Epilogue
Grace
Time was precious.
Most people usually took time for granted, going about their daily activities of work or school, taking care of family and meeting friends. One day often disappeared in a week.
Then a month.
Then a year.
Suddenly, five or ten years had gone by and everyone was wondering what happened. Why they were older. Why they hadn’t done more.
Maybe I’d gone through the motions up to this point, but I’d learned to take one day very much at a time, enjoying the little things.
The barn was almost finished being rebuilt and I had Viper and his Zullie buddies to thank for that, the group utter craftsmen, taking my crude designs and making them into a perfect location.
There were three smaller buildings under construction as well, which would soon allow me to accept more rescue animals. Ellie May’s Sanctuary had acquired another horse we were nursing back to health, a donkey, and another dog. We were a regular menagerie.
When I used the word ‘we’ I included Viper. He’d turned out to be a real animal lover.
On top of the peace and harmony the sanctuary brought to both of us after the horrific ordeal, I’d just received notice that one of the grants I’d applied for had been approved. We had much to celebrate, but for me, it was the little things that mattered the most.
A beautiful morning.
The scent of flowers.
The cuddle of a pup.
And the soft, or rough, kisses of a man who could make me feel like the most special girl in the world.
What I’d learned was the time was utterly precious and in the blink of an eye and if you weren’t paying attention, you could lose everything.
Was I still sad and angry, furious that the fucking asshole had believed because his father was a powerful man that he should be given a pass when breaking the law? Oh, you bet. But at the same time, I’d finally been blessed by learning what was most important.
And I had everything I needed.
An amazing city to call home. A fabulous business. Two, oops, now three incredible dogs.
Plus, a man I hoped to spend the rest of my life with. We would see what the cards had in mind.
With Labor Day around the corner, soon the crisp air would roll in and I was looking forward to nights by a roaring fire. With my little family.
As Viper pulled into a parking place, I took a good long look at him. He was so handsome, more so now that he’d finally started to relax. As a full member of the Zullies, he was loving every second of his job and his new friends.
And I was adoring every moment of spending time with him.
“Are you certain you can handle this?” I asked, although I daresay Viper would say I was purring. Which I’d done more and more over the last couple of weeks.
Now that the hoopla and investigation about the fire was behind us, Mike Jenson behind bars, we could finally breathe a little. There was no way his father could provide a get out of jail free card this time.
“I can handle anything,” he said from his perch in the driver’s seat. I’d learned in the most creative of manners just how bossy and dominating he could be.
My entire body was thrilled about that.
“I don’t know about that.” I purposely glanced out the passenger window, keeping the tease going because he was adorable when he wasn’t certain what to expect from me. “Maybe you can surprise me.”
“What are you talking about? I surprise you all the time. Don’t I?” he asked as if I was being serious.
“Nope.” And boy, did I pop the p on purpose.
The handsome man had saved my life. He’d risked everything to pull me from the barn, even going after the monster who’d terrorized a town.
I’d heard the sordid details from just about everyone in town.
From Maggie’s Restaurant when I’d had lunch with Darlene to every time I picked up dog food at Holden’s pet store or when grabbing a couple of bottles of wine.
The tales had gotten taller and the man’s heroic status larger than life.
And I had so many new clients I couldn’t keep up with them, booked up through the last of the year and beyond.
Now everyone in town was finally able to take a deep breath and attend the celebration that had originally been planned weeks ago.
The details of the horrific revenge-based crime spree were no longer consuming my mind and with Viper’s help and strong arms holding me at night, I’d resisted the nightmares.
That along with three huge dogs sleeping in the bed with us.
“What is that supposed to mean?” he demanded. “I give you treats.”
“You mean dog treats? Woof.”
“You’re such a brat.”
“Yes, I am. What I mean is that you’re still the most stubborn man I’ve ever met in my life. That you’re a celebrity and it’s going to your head.”
“How is it going to my head?” He lifted the steering wheel and ripped off his seatbelt. I did the same. The look on his face was part warrior and comedian, uncertain how to take me.
“Because it can barely fit through a door. Come on. We have a party to go to.”
“Wait,” he said. Wait a minute. Was he moaning like a kid? I grinned in response. “I don’t like this.”
“Being the center of attention? You eat it up.” I punched him playfully.
“Are you suggesting I’m an attention hog?”
“Hmm…” I threw open the door. “Yes.” As I laughed, I tried to climb out, but he was having none of it, yanking me back and into his lap.
“You’re not going anywhere until I say you are. You seem to forget I’m in charge of the household.”
“So possessive. And you’re wrong.”
“You bet I’m possessive, Dog Doctor, but I am never wrong.” He cupped my jaw as he usually did twice a day, wanting to keep me in his sight, as he’d told me more than once. Maybe he hadn’t realized I’d done the same with him.
“Such a difficult man to deal with.”
“I’ll show you difficult, sweetheart.” As he did several times a day, he captured my mouth, holding our lips in place.
I could swear the way he kissed me just got better and better.
His tongue swept in my mouth and I was on cloud nine, swooning as usual around him. I could easily just spend a couple of hours in the truck doing very naughty things.
But as luck would have it, somebody pounded on the window.
“Don’t you two have a house together?”
Seeing Axe’s grinning face alongside Kenzie wasn’t even remotely embarrassing. They’d been over at the house twice. They knew how we were. Heck, they were the same way, all lovey-dovey and you’d never think of two rough men being that way.
But they were.
Still, Viper shot him a finger anyway. That’s how they were. Almost dying together on a mountain could do that to a person.
“Let’s go, lover boy.” I rubbed my thumb across his lips, removing the lipstick, and jumping out before he could stop me.
The man wasn’t a hand holder but given the possessive hand on the small of my back, there was no one who wouldn’t know I belonged to him.
I did so adore his dominating personality.
We walked in together and immediately there were cheers, people I didn’t know holding their drinks in a salute.
As we tried to push our way through the crowd, Darlene and Cassie offered hugs.
Why? I had no clue since I hadn’t done anything but survive. And I’d seen them how many times since? Dozens? Granted, the celebration brought out everyone’s emotions. For good reason.
A drink was placed in my hand and we were given carte blanche, a table even saved for us.
There was such joy in being around people you cared about. We chatted, we laughed, the band hired was playing some of my favorite songs, which was weird, but I loved it.
“You look beautiful, sweetheart,” Landen said as he pulled me into a hug.
“Thank you. You look mighty handsome yourself.”
“Mr. Weaver,” Viper said. “Can I talk to you for just a minute about training? That special program we’re still working on.”
“First of all, you’re supposed to call me Landen and this is a celebration, but maybe Grace will be okay with two minutes.”
I held up my fingers. “Two. That’s it.”
“What’s that about?” Darlene asked.
“Oh, a training session that was pushed off for weeks. You know the boys.” We swayed to the music.
She laughed. “Yes, I do, but you seem happy.”
“I am very happy.” I took a sip of my drink. “There are some hot men here tonight.”
“I might have my eye on a smokejumper or two. Or three,” she said, laughing. “I can’t count but who needs to.”
“You are incorrigible.”
“And you’re in love.”
Sighing, I nodded, sadly losing him in the crowd. “Yes, I am.”
“You deserve every minute of feeling that way, sweetie. I’m just so happy for you.” She was practically beaming.
“What does that mean?”
Darlene’s eyes opened wide. “Nothing. Just happy.”
I’d be damned if she didn’t try to walk away, but I snatched her back so fast I knew she could have whiplash. “What? Spill it.”
She pretended to zip her lips and pulled away. Cassie did the same.
“What is going on?”
They weren’t the only two who backed away. With the sudden parting of the ways and with the band ceasing playing anything, you could hear a pin drop and I didn’t like that at all.
Since it was impossible for Darlene to keep a secret, I could tell someone was behind me. Very slowly, I turned around to face Viper with my godfather standing only a few feet away.
With a shit-eating grin on his face.
A hot flash drifted to my core.
“What?” I demanded, scanning the crowd as they moved in a little too close for comfort.
Viper took a step closer. “Hush.”
“Not unless you tell me what you’re doing.”
“I’m trying to,” he hissed playfully and the crowd laughed. Were they in on this too?
“Fine. Go ahead.”
He took a deep breath, eyeing me as if I was that bad girl he called me often.
“When I came to this town, I wanted nothing to do with making friends or even talking to anybody. I was here to do my job and nothing more. I didn’t expect to almost run over a dog or to find myself dealing with a woman who from the get-go drove me absolutely nuts.
A girl with a caustic mouth and a body to die for.
Karma wasn’t about to let us off the hook, especially since sparks flew.
Somehow that girl managed to dig through layers of protection, reminding me that time was so fucking precious. ”
“What are you doing?” I whispered, my entire body shaking.
His smile was easy as he pulled something from his pocket and dropped onto one knee. “Hoping to surprise you.”
Oh, my God. I could no longer feel my legs. “Why?”
“Shush. I consulted with your godfather, ensuring it would be alright with him if I asked for your hand in marriage.”
“And what did he say?”
“That she’d be a fool not to see what was right in front of her eyes,” Landen said with a crack in his voice. “And that your father would be very proud of you.”
“So, on that gushing note of approval. Grace Monroe. Will you marry me?”
As he opened the box, I held my breath. So did the entire bar, who’d obviously been let in on the greatest secret Missoula had ever managed to keep.
“Don’t keep him waiting,” Darlene reminded me. “There are others vying for the chance.”
Tears slipped past my lashes, the moment unlike anything I could have anticipated.
My heart was finally so full. So very full.
“Over my dead body, ladies. He’s all mine. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
As he gathered me into his arms, lifting me over his head while everyone cheered, I thought about my mom and dad and knew my godfather was right. They’d be very proud that I could find someone who would always allow my heart to sing and our love to shine.
No matter what life threw at us.
The End