Liana was in the kitchen wearing Tanner's old football jersey and a fresh pair of boyshorts underwear from her overnight bag when Peony scared the living crap out of her, sneaking up behind her. What was it about her head in a fridge that turned off her ability to sense people?

"I haven't seen that football shirt in a long time," Peony remarked as Liana rubbed the top of her head and backed out of the fridge with what looked to be a chocolate cake. God bless Jake and his sweet tooth, she needed some sugar.

"I found it in the back of his closet. A little more snug than what I remember though," Liana replied, and rummaged in the cutlery drawer for two forks. She held one out to Peony.

"Want a coffee?" Peony asked. "It's early, but we could just stay up."

"I do not want to be caught in the kitchen wearing nothing but this when his brothers troop in, thank you," Liana said, and stabbed a forkful of cake. "Tan would never hear the end of it."

"Let's take that to the back den then," Peony said, pointing at the pan in Liana's hand with the fork she'd given her. "There's only half of it left, and I think maybe we could finish it off?"

They folded up on the beat up old leather couch in the back den, the glow of the lamp along one side giving the room a cozy feel. They both dug into the pan from either side, laughing.

"Peony, can I ask you something?" Liana asked as she savoured a bite that was more icing than cake.

"Of course, my dear," Peony replied.

"When you and Brett, you know, got together, did he know about your past, like... your trauma and stuff?"

Peony stared out the window, fingers pressed to her lips. "No, he didn't. I don't think he could've approached me how he did, if he'd known. He knew I had run from something, I showed up on his doorstep with my last dime rattling in my pocket, but—"

"But?" Liana prompted.

"But I knew he would never hurt me, or do the things that Ian had done. I trusted him, and it helped us open up to one another. Both of us had been alone for a long time," Peony finished. "What's this about?"

"I am running the risk of telling you shit I shouldn't, seeing as how it is Tan we're talking about," Liana faltered. "But he's been different since the abduction. So gentle, in bed... like he's afraid to break me."

"You needed gentle at first, that arm trussed up like a pot roast."

"But I'm perfectly fine now, and he still... Augh! It's been driving me nuts!" Liana added, running her hand through her hair in frustration.

"Ahh."

"I mean today, err, yesterday now, I took the afternoon off, wore a dress I knew would get his attention, and showed up, pretty much climbing onto him in the stable. And I had to lay it out for him in black and white to get him turned on enough that—"

Liana stopped as Peony put down her fork and reached out, squeezing Liana's hand with hers.

"That man is so afraid to lose you again he would do anything to be what you need," Peony stated, and it brought Liana up short. "When you were abducted, my dear, he was beside himself and it was all his brothers could do to keep him from tearing after you himself and murdering those men if he found them before the police did. When you were dealing with the aftermath, did you know he either slept outside the door of the guest room or on the floor beside you every night you were here?"

Liana looked at Peony. No she hadn't, the pain relievers had knocked her into deep sleep those first few days. "He did?"

"Every night, honey. I would put a blanket over him when he'd fallen asleep. He didn't want to crowd you, knowing how much you needed recovery time without pressure from him or what you two had started back up. But you had nightmares, so he sat by your bed with a hand over top of the cast to keep it still because you were thrashing in your sleep. He barely got two winks those first few days."

"Oh," Liana said, and she too put her fork down, the cake not nearly as appetising as even a moment ago. "I went about yesterday the wrong way. Here I was frustrated with him, thinking I had to push him to react, when I could've just talked to him. I guess I'm still figuring this shit out."

"Well, he didn't voice it either, now did he?" Peony said crisply. "Tanner, he's not one to tell you his feelings, he'll show you with his actions before he says boo about it. It is a very special thing for him to say 'I love you' or 'I need you' to someone. Words aren't frivolous for that man."

"He says it to me. Every day since the abduction," Liana said, and hung her head, tears brimming. "Every day, Peony."

"Well now, that's something then. Do you say it back?"

Liana nodded, sniffling. "Yes."

It made sense. He'd slept on her couch until one night she couldn't bear it anymore and pulled him into her bed, begging him to hold her and make love to her. She needed his touch to feel whole, and he had been so careful and gentle with her. She thought maybe he had been hung up on what happened and needed more time before he could open back up to her, working through his own guilt.

But he'd been thinking only of her, holding himself back for her sake.

"I'll tell you something. The first time Brett and I made love, he was so tentative, it was almost comical. I was self-conscious, my body wasn't that of a young woman any more, and between the two of us, well let's just say it was miscommunication until we both looked at one another and realised there was no reason to worry. No one else was in that room but us, and we both wanted to be there."

"It got better after that, I assume," Liana said, curious now why Peony was sharing her past with Tanner's father.

"Yes it did. He was the best lover I'd ever been with. But you know what? Despite how rough and tough that man could be, forthright and decisive out there—" she pointed towards the barns— "He was very different at home, when it was just us. He needed a woman who wouldn't back down from him, who could push him to let go of that famous West control," Peony said. "It may have been a marriage of companionship in many ways, and only after he died did I realise all the ways he showed me he loved me."

"I am sure part of why he loved you was because you could stand up to that famous West temper too," Liana said, and they both smiled at that.

"I am taking a big bet that Tanner has been so utterly controlled for the past few months, worrying about making sure you are cared for in every way, that it took you accosting him in the stable and dragging him back to the house to tell him it was okay to let go and take."

"Shit, I should just come to you for advice on dealing with that grumpy marshmallow from now on." Liana laughed the moment she said it, and Peony joined her.

They were still hooting like hyenas when a half-asleep Tanner's groggy face appeared into the room, wearing nothing but flannel lounge pants dotted with football league logos.

"What the hell?" he mumbled.

"Hey," Liana said, leaping up and pulling him into the room. "We're having cake. Want some?"

"It's four-thirty in the morning, Liana," he grumbled, eyes darting back and forth between her and Peony. "What are you both doing in here?"

"Talking about you," Liana sassed and he grunted and flopped to the couch, immediately pulling her over. He tugged on the sleeve of his football jersey.

"You found it," he said.

"I went digging. I'm sorry if—"

"It looks good on you, always did," he cut in, and ran a hand over his name and team number stitched in blue and white across the back.

"Peony, why are you up so early?" he asked.

"I don't sleep near as much as I used to. Part of getting older, I guess. Now listen—"

Liana and Tanner shared a glance. Peony was gearing up to say something so Tanner straightened and Liana snuggled in under his arm further. It was nice to have him there, and learning what she did from Peony, she had a whole new appreciation for what he had done.

"I have you two together and not distracted for once," Peony continued. "I've been thinking. I rattle around in this house like a marble in a shoebox. Liana, you are out here so much, I'm surprised you haven't broken your lease and made the move. Now, if you can bear it, I would like to propose something."

Tanner made a sound in his throat and his eyes sharpened on Peony, but she held out a hand and stopped him cold. Liana was quite sure Peony was going to tell them it was okay for her to move in, but they hadn't even had that conversation yet, and she wasn't sure she was ready.

Sure the fantasy of living out here was something she'd carried for a long time, but what did that entail? A lot. A commute into work instead of a walk. Shitty internet. Wind and snowstorms, the noise of calving season, and the dust of summer invading into every pore. But it was also endless summer nights with crickets and fireflies, quiet evenings and the wind in the beech trees. The smell of sweet hay coming in on the wagons, the haunting howl of the coyotes on quiet nights.

Tanner. Every night. Hers.

She'd not crossed that bridge because there were bigger bridges to cross right now, but she wanted to. She loved it here. She loved him. She needed to wait until he was ready, or so she thought. Peony obviously thought otherwise.

"I think you two should have the master suite, and I'll take Brady's old room now that he's over at Caity's full time until they move. I like it, it's much smaller, and would give you both more privacy at the back of the house."

Tanner shot to his feet, and Peony lifted her calm gaze as his temper snapped. "Peony, that isn't up for discussion."

"Oh it very much is Tanner West, so sit your frustratingly dense ass down and listen. You and Liana are together and that isn't changing until you're both grey-haired like me, and likely not even then."

Liana watched Tanner as he took that statement in, and there was no shock, no grumpy frown. Puzzled, she glanced at Peony, who was smiling softly. She now had Tanner's full attention, and had indeed handled that famous West temper like a pro. Liana thought she should be taking notes.

"Peony, really I—" he implored, but she held up a hand and his mouth snapped closed.

"You're the head of this family, whether you like it or not, and this is your home."

"It's your home too," he added, much less abruptly as he dropped back onto the couch.

Liana reached for his hand and held it. Something about how Peony had stated what she wanted to do struck a chord. It wasn't about making sure Tanner could take hold of whatever he needed to at the ranch. This was personal. Memories were fickle things, she and Tanner had learned that recently. Their own history getting in the way of their happiness more than once.

"He's still with you, isn't he," Liana said carefully, touching her breastbone over her heart.

"Yes, exactly," Peony said, and the flash of sadness and emotion crossed her face. "It's time to let his legacy make its own way at this ranch, and that starts with the both of you."

"Did you offer this to Jake?" Tanner asked, looking down at the floor, his thumb restlessly stroking Liana's hand, their fingers joined.

"No. I didn't. Not his to have."

"You'd be okay with moving? I—"

"Yes, my dear, isn't that what I just said? It isn't mine. It was my husband's, and now yours."

Tanner studied his feet, silent at that statement. She wondered if he was arguing because it was his father's space, and that in itself was hard to reconcile. She had no doubt he had completely fucked up feelings about that man, and taking over somewhere he and his wives had been together would dig that up.

He flopped back, blowing a breath out through his lips in what she assumed was frustration. She was overanalyzing it, when in truth Tanner just didn't like change unless it was on his terms.

"I'll shut up if you tell me to, but Tan, maybe this is a good thing? You aren't just his son, you are your own man, and this is your home, not his. He's gone."

That might have been a brutal thing to say, and she bit her lip as his eyebrows shot up. Being blunt right at the beginning would have saved them time in figuring all this shit out, maybe, so she wouldn't apologise.

"I need to think," he said, breaking their hands apart. "Just... Give me a minute."

"Okay," Peony said and rose, stepping over to Tanner. She patted him gently on the cheek, smiling wistfully. She looked over at Liana next.

"Remember what I said, my dear. Now, my day needs to start, so I'll leave you two to talk."

She quietly left the den, and Tanner ran hands through his hair and let out another huge breath. "I swear. Of all the times to ask me that, when I'm half asleep and groggy."

"Is there ever a right time?" Liana asked, and when he rolled his eyes at her, she laughed. "Come on, it's not like she asked you to move out! She just wants to rearrange the furniture a little, and that includes moving you into the big boy room."

"Jesus Liana. It's my father's room, not—"

"It's your room," Liana countered. "And I think it is a good idea."

"You do?"

"Yes, I do. For her sake. She wants to be free of his ghost, and this will help."

"Oh. I hadn't thought of that. But will his ghost still be there when—"

"We can paint, redecorate. Whatever you need, okay?" Liana said quickly and he wearily closed his eyes.

"I'll think about that later. I just came to find you, you weren't in bed and I got worried. I didn't expect this."

"Well, my dear, what did you expect?" she mimicked Peony, and he snorted a laugh, and drew her closer.

"Certainly not my high school sweetheart wearing nothing but my football jersey eating cake," he said, wrapping her up in his arms, and they settled to the couch. The quiet of the house settled over them, the clock ticking on the mantle, the early morning like an intentional bubble of time just for them.

"Mmmm this is nice," Liana murmured. "Can we just stay here forever, have Jake bring us breakfast?" Tanner looked very serious when she turned in his arms to gauge what was going through his head, because he didn't answer. "What is it?"

"What she said about us is true, Li Li."

"What part?" Liana replied. Her heart skipped a beat as his piercing gaze found her. She was caught, held, waiting for the big words from him that would push them further towards that forever Peony had just mentioned. Was she ready for that?

It depended on what he said next.

"I want you here, with me."

"Now hang on, Mister, we haven't talked about—" Liana sputtered, but he leaned in and gently kissed her. She let him because when he said it, it flipped her stomach.

"I want you here. With me. In our home. No matter what the future throws at us, I don't want it to be without you by my side."

She didn't know what to say to that, because that sounded suspiciously like a proposal.

He abruptly stood, and held out a hand. She took it, and he walked her back out, down the hall, through the kitchen and into his bedroom once again. He hadn't said another word, but went into the top of his tall dresser and rummaged for a moment.

She was in nothing but his football jersey, at five am. He was wearing flannel PJs. They were rumpled, and tired, and she was quite certain if he was proposing to her right fucking now, that this was not how either of them pictured it. But, in retrospect, she never had any expectations, so she stood there, watching him mutter and dig.

He turned with a box in his hand and stood in front of her, palming it, studying her, his conviction of moments before was faltering, she could see it in his gestures.

"I don't know how to do this," he started. "I don't have it all figured out and I'm pretty sure I'll get it more wrong than right, but—"

She was right, and her stomach tumbled, her heart sped up, and she swore her knees were shaking. But she took a deep breath and covered his hands with hers. "Tanner, just say it. I've never known you to not just tell it like it is."

He wrapped an arm around her, and put his forehead to hers. "I'm so fucking scared right now."

Liana put her hand on his chest, and his heartbeat thudded out towards her palm, racing away just like hers. She needed to meet him halfway. No more misunderstandings or secrets. No more denying each other the truth.

"Scared of what?" she asked.

"Scared you won't want this yet, after all the crap you went through," he whispered, his voice cracking. "That you aren't ready and I'm fucking it up."

"I'm here, aren't I?" she said, and made him look at her, her fingers on his chin. "I'm yours, cowboy. Always will be. Drama or no drama, we found each other again. I'm going to fight like hell for us, this time. Ready or not, I love you, and that's the draw right now."

He looked down at the box in his slightly shaking fingers, fidgeting with it. He was struggling to find words and she waited. He'd find them eventually. He'd been getting much better at that.

"I don't know how to do this, I just know I want to, and what Peony said is true," he blurted. "You're it, Li Li. I don't want anyone else."

"I think you're supposed to get on one knee and give me some line about being madly in love with me, how you can't live without me, all that crap," she whispered, and tried desperately to hold in her laugh, but couldn't.

"Fine," he huffed and eased down onto his knee. It clicked and he grimaced, and then opened the box, holding it up.

Liana looked down at the sapphire in the box, surrounded by diamonds. This was not a solitaire, but it was breathtaking all the same. She shifted from looking at it, to looking at him, and he was breathing heavily, his hand shaking, his eyes all but bleeding worry out to her.

"Marry me Li Li," he said, his voice raw and raspy.

"Oh for Christ's sake get up," she mumbled. "I was joking about the knee part."

"I'm not. I mean it. Marry me."

She already knew she would say yes, she had realised that inside that horrible office at the quarry. She didn't know when it would happen, but she knew that if he asked, she couldn't say no. Not to Tanner. In all the world, there was one man who understood the dark parts of her that no one else did, and accepted them, and it was him. It had always been him. Even when they'd been apart. She'd always measured against him in some way.

He was still on his knee, and she dropped to her knees, and flew into his arms, tears forming the moment she nodded. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

"Was that a yes?" he asked in her ear as she tried desperately to stop the tears.

"Yes. You know, you're supposed to wait until I look good, with a manicure and all that before you do this," she sniffled and he shook with laughter, the deep rumble meeting her ears as she tightened her hold.

"Jenny can give you one tomorrow. Then you can show off your ring."

"I'll show it off no matter what," she said. "It's beautiful. How long have you been sitting on this?"

He pulled the ring out and slid it on her finger while she held her hand up, both of them still shaking. It was a bit snug, but comfortable, and she spun it to make sure it would come off again. This was not a ring she could wear when she was cutting hair, that was for sure. She had a chain at home it could go on, so it was always with her, if nothing else.

She'd just said yes to Tanner. To marry him. Holy crap.

"Not long. It was my mother's, and it was in the safe deposit box at the bank that mom left Brady," he said as he closed the ring box with a snap and tossed it onto his couch. He picked up her hand and looked at it, and then shifted his focus to her. "Brady didn't think it was Caitlin's style, so he asked me if I wanted it for you."

"When did he do that?"

"The day after I punched Dermott at Catalina's."

"No, you're kidding," she gasped, looking down at it, tilting it so it would sparkle in the soft lighting. It was pretty presumptive of Brady, but then brothers always tried to rile each other up. Tanner must have assumed it was Brady's way of ribbing him about the dustup.

"It was sitting on my dresser the day after that, with a note that said 'just hold onto it for awhile, and then I'll tell you I told you so'. So I just stuffed it in the drawer, cursing him," Tanner said. "Later on today I get to hear that I told you so."

"It'll go straight to his head," Liana muttered, but with a smile because once again Brady had read the situation better than anyone.

"I don't mind. He's always been the one to bring people together, and Lord knows I've tested him on it in the past two years with Jake coming home. I likely should've just swallowed my damned pride and got in your way long before last year."

"I may not have let you," Liana whispered. "My head was messed up about you too."

Tanner took a breath and looked her in the eye.

"I never stopped loving you Liana, even when I wasn't sure what it was I felt when you were around me. I should have chosen you that night all those years ago, I should have—"

That was a big speech for him, and her heart skipped a beat and she put her fingers over his lips to stop him. "You were given an impossible choice and you chose the path that mattered, your family. But we're here now, and you don't ever have to make that choice again," she replied.

He lowered himself down on both knees and pulled her into his lap, gathering her up, silent at her statement, which was fine. She had forgiven him long ago, and now, she hoped he could forgive himself.

"Come on, cowboy, up you get, your knee has to be killing you," Liana said a few moments later, and unravelled herself from him, pulling him up by the hand. He wrapped his arms around her as they stood and pulled her close.

"So, just to be clear, this—" Tanner added, gesturing between them, "Was never an impulsive, spur of the moment thing, for me at least."

He'd thrown her line back at her, and she completely deserved it. It had taken thirteen years to get to where they were now, give or take. Second chances were a rare thing, and they had theirs now. He dipped his head down to her, lips brushing against hers.

"I won't argue with that," she said, and kissed him.

The End