She mouths you’re an idiot back to him.
“Willa, if you ever stop making fun of me, I’ll know you’re not okay. So check in now and then. Tell me something mean so I know you’re still well. But since we’re not texting right now and I don’t see you that often, I’ll take this opportunity to tell you I love you and I am wildly proud of the woman you’ve become. It takes a special man to keep up with a formidable person like you, and I’m so glad you dropped your panties in front of one who can.”
Everyone laughs. Everyone knows Willa. Everyone knows the panty story.
Ford holds up a glass of champagne by the stem, tipping his chin down at the happy couple. “Cheers to you, baby sister. I wish you a lifetime of unhinged happiness.”
Now there are sniffles, followed by polite clapping and a few whistles.
Beau’s warm hand squeezes my thigh through my silky dress. “You good?”
I smile up at him. “I’m good,” I reply, watching him look out over the crowd of people gathered. Locals—townspeople—who don’t glare at me with contempt anymore. That treatment came to a fairly abrupt halt as word of my rant that day at the bar spread. I have to confess, it makes Chestnut Springs a far better place to be. Which is nice considering we still like to spend the odd weekend at Beau’s ranch house.
“We gonna do this one day, sugar tits?”
I shake my head with a smile. “We fuckin’ better.”
“Soon?” His lips dust over the shell of my ear. Living in the city with Beau has been like existing in some sort of dream world. He finished his training. I’m in school and loving it.
“Yeah, soon.”
“What kind of wedding do you want?”
He keeps getting closer, turning in his chair, long legs wrapping around where I’m sitting. Mauling me, basically.
“Something small. Not quite like this.”
“Okay.”
He kisses my neck.
“Maybe down by the river,” I whisper, confessing what I’ve envisioned for some time now. “Behind your house. Like, where it all began kind of thing.” I shrug, feeling suddenly shy.
“Where we spent our first night together?” His laugh rumbles over my skin as he kisses my shoulder.
“Where you came across the water to save me.”
“Where we struck a deal.” Another kiss, beside my mouth this time.
“Where we spent so many 2:11s together,” I whisper.
He nuzzles into my neck now. “So what you’re saying is … where I fell hopelessly in love with you?”
“Yes, soldier. There.”
“When?” His hands grip my hips just a little too low.
“Yesterday.”
He laughs at that. “Wanna go scope out the location?”
“Right now?”
“Yeah. Let’s sneak out. I’ll show you what I was thinking about doing that morning with the boner.”
“Life’s always an adventure with you, Beau Eaton.”
He grins, drawing away ever so slightly. “It is.”
And I grin back, twining my fingers with his.
“Let’s go.”
Acknowledgements
If you’re wondering how I know I know about third degree burns and skin grafts on feet … it’s me, hi, I’m the one with burned feet. It happened when I was very young and while they’re obviously totally healed now, finding shoes that are comfortable and don’t irritate that thinner grafted skin is still a struggle.
All that said, giving Beau this little piece of my own story was a huge help in me finding a thread to connect with him and his struggles, because in a lot of ways he was the most challenging hero I’ve ever written. He will also go down as one of the most memorable （and asked for!） and I hope you all loved his and Bailey’s love story as much as I do.
I told Mr. Silver that I needed to write my acknowledgments and he had some sarcastic comment about that I better thank him. Turns out he’s never read any of my acknowledgements. This is my ninth book, and he is in every single one. I literally just watched him stand in my office and flip through every one of my books searching out his little note. So I feel like he’s probably had enough praise for one day. But still, thank you for everything babe. I love you to the moon and back.
To my son, who makes me laugh every day. Who hugs me every day. Who tells me he loves me every day. You recently told me that you’ll snuggle me forever and I feel like that will be an awkward conversation with any future girlfriends, but honestly I’m holding you to it. No takesies backsies.