Ty took her face in his hands and kissed her softly on the lips.

"I've been running my whole life," she whispered against his mouth. "I don't want to run anymore. I want you, Ty. Your past, your future. Everything." She turned her cheek into his palm and pressed a kiss into it. "I never should have thought you were trying to hurt Jack. You made a difficult choice talking to him. The right choice."

He raised an eyebrow. "Been busy lately, huh?"

"Jack and I had a nice chat. He wants to apologize to you."

"No need."

"I told him that already."

They moved closer to each other in the crowded room, and ten years fell away.

"Do you know what I want to do, Julie?"

She stared at him, holding her breath waiting to hear what he was going to say.

"I want to kiss you. Do you want to kiss me?"

Her voice was full of love when she said, "Yes, I do." She went up on her toes to kiss his lips and slipped her panties into his pants pocket. "I love you, Ty. I always have." Smiling against her lips, he whispered, "I love you too, Julie. Marry me." She smiled back. "I'm game for anything. As long as I'm with you."