Rover trots back into the room and drops a bone at Clint’s feet, looking like he’s ready for a reward.
“Seriously?” Clint asks, looking down at the bone in exasperation. “You’ve been eating sandwiches, now you’re going for bones?”
Rover gives him the sweetest, most innocent head tilt. He’s just doing his job.
“Good job, Rover.” I laugh, patting the dog’s head. “And thank you, I guess.”
Clint shakes his head. “He’s got a one-track mind.” He looks at me, and that soft, knowing smile of his makes my heart skip. “We all do, don’t we?”
Everything feels exactly as it should. We’ve found our rhythm. Our place.
And there’s no turning back now.
CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR
Sawyer
We’ve been planningthis for a while, the three of us. More than just a proposal. More than just one simple “Will you marry me?”
Because it’s never been simple for us. It’s always been more than that.
It’s been a journey. A complicated, beautiful, messy, amazing journey. Dakota, Charlie, Clint, Reid, and me… we’ve been building something together. Something stronger than any of us thought possible.
And tonight? Tonight is the night we make it official.
Well, hopefully.
I’m standing in the kitchen, trying to look calm while the chaos swirls around me. But I’m anything but calm. My heart’s racing.
Reid’s outside, finishing up some final touches. Clint’s on the patio, double checking the setup.
And Charlie… well, Charlie’s been carrying around a small, velvet box for an hour now, acting like he’s got the biggest secret in the world.
“Everything’s ready?” I call out to Clint through the open window.
“Almost,” Clint replies, sounding as cool as ever. But I know him too well; he’s just as excited as the rest of us.
Reid gives me a thumbs up from the doorway, and I give him a nod. We’re getting close now. I canfeelit.
I’ve always known that Dakota’s the one for me. She’s my heart. But so are Clint and Reid. They always have been.
We’ve built something strong together. And now, we’re finally ready to take the next step as one.
She’s in the living room with Charlie, laughing at something he said. That laugh of hers, it still catches me off guard. It’s the sound of everything falling into place.
But I can’t get too caught up in that now, because Reid is ushering me outside.
I head out to the backyard, beside Clint and Reid. My heart’s thudding in my chest, but it’s not fear I’m feeling. It’s anticipation.
It’s the certainty that this is right. That this is what we were meant for.
The three of us stand together, waiting for her, and I feel that fluttering excitement, the kind that makes you believe anything is possible.
Clint glances at me, and I give him a nod. We’re ready.
It’s Clint who calls her outside first. His voice is calm, but I know him well enough to hear the emotion underneath.
“Dakota. Can you come here for a moment?”
