32. Epilogue
Two months later
“I’m coming, I swear!” Berlin slid her laptop into its case as she heard the elevator door open outside her office.
But to her surprise, Mari stalked in, not Chance, who was taking her on a secret getaway he refused to give her any details about. She didn’t have the heart to tell him she hated surprises so she was going along with it. She’d even resisted the urge to sneak and figure out what he was doing.
“Oh hey, I’m heading out,” she said to Mari.
“I know, I just saw Chance,” she practically growled as she stalked into Berlin’s office, prowling toward the window like an angry bear ready to rip off someone’s head.
“Uh oh, what’s wrong?”
Mari turned to face her, her blue-black hair swishing around her shoulders as rage rolled off her in almost tangible waves. “I want to hire you to destroy someone. Completely obliterate their life.”
“I don’t really do that, but I might make an exception for you. Who’s pissed you off so badly?”
She shoved her hands in her jeans pockets. “You know Bear?”
“I’m not hurting him!” And Berlin was ninety-nine percent this wasn’t about Bear anyway. The man was an adorable, well, teddy bear. And Mari had been friends with him since she was fifteen.
Mari rolled her eyes. “Of course not, I adore him. It’s his stupid, assface older brother. He’s moved back to town and is trying to steal one of my newest contracts.”
“I thought his brother was in the Air Force… Yep, okay, not the issue at hand. So wait, he’s trying to steal one of your contracts?”
“Or sabotage it, I’m not sure which,” she growled, looking ready to set fire to something. “I want you to hack his life and burn it to the ground. Then salt the earth.” Sighing, clearly losing some of her steam, she continued. “Fine, maybe not that, but only because it would upset Bear. But I do want to punch his dumb face.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to sit on his dumb face?” Because Berlin was getting some serious vibes right now.
Mari swiveled to look at her, those proverbial daggers in her eyes.
Berlin held up her hands. “Okay, okay, I’m off base. Well if he’s messing with your business, why don’t you mess right back? You’re Mari Freaking Kim, destroyer of worlds. Steal one of his clients—legally. Buy out something he wants. You don’t need me to help you, though if you truly do, I’ll help once I get back from whatever trip I’m about to take.”
Mari’s eyes narrowed slightly and Berlin was under the impression that she wasn’t even seeing her at all right now. “You’re right. I can take him on all by myself.” Then she let out a sort of terrifying laugh that made Berlin feel bad for the guy. Well, almost. If he was messing with her girl, then he’d likely earned whatever storm was coming his way. Mari blinked and looked at Berlin with clear eyes. “Thanks for the advice, you’re the best. And have fun on your trip,” she tossed over her shoulder as she stalked out of the office in the same whirlwind she’d arrived in.
Chance ducked into the office right as she left. “Hey, you ready? And no laptop!” he added when she went to pick hers up.
“Wait, what? I never agreed to that.”
“You’re not going to need it.”
She gently petted the purple and black case, then sighed. “Fine, let me put her in the safe and we’ll go. I still wish you’d tell me where we’re going.”
“I already told you it’s a surprise.”
“Fine, as long as it’s not camping.”
***
Chance bit back a laugh as he glanced over at Berlin, who was watching him accusingly from the passenger seat. “You brought me camping!”
“Technically it’s glamping, and I promise you’re going to like this. And…you’re going to meet the guys from my former unit,” he said as he cruised at fifteen miles per hour along the narrow road, passing another row of hooked-up campers. “This is the only time they’re all together and I really wanted them to meet you. I wanted to show you off.”
“Oh.” She sniffed a little. “I feel like you’re manipulating me, but I’ll allow it this one time. Also, will there be s’mores?”
“Yes, all the s’mores you want.”
“Okay, I guess. But if there are bears, I’m out.”
“That’s fair.” After they passed the six rows of campers, she frowned up at him as he steered down an even narrower path with a sign that said primitive camping . “You said glamping. Pretty sure we just passed all the campers, and ‘primitive’ means tents.”
“I would never make you sleep in a tent.”
Two minutes later, he pulled into a clearing where twelve huge military tents were already set up in a giant circle, along with one Airstream. It had a cute blue and white awning with a bunch of lights on it. And one of his friends had set up chairs and a couple other things for them.
“The Airstream is ours, right?”
“Yep.”
“Okay, I trust you again.”
He snickered as he glanced at her, glad she didn’t seem truly annoyed. He hadn’t been lying—this was the only time his friends had been able to get together and he understood their schedules enough that he had to take advantage of this small window. Because he really wanted them to meet Berlin. Not because he needed approval, but because he truly wanted her to meet them. And fine, he was going to show her off. She was incredible and the world should know.
Before he’d even put the SUV in park, Evan was at Berlin’s door, pulling it open. “Okay, my man didn’t lie about you,” he said as he pulled her into a big hug. “Beauty and brains!”
“And you must be Hot Shot?” Berlin asked with a laugh as he set her back on her feet.
Evan snickered as Chance rounded the vehicle, nudged him out of the way. “Hands off.”
Berlin seemed to be smothering another laugh as she slid right up against Chance, wrapping her arms around him.
It didn’t take long to introduce her to everyone, and once they’d unloaded their bags, Berlin found herself surrounded by the wives and girlfriends of his former unit around the big campfire.
“Never thought I’d see the day,” said Moose, his former team leader, chin nodding in Berlin’s direction.
“Never thought I’d meet anyone like her.”
Moose clinked beers with him. “I’ll drink to that.”
The rest of the evening went by in a blur of laughter, beers, and getting to hear his friends tell Berlin way too many stories about him. Some he could have lived without her ever hearing. But he’d wanted to bring her into his world, and if he was being honest, he’d needed to reclaim this part of his life.
After leaving the army he’d felt like he’d lost part of himself, but he was the one who’d put distance between himself and his former unit, not the other way around.
“So being in the woods may not be too bad,” Berlin murmured happily and a little sleepily as they stepped into the Airstream. “And you weren’t kidding about glamping. This thing is amazing. I could live in it.” She ran her fingertips along the smooth countertop in the kitchen before stepping into his embrace.
He had to duck a little because of his height, but it only gave him an excuse to kiss her. Not that he needed one, he thought as he claimed her mouth again. Something he wanted to do all the time. “My friends really like you,” he murmured against her lips.
“I really like them too. And I’m really glad we’re not sleeping in a tent.”
He snickered, then smacked her butt. “Go, shower first. Sadly we can’t both fit in there.”
“I’m not going to argue about going first,” she said with a grin.
Once she’d shut the door behind her, he quickly prepared the bedroom area and then ducked out to take a quick outdoor shower. He knew Berlin would be a while, but he was fast because he wanted to be waiting for her when she got out.
There were a few guys still sitting around the campfire, but the majority of everyone, especially the significant others and kids, were already in their tents and winding down for the night.
Steam billowed out of the shower when Berlin finally stepped out, her long, dark hair up in a twist against the back of her head.
She stared at the bedroom, a smile breaking across her face as she saw the little lights he’d strung up and the small battery-powered candles he’d set out everywhere except the actual bed. “This is really sweet,” she murmured, dropping her towel as she joined him on the bed. “And I think you’ve made me a convert for this kind of camping.”
He groaned as she straddled him, clasping her hips to hold her in place. “Wait, just a sec.”
“Wait?” She ran her fingers over his abdomen, up his chest, the hungry look in her eyes making him groan.
Sitting up so that they were facing each other, he reached under the pillow, grabbed the box he’d been storing the last month.
“What’s that?”
“Just wait.” Because maybe he needed a minute too. “I never imagined anyone like you existed, let alone would want someone like me.”
“Hey—”
“I know, I know. You don’t have to defend me from myself.”
But she pouted prettily anyway. And god, it took restraint not to kiss that pout away.
“I just mean that I never expected someone as amazing as you to walk into my life and turn it so thoroughly upside down. Every day since you rolled up and told me to get in that SUV has been an adventure. I love you so much it’s a little terrifying.” Surprised by how much he was sweating, he pulled the small box out, popped it open. “And I want to keep having adventures with you for the rest of our lives. Will you—”
“Yes.” On a laugh, she kissed him hard, sending them tumbling back onto the fluffy comforter.
“So yes, you’ll marry me?” he growled against her mouth. Because he needed to hear the words.
“Yes, I’ll marry you, anywhere, anytime. I love you so much it’s terrifying too. You’re incredible, and the only man on the planet I’d try camping for.”
Laughing, he pulled her close and held her tight. It didn’t take long before they lost themselves in each other, and he knew he’d be losing himself in her for the rest of their lives.
Thank you so much for reading Fighting for Berlin.