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“Thank you for telling me that.”

“You’re welcome.” He stands and offers his hand to Maverick. “I’m glad you’re both okay.”

“Thanks. Me, too.” Maverick replies as he stands and shakes Captain Leopold’s offered hand.

“Of course. Let me know if you need anything.” With a smile, Captain Leopold turns and leaves the room.

Maverick settles back down into his chair. “I’m so sorry that I opened the door, Sadie.”

“You couldn’t have known. Besides, didn’t you tell me to stop apologizing?”

The corners of his lips lift in a grin, but it’s faint. “You’re not the one who let him in.”

“One way or another, he would have tried to get to me. I’m just so glad it’s over.”

“Me, too.” He takes my hand. “I love you, Sadie. It’s honestly terrifying because I never thought I would feel this way. But you have my heart. And I will spend every day—as long as you’ll let me—proving that.”

I smile at him, all of the fear I’ve carried over the last few months melting away right here in this hospital bed.

It’s over.

And now, I get to move forward into forever.

Tears fill my eyes as I stare back at him, wishing I had words to explain the love in my heart. “I love you, too, Maverick. So much.”

MAVERICK

“Here we go.” I push open the door to my apartment, then lead Sadie inside, guiding her over toward the couch. Since my apartment is the one with the TV and a more comfortable couch for me, it’s where she’ll be staying until she’s healed enough to go back across the hall.

Though even as badly as I want her healed, I’m going to be sad to see her go.

“Thank you.” She beams at me as I help her down.

I stand back as she surveys the apartment, her eyes widening. “Maverick. You—you got a tree!”

I shove both hands into my pockets and nod, studying the tree Sawyer and Weston delivered late last night. “You said you wanted to decorate. With Christmas next week, I thought we could do it together. Once you’re feeling better.”

Her eyes are shimmering with tears as she looks up at me. “Thank you,” she says softly.

“Yeah. Weston and Sawyer brought it up last night. There’s one in your place, too, and they’re bringing another for the bar.” I leave out that I haven’t ever had a tree. Even when I was a kid, my parents never put one up. They’d leave a single present on the counter for me to open Christmas morning; then we’d go on with our day as usual.

But Sadie has me wanting to make things extra special.

“Thank you,” she says to Weston as he comes in behind us.

“No problem at all, Sadie.” He turns to me. “Where do you want this stuff?” He lifts a duffel bag with some things Sadie and I needed at the hospital.

“By the door is fine.”

He sets the bag down, then steps aside so Sawyer and Anastasia can come in.

“Nice place, man. Kinda sucks it took your girl almost dying for me to see it, but hey, I’ll let that slide,” Sawyer jokes.

“When exactly will you be letting that slide?” Weston asks.

Sawyer shrugs, then wraps an arm around his wife’s shoulders.

“And thank you, too, Sawyer. The tree is beautiful.”