Page 118 of Love in the Wild

He’d never been the needy boyfriend type before, but that was before he met Hadley. Now, he needed her by his side as soon as work was over. With today’s extra-special news sitting on the end of his tongue, he was on the verge of going out looking for her.

Hadley’s car peeked over the hill seconds before the hum of the engine reached him. He stood, holding onto the railing as she slowly parked beside his truck.

No more waiting. Gage bounded off the porch and grabbed her up as she slipped out of the car. Crushing her to his chest, he spun her in a circle.

Her laugh bled into his chest, wrapping his heart in a happiness he’d never known existed.

“Hey to you too,” she said as she clung to him.

When he rested her feet back on the ground, the news tumbled out. “I did it. I was with Mr. Chambers today, and I decided to dedicate my life to Christ.”

Hadley’s eyes widened, and her mouth gaped open. She sucked in a deep breath before asking, “Really?”

“Really. I’m all in, sunshine.”

She launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and tucking her face into the crook of his neck. “I’m so happy.”

Gage sank into her embrace, letting her wrap around him until they were tangled together.

There it was again. Peace. It lit him up from the inside out.

“I’m so proud of you. I’m so happy!” she said, clinging to him even more.

“Me too, sunshine. Thank you for being patient with me. Sorry I was so slow.”

She leaned back and looked up at him with a wide-eyed smile. “Let’s celebrate. With our friends.”

“Sure. What do you want to do?” There hadn’t been much to celebrate in his life, but besides that, Hadley could have asked for anything in the world, and he would have done whatever she wanted.

She jumped up and down on her toes. “Let’s go to Barn Sour. I feel like dancing.”

Gage chuckled. “You want to go to a bar to celebrate my salvation?”

She checked her watch. “If we go now, we can dance to the live music before people start getting sloppy drunk.”

Gage jerked his head toward his truck. “I’d better go get ready then. I need a shower. I can be back to pick you up in an hour.”

“No time for that. I’ll gather the crew and meet you there.”

“This is a date, sunshine. I want to pick you up.”

Hadley waved a hand in the air. “You be sweet, and I’ll be practical. I’ll get a ride with someone there, and you can take me home.”

Home. He had no complaints about living with Travis, but his home was standing right in front of him. It wasn’t a place. It was a person, and the magnitude of his attachment to Hadley was staring him right in the face.

Gage swallowed past the tightness in his throat. “Whatever you want.”

Her hands slid up around his neck and pulled him down to her so she could turn his cap backward. She pressed her forehead against his and whispered, “I have everything I could ever want.”

Man, she hit the nail on the head. For the first time in his life, he knew happiness in its truest and purest form, and he’d do anything to protect it.

He closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to hers and breathing in her light. She met him match for match, reminding him with every move she made that this was where he was meant to be.

Pulling away suddenly, Hadley smiled up at him. “I have to get ready. See you at the Barn.”

She backed away, holding onto his hand until her fingers slipped from his. Everything inside him wanted to follow her, but she was excited to go out and he couldn’t stall her any longer.

Her long ponytail swayed with each step she took until she turned and hurried inside. Gage stood frozen, staring at the wooden door like she might reappear any moment.

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