Dave couldn’t stop looking at the last painting in the collection, the one she’d done when she thought it was the end. He’d come that close to losing her. To losing the best thing that had ever happened in his life.

Water clouded his vision. He didn’t want to admit they were tears. He was so close to breaking down in relief that he couldn’t help himself.

“She has agreed to move. I put my name in for an apartment in our complex.” He took a ragged breath. “She has agreed to try and get better. To stay away from her old trailer and to…” He braced his hands on his hips, blinking profusely. “To be the mom I deserve, so she said.”

“Oh,” he heard. Janie sounded relieved. “Well, that’s good. I didn’t know how I would find the time to stalk her. This will really free me up.”

Fear punched his gut. “Please tell me you’ll never go into that neighborhood without me again.”

“I’d really rather you didn’t meet my mother. A couple boyfriends cheated on me with her. It isn’t pleasant to have a man I love within her proximity. Or really any man. She sucks, seriously. I can’t say it enough.”

“I’m not going to fuck your mom, Janie…which is something I never expected to have to say. But please tell me before you go there again.”

“How about a few cleverly dropped hints?”

“Janie…”

“Fine,” she finally said.

“That gun is gone?”

“Yeah.”

“I called her Mom, by the way. Not Betty.”

“How’d that go?”

“She started crying. I think that was the turning of the tide.” He finally turned to her, seeing her bowed and picking at her nail. “My mother would like to meet you when she’s clean and sober.”

“Oh yeah? How’s her punch?”

“She told me to marry you.”

Janie stopped picking at her nail and looked up slowly. Confusion covered her expression.

He met, then fell into, her beautiful brown eyes. “She said that any woman who would do what you did, without ever expecting something in return, was a woman worth holding on to. She said you’d shamed her. You showed her the unconditional love that she should show. You’ve saved her life, Janie. You’ve saved mine. I am eternally grateful to you.”

“Wait…you’re not mad?”

“Are you kidding? I’m mad as hell. The risks you took on my behalf were stupid at best, and extremely dangerous at worst. But your heart was in the right place. You did more for me than anyone in the world ever has. Normally, my friends wouldn’t follow a gun-toting lunatic into a trailer park and threaten a couple of old drug dealers. Not even for me. They must’ve seen the conviction and confidence in you, and followed you into battle. That is…” He knelt before her. “I love you. Thank you.”

She flashed her thousand-watt smile. His heart lurched.

She launched toward him, hugging him tight. “Thank God. You kept staring at the Goodbye painting, and I thought that was curtains for us.”

“What is that other painting called that I keep looking at?” He shifted them both to see it.

She followed his gaze, and tears came to her eyes. “Love.”

“I thought it was something like that,” he whispered, and then kissed her.

A while later, when they walked back into the kitchen to join their subdued group of friends, Dave stuck out his hand for Noah. “Thank you for going with her.”

Relief crossed Noah’s features. He took Dave’s hand in a hard grip. “I knew you wouldn’t want her to go alone. Granted, it was a dick move keeping all that from you, but I agreed with what Janie was doing. Not exactly how she was doing it.” He shrugged. “Still, she had the right tools to solve the problem. I thought it best to let her work her magic before we brought you in the know.”

Dave pumped his friend’s hand. “I hate it, but I got it. Thanks, bro.”

“I’ve always said that once she puts her mind to something, that’s it, haven’t I?” Madison nodded smugly. “She’s super protective, too. I knew she’d make it work. She always has for me.”

“Madison, you are too embarrassing for words.” Janie rubbed her hand over her face.

Dave shook Ethan’s hand next, thanking him for his help at the trailer park. Then Colton’s.

He hugged Madison. “Thank you for trying to keep her away from me. That was the right move. Too bad you lost and aren’t as awesome as I am.”

“Wow. You’re some asshole.”

“Yup. An asshole who wins. What’s up?” He flexed.

She punched him in the stomach.

“Ow.” Dave bent at the waist. “I see Colton has been teaching you to punch.”

“Okay, now can we talk about the rental you locked down?” Noah said.