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“Bulbs?” Cassie asked

“Yep There are a couple more varieties planted around the tree, but they’ll bloo”

“A couple—” Wondering how he knew that since the court hadn’t been here last spring, she turned to look at hi in his eyes that left her breathless “These weren’t here last spring, were they?”

He shook his head “I planted them this past fall Wanted it to be a surprise”

You’re the surprise“Thank you”

A choice A chance

“Gray?”

“Cassie?”

“Could you considerme?”

No expression on his face Blank eyes Then, hesitantly, “Really? You’re not teasing me?”

She shook her head “I wouldn’t tease about that I love you when you’re Gray and when you’re Jared Blaed I want to build a life with you that spans the seasons”

“You’re in love with me?” His eyes looked a little less blank, but she wasn’t sure his brain was fully working

“Yes, I’m in love with you”

“Cassie”

He kissed her with enough heat to sizzle through her body and melt bone Then he wrapped his arms around her and held on

“I fell in love with you the first tie to wake up and grow up So that I could be with you” He eased back enough to look at her “You’re going to buy ht?”

Happy tears stung her eyes She laughed “Yes, I’”

“Come on,” Gray said “Let’s—”

Gray? Cassie?

Vae trotted up to the, then stared at both of them

Cassie is crying, and you are happy, she told Gray, her words accorowl Why?

“I’ tears off her face “Gray and I are going to get married”

“Do you know about hue?” Gray asked

I know The growling stopped and the tail wagged with more enthusiasm Is this a secret?

Gray laughed “No, it’s not a secret”

Vae lifted her muzzle and howled A few moments later, Khollie howled from the other side of the stone fence A few moments after that, Lloyd and Kief joined in Then Darcy Then Keely

They heard another faint howl co from the direction of Eyota’s main street

“Hell’s fire,” Gray said “They’ll tell the whole village before we have tiet back to the house”

“Then we’d better hurry”

Laughing, they ran back to the house, stomped snow off their boots, and s outside to find out what had stirred up the dogs