Chapter 29
Reese
M y eyes filled with tears.
Had he really just said those words to me?
I’d hoped…
I’d wanted…
I’d dreamed…
But now that Devon had actually said that he loved me, I felt like my heart was going to explode.
“Hey,” he said softly. “Being stuck with me isn’t going to be that bad.”
I knew that he hated to see me cry, but I felt so emotional that I couldn’t stop the tears from falling no matter how hard I tried.
“When you didn’t say the words back to me right away, I was afraid that you didn’t feel the same way,” I told him. “I was afraid.”
He pulled me into his lap and started to rock my body. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. I was shocked. I had the same fears. I knew what I wanted and how I felt. I was afraid that you didn’t feel the same way about me, too. I’m an idiot. I should have said those words back to you right away.”
God, we were both idiots.
My heart had always told me that he had to be feeling the same way I was, but my insecurities had kept me from blurting out those words before today.
“Marry me, Reese,” he said gruffly. “Be my wife and put me out of my misery.”
“Is that an order or are you asking?” I teased; my heart so full of joy that I wasn’t sure it could take this much happiness. Especially after the pain and fear of the last year.
Of course I wanted to marry him.
“I’m asking,” he admitted. “I don’t have a ring, but I’m definitely asking. We’ll pick out the ring together. I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy.”
I leaned my head back so I could look at him.
Everything I’d ever hoped for was there in those gorgeous dark eyes.
“Yes,” I said simply as another tear dropped onto my cheek. “I’ll pick out my own ring. You’d pick something outrageous. I want something small.”
“Big,” he argued. “I want every man out there to know that I was already smart enough to snap up the best woman on the planet.”
“Medium,” I compromised. “It would be hard for me to wear a thousand-pound rock at work all the time, and it’s not my style.”
“Deal,” he said with a grin.
“I’m going to have to sell my place in Spokane, but you have a private jet that can get me to my parents often.”
“You want to stay here?” Devon asked hopefully.
I nodded. “I do. I hate leaving my parents in Spokane without me, but everything and everyone else I love is here. I’ll still be able to see them. It’s a short flight.”
“Can you get your license to practice here?”
“It will take a while, but that’s okay. I’d like to help Hannah through the first months of her pregnancy,” I told him. “She’s not going to want to be at the office, and I need to hire a replacement for myself.”
“You might not have to be without your parents,” he said with humor in his voice. “Your dad already mentioned that he might be interested in moving to Montana. He said he and Marta want to travel a lot, but he wants to be here in his retirement to be close to you and the grandbabies we’re apparently going to give him.”
I really wanted to have a child or two, but I wasn’t sure how Devon felt about kids.
“I want to have your child,” I shared with him. “But I’m not sure what you want.”
“After watching what Tanner is going through right now, I’m sure I’m going to be losing my shit, but I’d like the same thing,” he said as he swiped the teardrop from my face. “But I’d really prefer that you were never uncomfortable or in pain again. That’s my only real hesitation.”
“It would be worth it to bring our child into the world,” I assured him. “I’ve assisted in tons of deliveries over the years. It’s not like I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
“Are you going to be happy here?” he asked pensively. “I could relocate to Spokane. It wouldn’t be the easiest transition, but I’d figure it out.”
There was a stunned moment of silence.
All of Devon’s business interests were here, and so was all of his family.
He’d have to give up this beautiful, custom-built home and the people he cared about in Crystal Fork.
The fact that he’d offered to leave all of that just to be with me was almost unbelievable.
Or…maybe it wasn’t.
He wanted to make sure I was happy, just like I wanted him to be happy.
I wasn’t sure when I was ever going to get used to a guy who put me first in his life.
“You’d do that for me?” I said with astonishment in my voice. “Everything you love is here in Montana.”
He shrugged. “If you wanted or needed to be somewhere else, I’d be there with you. I could work remote.”
“I want to be here,” I reassured him. “It feels like home to me now, and I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else. If my parents end up moving here, that would be the icing on the cake.”
“When are you going to marry me?” Devon asked as he rearranged our bodies until we were lying next to each other on the bed with his arms tightly around my waist.
I snuggled close to him and buried my face in his neck. “I guess that depends on how large of a wedding you want.”
“I couldn’t care less about the size of the wedding. I’m just hoping it can happen soon.”
“How soon?” I asked curiously.
“A few weeks?” he asked hopefully.
I snorted. “We’d have to run off to Vegas, but I’m not opposed to that. I’ve never really liked being the center of attention.”
“Not good enough for you,” he said huskily. “And you need to be the center of attention for once. Destination wedding in Hawaii or Bali with a honeymoon in Galapagos?”
I shook my head. “That’s not going to happen quickly. Hannah can’t travel with the baby until she’s old enough to build up some immunities. Let’s get married here. I could plan a nice wedding and reception right here on your property.”
“It’s going to be elaborate,” he warned. “Everything you’ve always wanted for your wedding.”
“I already have the thing I wanted the most,” I told him.
“What?”
“The right guy who loves me,” I teased.
When he lifted my chin and kissed me, I felt like everything was suddenly right in my life.
Everything had shifted into place after a year of chaos.
He finally released my lips and ended the tender embrace. “I have a private jet, Reese. If you want to go someplace more romantic for our honeymoon, I can take you anywhere in the world that you want to go.”
My heart tripped as I saw the sincerity in his gaze.
“Galapagos is perfect. I want to share it with you,” I said softly. “But there’s no feasible way this wedding will happen in two weeks. I need time to plan and get things together.”
“You’ll have an army of help,” he promised. “Both family and professionals.”
“Let me do some checking and see what date we can set. It would be nice if we could do it before the snow flies.”
It was already summer, so that didn’t leave me much time.
“I don’t want you to feel like I’m rushing you,” Devon said solemnly. “I just want you to be mine as soon as possible. I know exactly what I want, but I don’t want to push you into this before you’re ready.”
I felt like I’d been waiting for Devon for a very long time.
I really didn’t want to wait, either.
I’d learned the hard way that life was short. I didn’t want to waste the opportunity to start my future with Devon.
“I don’t have any doubts,” I said. “I feel like I’ve always been waiting for you. I love you, Devon. I’m all for getting married sooner rather than later. I just need to see how soon we can pull this off.”
“My first priority is to get my ring on your finger,” he said hoarsely as he rolled me onto my back and pressed his upper body into mine.
I savored the moment as our gazes locked and held.
I could see the raw love and devotion in his gorgeous dark eyes.
Nothing was hidden anymore.
I was simply looking back at the man who I knew was going to love me for the rest of my life.
“For a man who’s always avoided commitment, I’m surprised that you have no doubts,” I told him breathlessly.
He grinned. “Maybe I didn’t want to commit because I hadn’t met you yet. You were the only woman who could make me change my mind.”
I knew exactly why Devon had never wanted to commit, and I felt lucky that I was the one he’d trusted enough to break all of his rules.
“Should we take your parents to Billings tomorrow?” he asked. “Your dad seems to enjoy a beer or two. He might like the breweries.”
“You’re not going into work at all?” I asked.
Hannah had already insisted I take some time off to be with my mom and dad, but I hadn’t expected Devon to take the entire day off.
“Nope,” he informed me. “I probably won’t go in most of the week, either. I’d like to spend some time getting to know your mom and dad. I covered for my brothers plenty when they were getting their romantic lives together. They can return the favor. Now that you’re able to go anywhere you want, I’d like to show all of you some of my home state.”
“I’d love that,” I said with a sigh as I stroked the nape of his neck. “It still seems hard to believe that I can go anywhere I want and do anything I want. I can actually be me again, Devon. That’s going to take some getting used to after the last year.”
I let the fact that I was finally free seep into my soul.
Free to go roam to places I’d never been before.
Free to go back to my chosen career.
And free to love Devon without reservations because we could actually plan our future together now.
Our relationship wasn’t in limbo anymore, and I couldn’t wait to get on with our lives.
“I have a feeling you’ll get used to it pretty quickly,” he said, amused. “I’m going to take you to see anything you want to see this week. I’m just hoping you’re not planning to go anywhere right now.”
He kissed his way slowly along my jawline and down my neck.
My body responded instantly. “No plans for the next few hours,” I said in a teasing voice.
“Good,” he responded in a satisfied tone. “Because I have plans to occupy your time.”
That was exactly what he did, and I didn’t utter a single complaint.