Page 37 of Hitched to my Boss

The declaration warms me from the inside out, healing something that had been broken since the moment she'd walked out of my cabin with her list of reasons why we wouldn't work.

"What about your career? Your professional reputation?"

"My career will adapt. I can do remote consulting from Whisper Vale, with travel for major clients when needed." Natalia's voice grows firmer. "And my professional reputation will recover from one mistake. But I might not recover from losing the best thing that ever happened to me."

"Which is?"

"You, Jason. You're the best thing that ever happened to me." She leans down to press her forehead against mine. "I should have fought for us instead of running away when things got complicated."

"You're fighting for us now."

"I'm fighting for us now," she agrees. "But Jason, I need you to understand something. I can't be the only one making changes. If we're going to make this work, really work, we both need to be willing to compromise."

"What kind of compromise?"

"The kind where you don't disappear into the mountains for weeks at a time without communication. The kind where we make decisions together instead of you deciding what's best for both of us." She pulls back to look at me directly. "The kind where we build something that honors both our needs instead of expecting one of us to disappear into the other's life."

"You want me to check in more when I'm working remote sites."

"I want you to remember that you have a wife who worries about you. Who wants to know you're safe and when you'recoming home." Her thumb traces across my knuckles. "I want you to trust me enough to let me be part of your life instead of just fitting into it."

The distinction is important, and I can see that now. I've been asking her to adapt to my existing life instead of building something new together.

"I can do that," I tell her. "I want to do that."

"And I want to support your work instead of seeing it as competition for your attention. I want to be your partner in all of it, not just the parts that are convenient for me."

"Partners," I echo, remembering how the word had felt when we'd shaken hands in my cabin four months ago. It means something completely different now.

"Partners. Husband and wife. Home." She brings my hand to her lips, pressing a kiss to my knuckles. "For better or worse, in sickness and health, for richer or poorer."

"You're quoting wedding vows."

"I'm making wedding vows. Real ones this time, instead of whatever we said to Elvis in Vegas." Her eyes shine with tears and joy in equal measure. "I love you, Jason Wallace. Will you stay married to me? For real this time?"

The answer comes without hesitation. "Yes. Absolutely yes."

"Good. Because I bought us rings that we'll actually remember getting."

She reaches into her purse and pulls out a small velvet box. Inside are two simple gold bands, more elegant than our Vegas rings but still understated enough for mountain life.

"When did you have time to buy rings?"

"Airport jewelry store, while I was waiting for my flight to Vegas. I figured if I was going to fight for my marriage, I should probably have better equipment than whatever we picked out while drunk."

I laugh, the sound rusty but genuine. "You bought our wedding rings at an airport jewelry store?"

"I bought our future at an airport jewelry store." She slides the larger ring onto my finger, her touch gentle around my bandages. "The rings are just symbols."

"What's our future?"

"Morning coffee on the cabin porch. You teaching me how to track wildlife safely. Me helping you build the kind of business that attracts clients who value expertise over schmoozing." She takes my hand, admiring how the ring looks against my skin. "Late night conversations about everything and nothing. Shared silence when words aren't necessary. A life that fits both of us instead of requiring either of us to change who we are fundamentally."

"It sounds perfect."

"It sounds real." She leans over to kiss me, deeper this time, full of promise and commitment. "And it starts as soon as you're cleared to travel home."

"Home."

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