Page 22 of The Wounded Mountain Man

"I really am so proud of you."

"Stop saying that, or I'll get a big head."

He snorts. "Any bigger, and I'll be permanently walking like a penguin. Alright, go. Say hi to Hattie for me."

"I will. I love you."

He sits down and looks so sexy at his desk I make a silent vow to fuck him in here one day. "I love you, too."

As I drive the short distance to the diner, I can't help but think how much my life is changing.

Helping Hattie out with the diner and being involved with the kids is making me feel like I'm part of a family again.

Enrolling in a business administration course gives me hope that I can have a decent career. I'd love to end up working at the center. If I can't serve my country, I'd like to do something that helps the brave men and women who have.

When I'm hanging out with Tex and the gang, I feel like I truly belong. I don't know if I'll ever truly believe I'm a real vet like they all are, but I've stopped beating myself up as much about something I can't change.

But the best thing of all would have to be my relationship with Logan. All my fears that we'd ruin things, or that we weren't on the same page, were alleviated by taking Hattie's advice and just talking.

I'm so glad we have. He's the best person I know, and I'm going to do everything I can to be a man worthy of his love.

For the first time since the accident, I'm actually looking forward to the future.

EPILOGUE

SIX MONTHS LATER…

Logan

The diner is packed with people, almost every booth and barstool taken. "Glad we got in just before the lunch rush," I say to Wade and the kids as we shuffle into a booth by the front window.

Ever since Tex started spreading the word about this place, and Wade and the guys finished their renovation work, it's become Thickehead's hottest hotspot.

"I'm happy to see it doing well," Wade says, sliding menus to Sofie and Jax. "It's how I remember it."

Three waitresses are working today, but not Hattie. She's got the day off and is currently enjoying her monthly free day spa pass, being pampered with a facial and hot stone massage at the center.

We place our order with one of the waitresses, and I lean back, smiling as Wade tells the kids about all the cool places he and I used to explore in the mountains. As they listen with rapt attention, my mind wanders.

It's amazing how much has changed these past six months. When Wade showed up on my doorstep, he was a shell of his former self. I hoped that getting him to visit the center and meet the guys there might help him find his way. I could have never hoped for how transformative it's been.

He started his course in business administration last month. He loves it, and his new dream is to one day work at the center, surrounded by and supporting the men and women he respects so much.

I really am so proud of him. He's getting back on his feet, forging ahead with a new career and stepping in to help Hattie with the diner and the kids.

I'm still the meticulous, ultra-organized, routine-loving guy I've always been. But I have changed in one big way. Being with Wade has made my self-confidence skyrocket. I am who I am, and being with a partner who embraces every part of me, quirks and all, has helped me not just accept myself but to really lean in and celebrate all of the one-of-a-kind traits that make me, me.

Not to mention, I love being able to unleash my beast mode and know that he won't judge me for it. If anything, he finds it really hot when I get all dirty.

The food arrives, and we start eating. Jax is listing his favorite dinosaurs in order when I spot a monster-truck-sized black SUV pulling into the parking lot. A few seconds later, the door opens.

"Holy sh…er, sugar," I say, clapping my hand over my mouth.

"What is it?" Wade asks.

I make a move to get up. "My brother's just arrived."

"What?" He turns to look out the window. "Which one?"

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