Page 34 of Treasured

"Yes," she says and blushes a bit. "But now you probably don't want anything to do with me. All I do is bring trouble."

"No!" Jake cries. "We love you, Tracy." He reaches around behind his neck and unclasps the necklace, gets down on one knee and says, "Tracy, please, will you marry us? Be ours forever?"

This isn't quite what we'd had in mind when the day started but considering the crazy way it turned out, proposing in a jail cell seems about right.

Tracy laughs and cries at the same time. "Are you sure?" she asks as Jake slips the ring on her finger. "These jailhouse relationships never last."

"Yes," I say. "Absolutely. Never doubt it."

Jake slips the ring on her finger and she leans down to kiss him and then turns to kiss me.

"Maybe a pair of handcuffs would be better."

We look up to see Gary Wallace standing at the door. I'm tempted to go and punch him in the nose.

He opens the lock and swings the door open.

"You're free to go. As long as I'm invited to the wedding."

We hurry out before he changes his mind. Once we're safely out of the cell, I turn to him. "What the hell, Gary? Locking us up?"

He shrugs and smiles sheepishly. "Sorry about that. I figured the guy was delusional, but wanted to play it safe. Besides, I had to explain to the agents who came to pick him up how he got that gash in the side of his head. Figured it would go better without you guys around."

"Wh-what did you tell them?" Tracy holds my hand tightly. "Am I in trouble?"

"Nah," Gary says. "I told them he slipped and fell."

"They believed you?" I ask.

"Turns out Agent Muldoon has been a problem for quite some time. His colleagues were glad to take him into custody so he can get help. And an early retirement."

“Thanks,” Tracy says. “I owe you one.”

* * *

Tracy

"These are the necklaces I got for you." We’re back at their house. Soon to be our house. The picnic has been abandoned and I dread telling Aunt Max what happened to the pie she’d baked when Jake and Creed went careening through town. On the other hand, she’s probably already heard that the three of us spent the afternoon in jail, so by comparison a smashed pie might not be too big a deal.

I hand one package to Jake and one to Creed. "They're dreamcatchers. Because you make my dreams come true. I-I wanted to get you something to wear," I say to Jake, "since I was hoping you'd be giving me this ring."

I hold out my hand. I can't get over how beautiful it is and how it makes me feel. Loved and complete. Like I belong.

"Thank you, Tracy," Jake says, putting his necklace on and slipping it under his shirt. "I did feel sort of funny not having your ring there after all this time. This is perfect."

"What about you, Creed?"

He puts his on and tucks it under his shirt too. "I like having something from you close to my heart." He pulls me close. “But not as much as I like having you close to my heart,” he says a split second before his mouth claims mine.

Behind me, Jake brushes the hair away from my neck and plants a kiss in the tender spot there.

A contented sigh escapes me.

I am home.

* * *

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