“You are incorrigible.”
“And you’re in love.”
Sighing, I nodded, sadly losing him in the crowd. “Yes, I am.”
“You deserve every minute of feeling that way, sweetie. I’m just so happy for you.” She was practically beaming.
“What does that mean?”
Darlene’s eyes opened wide. “Nothing. Just happy.”
I’d be damned if she didn’t try to walk away, but I snatched her back so fast I knew she could have whiplash. “What? Spill it.”
She pretended to zip her lips and pulled away. Cassie did the same.
“What is going on?”
They weren’t the only two who backed away. With the sudden parting of the ways and with the band ceasing playing anything, you could hear a pin drop and I didn’t like that at all.
Since it was impossible for Darlene to keep a secret, I could tell someone was behind me. Very slowly, I turned around to face Viper with my godfather standing only a few feet away.
With a shit-eating grin on his face.
A hot flash drifted to my core.
“What?” I demanded, scanning the crowd as they moved in a little too close for comfort.
Viper took a step closer. “Hush.”
“Not unless you tell me what you’re doing.”
“I’m trying to,” he hissed playfully and the crowd laughed. Were they in on this too?
“Fine. Go ahead.”
He took a deep breath, eyeing me as if I was that bad girl he called me often. “When I came to this town, I wanted nothing to do with making friends or even talking to anybody. I was here to do my job and nothing more. I didn’t expect to almost run over a dog or to find myself dealing with a woman who from the get-go drove me absolutely nuts. A girl with a caustic mouth and a body to die for. Karma wasn’t about to let us off the hook, especially since sparks flew. Somehow that girl managed to dig through layers of protection, reminding me that time was so fucking precious.”
“What are you doing?” I whispered, my entire body shaking.
His smile was easy as he pulled something from his pocket and dropped onto one knee. “Hoping to surprise you.”
Oh, my God. I could no longer feel my legs. “Why?”
“Shush. I consulted with your godfather, ensuring it would be alright with him if I asked for your hand in marriage.”
“And what did he say?”
“That she’d be a fool not to see what was right in front of her eyes,” Landen said with a crack in his voice. “And that your father would be very proud of you.”
“So, on that gushing note of approval. Grace Monroe. Will you marry me?”
As he opened the box, I held my breath. So did the entire bar, who’d obviously been let in on the greatest secret Missoula had ever managed to keep.
“Don’t keep him waiting,” Darlene reminded me. “There are others vying for the chance.”
Tears slipped past my lashes, the moment unlike anything I could have anticipated.
My heart was finally so full. So very full.
“Over my dead body, ladies. He’s all mine. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
As he gathered me into his arms, lifting me over his head while everyone cheered, I thought about my mom and dad and knew my godfather was right. They’d be very proud that I could find someone who would always allow my heart to sing and our love to shine.
No matter what life threw at us.
The End
