Two weeks later, Ainsley lay in Loch’s bed, Misty cuddled up against her side, deep in sleep after their second story time of the night. Loch was helping Dare out behind the bar tonight since Ainsley had kicked him out of the house, his hovering adorably sweet but a bit overwhelming after a while.
Her hands were healed, as were the other cuts and bruises she’d gotten from the ordeal. She’d lost a couple of clumps of hair but had added a few new layers to her hairstyle a few days after she got home to camouflage it. Her face had taken the longest time to heal, and she knew that every time Loch looked at her, he got angry and blamed himself. But he never said anything. Instead, he left gentle kisses on her bruises and held her hand.
He was always touching her, always making sure she felt loved and cared for.
They were doing the same with Misty, making sure the little girl knew that Ainsley and Loch weren’t going anywhere, that they loved her and were going to take care of her.
Misty had nightmares, but they were getting better each night. Ainsley, much the same. It helped that the three of them also went to a therapist, Ainsley and Loch now going alone, as a family, and as a couple. It was the same therapist that Melody, Fox, Kenzie, and Dare had used after their issues and were still seeing. At some point, maybe the Collins family could get a group discount, but Ainsley never wanted to think too hard about that.
She hadn’t gone back to work, her sub taking over with perfect ease. She’d go back soon, though everyone said she could have the semester off if she needed time. They were being so generous with her, her students even sending letters and emails to make sure she knew they were keeping up with their lessons and were thinking about her.
She would go back, probably on Monday, healed and ready to try and be normal again. It wasn’t that she would have lasting scars on her body, but her soul ached. She’d thought she would die, had thought she’d never hear Loch’s voice again except for what she’d thought had been her imagination. Instead, it had actually been him screaming for her as he saved her life.
He’d told her that she saved herself, and she truly believed that she had partly saved herself when she was able to get away from Riker the first time and from Jeff the second. But Loch had been the one to save her in the end.
When Loch told her that she’d saved him, as well, she hadn’t believed him, but then he’d said that she was his and, without her, he’d have been lost.
The two of them were best friends. They were lovers. And they were in love. With Misty, they were a family. It was as if they had always been one, even if she knew that others might think they were moving too fast. They weren’t. They were moving at their own pace, and that was all that mattered. They weren’t confusing Misty, and they were staying true to themselves.
That was why she hadn’t moved out yet, and knowing Loch, she probably never would. It was as if she had always been there, and once she and Loch had finally opened up to one another, everything just clicked into place.
She didn’t know what would happen next, though she had a small plan she hoped would work out. Yes, everything was too soon for others, but she and Loch weren’t everybody else. Their bond had been forged when they were friends, had settled into place over the years of being close and being who they were, and had been tested and found stronger than ever when Riker had tried to ruin their lives.
Now, Riker, Chris, and Jeff were being tried for countless crimes, Dennis had been laid to rest, surrounded by those who had known him and would miss him. Whiskey was coming back to itself, putting its unraveled and undone recent past behind it.
And Ainsley could smile with this little girl in her arms and in her heart.
It counted.
“There my girls are,” Loch whispered. “She’s out, isn’t she?”
Ainsley smiled and looked up at the sound of his voice, her breath catching. Yes, it still caught at the sight of him, she couldn’t help it. He was her Loch, and no matter how many times they were together, it always felt like the first and the thousandth time all at once.
“Like a light. We went through two stories, and I didn’t want to wake her if I had to move her.”
“You shouldn’t be picking her up anyway. Not yet.”
She rolled her eyes. “Loch. I’m fine.”
“Sure.” She knew he didn’t believe her, but that was okay. She’d scared him just as much, if not more than she’d scared herself. And if he had to act like a big, growly bear for a bit longer, she’d let him. And when and if it got to be too much, she’d kick his ass like always. It was how they worked, even when they were only friends.
Not that there was anything only when it came to Loch.
Loch pressed a soft kiss to her lips, then picked up Misty and carried her to her bedroom where he presumably tucked her in. Ainsley settled herself against her pillows, waiting for him to come back and tuck her in because he would. He was getting sweet on her, and she kind of liked it, even when he growled while doing it.
When he came back in, he kissed her again, then laid next to her on one side, his head resting in his hand.
“What?” she asked when he just stared at her without saying anything.
He kissed her shoulder. “You’re going to marry me.”
She blinked, her heart racing even as she kept her voice calm and her face devoid of emotion. “Oh, good, I'm glad we're getting over the caveman part of this relationship.”
He snorted, then started playing with the edge of her tank. “Seriously, it's going to happen.”
“So you say.”
“I say you’re going to marry me. It doesn’t matter that it’s only been a short while since we’ve called each other what we are together now. The timing is right. So, yeah, you’re going to marry me.”
He kept saying those words in that confident way of his, and it was all she could do to not jump on the bed in glee. Instead, she just gave him a wry look and played.
Because he was still her best friend, and playing around was part of the fun.
“Fine, I'll marry you, but only because I want Fox and Dare as my brothers and Tabby is already taken.”
“I hate you, and I love you,” he growled, even as he moved to settle over her, taking her lips with his. She leaned into him, missing his touch, but he’d been very careful not to touch her in that way since the incident. She didn’t think he would tonight either, not until he knew she was safe and healthy. She didn’t mind because she knew she’d have forever with him, even if she hadn’t thought she’d have a forever at all.
“I know, same here.” She grinned up at him, her body shaking because hell, he was hot, and she couldn’t believe they were actually talking about this right now and right then. “Oh, can you get my bag?”
“Seriously?”
“Yes, seriously. I need to get something.”
He sighed and then rolled off her, careful not to put any weight on her as he grabbed her bag from the chair next to the window. “Here. What’s so important in that massive purse of yours?”
She just smiled and dug around until she found what she was looking for. Her hands shook, and she was so damn scared, but then again, nothing worth having came without a cost. Nerves were just part of it. She pulled out the small box she’d hidden in her bag the day before and held it out to him.
"Beat you. I win." At least, she hoped she did.
He looked down at the ring in the box and blinked up at her, his mouth open like he had no idea what to say. Then again, she didn’t get to surprise him often. He always seemed to know everything, but today, that wasn’t going to happen.
“What? I wanted to ask you. I'd get down on one knee, but you haven't let me out of bed in two weeks.”
“You…you’re asking me to marry you? With a ring? I have a ring in the drawer next to you, but I was going to wait until you were ready.”
She swallowed hard. “I’m ready now. So are you, hence the whole conversation we just had about you deciding I was going to marry you instead of the whole, you know, asking thing. But it’s us. So, why don’t we just do what we want and do it how we want?”
Her heart practically beat out of her chest as she waited for his answer. But when he didn’t say anything, she was afraid she’d screwed up. What if he had other plans? What if the idea of a ring and an actual answer was too much for him and she’d ruined it all by going too fast even if they said it wasn’t?
Then he leaned down and kissed her on the nose, then the cheeks, then the lips, before taking the box from her hands and sliding the ring onto his finger. It wasn’t a wedding band, but a handcrafted one that was made of white gold and had carvings in the side. She’d gotten it at a small shop in Whiskey, one that catered to the beautiful and unique, something she always thought Loch was, though she didn’t dare call him that to his face. Tears filled her eyes, but he didn’t kiss her again, didn’t say anything as he opened the drawer next to her and pulled out a little box that looked similar to hers.
Of course, he’d gone to the same place she had.
That’s why they were best friends.
He slid the three-stone ring onto her finger, and she studied the tiny pearls on the side, so little, she didn’t know how he’d found something so perfect. He’d found the ring that was just for her, just as unique as his.
Just as beautiful.
“God, I love you. And, yes, I’ll marry you, but if anyone asks, I was the one to ask you.”
“Nope, I'm telling everyone you swooned.”
And then he kissed her, and she knew everything was exactly as it needed to be. Perfect. Theirs. With a forever she hadn't seen coming.