Chapter XXVI Doggone Perfect （Brady） #2
Lena’s case isn’t the only one leveled at him for abuse. She just threw the first stone, and once it hit, three other women crawled out the woodwork, chasing him for assault.
He’s such a fucking flight risk, he couldn’t post bail.
All the better. That means we get to come here and enjoy some peace without the slightest worry that Harry Jay will climb out of the brush with a loaded gun and nothing to lose.
This is Lena’s battle, but if I had my way, he’d never see the light of day again. No matter what hit man I had to pay to make it happen.
“Ready for the next leg?”
She nods.
I pull her hand to my mouth and kiss her knuckles, banishing demon thoughts from my head. I help her up, and we start moving with Queenie at our side. The path hits an incline, and she draws in a little closer.
“Enough about the past,” I say. “How’s the grand reopening coming along?”
She grins. “Pawsome Hearts? I mean, it’s more of a gimmick than anything, but it’ll help introduce Dr. Vetol to our clients. He’s pretty excited to start seeing patients.”
“A man likes to know his money’s being invested sensibly.”
“My money now,” she reminds me.
“Yours,” I agree, squeezing her hand. “I’d say it paid off brilliantly.”
“Things are good. Like really good. You remembered to thank your parents, right?”
“Yeah.”
After my big talk with Dad, he couldn’t hold my mother back from beating down doors. She went straight to the mayor and the county board, calling in favors owed from years of large campaign contributions, demanding action to deal with the corruption in the code department.
It barely took a hot minute for my parents to get on board with the new life we’re building.
And I’ll admit, having Dad on our side is a definite plus. Pawsome Hearts had a flood of donations coming in to fix up their boarding center. The Pruitt name has been around for a long time, and he knows exactly how to throw its weight around.
“About damn time they did something useful with their money.” I shake my head.
“Don’t be a dick. They’ve been supportive.”
Yeah. And I’ve mostly forgiven Dad’s blistering reaction to the fallout after the hell video of Lena leaked.
Mostly.
Still, I’ll admit, he’s been working hard to make up for years of mistakes, ever since he broke down and showed a little emotion and a lot of humility.
For Lena, it’s like the old man’s freak-out never happened.
“How’s the project coming along?”
She beams. “The carpenter just started this week. We’re gutting it and building fresh from the ground up. A full remodel. The dogs are going to have a heated pool, Brady.”
“Shit, that’s amazing.” I can’t help laughing, imagining her chasing after half a dozen crazy dogs splashing their hearts out all winter.
“All thanks to you. Nowhere near as many people would’ve donated if you hadn’t done that live stream.”
“Hey, I brought people’s attention to it, just like my dad. You won them over.” I remember the video she made, where she wears the bravest face as she speaks about the little clinic she loves so much and the heartbreak if it shuts down.
The donations pouring in blew our expectations through the roof.
“You picked a day for the reopening yet?” I ask, stopping to let Queenie sniff at a rock a marmot was standing on as we climbed the hill.
“Mm, it’ll have to be October. When we get back home, I’ll make a final decision. As long as we’re coming back bigger and better than ever.”
“You will,” I assure her. “No chance you’ll fail. Not after you fought like hell to save your clinic.”
“Dr. Ezzie still can’t believe it.” She sounds like she can’t believe it either. “When we were in crisis mode, she really thought we’d have to sell and shut down.”
“I never would’ve let that happen.”
She leans up and kisses my cheek. “I know. But this is my fight.”
“As long as you don’t forget I’m always there for backup.” When she fake pouts, I lean over and kiss her forehead.
Ahead of us, the trail curves to the left, hugging closer to the sparkling lake on one side with the mountain cast in purple light.
Best of all, there’s no one in sight.
It can’t get better.
“Let’s take a breather,” I say, letting Queenie stretch out the long leash on the tie-down and head into the trees for a bathroom break. Never a problem when she has amazing recall. “Your future’s bright as hell, Sass. Only question is if you’ll let me make it blinding.”
Go time.
I pull the box out of my pocket as I drop to one knee, popping it open so the ring sparkles in the afternoon light.
It’s the same one as before, though I had it resized for a perfect fit.
When I first gave it to her, I didn’t miss the way she looked at it—like maybe it was the kind of ring she’d have picked for herself.
She never asked about it after she flung it back to me in anger.
Of course, I kept it. After the strange bliss of watching her wear it before, my mind was made up. Nothing else will ever be a better fit.
Not when it screams a truth from a lie.
“Lena Joly, will you marry me?” I whisper, clear and sure, even as sharp rocks dig into my knees. “For real this time. Not because we have to pretend, but because we can’t live with anything less.”
She gasps so loud I swear it bounces off the mountain.
Her hands clap her cheeks.
Her eyes flash like amber gold, all swirling glitter.
“Oh my God! Holy fuckeroo, are you—oh man. You are. You’re serious.” She swallows hard.
For a second, I hesitate. Is this too much, too soon?
“No joke. I fell stupid in love with you before I could even figure out what was happening. There hasn’t been a moment since where I haven’t wanted to make you mine in every way that matters.”
“Y-y-you are serious. Oh my God.” Here come the tears, and they’re so happy my grin digs into my face.
“I hiked all the way up here with this ring, didn’t I?” I push it toward her again. “And I’m asking you properly, like a true gentleman. You can skip hanging the medal around my neck. Just give me a yes.”
“Yes!” she screams, shaking like a leaf as she throws herself into my arms. The Lena missile knocks me onto my back, and we go down together, laughing. “Get up, get up, you lunk! Of course I’ll marry you. I’ll pick you every time.”
I take the ring as she holds out a finger, then I slide it on.
“Oh, wow. You kept it and . . . did you have it resized? It fits better,” she whispers in awe.
“Told you once, I’m doing this properly this time.”
And then, because I can’t wait a second longer, I kiss my fiancée hard, fingers in her hair. She tastes like salt and the rest of my life, and when I pull away, resting my forehead against hers, I think a few of those tears on her cheeks might be mine.
Tell no one.
“I love you,” she says through her tears. “I’m just surprised. I didn’t think you’d ask again so soon.”
“What’s the point in waiting? When you know, you know, and I knew before our engagement ever ended.”
She winces. “It never should have.”
“It’s better this way. You know why I kept the ring?”
I have to wait to answer when Queenie returns, joining our excitement with a flash of leaping black fur. I’m damn glad she’s as old as she is.
I catch her about a second before she lands on Lena’s head.
But we’re laughing like crazy, the dog adding her frenzied yips to our chaos.
When Queenie finally lies down to catch her breath, we stare at the ring in the gorgeous light. The way it sparkles on her hand. Traditional, elegant, and unmistakably Lena.
“Tell me now. Why did you keep it?”
“Because it’s you,” I tell her. She smiles. “Because I love how it looks, and I love when it’s the only thing you’re wearing, more than anything in the world.”
“It’s kinda perfect, I’ll admit.” She holds out her hand, and I kiss it like the lovesick freak I am.
“Just like you, Miss Joly. Next step, Mrs. Pruitt.” I claim her lips again.
My fiancée. My final destination.
Finally, my wife for real.