Page 126 of Owen

“I bought the adjoining one next door, too.”

“Two?”

“Yes. One is perfect for a vacation home; two joined together is a home.” He points to them.

Joy bubbles in my heart and on a laugh and a sob, I blubber like a big baby.

Still sitting in the car, he holds up the keys. “Want to take a look?”

“Hell yes, I do.” I grab them out of his hand and jump out of the car.

Slamming the passenger door shut, I take a moment to check out the view I will have from the upstairs windows. “Wow. Now that’s a view.”

“It really is.”

A glance to my left confirms he’s not looking at the lapping sea, the golden beach or the cobbled harbor that leads to a pier. He’s looking at me.

“I want to start the process to leave the Air Force. I think it’s time for me to retire,” I say confidently.

I don’t want to spend time away from him, Poppy, and the baby while deployed, when I could have the best of family life and an incredible career here.

My pipe dream turned into reality.

Owen’s face breaks into a face-splitting grin. “I hoped you might say that.”

“I told you this is what I wanted.”

“I made your dreams come true?”

“You waved a magic wand,” I whisper in awe at my handsome man.

“I’m HarryfuckingPotter,” he jokes.

“You are looking more like Gandalf by the day with that long beard and hair,” I say, but loving how he wears it in a man bun now.

Chuckling, I look over at the house. I grab Owen’s hand. “You are an amazing man, Owen Brodie. And a hopeless romantic at heart.”

“You bring out the best in me, Hotshot,” he says with pride, and I can’t stop staring at the man I want to spend the rest of my life with.

He lifts my hand and kisses my engagement ring before pulling me into his arms.

With his shovel-sized hands, he cups my face tenderly and slants his mouth over mine, then whispers, “What did I do to deserve you?”

“Nothing, Owen.”

“You like me just as I am.”

“I do. Don’t ever change.”

EPILOGUE

OWEN – ONE YEAR LATER

“Are you ready?” Jade’s crackling voice sounds through my aviation headphones.

“Sure.” As I look down at the beach below, my nerves get the better of me when I say, “Are you sure this is safe?”

“Absolutely.” Her voice is excitable and I’m pretty fucking sure she’s enjoying the torture that is yet to begin.

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