Page 80 of Colton First Responder (Coltons of Mustang Valley)

It sounded enticing to Savannah. Would she be able to undertake initial training and join them soon?

She hoped so. And if she didn’t have the stamina to become a first responder like them, she was still determined to help in some way, maybe raising money for his agency so it could grow and help more people.

But at the moment she was waiting for Grayson to come back to his office and pick her up. He’d called and said he wanted to show her something early that afternoon, and she had of course agreed.

She was watching for him, though, through the window in the lobby of his office building—and saw Norah’s amusement as she watched Savannah keeping an eye out for Grayson.

And then, there he was, with his car parked right in front of the building. Savannah didn’t wait for him to come in. She rushed out the door and got into the passenger seat of Grayson’s rental SUV. “So will you tell me now where we’re going?” she asked.

“Nope. You’ll see.” Grayson shot her a particularly sexy grin, which made Savannah’s body react, but her mind was stewing. What was this man up to?

He drove out of town and into the familiar forest. Th

ey even passed the site of the destroyed van from days earlier—though it felt like weeks ago.

“Are we going to the fishing cabin?” Savannah finally asked.

“Good guess.”

“Why?” was her next question.

“You’ll see,” was the frustrating answer.

They soon arrived. Savannah got out of the car, as did Grayson. They entered through the window since they had locked the door when they’d left before. There was still no sign of whoever the owner was, so they had the place to themselves.

“Please sit here,” Grayson said, moving Savannah’s favorite chair out from under the table and taking her hand to help her into it.

Strange. She didn’t need assistance, and he surely was aware of that. But she appreciated what seemed like a caring gesture.

She appreciated what came next even more.

“Savannah,” Grayson said, sitting down on a chair beside her. “I would never have thought that I’d help to save a woman from being unjustly accused of murder, let alone that it would change my life so much.” He was looking straight at her with his emotional blue eyes, and Savannah felt her own tear up. “But it did. And I’m glad I can help. I’m glad I met you. And I want you to stay in my life.”

“Oh, Grayson.” Savannah’s voice choked up, so she moved forward till she stood in front of him. He rose, too, and held her tightly against him.

“You’ve met my family now,” he continued, and she felt his chest vibrate with his words. “And though I try not to get together with them a lot, they are part of my life. They would be...well, I’m hoping you are okay with them, and will remain part of my life, too. Savannah, I love you.”

He took a step back. Again he looked down at her, and she responded, “I love you, too, Grayson, Colton family ties and all. And I enjoy families. I want kids someday. Your kids.”

Grayson laughed. “And I want yours, too. But, after all you went through, are you willing to trust another man?”

“Yes,” she responded vehemently. “If that man is you.” She tried to move even closer again, to kiss him.

But Grayson pulled away, making Savannah feel bereft. Only temporarily, though.

Grayson got down on one knee and pulled a small box from his pocket. Savannah heard herself gasp. “Is that—”

“Savannah Murphy Oliver,” Grayson said, “Like I said, I love you. Will you marry me?”

Savannah nearly screamed her answer, even though, if she’d asked herself before, she’d have hesitated or worried or—

“Yes,” she cried. In moments, after he placed the ring on her finger, she was in the arms of the man who had cared for her, believed in her, saved her life and her future—and now wanted to share his future with her. “Yes, Grayson,” she repeated to the man she loved. “I love you, too.”

“Now that’s the kind of first response I like to hear,” he said, and placed his lips on hers once more.

* * *

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