Just as the sky turned a breathtaking shade of orangey-pink, Walker’s lips brushed against my ear. “Love you more than life, Taylor.” The corners of my mouth tipped up, warmth filling my chest. His lips swept over my temple. “You make me happier than I ever thought I could be.”
My heart began to pick up its pace. Walker kissed the side of my face again. “I love belonging to you and having you belong to me. I want to make that official.”
A black leather box was placed in my lap. “Open it,” he whispered.
Hands shaking, I placed my beer down and lifted the lid. The last remnants of sunshine made the ring’s gem glimmer and dance, the hue of the sky making the diamond almost look pink. It was beautiful and so unique, with an antique setting that almost looked like twining vines, holding a massive center stone.
Walker lifted the ring from the box. “It was my grandmother’s. She said she’d be honored if you wore it.” Tears began to fill my eyes. “Let me give you a family.” The tears crested over then, spilling down my cheeks.
I turned my head so that I could meet his gaze. “You’ve already given me one.”
“Is that a yes?”
“A million times yes.”
Walker slipped the ring onto my finger. A perfect fit. Then he cupped my cheeks, wiping away my tears with his thumbs. “Luckiest man on this Earth.”
I grinned so widely, I thought my face might split in two. “I love you. To the moon and back. Always.”
I’m not sure who closed the distance first, but our lips met, and the kiss seemed to go on for ages. Lips and tongues and hearts and…forever.
Walker pulled back and flashed a smile that told me he was up to something. “One more thing.” He put his fingers to his mouth and let out an ear-splitting whistle.
“What in the world—?” My words were cut off by a stampede of loved ones: Walker’s entire family, all my best friends from LA, and a few other familiar faces.
A small figure was the fastest. Noah pumped his arms as he ran up the hill and launched himself at Walker and me, landing with an umph. “Tay Tay! You gonna be my aunt now?”
I burst out laughing. “You bet, buddy.”
“Yes!” he shouted, pumping a fist in the air.
I grinned up at a smiling and slightly teary Jensen. “I’m so happy for you two,” she said. I knew she was, but the happiness in her eyes couldn’t disguise the bone-deep pain I knew was there. My beautiful, fierce Jensen was the one holding people at arms’ length now, and I didn’t know how to fix it. She needed someone as determined as Walker had been with me to break down her walls.
Walker stood, pulling Noah and me up with him, and we were engulfed in hugs and well wishes. Irma elbowed her way through the crowd. “Outta my way! I gotta see how my ring looks on my girl.” Walker let out a chuckle as Irma broke through.
She beamed, grabbing my hand and holding it up to the light. “It’s perfect on you. I knew it. Didn’t I tell you all they were the ones for each other? Maybe now you’ll all start respecting my premonitions a little more.”
The small crowd broke into laughter as Andrew and Sarah stepped forward. Sarah pulled me in for a tight hug and then cupped my face in her hands. “I know I’ll never replace the amazing mother you had, but I am honored to have you as a daughter.”
Fresh tears spilled down my cheeks as Walker pulled me back against him. I looked around, meeting the eyes of everyone who was so dear to me. “She’d be so happy, you know. This would make her happier than anything. To know that even after losing her, it brought me to my new family.”
In that moment, I knew, my mom was here. She always would be. I lifted my face to the sky and whispered, “To the moon and back.”
THE END
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Acknowledgments
I love reading every book’s acknowledgments, and if you’ve stuck around this long, maybe you do, too! There’s just something about getting a peek into the author’s process. Who helped them along their journey, who inspired their words, and any other glimpses they might give us. What can I say? I’m nosy.
Beautifully Broken Pieces grew out of my own loss. My story is not Taylor’s, but I drew from my own experiences to try and capture some of Taylor’s raw moments of grief. If you’ve read this book and lost someone close to you, consider this me giving you a hug through the pages of this novel. Be kind to yourself and never be afraid to express your loss however you need to.
So many people helped me make this book a reality, but the first thank you always has to go to my mom. She gave me my insatiable love of books and is my biggest supporter. Thank you for everything, Mom!
Can I tell you a secret? The indie romance community is pretty dang amazing. I’m so incredibly grateful for the women who have been supportive in every possible way; from answering a million questions to sharing my books to giving desperately needed pep talks. Alessandra, Julia, Devney, Emma, Grahame, and the ladies of KB 101…thank you from the bottom of my heart.
To my fearless beta readers: Trisha, Emily, Angela, Ryan, and Emma. Thank you for reading this book in its roughest form and helping me to make it the best it could possibly be!
So many people helped bring this book to life and made it shine. Susan and Chelle, thank you for your editing wisdom and helping to guide my path. Hang, thank you for putting up with my millions of tweaks and creating such a breathtaking cover. Stacey, for making my paperbacks sparkle. And Becca, for creating trailers that give me chills.
To all the bloggers who have taken a chance on my newbie author self…THANK YOU! Your championing of my words means more than I can say. And to my ARC team, thank you for your kindness, support, and sharing my books with the world.
Ladies of Catherine Cowles Reader Group and Addicted To Love Stories, you’re my favorite place to hang out on the internet! Thank you for your support, encouragement, and willingness to always dish about your latest book boyfriends. You’re the freaking best!
To my own personal cheering squad: Lyle, Nikki, Paige, and Trisha, thank you for endless encouraging conversations and lots of laughs. So grateful to have you in my corner.
Lastly, thank YOU! Yes, YOU. I’m so grateful you’re reading this book and making my author dreams come true. I love you for that. A whole lot!
Also Available From Catherine Cowles
Further To Fall
About Catherine Cowles
Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she's not writing, she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.
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Beautifully Broken Pieces (The Sutter Lake Series Book 1) Page 28