Page 140 of When We Burn

“Yeah, I know, I’m the king at blurting shit out even though I’ve planned something romantic, but I don’t want to waste another second. You’re mine. We’re never letting you go. Marry me.”

“Yeah, marry us,” Birdie says, jumping to her feet and bouncing on the couch. “So we can wear pretty dresses!”

I hear Blake and the others mumbling and chatting, but I only have eyes for my girl.

“What do you say?”

“You want to marry me, even with all of my baggage, and?—”

“You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to us.” I tip my forehead to hers. “You’re the piece that fits so seamlessly, so effortlessly, it’s as easy as breathing. You’re exactly what we need and who we love, and I don’t have a moment of hesitation about your past. I lived it alongside you for years, and you’ll continue to heal from it because you’re strong and amazing, and I’m in awe of you.”

“Wow,” I hear Millie say with a sigh.

“Holden already gave me his blessing to ask you,” I add for good measure, and her eyes, already full of tears, widen.

“He did?”

“I did,” her brother confirms. “I just want you to be happy.”

Without looking at her brother, Dani smiles up at me, two tears breaking loose and falling down her cheeks. “Youdomake me really happy. Sometimes I don’t know if I deserve to feel so good.”

“Ah, kitten.” I kiss the tip of her nose. “You deserve the world. Let me give it to you.”

“Yes, Bridger Blackwell, I’ll marry you.”

“Yay!” Birdie wraps her little arms around our legs, hugging us close as the others applaud, and I grin down at my girl.

“Are you happy?” I ask her, and she nods. “Use your words.”

She bites her lip, and I tug it free with my thumb.

“I’m really fucking happy.”

Chapter Twenty-Eight

DANI

Christmas Eve

“I’ve never pulled a wedding together so fast in my entire career,” Charlie says with a laugh. We’re in the bridal suite at the Wild River Ranch Event Center, getting ready for the ceremony. I wasn’t expecting a wedding this big, especially on such short notice. Not to mention, I never thought I’d be able toaffordone.

It’s been a crazy month. Both the arsonist and Angela are in jail, awaiting trial. The Sidney Sterling concert raised enough money to build houses for every family who lost their homes, and as soon as the snow melts in the spring, they’ll be underway.

The ski resort is another story altogether, and no one really knows for sure what’s going to happen up there, but no lives were lost on Thanksgiving night, and that’s the most important thing.

“You guys.” I swallow hard and turn to my girls. I’m so blessed with so many amazing women in my life, and this is just a few of them.

Bee, Alex, Charlie, and Darby are here with me. All of the Wild women have been in and out to check on us and then see to other preparations, making sure that everything goes off without a hitch.

Bridger’s parents arrived two days ago, and they’ll stay in town through New Year’s Day.

I love that our whole family is here, and the fire station is working with a skeleton crew for a few hours so most of Bridger’s guys can be here for him.

Unfortunately, Skyla is in Ireland to spend the holidays with her family, so she can’t be here, but she’s been a part of the shower and so much of the planning, and she called me just this morning to gush about how happy she is for me.

“There’s already alotof people out there,” Millie says as she bustles in. She’s dressed in the prettiest green dress that brings out the green in her eyes, and I sigh.

“You’re so pretty, Mill.”

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