Epilogue
Graham
J uniper Falls, six months later…
"Dad, you're overthinking this." Sophie tugs me through the door of Novel Sips, the bell chiming at our arrival. "Just ask her. Mom says you're making it way more complicated than it needs to be."
I'm still not used to how easily she mentions Janet, or how supportive my ex-wife has been about my plans to propose to Lila. "I want it to be perfect."
"It's Lila." Sophie rolls her eyes in that particular teenage way that reminds me she's definitely Janet's daughter. "She loves you. You could propose in the middle of weeding and she'd say yes."
My gaze lands on Maggie, who's arranging books on a display table. "Maybe we should just?—"
"Nope." Sophie propels me forward. "No backing out now."
Maggie looks up, her smile warm and welcoming. "Graham! Sophie! What brings you two in today?"
"I, uh..." I clear my throat. "I'm looking for some books. About proposals. Ideas for proposals, I mean."
Maggie's eyes light up. "Say no more!" She practically bounces around the counter. "Follow me to the romance section. I have so many favorites with absolutely beautiful proposals."
Sophie trails behind us, trying not to laugh at my obvious discomfort.
"This one has a garden proposal," Maggie pulls out a book. "Very romantic. And this one—oh, this is perfect—he proposes at their old high school hangout spot."
"Dad's already got the garden part covered," Sophie chimes in, grabbing another book. "Hey, what about this one? He proposes during a town festival."
"Been there, done that," I mutter, thinking of my public declaration at the Spring Blossom Festival six months ago.
"Ooh, what about this series?" Sophie holds up several books. "Look, Dad. Small town romances. That's totally your thing now."
I stare at the growing stack of books in my arms. "This is a lot of research."
"Don't worry, Dad." Sophie grabs one more book, adding it to the pile with a grin. "You just need to read the endings. That's where all the magic happens!"
As Maggie rings up our purchases, I notice a guy in the corner, notebook open on the table in front of him. He keeps glancing our way, pen moving across the page.
"New customer?" I ask Maggie, nodding toward him.
"That's Ethan Ward—my brother's old college roommate. He just moved to town." Is it my imagination, or do her cheeks pink slightly?
"Uh-huh." I exchange a knowing look with Sophie, who's already typing something on her phone. Probably texting Janet about this development.
"Good luck with the proposal!" Maggie calls as we head for the door. "Let me know if you need more inspiration!"
Outside, Sophie bumps my shoulder. "See? That wasn't so hard."
"Says the girl who's not planning to propose."
"Dad." She stops, turning to face me. "Lila loves you. She loves that you overthink things and plant coral bells everywhere and still carry that ancient baseball in your truck. Just be you. That's all she's ever wanted."
I pull her into a one-armed hug, careful not to crush our new books. "When did you get so smart?"
"Must be all those romance novels Mom lets me read." She grins. "Now come on. We've got proposals to study."
Lantern light dances across the garden paths, casting warm shadows through the blooming dogwood tree. Our carved initials catch the glow, weathered but still clear after all these months. Sophie adjusts a lantern for the third time while my sons, Jake and Tyler, spread out the picnic blanket.
"Dad, stop fidgeting," Sophie whispers. "You've got this."
I shove my hands in my pockets, trying not to touch the ring box again. "Maybe we should move the?—"
"Everything's perfect." Jake, at sixteen, has inherited his mother's no-nonsense attitude. "The lanterns are perfect, the flowers are perfect, and if you try to rearrange anything else, we're going to be late."
Tyler, fourteen and always the peacemaker, pats my shoulder. "She's gonna love it, Dad."
Footsteps on the path make us all freeze. Sophie quickly hands Jake and Tyler their cue cards—not that we need them after all our practice sessions—and takes her position by the flower arch.
Lila appears around the corner, beautiful in a sundress patterned with tiny roses. She stops short at the sight of the kids, her hand flying to her mouth. "What's all this?"
Sophie steps forward, offering a bouquet of coral bells and wildflowers. "For you," she says. "From all of us."
"All of you?" Lila's voice wavers as she takes the flowers.
I move toward her, my heart thundering against my ribs. All those romance novels I read, all the elaborate plans I made, and suddenly the only words that matter are the ones coming straight from my heart.
"Li." I take her free hand in mine. "Twenty-nine years ago, I made the biggest mistake of my life by leaving. Six months ago, I finally got it right by coming home to you." I squeeze her fingers gently. "But there's one more thing I need to make right."
Tyler steps forward with the ring box, opening it carefully. The vintage pearl setting catches the lantern light, just like it did when the jeweler showed it to me.
"My kids helped me plan this," I continue, dropping to one knee. "They reminded me that sometimes the perfect moment isn't about grand gestures or fancy words. Sometimes it's just about being surrounded by the people you love, in a place that feels like home."
Lila's eyes shine with tears as she looks from me to the kids and back again.
"You've brought so much joy back into my life. Into all our lives. The way you've welcomed my children, loved them like your own..." My voice catches. "You make us whole, Li. You make me whole."
Sophie sniffles behind me, and I hear Jake whisper, "Don't cry, dork."
"Lila Bloom," I say, my voice steady now. "Will you marry me? Make our family official?"
"Yes." She pulls me to my feet, laughing through her tears. "Yes, you wonderful, overthinking man."
I slip the ring onto her finger, and suddenly we're surrounded by kids—my kids, our kids—all hugging and talking at once.
"GROUP HUG!" Tyler shouts, and we're all laughing and crying and holding each other under the dogwood tree where everything changed six months ago.
"See, Dad?" Sophie wipes her eyes, grinning. "You didn't even need all those books. You nailed it!"
I pull her close with one arm, keeping the other around Lila. "Thanks for reminding me about those perfect endings, kiddo."
"Although," Lila says, examining her ring with a smile, "I wouldn't mind hearing about these books you've been reading."
"Oh my gosh, you should have seen him!" Sophie launches into the story of our bookstore adventure, and my heart swells at how naturally she is with my bride-to-be.'
Jake and Tyler sprawl on the picnic blanket, already reaching for the basket of food they helped prepare. Above us, the lanterns glow like stars, and somewhere in the garden, the first cricket of the evening begins to sing.
I look at my family—all of them, together—and know that some endings are really just beautiful beginnings in disguise.
Thanks for reading Blossoms & New Beginnings. Don’t miss the other books in the series. Next up is Coffeehouse Confessions, Maggie and Ethan’s story.