Page 132 of One Last Stand

“What—what?”

Tillie was right behind him, nearly pushing him out of the way to get to Hazel.

“I saw a face! Right there—in the glass. A face!” Hazel pointed to the sliding-glass door.

Moose took three steps, yanked it open, and barreled outside.

“Moose!” Tillie’s voice, panicked, and maybe it wasn’t the right move because,yeah—who knew what he could be walking into? But he was tired—way beyond tired—of disaster sneaking up on them, of the world fighting to keep them apart.

Tired of saboteurs and serial killers and drug thugs and even international terrorists attempting to blow apart his life, the lives of the members of his team.

So he stood on his deck in the freezing cold, in his bare feet, staring out at the tumbling river below, silvery in the darkness under a rising moon, the wind shifting through the trees, the rush of water rising to his thundering heartbeat.

Nothing. He sawnothing.

He turned, glanced at Hazel. “You saw someone here?”

She nodded.

“What did he look like?”

She bit her lip. “Scary.”

He looked down at the snow, and sure, footprints littered the deck, but they could be anyone’s—his or Axel’s, or even Tillie’s.

But just to be sure, he stepped out to the end of the deck and looked over.

No one running away from the house.

He stepped back inside and closed the door. Locked it.

“She’s been having nightmares,” Tillie said quietly over Hazel’s head as she held her.

He put his hand on Hazel’s back. “I get that.”

“I saw him,” Hazel said, leaning back. “I really saw him.”

“I know, honey. But he’s not here.”

“I would never let anyone—whoever he is—hurt you, pumpkin,” Moose said. In fact, he’d had it with waiting to step into that role permanently.

He walked over to the counter, grabbed the ring box, and came over to Tillie.

She set Hazel down on the sofa. “Moose.”

“Just—wait for it.” He got on one knee. Held the stupid ring box open. Looked at Tillie.

“Yes!” Hazel said.

Tillie smiled. But said nothing.

“I love you—I’ve loved you for a long time, I think. You and Hazel are my whole world. And yes, the world might drop out on us at any moment, but I’m gonna catch us. Or at least hold on to God while he catches us. I don’t want to live one more moment without us being a family, so?—”

“Yes, yes!” Hazel said, jumping on the sofa.

“Tillie Young, will you marry me?”

She smiled. “Sorry I made you wait so long.”