Gary throws a bag in the bed of his pickup and smiles. No time like the present. As he turns the key the engine rumbles to life. He lets it idle a minute before putting it into reverse and backing out of the driveway.

He counts the miles by tens until he pulls into a fuel station for gas. Before getting back on the road he grabs a Coke and a package of crackers. With his blinker on he looks one way and then the other and back again. He is about to pull onto the road and an eighteen wheeler blares his horn and plows on. Gary shakes his head. "Idiot."

After checking once more he pulls onto the road. With a spin of the knob he turns the music up a little louder than normal. Then a thought hits him and he pulls out his phone. A quick glance here and there he manages to find his sister's number and hit call.

"Hey, Gary! What are you up to?"

He puts it on speaker phone with a beaming smile. "Well, I'm on my way to your place, actually."

"Are you kidding? That's a surprise! Brooke said you had been tied up looking for cattle."

"Yeah, I had been. And please don't say anything about this to Brooke I plan to surprise her."

There is a shriek. "How romantic!"

"Hey, can you get her over to your house this evening?"

"Sure thing!"

He grins. "You're the best Little Lynn! See y'all in a bit." With that he hangs up and puts his full attention back on driving.

With some good music playing through the radio, his mind rehearsing words, and his eyes on the road the miles roll on by at a slightly alarming rate. At least with the task ahead of him it seems a little alarming. Before he knows it he is stopped at a gas station fueling up. He pulls out his phone and scrolls through his contacts looking for that number.
***

Brooke scrolls through the endless photos of this car and that. One has too many miles, the next one is a little small, the one after that has too big of a price tag! She groans and pushes her chair back. Just as she does the front door pops open and in strolls Jeremiah.

"What you up to?" He asks as he sets his lunch bag down on the table and begins to unload it of the empty containers and half thawed ice packs.

She stands and grabs the pitcher of tea out of the other side of the fridge he has open. "Car shopping. I didn't remember it being so annoying."

He laughs, but doesn't say more. With the contents out of it Jeremiah puts the bag in a cabinet. Lazily he strolls over, pulls out a chair beside hers, and begins to study the computer screen. "What color do you want?"

"I'm not picky," she comments as she places two brimming glasses of tea on the table.

He rolls his eyes and scrolls to the next one. "Do you want something the same size or bigger?"

She narrows her eyes at him. "I'm not that naive or stupid. Bigger. There is no way another one of those little things would make it any longer than the last one." 

Looking up at her he laughs. "Well, I was only trying to be open to whatever you wanted. It is your money after all."

"I'm well aware," she mumbles before taking a drink of the cool liquid.

Again he laughs. "I can loan you some."

"With more interest than it's worth!" She laughs with him this time. It has been a while since he has really sat down and paid her much attention. Until now she didn't know how much she had missed it.

Still looking at the screen and studying the information of the small black SUV he says, "So has Gary said anything like he wants to marry you?"

Her cheeks turn instant red. Nothing like a straight forward question. "Uh, well, umm." She swallows hard. "Yeah I guess you could say that."

Only now does he look at her. And with raised eyebrows. "He has, has he? And that's all that's ever happened with it?"

The end of her fingernails are really uneven! How did that happen? She doesn't say a word, but a smile can't be kept from the corners of her lips.

"Well?" Jeremiah presses. He has his own sort of half smirk half smile resting on his lips. Oh! And his raised eyebrows is a testament to just how much fun he is having watching his little sister squirm. 

"He's been busy."

Throwing his head back Jeremiah gives a hearty laugh. "Too busy to make a move on such a drastic thing involving two lives, huh." Lightly he pulls her to his side to one arm around her shoulders. 
***

Deep breaths. In and out. Wipe the hands on the pants and try to relax.

One, two, three knocks on the door. Gary rubs his palms together in nervous anticipation. Finally, after what seems like thirty minutes, but is only about a minutes, Mrs. Kendall opens the door with a beaming smile.

"Gary! It sure is good to see you. Come on in!" She steps around into the living room. "Ward, honey, Gary is here!"

Mr. Kendall comes around the corner to shake Gary's hand with a broad smile on his hand. "Well, good to see you! To what do we own this pleasure?"

Gary swallows hard. "Well, I was hoping we could talk."

There is a twinkle in Ward's eye as he motions Gary to follow him. He takes the younger man through the house and out onto the back patio. Taking a seat in one metal chair he motions to the other for Gary. 

Gary takes the seat and runs his palms across his thighs trying desperately for them to quit sweating. He clears his throat. "Well, I'll save us both some grief and just get to the point. I would like your permission to marry Brooke, if she will have me." He doesn't give the older gentleman time to reply before continuing. "I know I'm not your favorite guy in the world and I also know what my dad has said about there never being a guy good enough for his daughter from his point of view. But-" 

"Gary, you've said enough," Ward cuts him off. He grins and extends his hand. As Gary takes his hand with a confused expression on his face Ward says, "I reckon she could have done a whole lot worse." 

This caused large grins to settle on both men's faces. 

"Thank you," Gary breathes with a sigh of relief. 

Ward leans back in the chair and stares off in the distance. "I haven't been your biggest fan and haven't done a good job of hiding that, but you have taken it all in stride. Much better than I would have when I was your age. You have a good head on your shoulders and I'll venture to say that Brooke thinks so too." 

"I sure hope so." Gary can't stop grinning. He isn't sure if he was more nervous before or after getting the go ahead, but there is no backing out now. 
***

Jaelyn is sweating. Not because it is hot outside, well it is, but she's inside so that's not why she's sweating. No, Gary said he is thirty minutes out and she can not get Brooke to come out to her house. She's tried bribing with her food, telling her she needs help, demanding that she does, and none of it is working! Finally she picks up her phone. 

After about six rings there is a groggy, "Hello?" 

She lets out a breath. "Jeremiah, are you in town?" 

"Yeah, I'm at the house, why?" 

"Awesome! I need you to have your sister out to my place in ten minutes. I don't care what you have to do to get her here just do it." And with that she hangs up. She has no idea what kind of surprise that Gary has up his sleeve, but she's not going to be the one to mess that up. 

Alissa starts to whine from her spot on the floor among a mess of toys. With a smile Jaelyn scoops her up in her arms and kisses her cheek. Then it is off to the stove to stir the noodles she is cooking. She turns them off just as the front door is opened and heavy footsteps can be heard. 

"Are my sweet girls in here?" Tyson's voice calls just before he comes into sight. He wraps them in one big hug and kisses each of them on the top of the head. Alissa gives him a grin with her one tooth showing and then shrieks. Taking her in his arms he then kisses his wife soundly on the lips. "You cooking for an army?" 

She raises her eyebrows at him a moment before sighing. "Well, Gary is coming in and asked if I could have Brooke here when he got here, but it is a surprise so don't say anything. I texted you, but I guess you didn't get it." 

He presses his lips together and pulls her to him. "No, Sweet, I didn't. I'm sorry." 

Kissing him she mumbles against his lips, "It's just the life." 

It is then with the family of three wrapped up in each others arms that Jeremiah and Brooke stroll into the kitchen. Jaelyn blushes as she looks up at her friend, but doesn't bother making a move to get up from her husband's arms. 

"May I ask what was so important that I just had to be here for?" Brooke asks with her hands resting on her hips. 

"No you may not," Jaelyn sasses back. She flashes a cheesy grin making Brooke sigh and Tyson chuckle. 

The men slip into their own little conversation very easily with Alissa still sitting on her daddy's lap adding her two cents every once in a while. In her baby chatter of course! 

On the other hand the ladies chat about this and that with Jaelyn trying desperately to keep the conversation from slipping to Gary. Not to mention trying to keep her time checking and window peeping to a minimum. Brooke and Gary are too cute together to not let him surprise her. 

Much to her relief it isn't too long and dust can be seen out the window. Jaelyn catches Tyson's eye and if she didn't know better they were grinning at her. 

"Is someone here?" Brooke asks as the sound of a vehicle door is heard being banged shut. 

Jaelyn stares into the pot and shrugs. "I don't think so." 

Brooke looks at her with narrowed eyes. "Well would you like me to check in case they intend to rob you?" 

It is all Jaelyn can do not to burst out laughing. "If you feel so inclined." Knowing that she can't meet the intense glare she is receiving she continues to stare into the pot of noodles. As soon as the door is pulled behind Brooke she scurries to watch out the window. 

Brooke spots the all familiar pickup easily. Trying to keep her excitement to a minimum she stands with her hands on her hips and a cheesy grin on her face. When Gary comes around from the off side of the cab with a basket brimming with the bright oranges and yellows of prickly pear flowers she can't keep her stance.  Eyes wide she just stares at him as he strolls to her. 

Wrapping her up in his arms Gary places a lingering kiss on her forehead. 

Finally she says, "You didn't tell me you were coming." 

"It's called a surprise." Placing the basket in her hands he adds, "I also brought you these." 

She takes the basket in her hands and looks up into his eyes. Then she grabs first one hand and then the other looking them over thoroughly. "Your fingers look like pincushions!" 

Pulling his hand from hers he takes her face in it. "That's not for you to worry about." He takes his eyes from hers and fishes around in his pocket for a moment. Then he captures her gaze again and takes a deep shaky breath. "Brooke, you are funny, hardworking, kind, and have somehow managed to stay with me for nearly a year. I don't have it all figured out, but I'm confident God will guide us through every bump and bruise that comes our way." He gets on one knee and opens the little blue box in his hand. "Brooke Kendall, I love you, and I think you love me too, so will you have me as your husband?" 

With tears streaming down her cheeks and her lips spread as wide as her skin will allow she nods her head vigorously. "Yes, yes, yes!" 

By now all those left inside are on the porch and raise a loud cheer as Gary picks Brooke up into his arms and spins her around. They all surround the couple and start talking at once. The noodles left on the stove have long run out of water and are long forgotten. 

From the bed of Gary's pickup pops a long time friend who just happened to have a camera.