Within the hour, we had our marriage license.Within three days, almost to the minute, we were getting married at the courthouse.The entire Silver family was there, along with my parents and my brother.When the judge pronounced us officially bound by marriage, Jude stepped closer, palming my cheek before pressing a kiss to my forehead, then my lips, and murmuring,I love youagain and again.
Hot tears were rolling down my cheeks.I didn’t usually cry in front of people, but it was that kind of day.The courthouse staff even let Travis come in for the ceremony.
Who knew a wedding with a husky howling in the courthouse would go viral online when one of the court clerks posted it?Jude and I didn’t spend much time online, but it was all over town, and everyone was thrilled.
That afternoon, Jude took my hand and walked me out to an older cabin on the Heartfire Falls property.“I didn’t even know this was here,” I said as my gaze arced around.
“It’s not too far away from the main resort, but we really need to do some upgrades.What do you think?”he asked.
“Well, it’s got the basics,” I said slowly.
The cabin had a living room, an efficiency kitchen, two bedrooms, and a bathroom, along with a mudroom in the back with space for laundry.
“I’ll work on it in my spare time,” he added.
“Jude, you have no spare time,” I pointed out with an eye roll.
“Yeah, but I have five brothers.”
I threw my head back with a laugh.Just when I caught my breath, he kissed me.That evening, we had dinner with his family.This was my life now.
When we fell asleep later, Jude smoothed his hand over the curve of my shoulder and down my side before it came to rest on my belly.
“You’re mine to hold every night,” he whispered.
Epilogue
Adele Jacks
“What the…?”I sputtered, lifting a hand to shield my eyes.“Are you a wolverine?”I asked aloud.
The wolverine in question eyed me with not even an iota of concern in its penetrating gaze.I glanced behind me to see a snowshoe hare frozen in place.
“Oh, I’m between you and your dinner.I don’t think so.”I rested my hands on my hips and straightened, as if I could somehow intimidate one of the least-intimidatable animals alive.
But let’s get real—how long was I going to have a standoff with a wolverine?
I let out a startled yelp and almost jumped out of my skin at the sound of a man’s voice from behind me.“Do you normally talk to wolverines?”
I spun around, slipping a little in the slushy snow of late winter.Turning more fully, I narrowed my eyes at the man who had appeared at the edge of the trees.
“Do you normally sneak up on women who are alone in the woods?”I countered sharply.
When the man got closer, my body felt like I’d collided with an electric fence.The jolt of energy was so unexpected, I almost stumbled again.Piercing blue eyes met mine under shaggy dark hair falling across his forehead.His cheekbones angled sharply, his skin ruddy from the cold.Of course, he had to have a sharp-edged jaw.The shadow of stubble only emphasized that edge.
He moved with an easy, rangy grace, and his inky brows rose as he stopped a few feet away.He wore battered hiking boots and jeans.A long-sleeved T-shirt peeked out from under an unzipped windbreaker.
“I don’t normally sneak up on anyone,” he said, “but then I don’t usually find strangers on my property.”
I lifted my chin.“What do you mean?This is a public trail.”
He shook his head slightly, and heat rose in my cheeks.“The woman at the coffee shop told me it was,” I offered, gesturing vaguely toward town.
“Luna?”At my nod, he continued, “Ah.She probably did.It’s sort of public.Luna’s a friend.”
“Oh.”I didn’t usually get flustered.I was used to doing things on my own.Ilikeddoing things on my own.I was an Alaskan girl through and through—born and raised.This just happened to be one of the few areas in the massive state I hadn’t explored yet.
My lifelong goal was to hike in every park in Alaska.This area was close to Katmai National Park, so I planned to spend a few weeks here this spring before coming back in the summer to fly over to Katmai.
