Page 115 of SEAL of Valor

“What?” His gaze widens, and he stares down at me. “Reese, it’s been a long day. You might not be thinking⁠—”

“I am thinking clearer than I have in a long, long time. Weston, I love you. I never stopped loving you. My biggest regret was walking away from you nineteen years ago, but if you’re up for it, I would love to make up for all those years we were apart.”

Sawyer whistles. “About time!”

Zane grins and mutters at him to be quiet.

Weston’s smile is blinding as he pulls away and kneels in front of me. “You took the words right out of my mouth. But we rushed the wedding the last time we got married, Reese. I want to do it right. I want to give you the wedding you want.”

“Don’t you see?” I ask, cupping his face. “I don’t care where we get married, only that I get to spend the rest of my life with you. So let’s pick up where we left off. Let’s get married. Right now. Right here.”

Weston’s gaze searches mine, but in it, he will find no hesitation. We can have the party with our friends later, but I can’t think of a better time to promise my life to this man than on the heels of almost losing him.

“Then let’s get married,” he replies, and pulls me into his arms. “Right here. Right now.”

Laughing, I wrap both arms around his neck. “We should probably FaceTime my mom first. I’m not sure she was thrilled about missing it the first time.”

Weston

One Month Later

The old barn next to my cabin has been cleaned up and decorated with tiny twinkling lights, a wooden dance floor, and sheer fabric hanging from the beams overhead. Not too long ago, it was little more than an old barn with drafty walls and a dirt floor.

Now it’s been transformed into an event space, perfect for celebrating Reese and me. Music plays from speakers Sawyer set up around the perimeter.

Zane and Tessa are moving around the dance floor, both wearing happy smiles.

Anyone on the outside wouldn’t be able to tell that a month ago, we were all fighting for our lives three miles from where we’re standing now.

“I can’t believe you’re married,” Sawyer says as he stops beside me, a plate of fresh fruit in his hand.

“It’s been a month. You were there.”

He laughs, then pops a blueberry into his mouth. “I know, but still. I’m so happy for you, man.”

I look over at my friend, still so grateful that he survived. His bruises have faded, and he was cleared to stop using the sling a few days ago, but with the way he and Anastasia look for each other every few minutes, I imagine there’s still some healing they’re both doing.

She may not have been here for it, but that doesn’t make it any less traumatizing.

“Thanks, Cable Guy.” I take a blackberry off his plate and pop it into my mouth, while he eats a few more blueberries. “You’re next. You ready?”

“Two weeks to go.” His gaze lands on Anastasia, where she’s currently serving coffee to Pastor Reeves and his wife, Helen. Something one of them said makes her laugh, and Sawyer’s lips lift in a smile, just watching her. “I love her so much, man. I mean, after the childhood I had, I wasn’t sure it was possible to feel this way, you know?”

Reese comes into view, Katelyn beside her. She has Katelyn’s baby in her arms and a bright smile on her face. Just the sight of her brings me more joy than I ever thought a man like me would find. “I know exactly what you mean.”

Sawyer chuckles and pats me on the back. “You sure do. Excuse me, I’m going to try to get a dance.” He leaves and crosses over toward Anastasia right as Pastor Reeves and Helen head for the dance floor themselves.

Meanwhile, Reese’s gaze locks on mine, and she hands Katelyn’s daughter, Grace, back to her before closing the distance between us. The ring on her finger catches a bit of light, and I smile.

Years ago, I’d given her a ring I made from wire I found right here on this ranch. I didn’t have anything to offer, and she still loved me. Today, her ring is a simple band with diamonds set in white gold.

And that wire ring? It hangs around her neck at the end of a chain because she kept it all these years.

“Hey there, handsome.” She stretches up on her tiptoes and grips the front of my shirt to pull me down into a steamy kiss. Heart hammering, I sink into the feel of her lips against mine as love so potent it nearly takes me to my knees saturates my bloodstream.

“You’d better be careful, Mrs. Hayes. Kissing me like that in front of all these people is not a good idea.”

She grins up at me, a dazzling smile that steals what little breath I have left in my lungs. “I love you.”