She leaned up and pressed her lips against his.The touch helped to solidify the vows he’d just made to her.Lottie knew that he might falter at times, as would she, but as long as they kept their promise to get back up and always fight for one another, she had every reason to be hopeful about their future.Nate leaned into the kiss, deepening and warming Lottie from the inside out.She was always like an ice cube on a summer day where Nate was concerned, and as she melted, so too did any concerns about the two of them.Their past would always be a part of them, but it would no longer dictate how they moved forward.
Their lips parted, Lottie missing his touch immediately, but the blissful smile on his face was worth the price.Nate beamed down at her.“Thank you for always believing in me.”Nate hopped up off the chest and held his hand out to her, pulling up and into his arms for a hug.“You are the most wonderful person I have ever known and I’m going to marry you someday, Charlotte Adams.Just so you know.”
Lottie smiled, wondering if she should risk saying too much.But Nate would always be worth every risk.“Why wait for someday?”She ran her fingers through his beard, loving the thought of being able to do it every day for the rest of their lives.“I would marry you tomorrow if you asked me to.”
Nate raised a brow.“Really?”Lottie nodded and his gaze became thoughtful.“Well, I happen to know a judge who might skirt the three day waiting period for a license.You don’t happen to know what Judge Meyers’s favorite baked good is, do you?”
Lottie smiled and looped her arm through Nate’s as they walked down the stairs.It might seem crazy to promise herself to him so quickly, but she’d belonged to Nate for so long she didn’t see the need to wait in making it official.“I might, but the information will cost you.”
“Whatever the cost, I am more than happy to pay.”Nate leaned over and kissed her deeply, and as Lottie sank into the kiss, she amended her earlier statement.There may be such a thing as too much love, but whatever the price she had to pay for it was worth it because at the end of the day, she had Nate.Their love may be too much at times, but luckily, they were both strong enough to carry that blessing.
Epilogue
Nate
One Year Later
The chilly air of New Year’s Eve couldn’t dampen Nate’s spirits as he gazed around the newly completed town square.Because of Lottie’s generous donation to the project and her ability to charm just about everyone, including a very grumpy construction foreman, everything was completed far more quickly than Nate could have hoped.Now he, his wife, his family, and the rest of the town gathered to ring in the New Year by dedicating the renovated square.As he looked around the crowd, Nate’s eyes automatically zeroed in on his loved ones.
Aiden and Nicole held each other lovingly in the company of Felix and Autumn.Both couples were now married.While Aiden and Nicole’s wedding had been quite the event due to her father’s connections and fame, Felix and Autumn had opted to elope to Vegas.It had been difficult for their mother to accept, but after a promise to record the entire ceremony, Elvis tribute song and all, she relented that they had to do what was right for them.Nearby, Travis had Kit on his shoulders, the little girl covering his ears to help keep the noise level down for him while her mother leaned against the big man.Travis’s hand rested on Parker’s baby bump, a wide smile on his face at having gotten everything he wanted.
Nate turned back to his wife who was busy chatting away with Willa, occasionally breaking from their conversation to coo at baby Mason who was wriggling in his mama’s arms.His mouth pulled into a wide smile.Every day he woke up next to the most incredible woman and he spent the first minute of each of those days thanking whatever higher power existed for her forgiveness and belief in him.After a visit to Judge Meyers, lemon bars in hand and the word please on their lips, Nate and Lottie did indeed get married the day after they’d reconciled.Even Kemp was in attendance, and while Nate felt bad that Lottie’s parents weren’t involved, she didn’t seem to mind it.In fact, it was so obvious to him that she had already been part of his family long before then that he could see why that might be the case.
Nate felt a bump against his shoulder, turning to see Beckett smiling proudly at him.“Ready for your big speech?”
Beckett was in attendance not just as Nate’s brother, but as the new fire chief for Applewood.It had always been a foregone conclusion that he would end up as such, but even so, it was sometimes strange to see the same guy who had given Nate the occasional wedgie with so much authority.Then again, he could say the same thing about himself.Being the mayor of a small town had been no easy feat, and while he was looking forward to running for a second term, Nate couldn’t help but wonder if the woman to his right was a better fit for the job,
Beckett jostled him again, pulling him from his thoughts of the future.“You okay, Bro?Need me to fetch some Dramamine?”
Nate shoved his brother lightly.“I’m not nauseous.”He placed his hand against his stomach, feeling it roil with nervous energy.“Well, not too nauseous.”
Lottie leaned over into their conversation.“Here you go,” she said, slipping a peppermint into his hand.After kissing his cheek, she gave him an encouraging smile.“You’re going to be amazing.”
Nate looked at his wife, in awe of how lucky he was to have her.“If you believe it, I believe it.”
After a brief kiss to Lottie’s lips, Nate stepped up to the microphone and signaled for the high school band to cut the festive music they had poured out onto the square from their place on the newly constructed stage.
