Page 98 of Theirs to Treasure

“I guess her heart isn’t hurting for you anymore,” Sam murmured, nuzzling Josie’s temple.

“Guess not,” she whispered. She turned as she heard Chance’s chair scrape back, thinking it was time to take another turn on the dance floor. Instead she found him kneeling beside her.

“Hey, get up. I’m fine. Nothing’s hurting and Becca made me really happy,” she assured Chance. Then she heard Sam get up. He moved next to Chance and knelt beside him. She saw Betty and Butch out of the corner of her eye. Chance took one of her hands in his, and Sam took the other.

“Josie, I love you. We love you.” Chance stopped and just looked up at her. Sam let go of her hand and pulled a small velvet box out of his suit jacket. He opened it up to reveal entwined platinum bands nesting two diamonds that caught the light and scattered it across her fixed gaze.

“We want to make you ours forever, in the eyes of God, and everyone else in this world. Will you marry us?”

Josie said nothing. She looked at the beautiful eyes of green and blue staring up at her, wanting to revel and memorize the moment. They knew. There was no fear, no nervousness. They smiled and joined her in savoring this memory.

“Yes, oh, yes, a thousand times! You are my soul mates.” Their arms wrapped around each other. After they finally broke apart, Sam slid the ring on her finger.

“I’m sure these are diamonds,” Sam said with a smile. Betty and Butch came over and gave hugs to all three of them.

“I couldn’t be happier,” Betty said, tears streaming down her face.

“Well, I should hope so, considering your role in all of this,” Sam said dryly. Just then, the lead singer for the band asked for everyone’s attention.

“The town of Fate Harbor has reason to celebrate tonight,” he began. Josie watched as Elise and Rob rolled out a cake, followed by Becca and Sarah who also were rolling out a cake. “Tonight, we are celebrating the Harts’ news that they are having a baby!” A huge shout went through the auditorium along with a great deal of clapping.

“We also have another reason to celebrate,” the singer continued. “Soon, there is going to be a wedding. Chance Reynolds and Sam Booth have been lucky enough to convince Josie Decker to marry them!” Josie was stunned as another round of hollering and clapping erupted from the townsfolk. “We have two celebratory cakes here and we would like to invite the two happy triads to come up and cut them for us.”

When Josie made her way to the stage, she saw a beautiful cake shaped like wedding bells, beside her sisters.

She turned to Becca and Sarah. “Did you know about this?” she asked.

“Absolutely. Elise and Bill were working on this downstairs while we were helping you beautify.”

“What if I’d said no?”

“We’d have had you committed,” Becca said dryly. All three of them laughed, looking over at the two men who meant the world to Josie.

Sam came between Becca and Josie and slid his arm around the two of them, while Chance did the same between Sarah and Josie.

Betty tried to take a picture, but Elise shook her head and grabbed her phone away from her.

“Betty, you and Butch get in the shot with your children.” Josie’s heart clenched as Butch and Betty joined in with her men and sisters.

Josie smiled into the camera and thought her heart would burst with joy.

She was surrounded by family.

She was surrounded by love.

She was surrounded by Chance and Sam.

She was treasured.

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