“Does this mean you’ll marry me?” he asked, hardly daring to believe her answer would be yes.
“I will.” Tears sprang from the corners of her eyes again, and Cole laughed.
“Please don’t cry,” he said.
She laughed. “Oh, just kiss me already, will you?”
He didn’t need to hear that twice. Pulling one of his hands from hers, he pressed it to the back of her head and leaned in closer. He paused for just a second, a fraction of an inch away from her lips as her eyes fluttered shut. He was so incrediblythankful. For this moment, for Marian, for the path his life had taken.
When their lips met, it was as if clouds parted in his mind. All that was left was sunshine and bright blue skies. She was soft and perfect—and she was his.
He twined his hand through her hair as her lips parted. She sighed against him, and he held her as if his very life depended upon her being close to him.
He could want for nothing more than this. All that had come before was merely the path he had to take to get here—to the right place at the right time.
Here in Last Chance, his future was with Marian. And nothing could be more right than that.
Epilogue
Spring 1897
“Thank you, Zachary.” Marian smiled at the little boy as she stepped through the door with his lunch basket in her hand.
“Are you helping today, Mama?” he asked, and Marian’s heart melted yet again.
It had been over a year since she and Cole had married, and almost twelve months since they’d agreed to adopt Zachary Hardison. His father had declared—loudly and often—after his arrest that he no longer wanted the child. And when Cole had come home with the idea that they might take him in, Marian had readily agreed.
He’d only called herMamafor a few weeks now, and it filled her heart with joy every time she heard it.
“Yes, I’m coming by after school to work with Tommy and a couple of the other older children,” she said as Zachary took her hand.
They’d only made it a few steps when Cole appeared from around the corner. As usual, Zachary’s eyes lit up when he saw Cole. He had yet to call him Papa—likely because the memory of his father was still too recent and painful—but he adored Cole.
“Zachary!” Cole smiled and clapped him gently on the shoulder. “Escorting your mother to school, I see. I trust you’re keeping her and your little sister well protected?”
Zachary straightened his shoulders. “I am,” he said seriously.
