Thoroughly.

And wondered how he’d ever gotten so lucky.

Yeah, their friends had totally noticed that they’d snuck away, although for once no one seemed interested in saying anything. Not even to tease them.

Everyone was too busy being on a happy high of warmth and love and friendship. Rick and Maria’s joy had infected all of them and there was a lot of that going around.

Jessica, Justin, and Chris were finally going to have their commitment ceremony next month. Kate and Andrew’s wedding plans were coming together. The way Jared was eyeing Leigh and Michael was looking at Ellie, Sharon was sure there were more engagements on the way in the near future. Even Luke was looking at Olivia with speculation in his eyes, and they hadn’t been together that long.

Sharon and Jake might be a little bit behind everyone, but she was feeling the love too.

His declaration had been unexpected, and she had a feeling that’s why he’d done it the way he had. He liked to surprise her, just like she liked to keep him off-balance.

Somehow, they’d all ended up in the kitchen again, although not on purpose. Sharon smiled as she looked around at all her friends. She’d had no idea when she’d moved here that this was where she’d end up, but she was so glad she had.

Adam cleared his throat again, drawing everyone’s attention again. Suddenly they were all on high alert.

“Don’t worry,” he said, chuckling. “No more proposals today.”

“Darn,” Hilary muttered, looking a little let down. Her husband laughed, pulling her in for a consoling kiss.

Ignoring them, Adam kept going. “Again, just wanted to say, thanks for coming today. Angel and I cannot thank you enough for all the help you’ve given us since Melody was born. You are all more than friends, you’re family.”

Oh shit. Sharon was going to cry again. Especially because Adam was starting to look a little choked up as well.

“The family we choose,” Angel said, smiling as she looked around. She raised her glass in the air. “To us!”

“To us!” Everyone chorused after her, glasses lifting in the air.

“To all of us,” Sharon whispered just before she put the glass to her lips.

Her happily-ever-after wasn’t just Jake, it was all of them. Her friends, her tribe. They were each other’s happily-ever-after, for now and always.

And what a happily-ever-after it was.

I hope you enjoyed reading my Stronghold Doms series! If you aren’t ready to entirely leave the world yet (I know I wasn’t), there is a holiday collection of stories now available. CLICK HERE to get your copy of Steamy Stocking Stuffers which features some of your favorite characters from this series as well as a few hot stories about upcoming characters in the Masters of Marquis series!