“I’ll be up helping you, I swear. Nolan will too, he just doesn’t know it yet.”
Kady laughs and squeezes my hand. “Love you, sis. Really, I don’t know where I’d be without you.”
“Love you too.”
The door opens and shuts. My heart leaps into my throat and I hurry away as Nolan comes into the room, looking tired and disheveled, but otherwise unhurt. I throw myself into his arms and hug him tight and kiss his lips for a long time, tasting sweat and grass, before I break away and stare into his eyes.
“You’re okay. God, I was so worried.”
“I’m okay,” he says, grinning. “More than okay, actually.”
“Why’s that?”
“Because it’s over. For now anyway.”
“Really?” Excitement pulses into my chest. “It’s really done?”
“Basuldo sent word that the Famiglia finally accepted Lance’s terms and the deal is official. This protracted ceasefire is now a real truce and life’s gonna go back to normal.”
“Oh, Nolan, I’m so fucking happy.” I hug him hard and squeeze him tight. He’s been working for this ever since we came back four months ago and now it’s finally happening. The families got together and hashed things out, and even though it wasn’t easy and there were a few more bumps in the road—a couple more dead bodies, some more minor skirmishes and violence—it’s finished. It’s done now.
All that’s left is life.
“And in the spirit of that, I wanted to ask you something.” Nolan peels me back and drops down to one knee. “Cora Stone, I’ve been waiting my whole life to do this and I couldn’t wait a second longer. You deserve the most magical proposal in the world, but I’m an impatient man and I love you more than I love air. Will you be my wife?”
He takes a ring box from his pocket and flips it open.
I nearly scream. All I see is gold, a big diamond. “Yes, yes, of course yes,” I say and he puts it on my finger. Kady’s laughing and clapping and I’m crying tears of joy as Nolan kisses me again. He leads me into the kitchen, opens a bottle of champagne, and pours two glasses. Kady gets a glass of water and proposes a toast.
“To Cora and Nolan, my sister and my future brother. I don’t know where I’d be without you two. Cora, I love you, and Nolan, I’m growing fond of you. Here’s wishing you two a lifetime of joy.”
“Here’s to that,” Nolan says, we toast and we drink.
A while later, I find myself out back near the woods with Nolan. We stand just inside the tree line, his arms around my body. I lean into his warmth and breathe the smell of the forest, letting it fill me and suffuse me. I kiss him over my shoulder and snuggle closer.
“The fighting’s over, but I don’t feel like anything’s settled,” he says softly like he’s afraid to say it out loud. “There are still a lot of angry people on both sides and so much blood spilled.”
“It’ll be a process. A healing process. You can do it.”
“I’ve never healed before ,Cora, only ever hurt.”
“You’re more than you think you are.” I look back and touch his face. “Just like I’m more than I thought I was. You showed me that. I can be decent and good, and I can make the hard choices. You can do the same things.”
“I hope you’re right.” He kisses me and holds me tight. “Let me ask you something else. When should we start having babies?”
“Oh, god, after the wedding. Actually, give me a couple years.”
“I’m not sure I can wait that long. I can’t keep my hands off you.”
“Nobody said you had to keep your hands to yourself.”
He chuckles and kisses me and I melt into him, my husband and my life and my future.