“I could help out with that.”
“That’s too much—”
“Not if I’m asking you to marry me,” he murmured, a smile tugging up at his lips.
“Are you really?” she whispered.
“Yeah. I am. I’ll help you out. We’ll do it together. We won’t be rich, but we’ll be happy. If that’s enough for you.”
“It is.” She nodded, blinking back tears.
“So...?” Sawyer’s breath was bated.
“Yes, I’ll marry you—”
Sawyer kissed her again, his arms pulling her close as she leaned into his strong embrace. When he pulled back, he took her hand and nodded up toward the house.
“You want to go share our news?” he asked, his voice low.
“I think I do.” She laughed, hugging his arm close against her. “But you know that crush Lloyd has on Evelyn?”
“Yeah?” They started walking together up the road hand in hand in that wash of lowering light.
“I’m pretty sure Evelyn feels the same way,” Olivia said. “Just a feeling.”
Maybe there would be more kids than just Bella and Lizzie running around the ranch soon. Maybe there would be a few of Olivia and Sawyer’s babies, too...and if Lloyd and Evelyn decided to make a go of it, there could be all sorts of cousins and siblings to grow up together. There would be a new generation of kids to learn the hard lessons and to protect each other.
Beaut wasn’t perfect, but there would be people here who were kinder than before. People who’d grown and needed a bit of grace. The one person who she could trust wholeheartedly had just asked her to marry him. She’d be okay. She’d be more than okay—she’d be Sawyer’s wife and a mom to his two little girls. She’d stand by his side and fight just as valiantly as he did for their family. And she’d find the good in this town, for their sakes.
“I love you, Olivia,” Sawyer said softly.
“I love you, too.”
Home would be in Sawyer’s arms, and God could help her sort out the rest.
Epilogue
Olivia stood in the judge’s office, a bouquet of summer flowers clutched in her hands. She wore a simple white sundress, in keeping with their plan to make their wedding small and affordable. With the debt that Olivia and Brian still owed, they didn’t have anything extra to put into wedding frills, but Olivia didn’t mind. She was here with the man she loved, legally becoming his wife and mom to Bella and Lizzie... She didn’t care about frills. She had everything she needed.
They’d brought along Brian, Shari, Lloyd and Evelyn to be their witnesses and to wrangle the toddlers during the ceremony. She glanced over to see Bella sprinkling her sippy cup of milk over a potted plant, and she had to stop herself from chuckling.
“Olivia, it’s time for you to say your vows,” the judge said. “Repeat after me...”
And Olivia repeated the words the judge intoned: “I promise to be your wife, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for as long as we both shall live.”
“And you, Sawyer,” the judge said.
“I promise to be your husband, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, for as long as we both shall live.”
“And the rings...”
Olivia turned and handed the bouquet to Shari. Shari’s pregnancy was already starting to show, her belly domed out in front of her and the engagement ring sparkling on her left hand.
As Olivia and Sawyer exchanged rings, her heart swelled. This was going to be her husband, the man she clung to, supported, loved and respected for the rest of her days. Whatever life threw at them, they’d get through it.
Sawyer had married her, debt and all. He’d said that it didn’t matter to him. He’d rather have her at his side and let God take care of the details. He loved her that much, and she was that blessed.
Olivia slid Sawyer’s ring onto his finger, and he did the same for her—a simple golden band. She’d forgone an engagement ring because of the expense, but this ring was the one that mattered most. It meant that they belonged to each other...finally.
“With the power vested in me by the state of Montana, I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the judge said.
Olivia met Sawyer’s gaze and a smile erupted on his face. He pulled her into his arms and his lips came down over hers. She sighed against him. He was well and truly hers.
“And as a wedding gift from the town of Beaut...” the judge said, clearing his throat. “When you’re done, of course.”
There was humor in the older man’s voice, and Olivia could hear the clapping and laughter of their invited guests. Lizzie squeezed up between them so that they had to break off the kiss. Sawyer scooped the toddler up into his arms, and they turned back to the judge.
“What do you mean?” Olivia asked.
“Some of your friends have taken up a collection,” the judge said. “It was understood that you and your brother are in debt because of your mother’s hospital bills.”
Olivia looked over her shoulder to where Brian stood behind Shari’s chair. His expression showed he was equally surprised by this turn in the conversation.
“Yes, but we’re working on that,” Olivia said quickly.
“Well, as a wedding gift, Lloyd took it upon himself to talk to the rest of community about helping you out. We’ve taken up a collection to help with the bills. We managed to collect forty-seven thousand dollars toward your debt.”
Olivia’s heart hammered in her chest. “People just gave it?” she whispered. “I don’t know how to thank everyone... It’s just so generous!”
She turned toward Lloyd, who was scuffling his boot into the carpet uncomfortably. “Well...we do what we can. It wasn’t just my idea. A lot of people thought it would be the right thing to do.”
“It doesn’t cover all of your bill,” the judge went on, “so Senator White spoke with the hospital board and got the amount owed lowered considerably, then he
