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“Oh my god,” she whispered. “What are you doing?”
Nash must have slipped him the ring already because he pulled it from his pocket and held it in his hand. “You know I’m a man of few words, so I’ll keep it short.”
Everyone chuckled, and I glanced over to see Lincoln, Brinkley, and Tia standing beside Romeo’s mom and grandmother, and they were all smiling.
“I love you, Demi. I love you so much it hurts sometimes. But you know I can take pain like a champ.” His voice was all tease,and everyone laughed, including Demi, who decided to take that moment to drop down on her knees in front of him.
“Baby, I’m kind of doing my thing. What are you doing down here?” he asked, and everyone was smiling at them.
“I want to be close to you.” She swiped at the tears running down her face, and I turned to look at Ruby, who was crying just as hard.
This strong woman, who could handle just about anything, had a tender heart beneath it all. Something I’d come to recognize and cherish.
My woman was strong and brave and caring and sensitive all at the same time.
And I fucking loved it.
I wrapped an arm around her shoulders, and she leaned into me, like she couldn’t get close enough.
“I want to wake up with you every day and fall asleep with you every night and build our home together that we’ll fill with lots of kids when you’re ready. Will you marry me, baby?”
Demi threw her arms around Romeo’s neck and hugged him as she shouted out a very clearyes,and everyone whistled and hollered. He slipped the ring onto her finger and pulled her to her feet before tipping her head back and kissing her.
I found Ruby’s hand as we all made our way out of the barn and took our time congratulating them before going to the back of the house to eat. Ruby took that moment to tug me away from the group, leading me down a little trail.
“This is where we ride when I come out here on the weekends. Look at that view.” She stood beside me as we looked out at the turquoise water in the distance.
I looked down at her wearing her pretty gray sundress with her long, dark hair tumbling down her shoulders and back. My gaze locked with hers. “I like this view, looking at you, best of all.”
“You don’t think you’ll tire of it?” she teased.
“I promised you forever, and I’m a man of my word.”
“I’m going to hold you to it.” She pushed up on her tiptoes and kissed me.
And I knew in that moment that forever would never be long enough with Ruby.
But I’d take what I could get.
epilogue
. . .
Ruby
Fall was here,and I was enjoying every second of it. It was my favorite time of year, seeing the leaves change and enjoying the cooler weather. The town was festive, with pumpkins and hay bales everywhere you turned.
We were all going trick-or-treating with Cutler. He was the coolest kid I’d ever met, and if I were guaranteed to have a kid like Cutler Heart, I’d probably sign on to have a dozen.
River and I talked about the future often now. It was something I’d never done in the past. But now, I enjoyed looking forward. Dreaming about things I never thought I’d want.
I guess love had a way of changing things. It had for me.
Being loved by River Pierce had exposed a new side of me.
I cried when I was sad, and I cried when I was happy.
I didn’t shame myself for feeling things. I didn’t try to be stoic when something hurt me. I talked about it, and my boyfriend… well, he threatened to beat up anyone who hurt me. And then we talked some more until we both felt better.
