Page 47 of Declan (Gold Team #5)

Six months later

“Baby, come here.”

“We got a caravan full of people arriving in T-minus three minutes. I don’t have time to come there.”

Autumn was not wrong. In a few minutes, our house would be overrun.

It had almost been two years since Autumn and I had taken off. We’d found our way, built a house, filled it with love, but mostly we’d healed.

Since Calli’s birth, we’d been back to Maryland three times. Once for the birth of Maxine, Kyle and Anaya’s daughter. Once to welcome Maya, Max and Eva’s daughter, and the third time was when Emmy popped out Thad’s second daughter, Ophelia.

All girls.

All the men were in for a world filled with drama and happiness.

I wanted that. I wanted Autumn to have that.

“Baby, before they all get here, I wanna take a walk.”

At my request, Autumn’s gaze came to mine and she readily agreed, “Okay, Dec. ”

I took her hand, led her out the front door, didn’t bother stopping to take in the new ferns she’d added that now hung from the hooks I’d screwed into the ceiling of the porch.

I knew they looked good, everything Autumn planted or decorated looked good.

She’d taken a shell of a house and had made it a home.

And not a single day had passed that I didn’t pause to take in the beauty. But then, I had something else on my mind.

Blessed.

And never in my life did I ever think I’d feel that.

I stopped under the two old oak trees, reached into my pocket, and pulled out a ring.

I didn’t waste any time. “Marry me. This weekend while everyone is here, do me the honor of becoming my wife.”

Autumn said nothing.

“Baby—”

“Never did I think I’d have this. None of it.

Not the house, not the horses, the goats, the flowers, the garden, the family, the peace, the happiness, the love.

Not once when I was living that life did I ever think I’d find this.

Never did I think my soul would heal. That I’d be whole.

Thank you for giving it to me—all of it.

All you give, your love, your smiles, your honesty, your heart.

I love you more than I ever thought possible. I want to be your wife.”

I didn’t get a chance to put her ring on before she was in my arms and her mouth was on mine. She took what she wanted, she gave what I needed, and she did it for a long damn time. She only broke the kiss because a car pulled into our driveway.

And that weekend, with all of our friends around us, I married Autumn Crenshaw.

Her dad gave her away.

Her mom, her sister, and my sister stood beside her.

Thad, Jaxon, and Zane stood next to me.