Despite all of the chaos around me, I feel completely at peace. I don’t know what’s going on. I don’t know how these problems are going to be resolved, but I know that here in Courage County, we’ll figure it out together.
There’s the soft sound of footsteps. I turn around, my gaze drinking in the sight of Dalton. He looks so handsome in his faded flannel and blue jeans. His work boots have some mud on them. His jeans are obviously wet. He looks exhausted, but his eyes crinkle at the corners when he smiles at me.
“How are you?” I ask the moment I see him. He’s been working since we arrived early this morning, and it shows in his weary stance.
“Hating whoever installed the polybutylene pipes in this place. They made me miss out on spending time with my woman tonight.”
My heart skips a beat at the way he calls me his woman. I’ve spent my life looking for where I belong, and I think I’ve found it right here.
He holds out his hand. “I didn’t have time to change. I had the suit picked out, and everything was going to be perfect. But I didn’t have a chance before the pipe burst.”
“It was you,” I say softly.
He pulls the letter I wrote earlier today from his pocket and gives me a soft smile. “Of course, it was me. No one else will ever love you the way I do. I’m in love with you, and I will be for the rest of time.”
I can’t help smiling at him. “You love me?”
“I wanted you since the first moment I laid eyes on you. You’re beautiful and perfect, and a man would have to be insane not to want you.” He puts his hands on my hips and pulls me close. He stares deep into my eyes. “I look at you, and I see my future. You’re my heartbeat, my forever. Let me be your home, and I swear to you I will always be your safe place, the shelter where you can run.”
Tears slip down my cheeks. “Dalton, I love you so much.”
He stops me by putting one calloused finger against my lips. “Hold on one second. I want to do this right.”
Then he drops to one knee and pulls out a jewelry box.
I gasp and put a hand over my chest, barely able to believe it as happiness bubbles up deep within me. He opens the box and swallows once.
He calls my full name. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I promise to always let you spy on me when I’m shirtless and unsuspecting.”
I chuckle through the happy tears. “I get to spy on you for life?”
“As long as you’ll marry me. I want to be your husband more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life. Would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
I whisper the word yes over and over again as he slides the ring on my finger. He gets to his feet and pulls me into a crushing kiss, clutching me so close that there’s nothing between us, not even air. There’s only the fusion of our two bodies underneath the moonlight.
I had no idea that when I came to Courage County, I would find my forever. But this small town has captured my heart, and this big, burly lumberjack has captured my soul.
Chapter 12
Dalton
“Hold still and stop wriggling,” Bronco says to Rex as he finally manages to secure the bowtie to my dog’s collar.
I’m getting married today and Max and Rex are in the wedding with me. They’re going to be standing right at the front, along with Bronco, my best man.
It’s been four days since I proposed to Bree. I know it’s a whirlwind engagement, but she told me she didn’t want to wait to be married, and I didn’t either. When you find the one, you know.
Fortunately, everyone at the retirement home and Courage County stepped in to help make this beautiful dream of getting married come true.
Mallory from Sew Cute worked around the clock to make wedding dress alterations for my woman. Lauren took care of the flowers. Elaine let us use the grounds. Everything came together perfectly.
I focus my attention on Cord. “Have you seen Flint? He hasn’t shown up yet.”
“He’s probably in a corner somewhere, eating crayons,” Cord mutters.
“Go find him,” I grump, and Cord hurries from the room, leaving me alone with Bronco.
He finishes adjusting the bowtie and gets to his feet, knees creaking.
