Page 144 of The Bitterroot Inn (Jamison Valley 5)
He shook his head. “I don’t know. I don’t know if she’s ever really been all there mentally. She put on such a good show of confidence, I think her mind was a lot more broken than any of us ever knew.”
I sighed. “Then it’s good she’s at Shimmering Waters. Maybe they can help her put the pieces back together.”
“Maybe.”
I went back to cooking, filling a pot with some water for gravy. I didn’t know what would happen with Nell after she left the mental institution. I might never forgive her for threatening my child, but thankfully, I didn’t have to make that decision today.
And if I ever did have to confront Nell, I’d have Hunter by my side. I wouldn’t be fighting battles alone anymore. I wouldn’t be relying on my own strength to move forward. I wouldn’t be the only one finding the courage to forgive.
Hunter and I would tackle life together.
“Have you thought about anyone who could move into the loft?” Hunter asked.
“No. Not yet. Why?”
He grinned. “I called Beau on the drive back from Michigan and asked him how hard it would be to move Coby’s bunk. He said we could do it tomorrow.”
The whisk in my hand dropped to the counter. “What?”
“I called Michael too. It turns out that Alana really wants to move out of her parents’ basement. I guess Michael is getting sick of sneaking in and out at night.” His eyebrows waggled and I faked a gag. “Alana could take the loft.”
My heart raced when I realized what he was saying, but I tried to play it cool by tapping my chin. “Where on earth are Coby and I going to live?”
He chuckled. “I’ve got an idea.”
I lost control of my smile and it stretched wide. “Are you sure you want us here?”
“I’m sure I want you here.”
“Okay.” Easy as that. Now we all lived here together.
A sexy, wide grin split his face. “I’m going to tell Coby.” Hunter slid off his chair and winked at me before walking into the living room.
My fingers scrambled for my phone so I could immediately text all of my friends to tell them that Hunter had just asked us to move into his home. When the dings started to chime back with Yay!, Congratulations! and Gigi’s I’m totally going to win our bet. He’s going to ask you to get married way before Michael and Alana, I giggled.
My laugh was cut short when Coby’s car came crashing back right into my foot.
“Gah! Coby,” I growled. “We’re taking a timeout from this ca—” I bent to pick up the car and stopped mid-sentence.
Tied to the car’s antenna was a ring.
A ring that had not been there before and was definitely not something that could have mistakenly come from the toy store.
I stood, car in hand, as Hunter and Coby peeked out from behind the couch.
“Mommy, will you marry Hunter?”
Hunter slapped a hand over Coby’s laughing mouth. “I told you, I was going to ask, you little monster!” He started tickling my son—no, our son—until tears ran down Coby’s cheeks and he begged Hunter to stop.
Tears were running down my face too. Because Hunter asking me to marry him through Coby?
Best. Proposal. Ever.
With Coby still laughing on the floor, Hunter stood and came into the kitchen. His jeans hung perfectly down his legs—legs I would tangle with mine every night. His T-shirt was stretched across his wide chest—the chest I would us
e as my favorite pillow. His heels thumped on the floor as he padded toward me with bare feet—feet that would keep mine warm when they got cold.
My fiancé.
