Dr. Stud

She shakes her head, and shrugs, but looks a little more stressed than she did a second ago. I stand up from the table and set my napkin down, trying to put the fact that everyone is staring at me out of my head.

“Mama, Dad, this may seem crazy to you. And it seems crazy to me, honestly. But I am in love with Parrish. I am crazy, out-of-my-mind, head-over-heels in love with her. And I think she feels the same way about me.”

Every eye turns to Parrish, and we watch her cheeks turn red in real time. But she nods with a smile.

“Hawk, what in the damn hell are you talking about?” dad says, running his hands over his face. “Are you trying to tell us you’re in love with your brother’s wife?”

“That’s exactly what I’m telling you, dad. I’ve been in love with her since we were kids. I never stopped loving her. And it may not make a lot of sense to you now, but I promise you. There is no one on this earth that can love her, and take care of her, and Gracie, as well as I can.”

I turn to Parrish, and with a smile, I get down on my knee. I hear Carter and Anna gasp in unison, and my father mutter, “what in the hell is happening in this house?” I reach in to my pocket and pull out the little velvet jewelry box, and flip it open, revealing a perfect, sparkling, pear-shaped diamond. Parrish covers her eyes, and shakes her head, so I reach up and pull her hands away.

“Honey, look at me. Please.”

She opens her eyes and there are tears in them.

“Parrish Elizabeth Monroe McCormick, you were loved and adored by one of the best men I’ve ever known in my entire life. I only hope to be half the man Matt was, half the husband, half the father he could have been. But I know, in my heart, that my love for you is bigger than any challenge we may face. Any obstacle ahead of us. So, I’m asking you now, in front of our family, in front of your perfect daughter, if you’ll do me the honor of allowing me to be your husband?”

Parrish doesn’t say anything. She just leaps up from her chair and throws her arms around my neck with a huge smile, and starts kissing my cheeks and my lips and my forehead and my chin. When she’s done, she pulls back, and whispers, “yes. Forever, yes.”

I slip the ring on her perfect finger, and she wraps her arms around me again.

“It’s about damn time,” Anna says with a laugh.

“Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on?” dad says, exasperated.

I turn around and grin at him.

“Well, dad… Do you remember the night of the graduation party…”

Epilogue

Parrish

I look down at my finger, at the sparkling pear-shaped diamond, and I can barely process that I am married again. It’s even harder to fathom that I am married to Hawk McCormick, the first man I ever loved, and the brother of the man I thought I’d spend the rest of my life with. It feels like an eternity has passed since the wedding on the ranch, with only our family there. It took a while for Sam and Candy to get used to the idea of Hawk and me together, but eventually, they understood the comfort and happiness we brought to each other, in spite of our complicated history. Candy, especially, was just happy to have her boy back at the ranch.

A few days after Hawk proposed to me, he called his boss in Los Angeles and convinced him to let Hawk set up a branch of the architecture firm in Helena. His boss was hesitant to the idea at first, but once he saw the finished stable, and how much added revenue it brought to McCormick Ranch, he couldn’t argue against the benefits. By the time we got married, Hawk had already established the new office, hired a staff, and set it up so he could telecommute in from the ranch. He only has to go to Helena once or twice a month, or if there is a big meeting with a new client. The rest of the time, he works from the new home office we set up for him in the carriage house, where he, Gracie, and I are living while our new house is being built on the far edge of the property.

When we first made it official, I thought for sure that Hawk was going to go crazy being back in Dylan. He’d spent so long in the big city, living a crazy, single-guy life, that it seemed insane to me he would be happy on the ranch with me, and Gracie, and his family. But instead of going stir-crazy, he melted back into like he’d never left. He’d get up early, help Anna in the stables, get Gracie re

ady for school, then spend the day in his office designing and planning for his new clients. At night, we’d eat dinner with the family, or hang out just the three of us, and for the first time since I lost Matt, I felt complete. Happy. And Gracie seemed to feel it too, because she was even more content than I’d ever known her to be.

Once Hawk’s new business was set up, and everything was settled there, we planned the wedding, and we planned it fast. I didn’t want anything fancy, and neither did Hawk; we just wanted something simple, with only the family in attendance, and that is what they gave us. We got married on a beautiful fall day at sunset, with Gracie in Hawk’s arms, and a locket with Matt’s picture hanging around my neck. Hawk promised me we would never forget about Matt, that he would always be a part of our lives, and that meant everything to me. Even as I moved forward with my life, I knew I could never say goodbye to Matt. It was deeply important to me that Hawk understood that, and it meant the world to me that he did.

And now, we are on our honeymoon, finally, months after we got married and I still can’t believe we’re in Iceland. When Hawk first suggested it for our special trip, I balked. Why go somewhere cold in the middle of winter, when were are so many tropical places to visit?

Of course, he was right. Arriving at our hotel suite, I stop to catch my breath looking at the view. Just outside of our room, we have our own little slice of the Blue Lagoon, the geothermal pool the country is so famous for. No sharing with other tourists, no waiting in line. The outdoor space is completely surrounded by towering rocks that glisten with moisture from the steam rising. The pool overlooks the dramatic Icelandic skyline, which is covered in the gray clouds of dusk. The last rays of sun peek through as it vanishes from the sky.

“These clouds should clear soon, and we will be able to see the Northern Lights,” Hawk exclaims, throwing his suitcase onto the floor. His clothes quickly come next as he tosses them onto the bed and heads outside.

I laugh to myself at his eagerness. “Isn’t it freezing out there?” I call after him.

“Only if you don’t hurry and get in!” he shouts back.

I start to remove my sweats and t-shirt, folding them neatly and putting them on top of my bag. After traveling, I cannot wait to finally unwind.

I rush outside, fully naked, and run into the spa. The heat that envelops my body is beautifully contrasted by the chill of the air as I settle myself in, feeling the stress of the long flight melt away. I make my way over to the edge of the pool, where Hawk is gazing out into the sunset and lean my head against his strong arm. Together, we stand for several minutes in complete silence, the weight of this perfect moment enveloping us. After all of these years pining for one another and trying to move on, we’ve found our way back together. We’ve made it, and now we are here, as husband and wife.

Hawk turns his head to kiss the top of mine. “I love you, Parrish. I love you more in this moment than I ever have. And yet somehow I know that this feeling will only continue to grow.”