Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 96312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96312 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 482(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Despite being surrounded by all of Legacy and their cell phones, all I could see was the man beside me, snowflakes catching in his dark hair, his eyes warm with love and certainty.
“So,” I said at length, trying for casual and failing spectacularly. “What happens now?”
“Now?” Maddox pulled me closer, his voice rough with emotion. “Now we go home. Maya’s spending the night at Rosie’s, which means I have you all to myself. I’m going to make you my grandmother’s hot chocolate, we’re going to sit by the fire, and you’re going to tell me all about how we’re going to make this work.”
“And if I don’t have all the answers yet?”
His smile was soft and certain. “Then we’ll figure it out together. That’s what partners do.”
Partners. The word settled in my chest like a promise.
As we made our way to Maddox’s truck, my phone buzzed with notification after notification. I didn’t bother looking. I knew the videos of our mountain declaration were probably already spreading across social media, hashtag #Maddrian trending alongside #LegacyMontana and #RealLifeRomance.
“Your followers are probably losing their minds,” Maddox observed, nodding at the phone buzzing in my pocket.
“Let them.” I shrugged. “I’ve got more important things to focus on.”
Three hours later, we were curled up on Maddox’s couch, the fire crackling softly while snow continued to fall outside. I was wearing his old flannel shirt and nothing else, completely content to let him trace lazy patterns across my bare thigh while we talked about the future.
“Vic texted again while you were cleaning up in the bathroom,” I said, taking a sip of the promised hot chocolate. It was perfect—rich and warming, with just a hint of cayenne heat. “Turns out rejecting Solenne didn’t shut out other opportunities the way he expected after all.”
“Oh?”
“Three different companies want to partner with me on ‘authentic travel experiences.’ One of them specifically mentioned that they’d love to feature small-town American destinations.” I grinned at his surprised expression. “Apparently, authentic is very in right now.”
Maddox rolled his eyes, just as I’d known he would.
“And I may have mentioned that I happen to know an incredibly talented videographer who specializes in capturing real moments.” I shifted to straddle his lap, loving the way his hands immediately moved to my hips and bare ass. “Someone who could help me tell better stories.”
Maddox’s eyes darkened. “Is that so?”
“Mmhmm. Guy’s got great hands, too. Very… skilled.”
“Adrian,” he growled, but he was fighting a smile.
“What? I’m talking about your camera work. Your technical abilities.” I leaned down to press a kiss to his neck. “Your incredibly professional… equipment handling.”
“You’re impossible.”
“You love it.”
“I love you,” he corrected, and the simple certainty in his voice made my heart stutter.
“Good,” I murmured against his lips. “Because you’re stuck with me now. I’ve got a lease to break, a life to relocate, and a very important job interview to ace.”
“Interview?”
I pulled back to meet his eyes. “Sullivan Hardware needs a marketing manager. Someone to handle their online presence, coordinate with influencers, maybe even expand into content creation. I hear the benefits package includes access to the owner’s bed.”
Maddox’s laugh was warm and delighted. “The position might be available. But I should warn you—the boss can be pretty demanding.”
“I can handle demanding.”
“And I’ve heard he’s grumpy. Very, very grumpy.”
“I specialize in grumpy mountain men, actually. It’s my niche.”
He kissed me then, soft and deep and full of promise. When we broke apart, his forehead rested against mine.
“Are you sure about this?” he asked quietly. “Really sure? Because once you’re here, really here, I’m not letting you go.”
I thought about the life I was leaving behind—the constant travel, the carefully curated loneliness, the hollow pursuit of likes and follows. Then I thought about waking up in this man’s arms every morning, about Maya’s laughter, about being part of something as lasting as the nearby mountain.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life,” I said. “Legacy isn’t just where I want to be, Maddox. It’s who I want to be. The best version of myself. The version that belongs to someone and somewhere.”
“To me,” he said fiercely. “You belong to me.”
“And you belong to me.”
“Always.”
Outside, the snow continued to fall, cloaking everything in untouched white. Inside, wrapped in Maddox’s arms with the fire warming our skin and love warming our hearts, I finally understood what home felt like.
It felt like forever.
It felt like family.
It felt like the truest, realest, most authentic thing I’d ever experienced in my perfectly curated life.
And for the first time in longer than I could remember, I couldn’t wait to see what tomorrow would bring.
#TheRealMaddrian #Stay #ILY #FinallyHome
EPILOGUE: #ADRIANHAYESSTAYS
MADDOX - ONE YEAR LATER
The hiss of the espresso machine in our new coffee corner made me smile as I adjusted the display of Nordique jackets for the third time that morning. A year ago, I’d have laughed at the idea of merchandising eight-hundred-dollar parkas. Now? I wanted every detail of this grand opening to be right.