He took Maria’s hand and looked into her dark eyes. “Mia, I love you.”
“I love you too, Jeff. So much.”
His heart warmed and he said the words he’d been waiting to say for thirty-three years.
“Please, be my wife. I don’t want to waste another minute of the second chance we’ve been given.”
Epilogue
Maria looked into Jeff’s eyes as they finally separated after a deep and passionate first kiss as husband and wife.
Therapy was going well. Jeff had been going twice a week for two months now, and Maria had joined him for a few sessions. They both had a lot to work out, not the least of which was their recent run-in with Chuck, who was back behind bars, as was Max. She looked around at their small gathering. Angie and Rafe with Little Jeff, now two months old and just starting to smile. Harper and Amber, who had recently announced their own good news. And Catie and Chad with eighteen-month-old Violet. Catie’s two brothers-in-law, Dallas and Zach McCray, were also there with their families, and Amber’s father, retired bronc buster Thunder Morgan. That was all—a perfect small wedding.
The minister laughed. “Now that the bride and groom have managed to unclench, I am happy to present to you Mr. and Mrs. Jefferson Bay.”
The applause was thundering. She and Jeff smiled at each other and then walked down the aisle…toward their life together.
The End