Six Months later...

TREVOR GLANCED AROUND the practice field. It was his first op back with the team since joint task force. It felt good to be with the guys—and Jenna—again. He missed this, the adrenaline, being first through those doors. But they all had roles to play, and he was best served doing his day-to-day duties, keeping the streets of Ransom safe.

He grabbed his helmet off the tailgate and jogged toward the building. Jenna had ducked out as soon as practice was called. He needed to talk to her. Just the two of them. Which was growing harder to do what with the wedding inching ever closer.

The chilly February breeze sliced through his gear, almost freezing the sweat on his skin. He stepped into the building as the women’s locker room doors opened and Jenna stepped out wearing jeans and a hoodie.

“Hey,” he called out.

“Hey.” She glanced over her shoulder. “I’m on my way out.”

Shit.

“Can I walk you to your car?” he asked.

“Uh-ho.” She eyed him as he caught up to her. “Are you breaking up with Dina?”

“What?” Trevor frowned at her and they fell into step, making their way toward the front of the building.

“I just thought, it’s been—what? A couple months? Isn’t this when you normally break up with a girl?” She glanced up at him. “If you break up with Dina, fair warning, I’m going to be on her side in this. She’s too damn good for you.”

“I know that. You—wait. You really think I’m trying to—”

“I’m giving you a hard time.” Jenna stopped and peered up at him. “What’s up with you?”

Trevor glanced up and down the hall.

They were alone.

He and Dina needed each other. She was his anchor. His person. The one he couldn’t wait to see. Her texts still made his stomach tighten and Romeo was now his official call sign for how he’d smile whenever her name popped up.

“I need help getting intel,” he whispered.

“For?” Jenna drew the word out a few beats.

“You know.” He nodded at her hand as she pushed her hair out of her face. “Rings.”

“Shut up.” Jenna gasped.

“Sh.” Trevor glanced over his shoulder. “I thought, could you ask Elisabeth? Scarlett?”

“Are you serious?”

“No. I’m just curious about jewelry is all.” He glared at Jenna.

“Does your mom know?” Jenna whispered, her smile nearly splitting her face.

“I can’t tell her. She’d tell Dina.”

“What about your dad?”

“We’re still not speaking.” He shrugged. That relationship might never resolve itself, but he didn’t have to worry himself about that. Not since Mom had moved into an apartment off the highway outside of Ransom. He had Bunny to than for that.

“Leave this to me. I’ve got an idea.” Jenna backed away from him, wagging her finger.

Trevor hoped he’d trusted the right person with this. He needed to do this right because it would only happen once.

TWO MONTHS LATER...

Dina had never realized how busy small town life was until she was part of it. Not living on the fringes or occupying a home, but truly part of it.

It was all Elisabeth’s fault. Once Dina had admitted to the nature of what she did for a living Elisabeth had run with it and it wasn’t long before all the local kids knew who Dina was. Then they’d convinced Dina to coach the Coding Club. She’d expected to hate it and had dragged her feet for the first few weeks. But the kids were smart and dedicated. They reminded Dina a lot of herself when she’d had nothing but time and no one in her life.

“This is the last one.” Jenna nodded at the plastic crate.

“Promise?” Dina grabbed it by the sides and hefted it up off the ground.

April meant the local faire. Her only other experience with it was stocking up on food and keeping her doors locked. Man, had she missed out.

Main Street would be blocked for the whole week for food trucks and little craft booths. There were events every day. Most of the local businesses that could close were. The covered arena and barns on the south side of town were crawling with the kids and their animals for the upcoming shows that weekend.

She’d thought life in a small town would be slow and simple. It had its days, but more often than not, they were full. Of laughter. Of friends. Of love.

“There you are,” a familiar voice said.

She slid the last crate into the back of the waiting pickup then turned to face the man of her dreams.

“You off security duty already?” Dina slid her hands under his coat and around his waist. The nights were a touch chilly this week, but that would change soon.

“I am.”

“Does that mean I can go home and put my feet up now?” She sighed.

“And miss the fireworks?” Trevor gasped. “No way.”

Dina groaned.

“Hop on, I’ll carry you.” Trevor turned his back toward her.

“No.” She smacked his ass.

“Come on, I’m supposed to meet Alex by the bandstand.” Jenna waved them to follow her.

Dina fell into step with Trevor, their hands linked.

They walked the length of Main Street without speaking. Dina liked how she could be silent with Trevor and still feel their connection. Even after all these months, she still got butterflies thinking about him. He still flirted with her. It wasn’t just sex. It had never been just sex. It was everything.

A country western band was playing some soft music while people sat in lawn chairs and others swayed on the taped off dance floor.

Trevor took her hand and spun her under his arm.

“No.” She chuckled.

“Come on.” He tugged her toward the swaying couples.

“I can’t dance,” she said.

“Sure you can.” He grinned, and she was powerless to say no.

He wrapped one arm around her waist, took her free hand in his.

“Left first,” he whispered.

“You’re going to step on me again.” She peered down.

“No, look at me, not your feet.”

“Step and shuffle. It’s easy.”

“For you.”

Overhead a brilliant flash of red burst into a million twinkling bits. They stopped and tilted their heads up, taking in the fireworks. Only, Dina’s gaze drifted down to the man who owned her heart.

What would life be like if she’d pressed Rudy to relocate her? If she hadn’t stayed here?

He’d given her more than safety and a place to live. He’d given her love. Friends. Family. A place to belong. Things she’d never had before. She wished there was something she could give him besides paying half the bills. Something meaningful.

Trevor glanced down and caught her staring.

Blue and gold lights flashed behind him, kind of like the cascade of emotion going off inside of her.

He let go of her waist and took a little step back, his face so serious.

Was something wrong?

“Trevor?”

He squeezed her hand in his, then went to the ground on one knee.

Dina froze.

She’d spent enough time around Scarlett regaling them with engagement stories that this pose, everything about it, was familiar. And yet, Dina had never expected this to happen to her.

Trevor reached into his pocket and pulled out a box. Dina’s knees buckled and her stomach tightened. She swayed and had to brace herself on his shoulder.

“Dina—”

“Yes,” she blurted.

“You don’t know the question yet.” He grinned. Or at least she thought that slash of white in her blurry vision was his grin.

“Marry me?” she asked.

“That’s supposed to be my line.”

She choked on a laugh and swiped her tears away.

“You were supposed to give me a signal,” Jenna yelled, exasperation in her voice.

“Dina?” Trevor held the engagement ring between his fingers. “Will you marry me?”

“Now?”

“It wouldn’t be legal if we did it right now, but if you want—”

“Put the ring on,” Scarlett cheered from the sidelines.

“She hasn’t said yes yet,” Trevor called out over his shoulder.

“Yes.” Dina laughed, and he slid the band on her finger.

This was her life now. Full, crazy and totally in love.

––––––––

YOU CAN STAY UP TO date on all the Ransom, Texas team in . Want to explore more of this small town? Keep reading for a sneak peak of .

Sign up for the at to get inside scoops, short stories about your favorite characters and free books.