Page 89 of Broken Roads
"How does forever sound?" The question slips out before I can overthink it, before I can second-guess what I'm really asking.
Her breath catches, eyes widening slightly. "Forever?"
I swallow hard, suddenly nervous in a way I haven't been since that first night we spent together under the stars. "Yeah, forever. If that's something you might be interested in."
A slow smile spreads across her face, brighter than any sunset I've ever seen. "Are you asking what I think you're asking, cowboy?"
"Depends on your answer," I hedge, but I'm smiling too, unable to hide the hope blooming in my chest.
"Ask me properly and find out," she challenges, eyes sparkling with mischief and something deeper, something that looks a lot like love.
I don't hesitate. Dropping to one knee right there on our porch, I take her hand in mine. I don't have a ring—this wasn'tplanned, wasn't rehearsed—but I've never been more certain of anything in my life.
"Hailey Monroe," I begin, my voice steadier than I expected. "You walked into my life when I least expected it and turned everything upside down in the best possible way. You challenged me, fought me, forced me to see beyond the walls I'd built. And somewhere along the way, you became my home." I squeeze her hand gently. "Will you marry me? Make this forever thing official?"
Her free hand comes up to cover her mouth, but it doesn't hide the tears that spill over and track down her cheeks. For one terrifying moment, she doesn't speak, and my heart pounds so hard I swear it's going to break through my ribs.
Then she nods, a quick jerky movement at first, then more decisively. "Yes," she manages, voice breaking on the word. "Yes, of course I'll marry you."
I'm on my feet in an instant, lifting her into my arms and spinning her around as relief and joy crash through me like a summer storm. Her laughter rings out, bright and clear in the gathering darkness, and I know it's a sound I'll never tire of hearing.
When I set her down, her face is flushed, her eyes bright with tears and happiness. "I don't have a ring," I admit, suddenly sheepish. "This wasn't exactly planned."
"I don't need a ring," she tells me, rising onto her toes to press her lips to mine. "I just need you."
"You have me," I promise against her mouth. "All of me, forever."
As we stand on our porch, the stars appearing one by one above us and the distant lights of Walker Ranch glowing in the valley below, I hold the woman who saved me in more ways than one and think about beginnings and endings. How sometimes the end of one chapter is just the start of a better one.How sometimes the hardest roads lead to the most beautiful destinations.
And how sometimes, if you're lucky enough, the right person walks into your life at exactly the right moment, turns everything upside down, and helps you build something more beautiful than you ever imagined possible.
Not ready to say goodbye to Bradley and Hailey? Click here for a sneaky peek into their future.
***
Sneak Peek of Dr. Sebastian Walker and his fiery fellow.
"Do you understand the liability issues you've just created?" Dr. Walker continues, crossing his arms over his chest. The gesture stretches his white coat across his broad shoulders that I absolutely should not be noticing right now. "Do you comprehend the protocols you've bypassed? The chain of command you've ignored?"
Swallowing hard, I try to maintain eye contact.This is not how I pictured our first conversation. In my daydreams, he was nodding thoughtfully at my brilliant diagnostic insights, not listing my professional transgressions like he's building a case for my immediate dismissal.
"I saw someone in distress," I say, my voice steadier than I feel. "I acted."
"You acted without authorization in a hospital where you have no standing."
"I acted as a doctor," I counter."Which is what I am."
"Not here. Not yet." His eyes flick to the clock on the wall, then back to me. "Not for another twenty-eight minutes, officially."
The beeping of monitors and hum of voices around us fade into background noise as we face off. I'm acutely aware of every detail about him—the faint lines at the corners of his eyes, the controlled tension in his jaw, the way he holds himself like a man who never learned how to yield.He's everything I expected from his reputation and nothing like I imagined all at once.
"Would you have preferred I let him die?" The question slips out before my better judgment can catch it."Sir," I add, because I'm pushing my luck and I know it.
Something flashes in his eyes—surprise, maybe,that I'm pushing back. Good. Let him be surprised. I might be star struck by his brilliant mind, but I'm not about to apologize for saving a life.
"What I prefer, Dr. Phillips, is a hospital that runs according to established protocols designed to protect patients and practitioners alike." He leans in slightly, and I catch the faint scent of coffee and something clean, like expensive soap. "What I do not prefer is a fellow who believes their judgment supersedes hospital policy before they've even completed orientation."
The frustration building in my chest threatens to spill over. I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from saying something I'llregret, but I can't quite stop myself entirely.
