Page 181 of Hunt for You

“Preparations for what?”

He swallowed again and my breath got shorter.

“I love you too, Bridget. I do. It’s so crazy. I… I can’t quite explain how it happened—”

“Don’t worry, I get it.”

“—but I want you to know it’s real. And I think… I think I have a solution for us… if you’ll agree.”

I smiled and a strange warm feeling fizzed in my chest.

Happiness.

I swallowed hard. “What is it?”

He stepped forward, slowly positioning himself within arm’s reach, but still not touching me. “I did some research and…”

“And?”

He cleared his throat. “Bridget, no American citizen can be forced to testify against their spouse. If… if I’m your husband, they can’t make you do it.”

My eyes flew wide as he lowered himself to one knee and pulled a ring box out of his pocket, flipping it open in front of me.

“Bridget…” he murmured breathlessly. “Will… will you marry me…?”

EPILOGUE

~ SAM ~

The whole drive to Las Vegas was a mind-fuck.

We took her rental car because it was the least likely to be identified as ours.

Fifteen hours of driving and I didn’t feel drowsy at all.

We talked. Andtalked.

Bridget held my hand over the console.

Shesmiled.

My head kept spinning between screaming at me that this couldn’t be real, she couldn’t really want me—both sides of me—and this had to be some kind of trap… then washing in relief and pure joy because Bridget washappy.

She was happy, and it was because of me.

I didn’t know how this had happened. I knew it was crazy what we were doing. But I couldn’t drive fast enough. Still, I had to staycloseto the speed limit because we couldn’t afford to be pulled over, especially once we crossed out of state.

I was breaching parole again. But it was worth it.

We made it to the Las Vegas Strip just as the sun was going down and the sky was turning purple and pink. Just as all those neon lights began to really glow against the deepening dark.

Bridget had spent the last hour on the phone arranging a hotel room and a chapel.

We were really doing this.

God, is this real?

An hour later, I stood in a white room, with two strange men in suits—one who was a celebrant, and the other who was a butler, or something. I couldn’t quite figure out what his title was, but he was helping Bridget get everything she asked for.