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“What do you?—”

But before I could finish my sentence, Duke magically reappeared through the front door with two women, one on each arm. I had to blink a few times to make sure my eyes weren’tplaying tricks on me. Tears stung my eyes as I took in the women, the one on his left with curly dark hair like mine and a kind face, the one on his right with her gray hair swept back into a neat bun at the base of her neck.

They weren’t just any women. It was my mom and grandma, here in Shady Grove for the first time since I decided to stay here.

“Mama! Abuela!”

The whole room watched as I stood and rushed to them, throwing my arms around both their necks at the same time. Tears fell freely down my cheeks and onto their brightly patterned dresses, but I didn’t care. They were here, in the flesh, and I could hold them, touch them. They both cried too, smoothing my curls and gently shushing me, just like they used to do when I was little.

It’s not like I hadn’t seen them since the move. I’d gone back to LA a couple times over the past eighteen months, and we talked on the phone as often as we could, but no matter how often we talked, I missed them, always. So being surprised with them in that moment was one of the most special things that had happened to me in a long time.

And that was just the beginning.

When I finally released Mom and Abuela, I kissed Duke hard, throwing my arms around his neck and peppering him with thank yous. He smiled, laughing and kissing me back, before setting me firmly back on the ground.

“Wait here,” he said.

He then walked to the stage, where the lead singer of the band gave him the mic with a knowing smile. Butterflies filled my stomach as I watched Duke grab the mic and take a deep breath. For the first time in a long time, he looked nervous. And that could only mean one thing.

“Ladies and gentleman, I’m sorry to interrupt your evening, but I have something important to say.”

The room quieted, and everyone turned their attention to Duke. I took my mother’s hand in one hand and my abuela’sin the other, bracing myself for one hell of an emotional rollercoaster.

“Wilder Whiskey has always been about family. As many of you know, our father left us this place in a pretty bad state. It was hard, but my brother and I turned it all around with a lot of hard work in a few years’ time, and we couldn’t have done it without the support of our sister and of the entire community. Then, just when I thought we were on top of the world, a little legal trouble came our way, threatening everything we worked so hard for. At the time, it was devastating, but little did I know, that legal trouble would bring a woman into my life who would change everything, including what I wanted my family to look like.”

Aww’s erupted around the room, and many people turned to look at me, but I barely even noticed them. My eyes were glued on Duke, the love of my life, standing in front of literally everyone we knew, talking about me.

“Valentina, I know you never envisioned yourself living in a small town. You’ve sacrificed so much to be with me, to give this thing a real shot, and for that alone, I’ll be forever grateful. I love you, darlin’, and you’ve made me happier than I thought was ever possible. That being said, I was hoping I could ask you one more thing.”

My stomach dropped.Oh my God, it’s happening. It’s really fucking happening.

“Will you marry me?”

Tears streamed down my face, and it felt like my heart was exploding out of my chest. I realized I was squeezing the life out of Mom and Abuela’shands, so I let them go, turning to look at them with wide, searching eyes.

They smiled at me, wiping the tears from my cheeks with their soft thumbs.

“I think he’s waiting for you,mija,” my mom said, chuckling softly.

“Lo amamos,” my abuela said, cupping my face with her hand and turning my head to look at Duke.

I practically floated to his side on stage, only vaguely aware of the number of teary eyes watching us. When I stood in front of him, Duke got down on one knee, and the whole room sighed and gasped at the sight. He pulled a little black velvet box out of his suit pocket, and inside were my mother and grandmother’s wedding bands, fused on either side of the most perfect rock I’d ever seen.

“What do you say, darlin’?”

I laughed, a fresh new batch of tears brimming in my eyes as I looked down at that dimpled smile, those glittering green eyes I loved waking up to. It was simple. The simplest decision I’d ever made in my life.

“Yes. I say yes.”