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"Marry me? I don't have a ring. I didn't want to be away from you long enough to go get one, but we can pick one out together. I love you, and now, with my brother's blessing, there is nothing I want more. Marry me, and let me be your rock through all this. Whatever you want to do, I will make it happen. We can stay here or we can move anywhere. I just want to be with you." I hold her hands in mine.
"Jake, you can't be serious. We just started..."
"If you aren't ready, that's fine. Just know I'm not going anywhere, and I will ask you again and again until you are ready."
She studies my face, her brows pinched.
"You're serious?" she asks.
"When it comes to spending the rest of my life with you, I've never been more serious," I tell her.
"I love you too, and I'd love to marry you, but I'm not planning anything until I'm out of here," she says in a mock stern voice.
Jumping up, I pull her into my arms.
"I am okay with that, just as long as you agree to marry me. I can wait." Then I pull her into a passionate kiss that signals the start of our forever.
I can't wait to see what is in store for us, but I know together we can do anything.
Epilogue
Caden
Jake had told me about Oakside many times over the phone over the last few years. But being here in person and seeing it for myself, I actually get it.
How different could things have been for him if there had been a place like this when he needed it? But he’s thriving now, and so is Kassi.
In less than a week, I have to head back to the base for my second deployment. While I'm in town, I’m supporting both of them. Today is a big day for Kassi. She’s finally getting her therapy dog.
Jake's boss, Easton, met his wife here as well, and she trains the therapy dogs for most of the men and women that come out of Oakside. According to Easton, Kassi just got approval the other day, and Paisley already had a dog in mind.
Right now, Kassi is meeting Dolly. If it’s a match, they will start their training together. They've been playing in the backyard of Oakside for about half an hour now and Dolly seems to be taken by Kassi. Jake has had a huge smile on his face the entire time they've been playing.
Another milestone Dolly had to pass was that she get along with Atticus. So far, that seems to be the case. Jake and Atticus both approve of Dolly, so it looks like she's here to stay.
I'm standing on the back porch out of the way but enjoying watching all the activity. I've thrown the ball around for Dolly a few times, and that seems to have made me an okay person in her book.
“It looks like Paisley has made another good match, huh?”
The most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen steps up beside me on the porch. She's young, possibly way too young for me. Is she even eighteen? Fuck, but is she gorgeous.
“Yeah, it seems so,” I say. How do you know them? Do you have someone here you're visiting?”
She giggles, and it's such a sweet sound.
“I visit everyone. While I attend college in Savannah, I volunteer at Oakside. It’s one of the rules for me to stay with my brother while I'm in school. Not that I can complain. I love being able to help out here.”
“What are you going to school for?” I ask, wanting to keep her talking.
“Photography and Business. I’m in my fourth year.”
“So, do you want to photograph weddings and stuff?” I’m curious, plus I want to study her face some more.
“There's money in wedding photography, but I don't just want to photograph people. I've been photographing food for the last few years for an online publication. And I really love landscape photography. Animals are fun, too. But people, not so much.”
I laugh at the cute way she crinkles her nose when she says people. But what really captures my attention is how her eyes light up when she talks about photographing landscapes. It’s obvious where her true passion lies.
“You should go with what makes you happy. Life’s too short to be stuck in a miserable career,” I give her my honest opinion.
