Country Kisses (3:AM Kisses Book #8)(66)

“What the heck?” I give a hard tug, but Cade doesn’t budge. “Did your knee go out on you? Are you having a heart attack? Do I need to call for help?” My voice pitches as I begin to wail.

“No, no. I’m fine.” Cade holds up a hand in assurance. “I’m actually down here for a very good reason.” His deep marine eyes rise to meet mine, and I gasp. “Cassidy, I don’t care what people think or say. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” He holds up a platinum band with a giant rock sparkling so hard it looks as if he’s captured a star. “I’m humbly asking you from the bottom of my heart, would you please be my unicorn? Would you do me the honor and be my wife?”

“What? Marry you?” My heart leaps into my chest. “Are you insane? Yes, I’ll marry you! I’ll marry you right on the spot.” My voice trembles as I drop my face into my hands and begin to cry. I weep buckets full of tears for that little girl who still lives inside me, whose daddy took off and never came back, whose entire life was spent living in the shadow of her beautiful sister, who put up with the nasty taunts and jeers from her peers, and I wish I could go back in time and hug her, tell her that a gorgeous boy will love her just the way she is, that he’ll drop to one knee and beg to spend his entire life with her.

“Thank you for that.” Cade stands up and secures his arms around me. “I love you so much, Cass. I don’t want another day without you.”

“I love you so much more.”

Cade helps slip that ring on, and it fits like a dream that I was too afraid would never come true. And here it is, sparkling like its very own sun.

“It’s beautiful.”

“Piper helped pick it out.” He takes a quick nip of my ear. “We can have as long or short of an engagement as you like. I just needed to do this. Everything in my heart knows we’re right.”

I hold my hand out between us, and that diamond sings an aria as the day turns into night. “When something’s right, there’s no reason to fight it.”

He lands a kiss to my lips. “I wouldn’t want to.”

“Neither would I.”

Cade and I exchange a kiss that marks the beginning of who we are, of where we’re going. Everything in our lives is made new again at this moment. This is the starting line to something big, a marathon called life that we get to run together.

I can’t wait to tell Caila. I can’t wait to tell everybody.

Cade James loves me.

And I love him.





Cade





The Black Bear is packed, as expected. The 12 Deadly Sins are wrapping up a set, and this is the time that Cassidy and I thought it would be best to share our big news. I took Cassidy back to Cutler Tower and waited while she packed a few things so she can stay the weekend. Thankfully, Piper was out because I don’t think either one of us could hold back our joy.

“So, what’s the big news?” Cole pushes a beer my way, and I decline. I want to be perfectly sober as I make Cassidy mine tonight, officially the first night of the rest of our lives. This connection between us is too strong of a force to ever deny. Binding our lives together is inevitable. And I needed her to know that I’m sticking around. I’m not another person that’s gearing up to abandon her one day. This is rock solid, built to last, now and forever.

“You’ll know soon enough. Everyone here?”

He nods toward the back of the bar where every last one of our friends is having a good time. Wyatt spots me and nods me over.

“Caila’s there!” Cassidy gives a wild wave and heads in that direction. We wouldn’t dream of making this announcement without her sister present.

The band wraps up its set, and Blake jumps offstage. He comes over, dripping with sweat, and slaps me over the back. “Let’s do this, buddy.”

I didn’t tell anyone, but Blake guessed right out of the gate when I called and asked if he’d join us. He was the first to congratulate us as well.

Cole and Holt follow us over as we come upon a circle of friends and family.

I pull Cassidy in close and clear my throat.

“First, I want to thank you all for opening the door to Cassidy and me, making us feel like friends and family in a short span of time.” I turn to my brothers and Piper. “To those I’ve known a little longer, I’m thankful we can all be in one room at this moment because it happens to be a very special one for the two of us.”

Piper lets out an exasperated cry. “The suspense is killing me!”

“Okay, okay.” Cassidy spikes a quick kiss to my cheek. “This big, cute city boy asked this quirky, little country girl to be his forever, and I said yes!” She holds her ring out, and the crowd bursts into cheers. Our friends, our family fall over us at once.

Wyatt gives me the hardest squeeze. “Dude, I knew you’d pull through, and things would work out. You found a great girl.”

“I know so.”

Piper wraps her arms around me hard. “I know so, too. Thank you for that. You don’t know how much I love that girl. She’s one of the best friends I’ve ever had, and you won’t be sorry. I’ll take her shopping and to the movies. We can hit the beach right after finals!”

“Pipe”—I pluck her off me—“I’m engaged. I didn’t get you a kitten.”