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“Do you have a dog?” Abbi peers out the window.

I laugh and urge her off my lap, pulling up my jeans. “I wouldn’t call him a dog. He showed up one day, and he’ll bite the piss out of you for no damn reason at all.” I glare down at the dog. “He’s never allowed to be around the babies.”

I don’t miss the way her face lights up when I mentioned the babies. Had I not referred to them before now? I guess, maybe, I hadn’t. And I’m to blame for that.

When I have my jeans righted and Abbi’s panties are back on, I lift her hand and kiss the back of it. “Do you want to see the house?”

Her eyes fix on the dog. “Is it safe?”

“He won’t bite you. It’s usually just me or Morgan. He despises Morgan.”

Abbi laughs. “He’s cute.”

I stare at the hunting dog with blue eyes. “He’s mean as fuck. Not cute.” Climbing over the seat and into the front, I reach for the door handle and push the door open only to have the dog jump past me and into the Jeep to sit next to Abbi like they’re best friends.

She scratches his ears. “Are you a good boy?” she asks him, and he licks the side of her face. Last time I saw this dog, I had to pry him off my leg where he had a death grip on my calf.

“He’s a fucker,” I grumble, stepping from the Jeep and motioning to the dog. “Get out.”

He doesn’t… until Abbi opens her door and he flies out the side and over to me, growling.

“Oh, shut up. Why do you like her over me? I feed you.” Walking around the back of my Jeep, I reach in to retrieve the dog food I brought with me for him. I come out here weekly to deliver this and I have no idea how this dog survived the winters out here, but I’m betting he made do. He’s a scrapper.

Abbi and I walk toward the house, hand in hand with the dog running ahead of us toward the house. Abbi gasps the closer we get, slowly walking through the tall grass. “Are there murder worms out here?” She clings to my side, stepping over boulders scattered along the grass.

I hold onto her, terrified she’s going to trip and hurt herself. “A what?”

“Snakes.”

“Probably.” I keep my eyes on the dog as he runs up and sits on the front porch.

Abbi shakes her head, laughter on her lips. “I guess we have a dog now.”

“He’s not staying.”

“I don’t think he’s leaving,” she points out as he lays down, like he lives here when I’m not around.

We’re standing in front of the building, similar to the one Barron built, and I help her up into the space where the living room will be and the massive stone fireplace that stands twenty feet high.

“It’s beautiful, Jace.” She gasps, her gaze frantically taking in the details. There’s no roof, and the framing for the walls only went up a couple weeks back, but she sees the potential.

“I had plans of a life I would build here. On this land. Me, you, kids… but somewhere along the way my dreams became flashes of the life I didn’t have and I lost sight of the true meaning this land gave me.” Our eyes lock with my confession. “I didn’t know how to make that dream a reality.” I swallow and force a breath out. “Over the last year, I’ve questioned who I am and how far I’d go to achieve happiness on this level.” I wave my hand around us—at a house she knew nothing about until today.

Tears flood her eyes when I reach inside my pocket for the ring. I didn’t know I was doing this today, but apparently I am.

“Jace…”

The shake in her voice rocks through me.

“Abbi.”

She looks up at me as her tears fall. I’m on my knee, and it’s then, eyes wide, lips parted, she recognizes my intent. “What are you doing?”

“What does it look like?” I close my eyes, my emotions threatening.Fuck, get it together.“You own me.”

“Jace…” She kneels and places her hands on my chest. “Be serious.”

“You’re doubting my intentions. This is my promise. This is why I’ve been so… weird. I didn’t know if it was too soon, not soon enough, if you’d say yes after everything that’s happened this year. I don’t know, being here feels like it’s the right thing to do.” I place my fingers under her chin, her incomparable beauty nearly knocking me sideways. “I’m in this.” I burn my love into my expression, hoping she feels it. “I’ll give you anything.” Unexpected emotion clogs my throat and I see her watching me carefully, my voice breaking. “I’m… sorry it took me so long. Marry me,” I finally say, cocking an eyebrow and waiting.