She Didn't Have Time

What Do You Say?

They continue to ride until they come up to a clearing, a large rock in the field. It didn't look like much but this spot had been a cornerstone for the Dutton family. It's where his father had married his mother, where he'd proposed to Evelyn, and even where his father had died there in his arms. Now, it was adorned with a white arch, a few wooden chairs lined up on either side of a makeshift aisle and a few blue roses adorning the archway. He slides off the horse and pulls (y/d/n) into his arms, watching the look of awe on her face as he carries her over and sits in one of the chairs with her in his lap. "Mr. John, this is so pretty! I've seen stuff like this on the tv! Who's getting hitched?" She asks with bright, wide eyes, filled with the awe and joy that only a child could have. He laughs at her choice of words, thinking maybe she'd spent too much time around his ranch hands when words like hitched come out of her little mouth. He looks down at her and gives her a soft smile before pulling a ring box out of his chest pocket. "Well, sugar, I hope I am if your mama agrees to it." He grins as the little girl squeals and claps excitedly, looking at the ring. "It's so pretty, Mr. John! Mama better say yes! If she doesn't, I will." She gives him a no nonsense look, again, looking so much like her mother. "I take it then, little one, that you'd be okay with that. With me marrying your mama and you two staying here with me?" He asks softly, taking the little girl's hand in his. He'd come to feel for her the same way he did Beth. Another man may have given her life, but she was his girl. Always would be. He gently wipes the happy tears from the littles girl's face as she nods. "Of course I would! I like it here. It's home." She says simply and looks up at him with soft, pleading eyes, biting her tiny lip nervously. "Does this mean..could I...are you gonna be my daddy now?" She finally asks after struggling to find the right words. He smiles and kisses her forehead before pulling out another ring box from his coat, a much tinier one. He opens it and takes out the tiny silver ring with the words "best girl" inscribed on the band. "I already am, sweet girl. My blood may not run through your veins, but you're my little girl. You're my best girl, (y/d/n)." He smiles and slides the ring on her finger and hugs her tightly as she cries against his chest. After several minutes she finally settles and he pulls back. "I have an important job for you. Do you think you could do it for me?" 

(Y/N) had busied herself with cleaning up the house while John was out riding with her daughter. She'd picked up the little girl's room, straightening everything up and gathered the dirty laundry off the floor. Since they'd moved in here, her sweet, tidy little angel had started acting more and more like a rough and tumble ranch hand. Her clothes and shoes stayed wherever she kicked them off and if it wasn't food, horses or John, she wasn't interested in it. She laughs as she takes the clothes to the laundry room, jumping slightly as she sees Beth there. "Okay, Cinderella. Enough house work. We're going out. Come on." Beth doesn't give her time to argue, just simply grabs her keys and heads out the door to the car, expecting (Y/N) to follow which she does. Beth had slowly accepted her and her daughter, but they were by far from best friends, so the sudden offer to go into town with her put her on edge just a bit. She gets in the car and looks over at Beth. "Is this the part where you threaten me or maybe just dump me on the side of the road somewhere?" She asks only half joking, eyeing the younger woman nervously. Beth lets out a laugh and lights up a cigarette. "Oh, sweet cheeks, if I was going to do that, I'd have done it a long time ago. Who do you think painted your daughter's room or picked out all the furniture for it? Daddy sure as hell didn't. He wouldn't know what a little girl wanted if it slapped him in the face." She laughs and drives into town, parking at the salon. "You work your ass off every day around the house and ranch and then work the diner too, is it so bad that I want to treat you to a girl's day?" Beth asks, laughing again as (Y/N) gives her a disbelieving look. "Honestly, Beth, from you, yes!" She says with a laugh and gets out, heading into the salon with her. After a manicure and pedicure, she thought they'd be done but then Beth hands her a simple white and pink floral sundress and winks. "Go put this on and then we're doing your hair. Gotta get you ready for date night tonight." She winks and pats her ass, sending her off to get dressed while telling the stylist what she wanted for (Y/N)'s hair. She never thought she'd be doing this, secretly getting her father's future wife ready for a wedding the poor woman didn't even know about. But here she was, doing just that. She had hated the woman at first, but as she'd seen how much happier her father was with her around, she'd slowly grown accustomed to the idea of him loving someone again, of the possibility of (Y/N) sticking around. She looks up as the other woman comes out of the bathroom, the dress fitting her perfectly. "You look gorgeous. Now, hair." She pushes her into the chair gently and watches as the stylist gets to work.