With you.
I know how you feel. How you’re afraid that you might not be the most important thing to me, and I have to admit, that scares me a little too.
I’m not used to depending on people, or making them so important that everything else fades in comparison.
I guess, knowing my background, you can understand how hard that is for me.
But, I hope you can also understand, I feel like you’re worth it. You’re worth the risk, worth changing for, worth putting first.
I appreciate the fact that you’re going to be patient with me. Because I know that I’m not gonna be perfect. I love the idea that I found someone that I don’t have to be perfect for.
Thank you for some really fun times, and for giving me great memories of Mistletoe, Arkansas. I plan on coming back. A lot.
Rehabbing after my car accident has been a priority for me. Being able to play football again and not letting the accident defeat me has been all-consuming.
However, I’ve made a decision, one I think will make you happy. If it doesn’t, we could talk about it, but...I intend for this to be my last season playing football.
I found a small town where I’d like to move once the season’s over, and I found a small town girl that I want to spend my life with.
I hope, she’ll eventually feel the same way about me.
Love,
Dante
PS I just want to let you know, the app that you and I made together is releasing next month. Thank you.
Journee finished reading his letter and allowed her hands to drop back into her lap.
He hadn’t known. He hadn’t figured it out until he was here, and then he hadn’t known how to say anything to her, or even if he should.
She couldn’t say that she would have done things any differently if she had been the one to find out somehow that he was Computer Geek.
She absolutely could not hold anything against him.
Looking over at him, she said, “I love you too. Thank you.”
The smile that she loved spread across his face. She didn’t have time to say anything more, because he pulled her to him, and kissed her.
Epilogue
February 14
“I suppose we’re not the first romantics to think that Valentine’s Day is a really great day to get married,” Journee said as she adjusted the shoulder strap of her overnight bag and walked in the cabin door that Dante held open for her.
“I think June’s a popular month for weddings. A lot of my buddies told me we should wait until then. But it was hard enough to wait until after the championship game.” Dante’s voice rumbled behind her, a certain note in it that gave her shivers and made her stomach feel like warm honey.
Someone had lit a fire in the fireplace and there was a basket of fruit sitting on the table.
“Hard for both of us,” she said, turning with a smile.
The cabin looked cozy and amazing, but she honestly didn’t care. It really didn’t matter where they were, or where they went, as long as they were together.
That’s how she felt. She was pretty sure that Dante felt the same way.
He’d done exactly what he said — answered every single one of her letters on the day he received them — all through the football season, and even into the postseason.
She’d been happy for his sake that his team had made it to the championship game.
If she were honest, a small part of her wished they hadn’t even made the playoffs, since that would mean he was home that much faster.
Home to Mistletoe. Home to her.
Regardless, the postgame celebration hadn’t even started when he’d announced his retirement, and there were more than a few people who noticed he cut out and left before any celebration had really gotten started.
There had been some speculation that there was an impending marriage in his future, fueled by his teammates who had been interviewed and asked about him, or more specifically, asked about his absence.
It hadn’t mattered.
“You think you’re going to miss it?”
He nodded. “Undoubtably. I’m sorry, football has been a part of my life for so long. It’s definitely going to leave a hole.”
“I hope you don’t regret the decision you made for me.” She’d honestly talked to him about it – on the phone and in her letters, but he wouldn’t be dissuaded.
He slipped his arms around her and pulled her close, leaning his head down and brushing his cheek against her temple.
“Never. I don’t have the slightest bit of regret. And while I know that there’s going to be some adjustments, for both of us, I look forward to each and every one of them.”
“Maybe a coaching position will open up.”
“Maybe. But it’s going to have to be close because I’m living with my wife in Mistletoe.”
He kissed her temple. “I have a couple ideas for a few more apps, too. I never expected our hospital app to take off the way it has. I think maybe coding can take the place of football. And maybe the high school here in Mistletoe will need a coach eventually. Think I’d enjoy coaching high school football. Or junior high football. Or peewee football. Or,” he paused. “Working on creating my own football team. Yours and mine.”
It took her a couple of seconds to understand what he was saying. Then she laughed.
“Eleven kids is way too much. Especially if it’s eleven boys.”
His lips moved a little lower, a little closer to her ear. “You don’t sound very firm on that. I think the lady might be persuaded.”
Her laugh was a little more throaty this time, and she pressed against him. “Maybe. I’m definitely okay if you want to try.”
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR reading this book! I hope you enjoyed the Cowboy Mountain Christmas series as much as I enjoyed writing it! It’s always hard to finish a series and let it go. So, I decided to write another scene with Race and Penny and the six couples from the Cowboy Mountain Christmas series, just for fun, but also to wrap up a few loose ends and, goodness, Shawn needs his HEA, doesn’t he?