Ruby flew down the steps. He caught her, pulled her tight against his chest. Neither bothered to hide their tears.
"I'm so damn proud of you, Ruby-girl." Danny's voice cracked. "So damn proud."
"I love you." Ruby's words were muffled against his shoulder.
"I love you too. Always have. Always will."
He held her for a long moment, his hand cradling the back of her head like she was still eight years old and he was still trying to figure out how to raise his brother's daughter.
The whole room watched this healing, this family coming back together. I stood on the stage, giving them space, watching with my own eyes burning.
When Danny finally released Ruby, he turned to me. I stepped down, extended my hand.
He pulled me into a hard, brief hug instead. His grip was fierce—a father protecting his daughter, a man entrusting me with what mattered most.
"You take care of her," Danny said, his voice thick. "She's everything to me."
"I will. I swear it."
"And thank you. For all of it." His eyes held mine. "For seeing what this place could be. For giving her a real chance. For making things right."
I nodded. He'd trusted me with his mountain. Now he was trusting me with his girl.
Danny pulled back, gripped my shoulder once, then returned to Ruby for another quick hug before stepping back into the crowd.
More applause. Several people approaching with congratulations.
"I TOLD everyone that auction was divinely inspired!" Evelyn's voice rang out over the microphone. "Love was definitely in the air!"
Laughter spread through the gathering.
We spent the next twenty minutes accepting congratulations. One of the veterans gripped my hand hard. "Thank you. For the fundraiser. For bringing the Flynns back to the mountain. It matters."
"It does," I agreed.
Ruby accepted hugs from people who'd known her since childhood, her face glowing with genuine happiness.
After a while, Ruby leaned close.
"Can we get some air? Just for a minute?"
"Absolutely."
We slipped out the back terrace doors. The February cold hit immediately, but the covered terrace had heat lamps glowing overhead. The sun was setting beyond the mountains, painting everything pink and gold.
Ruby walked to the railing. I followed, pulling her back against my chest, wrapping my arms around her.
"Flynn's Table," she said softly. "I can't believe you chose that name."
"Seemed right. Honors your parents, honors Danny, but makes it yours to build."
She turned in my arms, looking up at me. "Thank you. For all of it. For not giving up on me even when I was awful."
"You weren't awful. You were hurt and scared and protecting yourself the only way you knew how." I brushed a tear from her cheek. "But you're not scared anymore."
"No." Her smile was radiant. "I'm not. I know exactly what I want now."
"Yeah? What's that?"
