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“Love you, husband.”

And beneath a sky painted gold and orange, surrounded by horses, family, memories, and every piece of the life that brought me here, Jude kisses me again.

***

By the time the sun disappears behind the mountains, thousands of tiny lights illuminate the ranch. They’re strung above the tables and through the trees as music and laughter fill the night.

Someone has moved half the chairs out of the way and the dance floor is already packed. Children are running through the grass, horses occasionally wander close to the fence to investigate the noise, and food covers every available surface because apparently combining an Italian family with the Hawthornes means feeding enough people to survive the apocalypse.

I stand with Jude’s arm wrapped around my waist, my head against his shoulder, and look around me.

Italy and Wyoming. My family and his.

Except I guess they’re all ours now.

I smile and lace my fingers through his. He presses a kiss to my hair, his shoulders easy beneath my cheek even as someone nearby starts shouting over the music.

Then a microphone screeches.

Everyone winces.

“Oh God,” I mutter.

Jude looks towards the small stage. Chiara is standing there.

“Oh, fuck.”

I start laughing.

“Your sister has a microphone.”

“Valid concern.”

“Can I have everyone’s attention?” Chiara calls.

“No!” I yell.

She ignores me. Of course she does.

“I just wanted to say that during our time in Italy, I had the incredible honor of witnessing something I honestly never thought I’d live long enough to see.”

Beside me, Jude goes completely still. My eyes widen.

No.

Chiara’s grin turns evil.

“I had the honor of seeing Jude Hawthorne... dance.”

The crowd loses its fucking mind.

“What?” someone shouts.

“Bullshit!”

I hear Dex yell something from across the dance floor while several Hawthornes cheer her on. I double over laughing.

Jude looks down at me. “I’m going to kill her.”