Page 134 of Mended Fences

She gurgled then sneezed directly into my mouth.

“Thanks, babe,” I muttered. “Love the intimacy.”

Elena laughed. The kind that came from deep in her chest.

I leaned my head back, shut my eyes, and felt her press a hand to my thigh.

“You scared the shit out of me,” she said softly.

“Same.”

“But you brought her back.”

“I’d do it again.”

“Please don’t,” she whispered, kissing my cheek. “Just… stay. That’s all I want.”

I opened my eyes and looked at her. At Luci. At the home we’d built from rubble and second chances.

“Anything for you, Sweetness. Anything.”

Epilogue

SEVEN MONTHS LATER…

Chase

Any ideahow long it took to save enough money to buy a goddamn ring on a ski-instructor-slash-janitor’s salary? The answer wasway too fucking long. No way in hell was I waiting until I had my shit perfectly together.

Rhett held up a ring that looked like it belonged on a Real Housewife’s Botox finger. “This saysI bought this with cocaine money, right?”

I groaned.

We were standing in the world’s saddest jewelry store, wedged between a vape shop and a taxidermy place just off the highway. It smelled like carpet cleaner and old lady perfume. But it had a case of estate jewelry I could almost afford, and a clerk who hadn’t blinked when I told him my budget.

Mom had Luci today, which meant I had approximately three hours to find the ring I was gonna use to ask Elena Ventura to marry me. Again, technically. We’d done the wholeliving together, raising a tiny human, trying not to collapse under traumathing. But I hadn’t proposed yet.

The problem was, Elena deserved everything.

And all I could afford... like, eighty bucks and some pocket lint.

My eyes scanned the cases of cubic zirconia monstrosities as an intense wave of defeat moved through me. Despite the fact that I’d been sober for over a year; had the love of a hot-as-fuck, smart-as-hell, kind-as-shit doctor; and had the world’s sweetest kid, there were still days I felt like a fuckup.I’ll definitely need a meeting tonight.

“Whaddya think of this one?” Between his fingers, a slim gold band, warm and soft-looking, with an opal at the center—fire trapped under a smooth surface. Simple. Stunning. A little strange.

Just like her.

“Holy shit.” My eyes bugged outta my head. “It’s perfect. How much?”

It was most likely out of my price range, but maybe I could sell a kidney or something.

“Free,” Rhett said.

“Huh?”

He tilted his head, gesturing toward the door.

“Are you stealing that ring?” I whisper-shouted. “Dude, I cannot get arrested.Again. I have a daughter!”