going to be able to escape now, she turned to see Sean had climbed up onto the carriage and was staring at her.

“I was just honoring what you asked me to do. Leave.” Why was he doing this? It wasn’t fair.

“I’m an idiot,” he said. His expression turned serious as his gaze met hers. “Christine, I was wrong to send you away. I see that now. It had nothing to do with your job and everything to do with the fact that I was scared.”

Why had he been scared? He had to know that she would do everything in her power to help him. “I wasn’t going to throw your ranch under the bus.” Despite her best efforts, tears brimmed her lids. Why was she going to cry?

His forehead creased as he studied her. “I wasn’t scared because I was going to lose my ranch. I was scared because I had fallen in love with you.”

Her mind swam as his words rang in her ears. “What?” There was no way she’d heard what she thought she’d heard. What was with the universe today?

“I said, I love you. Why else would I dress up like this and come here? You are the girl for me. You challenge me, you make me laugh, and your kisses drive me mad.”

Whoops and hollers rose up from the crowd around them.

Heat burned Christine’s skin. All eyes had turned to her as if they were expecting her to say something.

Her heart pounded in her chest. She knew what she wanted to say, but she still needed to be sure. “How do I know once it gets hard again, you aren’t going to demand that I leave?”

A pained expression passed over Sean’s face. “I’m not going to say I’ll never be an idiot again, but I can promise you that no man will love you as much as I do. And I’ll spend the rest of my life proving that to you.”

“Come on, what do you say to that?” An elderly woman who was standing next to her asked.

Christine looked over at her.

“Honey, that man loves you. You’d be a fool to let him go.” She nodded her head toward the carriage. Her silver hair swishing from the movement.

Christine turned her attention back to Sean, who looked as if he was rapidly losing his confidence. She pushed through the crowd and stopped right in front of the carriage. She eyed him, taking note of his hopeful expression.

“Do you forgive me?” he asked.

She held onto the handle and climbed the steps. Once she was standing next to him, she peered up to meet his gaze. “On one condition.”

A smile played on his lips. “Anything.”

“Kiss me.”

His grin widened as he wrapped his arms around her and turned her to the side. As he cradled her head in his hand, he dipped her down. “Yes, ma’am.”

When his lips met hers, every broken piece of her heart melded back together. Her soul sang as she brought her hands up his shoulders and tangled her fingers in his hair.

Yells and congratulations could be heard from the crowd, but Christine didn’t care. As long as Sean was holding her, everything would be right in the world.

He pulled away and smiled down at her. “I love you, dragon lady.”

She swatted his shoulder, but then turned her expression serious. “I love you, irritating cowboy.”

Before she could say anything more, he leaned down and whispered in her ear, “I’ll take it.” And then pressed his lips against hers once more.

At that moment, Christine knew, everything was right in the world. There was nothing more she wanted than to be here, held by Sean. An excited bubble rose up in her stomach as she thought about what he would do when she told him about her conversation with Parker.

Happiness spread from her head to her toes, and she basked in the feeling of completeness she felt. Her life now consisted of Sean and nothing felt more perfect.