“I love him, too.” But even though Sabrina’s in a hospital with half her body in casts, the world still thinks Sam’s with her.

Mrs. Bradshaw studies me for a minute, then nods. “I think you two will figure it out.”

* * *

I open the door and squeak when a dog comes running toward me. For a second, I think maybe I went into the wrong house, but it’s Princess, and this is definitely my place.

“What are you doing here, girl?” I sink to my haunches to scratch her head, and she licks my face. “Did you know I needed these kisses today, huh?”

“I might have told her.”

I look up to see Sam walking out of the kitchen, a glass of wine in each hand. “Did she need a home? Were they going to put her down?”

Princess whines and licks me again.

Sam settles the wine glasses on the mantel and squats next to the dog and me. “She did need a home, and Ryann said she missed you while you were gone. It made me realize Riverrat was all wrong about one thing.”

My lips part, and my eyes sting. “What’s that?”

“He said you didn’t need a dog. He said you needed a man, instead.” He takes a deep breath and exhales slowly. “He also said a bunch of other stuff I’d prefer to scour from my brain, but my point is, he was wrong. You need a dog. You need this dog. Because you’re so full of love and goodness, it just spills out of you. Princess could use some of that. But you don’t need a man.”

I blink at him. “I don’t?”

“No, Rowdy, you’re just fine on your own. You don’t need me or George or Connor. You don’t even need those girls of yours, who I suspect would cut off the dick of any guy who tried to hurt you.” He skims his fingertips over my cheek, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows. “I don’t need you to need me, but I’m hoping you can forgive me for being an idiot. And I’m hoping you want me. Because I heard on the news my wedding’s been called off.”

“It has?” I squeak.

“Yeah, turns out my fiancée was a crazy bitch, and she’s being brought up on charges of my attempted murder. I’m sure you can understand how that caused a rift between us.”

I laugh despite myself and wipe my palms against my wet cheeks.

“So if you want me, if you’ll have me, I swear to you I will fight for us with every breath.”

“I do.” My cheeks are wet again and my vision’s blurry. “I want you very much.”

“Thank God,” he murmurs. Then he lowers his mouth to mine and kisses me the way a man should kiss a woman when they’re starting their happily-ever-after.

Epilogue

Sam

“Could I pull you away from that computer for dinner?”

“What?” Liz looks up from her laptop and blinks at me. She’s cute when she gets in the zone like that. It’s as if she forgets where she is.

“Dinner,” I repeat. “Food, wine, maybe even some sex before you abandon me for that damn book again?”

She closes her laptop and smiles at me. “Are you jealous of my job, Sam Bradshaw?”

When she stands, I pull her into my arms. “You do have your hands on that computer a hell of a lot more often than they’re on me.” I shrug. “Not complaining. Just pointing out the facts.”

She giggles. “You’re ridiculous.”

“How’s it coming?”

She bites down on her lip and cuts her eyes to the computer. “Better than I expected. Her notes are good and her life is fascinating. Did you know her husband was verbally abusive?”

I press a kiss to her shoulder. “Mmm-hmm.”

“And her father was too, so I’m weaving the two together in this chapter about perseverance. God, I hope she likes it.”

Sliding my hands into her hair, I lift my head so I can look into her eyes. “She’s liked every other chapter so far, and I’m positive this will be no exception. You’re talented and she’s lucky as hell you took the job.”

Not long after Sabrina was brought up on charges, Christine slipped dramatically in the polls and announced that she’d be stepping aside to let Roe on the ticket so she could focus on her daughter’s mental health. Not long later, Christine asked Liz if she’d be interested in ghost-writing her memoirs, and Liz’s new career was born.

“So what’s for dinner?” Liz asks.

“I promised something special. Why don’t you go find out?”

She walks into the dining room and stops when she sees the table set with nothing but champagne glasses and a rose. “Is that a ring in the bottom of my champagne?”

I wrap my arms around her from behind and press a kiss to her neck. “You’ve been my girl again for almost two months now, but I still feel like I’m dreaming when I wake up beside you.”

She turns in my arms and puts her fingertips to my cheeks. “Is this real?”

I swallow hard. “That’s what you wanted, right? Something real? Because I didn’t used to think I could do that, but then I fell for you and realized I couldn’t have it any other way. Life is just better with you. Marry me, Elizabeth Thompson. I want to take care of you. I want to put babies in your belly. I want us to grow old holding each other’s hand.”

“Yes,” she breathes. She wraps her arms around my neck and kisses me, but she pulls back before I’m ready. “Did Hanna know you were going to do this? Because she was acting weird at the bakery this morning.”