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Adam had been her first real love. What they’d gone through was more than she would have ever expected, but she knew it was necessary to cement their relationship. Faye attempted to swallow down the lump in her throat, but it wouldn’t budge. She nodded, her strangled voice betraying her.
“Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you.” She threw her arms around him, nearly knocking them both to the soggy earth.
Her lips crushed over his, stealing a kiss that sealed her promise to him. Adam rose, lifting both of them from their precarious position. Hands at her waist, he lifted her in the air then put her back on the ground and kissed her. Neither one of them had to speak. This kiss in this moment on this mountainside said everything their hearts wanted to. Like Adam, she’d found where she belonged.
* * *
Faye and Adamstood at the doors to the latest addition of the country club, waiting for the hostess to seat them. Not only had Shane added on to the building itself, but he’d managed to create something that the locals had only seen in the city.
There was outdoor seating around the back of the building on a covered veranda, along with the restaurant seating inside. This wasn’t just some country bumpkin restaurant. It was arguably the nicest eating establishment in town or just on the outside of town.
Faye exchanged an excited look with Adam. “I can’t believe you got reservations on his opening night. I heard he was only going to serve a few high-brow people—investors and the like.”
Adam wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her temple. “I may have called in a favor when he needed a few pieces of equipment fixed.”
“What do you mean you can’t deliver until the twentieth? I need those steaks by next Friday.” Shane stormed out of a hallway, a phone to his ear. “I paid for rush delivery. You know what that means, don’t you?” His eyes snagged on Faye and Adam, and his angry expression smoothed before he turned away from them. “You let your supervisor know that if these steaks don’t get here on the date that I requested, I’ll be going with another supplier.” He shut off his phone and faced the couple. “I’m sorry about that.” His face broke into a smile. “How are you two doing this evening?”
The awkward tension in the air dissipated when Adam reached for Faye’s hand and showcased the ring. “I’m the happiest man alive tonight, and we plan on celebrating.”
Shane’s smile widened. “Well, congratulations!” He clapped Adam on the back. “That’s excellent news! Be sure to tell your server to give you our best bottle of champagne on the house.”
Faye waved her hand dismissively. “Oh, you don’t have to—”
“Cousin! Is that you?”
Shane stiffened, and the happy smile he wore completely disappeared. Faye could have sworn he muttered the word “no” under his breath, but she couldn’t be certain. He turned toward the source of whoever was speaking.
Eloise was there, flanked on either side by a man and a woman. While the three of them approached, Faye glanced once more at Shane to find him smiling again. She must have imagined his discomfort.
“Marc, Madeline, what are you guys doing here in Colorado?”
Madeline lunged forward and gave him a hug, though he remained stiff as a board. “Didn’t you get our calls?” She pulled back to look at him fully. “We tried contacting you several times. We’re here to visit. We’ve missed you.”
Shane’s rigid form was the only indication he might not be the happiest to discover this information. He glanced from the strangers to Eloise, then briefly to Faye and Adam before settling on Madeline. “I got your messages… I just didn’t think you’d actually come.”
She nudged his shoulder with her fingertips. “You’re so funny. You always had the best sense of humor out of all the cousins, right Marc?”
“Absolutely,” Marc agreed. He moved forward to give Shane an awkward-looking hug just as Madeline moved out of the way. “It’s been a long time since you were in LA. We heard you took your inheritance and invested in becoming a cowboy.” His snide tone ruffled Faye’s feathers. Being a cowboy wasn’t easy. And Shane had done so much more than that. Marc gestured around them. “When I heard about that, I never dreamed this is what they meant. Dude, this place is top-notch. I bet you’re just raking in the money, huh?”
Shane’s eyes narrowed. He opened his mouth then snapped it shut just as quickly when his gaze landed on Eloise.
She must have noticed his confusion. “Oh, I was on my way home when I saw them broken down on the side of the road. They said they knew you, and I offered to bring them here.” Eloise glanced at Faye and then back to Shane. “But now that they’re here safe and sound, I’ll be getting on my way.”
“Cullen, party of two?”
Adam held up a hand. “That’s us.”
Eloise gave them a little wave and headed for the door. Faye glanced over her shoulder as Adam moved her toward the restaurant. Shane looked absolutely infuriated. His face was red and his hands were clenched at his sides. She dug her elbow into Adam’s side, eliciting a grunt from him. “I think something is up with that.”
“With what? With your elbow being sharper than a crowbar?” He rubbed his side, shooting her a hurt look.
“No. With Shane and his cousins. Didn’t that exchange seem… weird?”
Adam looked behind them then shook his head. “Nah. Family stuff can be a lot murkier than you might realize. Shane will be fine. Let’s focus on whatwe’recelebrating, alright? I can’t wait to spend the evening with my fiancée.”
She grinned, leaning into him. “The evening, and the rest of our lives.”
* * *
