Chapter Forty
EVERYONE HAD BEEN on such a high, the party ran late into the night. They’d cleaned up but had left all the happy decorations in place. Lucas was too tired to check on the horses with them, and when Doc and Juliette got back to the house, he was nowhere in sight.
“He’s probably asleep,” Doc said.
“I hope so. It’s midnight.”
“Why don’t you relax. I’ll check on him.” He gave her butt a pat and kissed her.
“I’ll go with you.”
They headed upstairs and peeked into Lucas’s bedroom. Doc warmed at the familiar sight of him sprawled across the bed surrounded by the dogs. He put his arms around Juliette from behind and whispered, “Our boy is in remission. I’m so fucking grateful.”
“Me too,” she whispered. She turned and hugged him. “I’m still going to worry every time he gets a cough or doesn’t feel well.”
“We all will, darlin’. Including Lucas,” he said gently. “That illness might test our faith, but it won’t test our love. I know in my heart he’s going to be fine, and he’ll live a long, happy life. I can feel it in my bones.”
He kissed her again and took her hand. “Come on, darlin’. I have a surprise for you.”
“For me?” she asked as he led her downstairs and through the living room.
He grinned. “No, for my other darlin’. Of course for you.” He reached between the streamers and opened the patio door, leading her out to the deck.
“It’s freezing out—” Her jaw dropped, and those beautiful baby blues took in the new hot tub, the twinkling lights strung above it, and the dozens of pictures of them from the summer they’d first met dangling on ribbons from the strings of lights. Between the pictures, also hanging from ribbons, were handfuls of wildflowers. There were pictures of them on horseback and lying in the grass at night, on sleeping bags on the floor of the old cabin, and at the lake. There were selfies of them making faces and kissing, photos of Juliette scowling, and some of his favorites of her wearing his cowboy hat.
“Where did that hot tub come from? And where did you get all those pictures? Ohmygod, look how young we were.”
He put his arms around her. “Young, beautiful, and so damn happy, everyone could feel it.”
“ Seeley . How did you do this without me knowing?”
“I had the hot tub put in while we were at the doctor’s office. Why do you think there were so many streamers on the windows and patio doors?”
She cocked her head. “Everyone knew about this?”
“Yup. Even Lucas.”
“What?” She swatted his arm. “You guys can’t keep secrets from me with everyone.”
He laughed. “Too late, darlin’.”
“ Seeley! You’re a crazy man.”
“Crazy about you.” He kissed her.
“I can’t believe you did all of this. Are these the pictures we took on your phone? I thought for sure you got rid of them.”
“I couldn’t get rid of them. I kept them on a thumb drive. How about we try out our new hot tub?”
“What if Lucas wakes up?”
“Trust me, babe. He won’t come out here. He told me he won’t even get in the hot tub after us until we disinfect it.”
“What?” They both laughed. “That’s awful!”
“At least we know he’s not coming out here.” He started taking off his boots, spurring her into action.
As they stripped, she said, “ So cold, so cold, so cold .” They climbed into the hot tub and sank into the hot water up to their necks. “ Ah. This feels so good.” She put her arms on the sides of the hot tub and rested her head back, looking up at the stars. “This is amazing .”
Doc was across the hot tub, arms out in the same position, but instead of looking at the stars, he was admiring her. “You sure are, darlin’.”
She looked at him and swished through the water toward him. “Get over here, Whiskey.” She grabbed his necklace, pulling him closer, and as his arms circled her, she said, “When did you start wearing a necklace?” She lifted the silver chain up, and for the second time tonight, her jaw dropped. Dangling from the end of the necklace was the engagement ring he’d had made for her. A pink diamond surrounded by a halo of white diamonds, which were surrounded by white baguette diamonds, like flower petals. Her eyes flicked to his.
“I wanted to re-create the night when I gave you our necklace,” he said as he took the necklace off and freed the ring from it. “But it was too damn cold to take you out to the lake.”
She laughed and covered her mouth, her eyes tearing up.
“With everything we’ve been through, living for the moment has taken on a new meaning. None of us knows how long we have on this earth, but I know I want to spend whatever time we’re gifted with you and Lucas. We’re going to have worries and challenges, baby, and we’ll deal with them together. I look forward to watching our son grow up to be the incredible man he was always meant to be and to seeing you get old and gray and more beautiful by the day. What do you say, Peaches? Will you do me the honor of being my wife and changing your name to Whiskey, like it was always meant to be?”
She laughed, tears flooding her cheeks. “It’s you and me forever, Seeley Whiskey. I told you I was never letting you go, and I meant it.”
As he slipped the ring on her finger, he said, “You and me forever, darlin’,” and sealed their vows with a kiss.