Mini Bonus Chapter Two
A Little Wild, A Lot Forever
One Month Later
The mid-July afternoon sun made Luke’s skin sizzle as he walked from his truck to Valley’s mom’s studio behind the farmhouse. The door was open and he heard the whir of a grinder.
Knocking on the open door, he said, “Hey, Sage.”
She clicked off the grinder and smiled as she put down the thick bracelet she was polishing. “Hi there, Luke.” She rose to her feet and picked up a small black box from the wooden counter and handed it to him. “Here you go, honey.”
The box weighed nothing really, but it felt heavy in the cosmic sense that it held the future.
Nerves skated through him. He was not a guy who got nervous, but he was going to ask the love of his life to be his wife, and he couldn’t help the nerves. She’d say yes. Of course. But still…
“You okay, honey?” Sage asked with a smile.
“Yeah, just nervous.” He opened the box and sucked in a breath. The ring caught the light from the window and for just a moment he forgot how to talk. It was freaking perfect.
The band was gold, shaped like delicate twisting vines, with tiny leaves curled along the sides. In the center was an oval stone the color of honey with small green flecks.
“It’s beautiful,” he said. “Thank you.”
She smiled. “I always hoped I’d get to make Valley’s engagement ring someday. I was so happy when you asked me.”
Bodhi walked in and clapped Luke on the shoulder. “That’s a good-looking ring, yeah?”
“Sage does wonderful work.” He closed the box and hugged Sage. “Thank you so much.” He and Bodhi shook hands.
“Welcome to the family, Luke,” Bodhi said.
Holding the box tightly, he said, “I’m going to go ask my girl to marry me.”
They wished him well as he turned and hustled out of the studio toward his truck. The nerves were still there, twisting butterflies in his belly, but having the ring in his possession had eased some of it.
Now he just had to ask her to be his.
By the time he reached the house, he knew exactly what he was going to say to his sweet mate.
He found her in the kitchen making his favorite cookie – her Kitchen Sink ones, chock full of chocolate, walnuts, and pretzel pieces.
“It smells amazing in here,” he said.
She closed the oven and set a tray of baked cookies on the stove, then turned off the heat. “I just finished the batch. I told Eisley if there were any left I’d bring them to her tomorrow when we meet for coffee and a bookstore trip.”
“I may or may not be willing to leave her a couple. They are my favorite.”
“I thought I was your favorite?”
“They’re a very close second because they’re baked by you.”
“Fair enough,” she said with a chuckle.
“Hey, come outside for a minute.”
“Sure.”
She took off her apron and hung it on the hook by the door and followed him out the front door and down the walkway, hitting the street and heading toward the lake. When they reached the edge of the lake, he remembered what it was like when he’d shifted for her and she’d fallen asleep on him.
And how much he loved her.
“The water is so pretty in the afternoon,” she said, looking across the glassy surface. She turned to face him. “I really do love it here with you.”
“I love it here with you too,” he said. He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and kissed her.
“Valley, you’ve already said yes to me so many times since we met.
You chose me, you chose this life. You let me mark you and you’ve made the house into a home.
I love you. I loved you the moment that we met, but it was the kind of early love that comes from being truemates.
Now, I love you more every day. I love waking up with you, falling asleep with you.
I love every batch of buns you make for the tavern, every tray of cookies you make for me because I eat them by the handful.
” She let out a chuckle, her eyes shining.
“I love you because you’re kind and funny, talented and sweet.
I want us to belong to each other in every way possible, so I just have one question. ”
He took the ring box out of his pocket and went down on one knee. He opened the box and she let out a little gasp.
“Will you marry me?”
“Yes! Oh my gosh, yes!”
Tears spilled over her cheeks as he put the ring on her finger and rose to his feet. He kissed her, his bear roaring in happiness.
She looked at the ring and said, “My mom made this, didn’t she? It’s beautiful.”
“She did. Your parents are amazing.”
“They’re yours now too.” She hugged him tightly. “This is the happiest I’ve ever been. Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to me, Luke.”
He looked out across the sparkling surface of the lake. “The future’s wide open, Valley.”
“You and me forever.”
Don’t leave just yet! Want to see artwork inspired by Luke & Valley? Check out the next page!