Page 29 of Crew

“Well, can you blame me? You’re gorgeous.”

“So are you,” she pointed out.

He liked that she found him attractive, because he definitely thought she was the most beautiful female he’d ever laid eyes on. “I think we’re both really lucky to have found each other. I remember my grandpa telling me once that meeting my grandma, his soulmate, was the strangest thing, that if only one thing hadn’t happened in the events leading up to them meeting, they never would have crossed paths. I feel like that’s how it happened with us, if that asshole hadn’t decided to come here because of his relation to Avi, you and I most likely would never have met. I don’t even like thinking about that.”

“Me either,” she said, wrinkling her nose. “I have zero respect or care for that male, but without his scheming to come here, I wouldn’t know what it’s like to be with someone so amazing.”

He took her hand and said, “Zara, I had no idea when I met you how profound it would be to have you in my life, how much you changed me even after just a week. I was lonely, but I didn’t know what to do about it. And then I saw you, and everything inside me that felt like it was off-kilter righted itself.

“I love you, Zara. I love waking up with you, I loveeventuallygoing to sleep with you, and I love how you fit so perfectly into my life because you and I were meant to be together. I’ve known my whole life what the word soulmate means, but I never really understood it until I found you.”

“Oh, Crew.” Her eyes glistened and she sniffled. “I love you too.”

He pulled the ring from his pocket and, as the sun slowly sank toward the horizon and the sky turned red and orange with a blue curtain descending on it, he asked her to marry him. “Be my wife and my mate, Zara, my alpha female and my counterpart. Will you marry me, build a life with me here in Little River, and make me the happiest male on the planet?”

Her hand flew to her mouth and he caught the glimmer of tears as they spilled over her cheeks. “Yes,” she whispered the word. And then she chuckled and said it louder. “Yes!”

He slid the ring onto her finger and they put their arms around each other for a tight hug and kiss, and then he held her close as the sun set entirely and the darkness closed in around them.

“That was pretty damn good timing,” she whispered.

He laughed. “It sure was.”

They kissed again, the world dropping away as it had a tendency to do whenever he kissed her, and he was very certain that while meeting her was the best day of his life, her telling him that she loved him too was the bestnightof his life.

Saturday morning, Zara waited for Tris to change into what she referred to as “scrounging clothes” so she could accompany her on another forage trip. Zara had such a good time with Nancy that Tris said she wanted a chance to see what was around the territory too. The foraging book and log were in a bag she’d found out shopping with Crew. It had several interior pockets, which held her foraging tools and her book plus mesh bags for any plants they found.

The golf cart’s little engine whirred noisily as Tris took the corner, coming into the gravel driveway and zipping toward the house.

“I wear these boots when I’m mucking in the barn,” she said as she got out, adjusting the baseball cap she said she’d stolen from Khyle. “They’ll be great for a hike in the territory.”

“Definitely,” Zara said. “Do you need to be back by any certain time? I thought we could walk around until lunch if you’re not busy.”

“Nope, I’m free for the day, at least until we need to get the big dinner going. And you’renotgoing to help since it’s your special night. Everyone is pitching in so we can have a fun evening, and you’re just going to enjoy yourself.”

“You all are so sweet,” she said.

“Before I forget,” Tris said, “lemme see the ring!”

Zara’s cheeks pinked as she recalled how amazing last night was. Not only had Crew set up a very romantic dinner, but he’d proposed to her at sunset andthenhe’d rocked her world on the dock and at the farmhouse. She’d practically passed out from pleasure and fallen into a deep sleep snuggled up in his arms.

The ring was beautifully perfect, with a pink center stone ringed with white sapphires. Pink was her favorite color, and she wasn’t sure how he’d known exactly what she would have picked out for herself, but he did amazing. He’d even gotten it engraved on the inside:Forever Soulmates.

“Oh, it’s beautiful,” Tris said. “I love the stone. Congratulations!”

“Thank you, I love it too.”

They walked away from the farmhouse down the path that Zara and Nancy had gone, setting her step counter to zero on her phone so she could track where they were if they found anything good.

“The mint was awesome,” Tris said. “What else do you think you might find?”

“I’m not sure, there’s no way to know what’s around unless we see it. I was surprised to see blueberriesandblackberries growing wild, and the mint was a surprise too.”

“Khyle built me a mini herb garden last spring so I could grow some of my favorites,” Tris said.

“Like what?”

“Basil, thyme, rosemary. I use it all in cooking.”

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