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“But?” I ask and he laughs.

“I like you, always have, just…” He looks at Jude who’s standing at the window, eyes on us, then back at me. “He’s one of the best men I know, he…” He exhales. “His heart.” He shakes his head and I know what he means. My eyes tear up as I stare at him and hope he sees the truth in mine. “Dex.”

He looks at me. “I love him, so much it scares the shit out of me, and for someone who has already loved this much and lost…believe me when I say this. I will cherish his big strong heart from now until I die and as long as he’ll have me, I’m not going anywhere because your brother?” Dex waits. “He’s my home.” I shrug. “And Dex?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for caring so much for him.” Dex smiles. “He’s my brother.”

“I know it must have been hard.” I blink away tears. “I needed to find myself, Jude deserved to be loved by someone who knows herself and is one hundred percent sure of who she is and what she wants. If I’d stayed in August…” I shake my head. “He was the glue keeping me together back then, and I think I loved him then too—I just…” I swallow. “I needed to love me again too.”

Dex pulls me into his arms. “Hope you know we all love you too, Nora.”

I hug him back. “I know.”

Dex lets go of me and I see Lexy has walked outside with Jude. He takes Lexy’s hand. And I am grateful that the man I love so much has a family that looks out for him.

“You ok?” Jude pulls me into his arms and I smile up at him. “More than ok, Grumpy.”

Suddenly someone starts to make some noise. “All right, all right.” Ethan stands up on a chair at the big table and everyone goes still. “Summer and I have an announcement to make.” He smiles down at his wife and takes Mia’s hand too. “Our family of three will soon be a family of four!” The whole room explodes. “Oh my God, my heart!” Lily cries as she hugs them both. “More grand-babies.” Josh blinks away some tears as he hugs them too.

This is it…

This is the loud, happy, full, chaotic life I want.

And I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.

CHAPTER 27

Eleonora

SIX MONTHS LATER

Kisses on my bare shoulder wake me. Warm, strong arms are wrapped around me, Jude’s scent surrounding me as his lips move lazily over my skin.

“Morning, Grumpy.” I smile as I turn to face him.

Even like this, with sleepy green eyes and messy curls sticking out in every direction, he is so fucking handsome. He doesn’t say anything at first, just watches me while his fingertips trail over my shoulder.

“Mornin’.”

He brushes his nose against mine, and I smile. God, I could stay here forever. Just like this, tangled beneath the sheets with his arms around me, morning light coming through the window and nowhere else I need to be.

Forever.

The word settles somewhere inside me.

Six months have gone by since I came back to Lander. Six months of loving Jude Hawthorne. Of waking up beside him, riding with him, working beside him, having dinner with his family, fighting over stupid things and laughing about them five minutes later. His hand finding mine beneath tables and his quiet You okay? whenever he thinks something is wrong.

I never thought life could feel this good again. That I could be this happy, this loved. But I am, and as I stare into those sleepy green eyes, something clicks into place so easily I almost laugh.

I want this forever.

I kiss the tip of his nose. “Jude?”

His eyes search mine, and just like that, the thought becomes a decision. My stomach flips. I know in my heart that it’s right, but apparently knowing something is right doesn’t stop nerves from trying to strangle you.

I bite my lip. How the hell do I even say this?