“Nothing more?” I asked nervously as I tried to move it.
“Nothing more. You’ll take it easy for a couple of weeks, and then you’ll be back good as new.”
Relief flooded me.
I had no idea what I’d done to it. All I knew was it hurt like hell, and I couldn’t walk on it.
“Okay,” I replied with a cough, and Kellie wriggled out of my arms.
“Where are you going?”
Kellie didn’t answer. Instead, she walked over to the jug on the small table against the wall and filled a paper cup before adding a straw.
“Drink this. It’ll help with your throat,” she instructed, waiting until I managed to sit up before handing it to me. “Better?” she asked hopefully.
“Much. Now get back here.” I growled, handing her the cup and opening up my arms.
“Your knee…” she started to protest.
“Is fine. Up here now, Marshmallow,” I repeated, scooting over on the bed to make room.
Once she was tucked up beside me, nothing else mattered. I had no idea how much we’d lost, how it started, or even where that damn bull was, but I didn’t care. I had the woman who owned me in my arms, and our daughter was safe. Everything else was bullshit. Barns could be rebuilt. Bulls replaced. But Kellie and Cassie, they were irreplaceable.
“Jake?”
“Mmm?” I replied sleepily.
“I love you.”
“Love you too,” I answered, not wanting her to ever doubt it.
“I don't want to wait. We’ve lost so much time already, and we could’ve lost so much more today. Marry me, Jake.”
Kellie’s words floored me.
Beside me, the damn machine I was plugged into went crazy.
I didn’t know what to say.
Well, I did. I’d planned out what I’d wanted to say a million times, but not once did I ever think Kellie would beat me to it.
“Marshmallow,” I replied softly, trying to turn her in my arms so she faced me. “I was supposed to be the one to ask you. You and Cassie. I had a plan.”
“You were going to ask me?” The surprise in her voice annoyed me.
“I was. As soon as our house was finished, I was going to ask you to move in with me. To marry me. To let me be a dad to Cassie. I wanted to give you my surname. A home. The world.”
“Oh.”
“I wanted to give you your ring.” I smiled down at her.
“Jake, I don’t need any of that. I just need you,” Kellie replied.
“You’ve got me. Today. Tomorrow. And forever. I’m yours, Marshmallow. Yours and Cassie’s. You’re my second-chance family, and I’m never letting you go.”
Epilogue
Kellie
