Pepper Jack snatched it up in his mouth and took off through the open patio doors into the backyard. I chased him through the doors and down the deck stairs. We were having a face-off in the middle of the yard.
“Drop it!” I yelled and flung myself at Pepper Jack. I caught him, but he was twisting his head away from me, keeping the ring box firmly in his mouth.
“What’s going on out here?” Caroline asked. My gaze whipped to hers. She was standing on the back deck with her hands on her hips. She walked down the steps and into the yard. Pepper Jack wrestled free from me and ran to Caroline.
Caroline
Pepper Jack sprinted toward me with something in his mouth. He dropped it at my feet, and I bent to rub behind his ears. He licked my cheek and sat next to me with a wagging tail. I picked up the slimy item from the ground and looked at it.
It was a small navy-blue velvet wrapped box. It was coated in Pepper Jack’s spit and had holes torn in the fabric and teeth marks on the gold hardware at the opening. I opened the box and gasped.
Kiernan stood and sauntered toward me. He was shaking his head and fighting a smile. “The big moments never seem to go according to plan, do they, sweetness?”
I bit my lip to keep from shouting my answer to the question that belonged with this ring. I stared at the ring again. The band was covered in diamonds with one large center stone set up higher and haloed with more diamonds. It was stunning and beautiful. The shape of the center diamond was an oval.
My eyes met Kiernan’s again. He was staring at me with so much love in his eyes. I never doubted it for a single second. Every moment, he made sure I knew how much he loved me, and I did the same for him in return. Neither of us truly had our parents anymore. I’d barely heard from mine since I was released from the hospital, and Kiernan never heard from his. What we lost in them, we gained so much more in each other.
“This definitely wasn’t planned, but it’s kind of perfect. In our yard. In our home together. Pepper Jack was my unplanned assistant, and he was the reason I found you and got a second chance at something I’d overlooked as a dumb teenager.”
Kiernan dropped to one knee. I smiled, my dimples popping out in full force and my eyes welling with tears. “Caroline, I love you more than I ever thought possible. I watched friend after friend meet their match and fall in love, but it wasn’t something that was coming to me. Until I saw you, and you knocked me over flat on my ass. I should’ve known in that first moment I was a goner. Will you marry me, sweetness?”
“Yes,” I said and wrapped my arms around his neck, falling to my knees. He fell back on the grass, laughing. I kissed his laughing mouth, and his laughter died as he kissed me back, weaving his fingers in my hair and holding me to him. I melted against his body, my legs straddling his hips.
Pepper Jack collapsed next to us, rolling over on his back and rubbing himself in the grass while biting the air. We both laughed in between our kisses.
“I’ll get you a new box,” Kiernan said and handed it to me as he took the ring out to slide on my finger.
“Don’t you dare. It’s perfect. This was perfect.”
“I love you, Kiernan. I can’t wait to be your wife.”
My next release is Inferno! It’s an enemies-to-lovers, small town romance! Click here to order Inferno.
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Acknowledgments
Thank you so much for reading Vow of Worth!
It was so fun diving back into the Vow Series! These characters are so close to my heart and I’m so happy Kiernan has his happy ending.
My amazing husband, as always you helped me make it to the deadline. I wrote this last time, too, but it was again helpful! You make sure I’m fed and keep our house clean while I’m locked away in my own world. I love you more than cookies.
Mom, Dad, Sestra, y’all are the greatest family a gal could have. I love y’all so very much.
A huge Thank You goes to: Catherine, Grahame, Alex, Steph, Susan, Hang, Stacey, Nina, Kelley, Brittany, Christine, and every other person that contributed to this book. It all means so much, and each of you deserves so much more than a thank you. I could fill an entire book expressing my gratitude for each of you. I will always sing your praises from the rooftops!
Bloggers, thank you so much for all the love and support. I’ve loved connecting with so many of you
