Nash dropped to his knees beside Amy, pulling her into his arms. “You’re okay. You’re okay. You’re okay.”
Amy clung to him and sobbed.
“Shh.” He drew circles in her back. “It’s okay. It’s all over now.”
After a bit, she pulled back, looking up at him through her tears. “I prayed so hard that God would help you guys. That he would … save me. I was so scared. But I’m grateful.”
Nash felt tears blur his own vision. “Hedidsave you. And by saving you, he saved me too.” He pressed his lips to hers, pouring all of his fear and relief into the kiss.
She kissed him back, her arms wrapping around his neck as if she never intended to let him go.
Around them, the sounds of the aftermath began—Porter barking orders into his radio, the distant wail of sirens approaching. But for Nash, nothing else mattered.
When they finally broke apart, Nash rested his forehead against hers, both of them breathing hard. “I love you,” he whispered, the words spilling out before he could stop them. “I love you.”
Amy let out a light laugh. “Good, because I love you, too.”
CHAPTER 27
Amy stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror, hardly recognizing the woman looking back at her. Her blonde hair was still damp from the shower, curling slightly at the ends, and Cheyenne’s borrowed T-shirt and shorts hung loose on her smaller frame. But it wasn’t the ill-fitting clothes that made her feel like a stranger to herself—it was the light in her eyes.
For the first time in eight years, she looked truly alive.
The events of the day felt surreal, like something from a dream she might wake up from at any moment. This morning she’d been kneeling in a cemetery with a gun to her head, certain she was about to die. Now she was safe, surrounded by the most extraordinary families she’d ever known, and Nash had told her he loved her.
Nash loved her. The words still sent a warm flutter through her chest every time she thought them. Two miracles in one day—her life and love. More than she’d dared hope for in years of running and hiding.
The sound of laughter and conversation drifted down the hallway from the kitchen, pulling Amy from her reflection. She could hear the familiar voices of the Cross and Stone families,the easy banter and affection that seemed to flow so naturally between them all.
Taking a deep breath, Amy padded down the hall toward the kitchen.
As she appeared in the doorway, the room suddenly erupted into applause.
“There she is!” Colt called out, his voice booming over the clapping.
Amy felt heat rush to her cheeks, overwhelmed by the attention. Before she could retreat, Nash was at her side, his arm sliding around her waist as he pressed a gentle kiss to her temple. “You deserve every bit of this,” he murmured.
Porter stood, raising his glass and whistling.
The room gradually quieted as all eyes turned to him.
“A toast to Amy, who left us the clues we needed and figured out what we couldn’t see ourselves.” His expression grew more serious. “And to God, for His protection and guidance today. We wouldn’t be here without Him watching over us.”
Nash’s arms tightened around Amy as every person in the room raised their glasses.
“To Amy!” they chorused, followed by a resounding “Hurrah!”
Tears pricked at Amy’s eyes as she looked around the room full of faces—people who had risked their lives for her, who had welcomed her into their extraordinary world without question. “And thank you,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “To all of you. You saved my life today, and I—” She swallowed hard, trying to find words adequate for describing what she felt. “I’ll never be able to repay what you’ve done for me.”
“Family doesn’t keep score,” Sadie said warmly, appearing at Amy’s elbow with a heaping plate of food. “Now sit down and eat something. You’ve had quite a day.”
Amy accepted the plate gratefully, allowing Nash to guide her to an empty chair beside him at the crowded table. The kitchen buzzed with conversation as everyone resumed their meals, and Amy found herself marveling at how normal it all felt despite the extraordinary circumstances that had brought them together.
“This is incredible,” Amy said to Sadie after taking her first bite of what appeared to be homemade fried chicken. “Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome, honey,” Sadie replied with a smile that reminded Amy of sunshine. “Porter may run the ranch, but I run the kitchen.”
Amy laughed, feeling some of the day’s tension finally start to ease from her shoulders. She was safe. She was loved. She was surrounded by people who would move heaven and earth to protect each other.
