Courage (Heroes of Big Sky 1)

“As long as we make it to the fast lane, too.”

Epilogue

~Natasha~

Six Months Later…

“Who’s excited for burgers?” I ask as the four of us climb out of Sam’s truck to walk into Ed’s for dinner.

“Me!” Kelsey exclaims as she takes my hand. “I want extra fries.”

“You’re my French fry monster.” I grin down at her.

The kids have grown like weeds in the last year. And since Sam came home to stay, they’ve thrived. Now that it’s summer, we’re looking forward to spending time on the lake and hiking up in the woods together as a family.

We walk inside and are shown to a booth. As we walk through the restaurant, I notice that Aspen, Callum, and their kids are at a table. I wave, excited to see them.

I thought they were in London.

I scoot into the booth, and Sam sits next to me on the outside as I glance around. “Sam, Aspen and Callum are in town.”

“Yeah? That’s great.”

“She didn’t call me. She always tells me when she’s coming to town.”

“Maybe it was a last-minute trip,” he says with a shrug.

I look to our right and see Nina and Sebastian, and not far from them are Liam and Ellie.

My brother is at the counter with Seth King next to him.

Noah and Fallon are behind us.

The rest of the King family, the entire King family is seated throughout the restaurant. It’s a packed house, full of all of the faces I love the most.

“Why are all of our friends here?” I ask.

They’re all grinning but trying not to look at us.

“Because Sam told them to,” Kevin says, earning a glare from Sam. “I mean, I don’t know.”

I look at the man I love and notice that he looks…nervous.

He clears his throat and then looks over at me with the most intense blue eyes I’ve ever seen.

He slips his hand into his pocket and seamlessly shifts onto one knee at the side of the booth, then reaches for my hand and slides me on the bench seat next to him.

“I love you, Natasha Mills. For a million and one reasons, all of which I will list for you later.” He winks. “I don’t know that I could have made it through the past year with all of its intense ups and downs with anyone but you. You brought so much light and balance to my life, so much strength and love. I don’t ever want to know a day without you in it.”

He slips the ring out of his hand and holds it up to me.

The diamond sparkles in the light.

“Will you please marry me?”

“Of course.” I wrap my arms around his neck and bury my face against him. “Of course, I’ll marry you.”

The entire restaurant explodes with applause. Even Ed grins from ear to ear behind the counter.

“Onion rings on me,” he calls out, making me laugh.

“We’re getting married,” Kelsey exclaims. “I told you she was gonna say yes.”

Sam stands and pulls me with him so we can get caught up in the sea of our friends for congratulations and well-wishes.

And I know in my heart that Monica and Rich are with us. Celebrating, too. Proud of the family we’ve made.

I can’t wait for the rest of my life.

* * *