Page 88 of Redemption

“Shit.” I take a deep breath. “I wish he wouldn’t have done that. You could’ve had more time together.”

Fine lines bracket her mouth when she smiles softly. “I have no regrets, Beckett, and I’d venture to say neither did he. Like I said before, he was a good man.”

“Am I interrupting?” Presley hovers in the doorway, looking between Elena and me in question.

“Of course not, dear. I was just finishing up. I need to go get those pain meds, so if you’ll excuse m—”

“Wait,” I call out before she can leave. “I don’t want anything that will make me feel out of it.”

She nods. “I’ll talk to the doctor and see what we can do. I’ll be back in just a bit.”

Pres waits for the nurse to leave before taking a seat in the chair beside my bed again. “What was that about?”

“Apparently, Elena was my dad’s girlfriend. For four years, until right before I returned from Afghanistan.”

Presley winces as she raises her brows, touching the mark that fucker left on her. “Seriously? Wow. I could totally see them as a couple, though.”

I nod. “Me too. She seems really nice.”

“Speaking of relationships... I was doing some thinking while you were asleep.”

“About?”

“Us. My need for independence.”

I grab her hand. “What about it specifically?”

Pres shrugs. “I want to take you up on your invitation to move into your place if the offer’s still good.”

“Of course, the offer still stands, honey.” I kiss her palm. “But why the sudden change of heart? You’ve only been at the Wilson’s place a few weeks. Is it because of what happened tonight? You don’t think you can go back there?”

She shakes her head. “I don’t want to. Tonight made me realize that life’s too short to waste time continually doubting myself. I know I have a long way to go, but I feel counseling will help. It already has. I keep thinking about something my therapist said to me the other day. She asked why I kept denying myself the things that made me happy. And the thing is, I didn’t have an answer for her. Nothing makes me happier than being with you. So, why should I sit around in my living room watching TV by myself just because I have some misguided sense of what I should be doing versus what I want to be doing?

“I’m in this for the long-haul, Beckett. I want to get married and build a house overlooking the pond like we’ve always talked about. I want to fill that house with babies who will grow up running around on the ranch just like we did. I want to be with you every step of the way as you get the horse therapy program up and running because I know how important it is to you, making it important to me. I want us to have the forever we’ve always dreamed of, and I want that forever to start now. So... what do you think?”

I rub a hand over my jaw to hide my smirk. “Honey, this might be the drugs talkin’, but did you just propose to me?”

Presley’s full lips curve. “I suppose I did. You got a problem with that?”

“Nah, Pres. Not at all. I’m plenty secure in my masculinity to handle a little role reversal.”

She laughs. “Good to know. So, is that a yes?”

I smile. “Darlin’, that’s a hell yes.”

Chapter Forty-Five

Presley

“Beck, quit bein’ such a stubborn mule. The bride and groom hafta’ kiss.”

Beckett makes a face. “Gross.”

“Oh, my goodness, look at you two!” My mama has a ginormous smile on her face. “What are you up to?”

I twirl in my pretty white sundress. “Beck and I are gettin’ married out by the pond today! Clayton’s gonna be our minister and everything! I gave him a dollar from my tooth fairy money.”

She puts her hands on her hips. “Is that so?”

---