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“I try,” he smiled tenderly.
A knock at the door interrupted them, causing her to withdraw slightly. Will opened it – and laughed easily, stepping aside.
Marie glided into the room with a small tray of cheese, crackers, and an orange that was already split into segments… along with two large, copper looking mugs.
“No umbrellas or maraschino cherries… but pina coladas always make me feel better after I’ve had a rough day. Jared has a stash of coconut cream hidden away for me, and I thought you might like one.”
“… And your hot water,” Bo said from the doorway, setting a kettle down on a hotpad on Will’s heavy chest. He gave Calista a tiny wave and turned to leave them alone, just as Marie set down the plates and cups… and hesitated.
“Joe is still a licensed minister.”
“Marie… don’t.”
“Who’s ‘Joe’?”
Marie smiled gently and winked at her, before looking at Will. “I’ll let you tell her,” she acknowledged – and shut the door behind her.
“Who is Joe?” Calista repeated, confused.
“Joe is actually Shepherd,” Will said quietly, watching her. “Everyone has called him ‘Shepherd’ for years, because he was once a minister before volunteering for our duty station. He was going to ‘save us all’ – and in a way, he certainly did. When we were there at our lowest healing in the hospital together, Shepherd told us we were his own personal ‘flock’ and he wasn’t about to let us get lost along our way.”
“That’s actually… beautiful,” she smiled, touched at the man who seemed so normal and grumpy at times. She could almost picture him there, in the hospital, without his evil looking hook, telling them how things were going to be.
“He’s a true friend,” Will said emotionally, nodding. “They all are.”
“Yes, they are,” she smiled, moving to his side and getting goosebumps from the chill in the air due to her wet clothing. “We are both sopping wet.”
“Yeah,” he hesitated. “I’ll go and let you…”
Calista took his hand, interrupting him.
“So are we going or not?”
“Going?”
She smiled up at him, realizing that he was still not expecting her to actually pick him after all of their brave talks and bravado. Her sweet captain, her Will, was about as humble as they came deep down on the inside, and still dealt with his insecurities regarding his scars.
“Do you think I’m going to let you get away from me that easily, my sweet captain?” she whispered playfully, feeling so much emotion in that moment. The moment she saw the awareness in his eyes, the recognition and disbelief lingering there, it brought tears to her eyes. “You mentioned loving me forever… and I want to take that chance.”
“C-Calista…” he stammered emotionally, “Are you sure?”
The crack in his voice, the wonder and unfettered love, was almost more than she could handle. His brilliant blue eyes glittered with unshed tears as he gazed at her like he’d been given a star from the heavens.
Her hand took his, immediately lacing their fingers together.
Her throat worked as a tear streaked down her cheek as one trailed down his own, and she nodded. Will quickly wiped his face… a small laugh escaping him.
“I should probably be asking you to marry me or surprising you with some big fancy diamond…”
“Will,” she said thickly. “That’s not who I am. I don’t need any of that – just your last name, your heart, and your promise to…”
His lips silenced hers as he let out a small noise that sounded like across between him clearing his throat and a sob. Pulling back slightly, he kissed her forehead, nose, and lips once more, before nodding silently.
“My name, my heart, and my entire being will alwaysbe yours,” he invited in a soft whisper, not looking away from her.
“Then let’s have Shepherd marry us… then we can hide away back here, have our pina coladas, and get into something dry.”
“Honey, we can change first and…”
