I nodded. He’d told me the same thing, and although there were worse things that could have happened that night, I was thankful to only come out with a few scars on my shoulder. More than that, I was grateful that everyone else had come out okay and that all the animals were safe.
He took my hand and pressed it against his lips. “You and I need to have a little talk about what ‘stay in the house’ means.”
I barely smiled, even though I knew he was serious. “There’s no way I would have stayed in the house, Austin.”
“You could have at least stayed out of the barn.”
“Without knowing you were okay? Absolutely not.”
He seemed to think about that for a moment and slowly nodded his head. “Actually you probably saved my life. My dad thought I was with you, and Ben didn’t know we were still in the barn until he saw you.”
“I don’t want to think about that,” I said quietly, tears pricking my eyes. “I went in to make sure my horse was out and then I heard you. I knew you were still trying to get them all out.”
“There were only six more. I just couldn’t leave ‘em…”
“I know. I wouldn’t have been able to, either.”
He barely nodded and laid his head against me. “What a crazy thing this is,” he sighed.
“What thing?” I smiled.
“Love.”
I lightly laughed but had to agree. “Yeah, it’s crazy. But I’m crazy about you.”
He sat up and shook his head. “Everything was perfect and in one night…”
“And in one night we learned a few things. Everything is still perfect as long as I have you, Austin. I never want that to change.”
“Exactly, and I agree. Which is why I was going to ask you to marry me, Nova. When I planned on taking you out to the property the next day, I was going to ask you to marry me.”
I could only stare at him. Did he actually say what I thought he said?
“And I know this is a really pathetic way to propose to a girl, so I’m not going to. Not here. But I want you to know that the property, and the house, and a ring… It’s all for you, Nova. I want to marry you and I want you to know that now. I don’t want you to wonder and I don’t want anything to… I don’t know, happen, I guess. Does that make sense?”
I nodded, still stuck on the fact that he wanted to marry me.
“Sorry,” he smiled. “I know this is not the greatest scene for a memorable moment—”
“I don’t even care, Austin,” I finally said. “It’s the moment itself that’s memorable, not where we’re at. This was… This is all I’ve ever wanted. Honestly.”
“Me groveling for you like a pathetic fool?”
“You’re groveling?”
He smiled. “I will if I need to. If you need me to say how selfish I’ve been by not—”
“You haven’t been selfish. Austin, we’re living life. We’re making choices and doing the best we can. We’ve had ups and downs, but now that we know that all of the ups and downs are better when we’re together, that’s all that matters.”
“I hope I can always make you happy, and if I don’t, then I hope we can talk about whatever it is we need to fix. I’ll try not to be stubborn. Can’t promise I won’t be, but I’ll try.”
“You know what? I’ll let you have stubborn,” I nodded with a chuckle. “I can live with that. It’s part of who you are, and that determination is useful in other ways. But I know you love me and that we’ll both do what we can to appreciate each other’s personalities.”
He seemed pensive for a moment and then smiled as he kissed my cheek. “Time to live in the present and look forward to the future.”
A week later we were sitting together on our future home site. It was the middle of January and barely sixty degrees, but bundled up with Austin in a blanket was the warmest place on earth. We’d had a picnic lunch and decided on a home design together, and now we were discussing the possibilities while I continued to stare at the diamond ring on my finger.
“I can only imagine what our kids are going to do with a double dose of willpower,” Austin said out of the blue.
I laughed out loud. “Wow, I’m not sure if I want to consider that.”
“Between my arrogance and stubbornness and your tenacity to go for what you want?”
“I’ve already gotten a glimpse from the stories your mom has told me. You were a little hellion.”
He chuckled. “Hey, I was a busy kid.”
“You were a daredevil and indomitable. You still are.”
“I’m confident and ambitious.”
“That too,” I smiled.
“I’m toning it down a bit.”
“Oh?”
“Well if you can conquer my heart, I’m apparently not as unbreakable as I thought.”
That made me smile.
“And I’m shifting my priorities. I’m more interested in you and whatever family we have. My endeavors will always include you, no matter what.”
“Well then I see us going anywhere we want to go. The sky’s the limit.”
“Or…maybe just the racetrack,” he smiled slyly. He laid me on my back and kissed me. “I love you, Nova. Even more than racing.”
Most girls would scoff at such a comment, but my heart literally melted. The man had devoted his life to two entirely different things, and if he ever had to choose between them, I knew with every fiber of my being which it would be.
He loved me more.
Epilogue
The thrill, the excitement, and the satisfaction of anticipating the next big event in his life…
Austin hoisted his bag over his shoulder and exited the terminal. Leaving North Carolina was easy this time because he was going home. He’d spent three more years in the racing circuit, living his professional dreams. Nova had been with him every step of the way during the season, but she’d left a week ahead of him while he finished things up before heading home for good.
Those three years had been a mix of ups and downs, but mostly ups. He worked hard to re-establish himself as a full time driver for his team, even getting offers from other teams once news of his departure from the circuit was made public. But Austin was going home to his family, the family that had supported him the last few years and sacrificed many things just to let him ride out a dream a little bit longer.
It was worth it, and for that he was grateful.
Ben picked him up from the airport since he wanted to surprise his family. He’d come home a day early because he couldn’t wait any longer. When the Jeep came down the drive to Harmony Acres, his eyes caught sight of the most beautiful scene in the world.
“Looks like a fun moment to come home to,” Ben told him with a smile.
Austin couldn’t help grinning. Nova was out in the grass but she stood when she saw Ben turn onto the driveway. The last few bubbles she’d blown drifted a ways before each one popped, and then a little voice squealed, “Daddy!”
Austin stepped out of the Jeep to catch the three-year-old that jumped into his arms. He picked him up and held him tight. “Ethan, I’ve missed you this week, buddy. Are you guys blowing bubbles?”
“Sarah licks them.”
“She licks the bubbles?” Austin chuckled. He walked toward Nova, who had just picked up their one-year-old daughter from the blanket. “My beautiful girls,” he sighed, pulling them into his arms.
“You’re a day early,” Nova said as Ben turned out of the driveway. She pressed her face against his neck and couldn’t help the tear that slid down her cheek. With Sarah in one arm and Austin in the other, they were full of precious cargo and couldn’t wipe it away.
“I couldn’t wait another second,” he replied.
“We were about to walk down the road for dinner with your parents.”
“Daddy, come with us!” Ethan cheered.
With a smile Austin put him down and replied, “Well heck yeah. Let’s go see Grandma and Grandpa.”
He took Sarah and kissed h
er face. His little girl giggled slobber down her chin and hugged his neck tight. Ethan bounded ahead because he saw Chap, so Austin put his other arm around Nova and finally kissed her hello.
She slid her arm around his waist and they began to walk.
“Man this is so much better than racing,” Austin said.
Nova smiled and playfully swatted him on the chest. “You mean I had to share you all that time for nothing?”
“Oh, no,” he shook his head. “What an amazing experience it was to have both. And it was incredible only because you guys were there for so much of it. But this… This is paradise.”
Nova had to agree. “Well, Mr. Champion. I’m happy you’re home.”
There was so much to look forward to. The holidays again, which were getting better every year. The entire Gaines family was growing and it was only going to get bigger. Ben and Sami had a daughter the same age as Sarah, and after two years of marriage, they were about to build a house on a few acres to the south. Austin’s brother had a little boy with his girlfriend, and Jeff and Mischa were getting married in the spring.
Family was a beautiful thing.
“Let’s grab Gramps on our way,” Austin stated as they were about to pass the guesthouse.
It was second nature to include Nova’s grandfather, who had been living at Harmony Acres for the past eighteen months. He absolutely loved it there, and because Scott and Meryl also visited often, he had the best of everything.
“And after dinner,” Austin added, “we put the kids to bed early so you can give me a proper homecoming.”
Nova snorted and swatted his chest. “How ‘bout you give me a proper welcome.”
With a shrug and a crooked smile he replied, “Fine with me. Either way it’s a win.”
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