Page 18 of Kissing My Mountain Man

Denny holds my hand as we walk around the homestead. We’ve come up here several times over the last couple of years, and we never get tired of exploring. Denny’s even joked about wanting a summer cabin up here.

“Where are we going?” I ask as he leads me to a trail so hidden I wouldn’t have known it was there if he hadn’t pointed it out.

“You’ll see, be patient.” He smirks over his shoulder at me.

I sigh but decide to be good. After all, he’s my ranger guide on this little journey.

We walk nearly a mile in the dense brush. Whatever he was trying to show me was hidden very well. No one in their right mind would come out here. Finally, there’s a break in the trees and a small clearing. In the center, there stands a massive old oak tree with rocks framed around it in a rectangle and a stone with a large crack down the middle.

I gasp and squeeze Denny’s hand as we approach the stone. “Denny, that’s John Milford’s grave. You found John’s grave.”

He smiles down at me and pulls out the old tin box we found from his pack. “I thought maybe we could bury these here. Join them together in some way and bring them some peace. What do you think?”

Tears spill down my cheeks and I stand on my tiptoes and wrap my arms around his neck. He turns to me and leans down to press a kiss to my lips.

“It’s perfect,” I say.

Denny buries the treasures right next to the headstone as I say a few words for Clara and John. I tell them about how their love led me to mine and that I’m forever grateful.

The sun begins to set as we head back to the homestead, to the camp we set up earlier today. Denny’s built a fire in the same spot where we spent our first night together.

It’s a sad day to see the journal gone, but I know that it’s where it needs to be.

I stare into the fire, thinking about what’s in store for Denny and me, when he interrupts my thoughts with another surprise.

Denny lowers himself down on one knee next to me and holds out a small velvet box.

“Landry, I’ve been enamored by you from the moment I met you. Your passion and your drive are traits that I admire and want to nurture. I promise to help you with every dream you have if you become my dream come true. Will you marry me?”

For the second time today, this man has made me cry happy tears.

I launch myself into his arms. Denny laughs as we fall to the ground, and I pepper his face with kisses.

“Is that a yes?” He laughs.

“Yes!”