Page 92 of Dead Man's Alibi

Nate brushed some tears off her cheeks, then cupped her face gently in his hands, his eyes moving all over her face like he was trying to memorize every inch.

His voice was rough and thick when he spoke.“I don’t know what I would have done if something had…”

“I’m all right.It’s just a scratch.”

He scowled at her.He’d once used those words to her, but he’d been a little more right about his wound being a scratch.

Hers definitely wasn’t.

But… “It’s over, Nate.It’s all over.We’re going to go home and put all this awfulness behind us.”She lifted her good arm, placed her hand over his on her cheek.“Because it’sover.”

He nodded, slowly.“Over.”

She scooted over on the bed, patted the small space he wouldn’t really fit in, but she didn’t care.She didn’t think he did either, because he pretzeled himself next to her, arms around her.

Everything kind of ached, but the relief she felt was so huge, so all-encompassing, she didn’t even notice.She just… could have lain here in his arms, uncomfortable forever.

“Once you’re all healed up, let’s go on vacation,” Nate said, his voice gruff against her hair.“Hit the beach for like a month.Maybe a year.”

She laughed in spite of herself, tears blurred her vision again, and her voice broke when she spoke.“I just want to go home.”

“Yeah, that too.”His hands smoothed over her hair, and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.“But we’re taking a break from work.Both of us.Nonnegotiable.We’ll just sit at the house and… I don’t know.Decompress.”

It sounded great.Mostly great.But not perfect.“I think I have a better idea.”

Epilogue

Marietta Courthouse

A few days later

Nate wore asuit.Sam wore a white dress Aly had found at a department store in Bozeman.

Nate knew she was irritated about the cast, but hehadtold her they could wait.

He was glad she didn’t want to.Getting married right away just felt right.Even if her arm was hurting her, and his leg was hurting him because he’d probably spent too much time fussing overherthe past few days rather than taking care of himself.

Two broken peas in a pod.

But they’d found each other.And for all the doubts and struggles Nate and Sam had felt in acceptingloveand commitment and her believing in curses for a little while there, they didn’t have any doubts left.

He would fight for everything he’d found with Sam, and he knew she was ready to do the same.Too much bad had happened, so they were damn well going to enjoy every second of life together.

Married.

Everything about the courthouse ceremony was simple.Theirs.Just a promise.To love and cherish forever.He would have happily done it just the two of them, but Aly had been so offended by the idea that their little courthouse wedding was attended by all the Bennets and Harringtons.

The judge signed the certificate, and then so did Landon and Aly, acting as their witnesses.

And then they were married.

They had to field congratulations and Aly’s excitement that she’d convinced them to come up to the ranch for cake after, but Nate couldn’t resent it.Not when it was family.Not when it was joy.

Not when he knew they’d all rallied around Sam when he’d been in jail.When everyone had taken care of each other.It was almost too much to bear thinking about.

But as he helped Sam into the truck, careful of her arm, he knew that for all the ways life had kicked the shit out of him, he was still a lucky man.

He got into the driver’s seat, but before he turned the truck on, he turned to his wife.Hiswife.And told her the simplest truth he knew besidesI love you.I will always love you.