Heal My Heart

Epilogue

Adrian sat next to Nicolette on the bank holding their fishing poles and watching their lines move in the river. For four days now, they'd been making it a habit of coming to their favorite spot to fish in the mornings. Sometimes they talked about things happening in their lives, and sometimes – like now – they were content just to be together in silence.

Home life for Adrian had changed just in a few days. Pop had wanted him to come to the lumber store to work, which Adrian did, but then after working only one day, a man he used to know when he was a boy, showed up at the store and offered him another job.

Most of the time Adrian spent in the military was working with horses, and he loved it. His father's longtime friend, Jed Stuart, owned a horse ranch in Upstate New York, and he was looking for a foreman to run his ranch. Adrian felt that this was a blessing from Heaven... and yet, he had hesitated to give Jed an answer. Adrian wanted Nicolette in his life, doing what she loved to do. Finding the courage, he asked Jed about needing a Veterinarian on the ranch. Of course, Jed was thrilled, and he encouraged Adrian to ask her to come along because a job would be waiting for her, too.

Now, Adrian pondered over how he'd spring the good news on Nicolette. But once again, he hesitated. There was other good news he wanted to talk to her about first, but never found the right moment.

"Oh, did you hear," Nicolette said, turning toward him, "that our kidnappers trial was this morning?"

Adrian nodded. "Pop told me. He also mentioned that they confessed to heavily drinking their homemade moonshine, and they probably only imagined the military burying treasure."

Nicolette's eyes widened and then she laughed loudly. She looked so pretty today, wearing a blue flannel shirt and her men's trousers. He realized it didn't matter what she wore, he thought she was the prettiest woman he'd ever seen.

"You've got to be kidding," she replied. "They said that?"

Adrian shrugged. "I think they were making excuses in an attempt to try and get out of their arrests."

"Well, I'm very relieved you don't have to worry about them any longer."

Adrian moved his gaze back to the river. His mind swam again and he tried piecing sentences together. Why was he so nervous about talking to her? She loved him, and he loved her completely, yet... doubt still clogged his mind.

"I just hope," he continued, "that when they are done serving their time in jail, they won't come looking for me again."

She hitched a breath and touched his arm. "Oh, Adrian. Do you think they would do that?"

"It's a possibility, especially if they think I know about the treasure. Obviously, they didn't believe me when I told them that before."

Frowning, she sighed. "Then we must talk to the sheriff... or the judge, and let them know."

"Or," he set down his fishing pole and turned toward her, taking both of her hands in his, "you can make me the happiest man alive by becoming my wife." He gave her a gentle smile. "And, we can move to New York and live at a place where I can work with horses and you can be a Veterinarian."

"Adrian?" She scooted closer. "Let's talk about one thing at a time." She grinned. "Let me catch my breath first."

She stared into his eyes for a few moments before leaning in and kissing him. The kiss wasn't very long, but it didn't need to be. He felt her love immediately.

He pulled away and gazed dreamily into her eyes. "Nicolette McFarland? Would you do me the honor of becoming the center of my world and the reason I wake up and go to bed every day? Would you be the wonderful woman you are by raising our children and teaching them about how to care for others, just as you do?" He lifted her hands to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. "And would you have patience with me for not being perfect, but knowing that the longer we are married, that I want to be perfect in your eyes?"

Tears filled her eyes and she nodded. "Oh, Adrian. That was the most beautiful proposal I've ever heard."

"Indeed? Have you been given a lot of proposals?"

She laughed and shook her head. "Yours is the first, but I read a lot of fiction novels."

He gathered her in his arms and she cuddled against him, smiling. "Lottie, I never expected feeling this way about you, and now, I don't want to know what it was like without you in my heart."

"I feel the same way." She caressed his cheek. "And I would love to be Adrian Robinson's wife, and I'd be proud to bear your children and be with you forever and ever."

He stared into her intoxicating brown eyes, loving how they sparkled. "Even if we live in Upstate New York?"

"Oh, yes, my love. I'll go anywhere you want to take me."

"I was offered a foreman position on a horse ranch from a man I knew as a boy. I told him about your special talents, and knowing how well you are with animals was what made him want us to come quickly."

"Quickly?" Her eyebrows lifted.

"Yes. He would like us there within two weeks."

Gasping, she sat up, staring at him with wide eyes. "That means... we'll have to get married very soon."

He gave her a teasing grin and waggled his eyebrows. "I'm all right with that if you are."

She released a playful growl and wrapped her arms around his neck, pushing him back on the ground as she loomed over him. "I've been ready since our first kiss."

He laughed and gathered her back in his arms. "Then we have another thing in common, don't we?"

"Adrian Robinson, I think we should practice for a little while here on the river bank, and then, we should quickly plan our wedding."

His heart sang with happiness. She was going to be an adventurous wife, he could tell – which was exactly what he wanted. "I couldn't agree more, my dear Lottie."

THE END