Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 102016 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102016 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 510(@200wpm)___ 408(@250wpm)___ 340(@300wpm)
“Okay.” I take her face in my hands and lean in to kiss her. I’m fucking furious, my blood is boiling, but I think Dani’s pissed enough for everyone in this room. “Take a breath, sweetheart.”
“I didn’t realize my sister had such a violent streak in her,” Holden says, and Millie smirks.
“No,” Blake says, shaking his head. “That’s a mama bear, and she’ll gut you without hesitation.”
“Damn right,” Dani mutters as I fold her into my arms.
“See?” I kiss the top of her head. “It wasn’t your fault at all. Thank God you brought Birdie home.”
“Yeah.”
“You’re incredible, baby.” I lift her chin and smile down at her. “I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.”
“Marry me.”
The room goes still, and Dani frowns up at me. “What?”
“Yeah, I know, I’m the king at blurting shit out even though I’ve planned something romantic, but I don’t want to waste another second. You’re mine. We’re never letting you go. Marry me.”
“Yeah, marry us,” Birdie says, jumping to her feet and bouncing on the couch. “So we can wear pretty dresses!”
I hear Blake and the others mumbling and chatting, but I only have eyes for my girl.
“What do you say?”
“You want to marry me, even with all of my baggage, and—”
“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to us.” I tip my forehead to hers. “You’re the piece that fits so seamlessly, so effortlessly, it’s as easy as breathing. You’re exactly what we need and who we love, and I don’t have a moment of hesitation about your past. I lived it alongside you for years, and you’ll continue to heal from it because you’re strong and amazing, and I’m in awe of you.”
“Wow,” I hear Millie say with a sigh.
“Holden already gave me his blessing to ask you,” I add for good measure, and her eyes, already full of tears, widen.
“He did?”
“I did,” her brother confirms. “I just want you to be happy.”
Without looking at her brother, Dani smiles up at me, two tears breaking loose and falling down her cheeks. “You do make me really happy. Sometimes I don’t know if I deserve to feel so good.”
“Ah, kitten.” I kiss the tip of her nose. “You deserve the world. Let me give it to you.”
“Yes, Bridger Blackwell, I’ll marry you.”
“Yay!” Birdie wraps her little arms around our legs, hugging us close as the others applaud, and I grin down at my girl.
“Are you happy?” I ask her, and she nods. “Use your words.”
She bites her lip, and I tug it free with my thumb.
“I’m really fucking happy.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
DANI
Christmas Eve
“I’ve never pulled a wedding together so fast in my entire career,” Charlie says with a laugh. We’re in the bridal suite at the Wild River Ranch Event Center, getting ready for the ceremony. I wasn’t expecting a wedding this big, especially on such short notice. Not to mention, I never thought I’d be able to afford one.
It’s been a crazy month. Both the arsonist and Angela are in jail, awaiting trial. The Sidney Sterling concert raised enough money to build houses for every family who lost their homes, and as soon as the snow melts in the spring, they’ll be underway.
The ski resort is another story altogether, and no one really knows for sure what’s going to happen up there, but no lives were lost on Thanksgiving night, and that’s the most important thing.
“You guys.” I swallow hard and turn to my girls. I’m so blessed with so many amazing women in my life, and this is just a few of them.
Bee, Alex, Charlie, and Darby are here with me. All of the Wild women have been in and out to check on us and then see to other preparations, making sure that everything goes off without a hitch.
Bridger’s parents arrived two days ago, and they’ll stay in town through New Year’s Day.
I love that our whole family is here, and the fire station is working with a skeleton crew for a few hours so most of Bridger’s guys can be here for him.
Unfortunately, Skyla is in Ireland to spend the holidays with her family, so she can’t be here, but she’s been a part of the shower and so much of the planning, and she called me just this morning to gush about how happy she is for me.
“There’s already a lot of people out there,” Millie says as she bustles in. She’s dressed in the prettiest green dress that brings out the green in her eyes, and I sigh.
“You’re so pretty, Mill.”
“Aw, look who’s drunk on love,” Millie says with a wink and then kisses my cheek. “You’re the one who’s gorgeous. This dress is just wow.”
“Charlie found it.” I turn to the mirror and grin. When I told Charlie what I wanted, my sister went on a hunt, and this was shipped to us from Alabama. Thankfully, it only needed minor alterations.