Page 76 of Haunted

“Good decision, asshole.” Duncan patted him on the back as he went by, hard enough to make him stumble. “Our work here is done. We’ve got a shit ton of paperwork to be completed and Henley could use some more rest.”

One by one, they gave me a hug, then filed out of the room, leaving Keaton and me alone. He returned to his place on the bed, turning on his side and curling his arm over my stomach. No words were spoken. None were needed. We’d been through something horrible-–– traumatizing, even––but we were still here, battered but not broken. Alive and breathing. Better still, there was a brand-new lightness behind his soulful eyes. As if the echoes of the past, which had haunted him all these years, had finally been silenced.

“Move in with me.”

“Huh?”

“You heard me, baby.” His hand shifted to rub circles across my belly.

“Isn’t it too soon?”

“Do you love me?”

“With everything I am,” I answered honestly.

“Then make me the happiest man in the world. Marry me.”

I jolted. “Whoa…wait…what? Where did that come from? A second ago, you asked me to move in with you. Now it’s marriage?”

“I want it all with you, Little Bird.” He propped his hand on his elbow. “Life’s too short to wait.”

Truer words had never been spoken. My hopes of becoming a social worker may have crashed and burned, but finding Keaton opened up a brand-new treasure trove of dreams to reach for. Which was how I found myself uttering the only word I could.

“Yes.”

EPILOGUE

FUCKED-UP FAMILY

Henley

“I can’t believe I’m losing my roommate already,” Lanie sank down on the bean bag beside me.

“I can’t believe I’m getting married.”

“I’m still gonna kick his ass for proposing without a ring, even if he made up for it.”

I’d woken up that morning in the hospital to him slipping a gorgeous, emerald cut diamond ring on my finger. He’d grinned from ear to ear when I questioned how the hell he’d made the purchase when he literally hadn’t left my side. His response…“I’m an FBI agent. I have my ways.”

After a thirty-three-hour observation stay, eight of which I don’t remember because I was either unconscious or high on pain meds, I was discharged from the hospital. All-in-all, it took six stitches to close the knife wound in my side. According to the sweet older woman who took over my care after our one and only run-in with Dr.Dick,if it had been an inch higher, the blade would have nicked my liver. I was extremely lucky, she’d said.

Keaton drove us to the townhouse, where he proceededto carry me inside and kiss me stupid. After getting me settled, he told me he’d have all my stuff ready to go home in an hour. I’m sure he was gearing up for me to argue the sudden move, but truth be told, I was excited to start our life together. That was twenty minutes ago.

“Are you in pain? Did you eat breakfast?

“A little and yes.”

“I’m going to miss you.”

“Lanie, I’m moving five minutes down the road, not across the country.”

“Still, it’s going to be too quiet again.”

“I promise I’ll visit so much; it’ll be like I never left.”

Lanie shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “I can’t believe I almost went on a date with that psycho.”

“He fooled everyone, Lanie.” Trying to lighten the mood, I decided to ask her a very important question. “How would you feel about being my Maid of Honor?”

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