39. Epilogue
“ ARE YOU SURE?” Agatha looks at the key, then shifts a worried glance between me and Goldie.
Goldie laughs. “Agatha, I’m sure. Besides, isn’t it time for another lucky resident to move in and find the love of their life? I hear Darcy’s getting tired of living above the hardware store.”
“Well, I am two for two.” She sniffs.
I bite my lip. She is no such thing, but we’ll never tell her.
“And we’re just as happy as Willa and Reid,” Goldie assures her.
“But you’ve only been dating for…” She trails off, then furrows her brow. “How long have you two been dating?”
I pull Goldie to me and kiss her temple. “Five months.”
“Six, if you count when we first connected on the app,” Goldie corrects.
“Whatever you say.” Winking, I jerk my thumb over my shoulder. “I’m going to grab more boxes.”
“Spoken like a man who’s learned all the right lessons.” Agatha is as satisfied as a cat in the sun.
Goldie giggles and begins moving backward. “We’ll be out of your hair in just a few more minutes. I’ve already cleaned it top to bottom—and I hand-washed the doilies.”
“I’ll leave it empty just in case you change your mind!” Agatha calls. “At least for a month!”
In the kitchen, I pull Goldie to me for one last kiss in the cottage that’s been her home for the past year. “You hand-washed her doilies?” I ask incredulously.
“Of course I did. Those things are legendary.”
“They’re something, all right.”
“Come on, cowboy. Let’s get these last boxes loaded.”
We meet Willa and Reid for Mexican later that night to celebrate Goldie moving in with me. I can’t help but remember the last time all of us were here. I’d turned thirty and was the loneliest I’d ever been. But now? I’ve made some major headway, including calling my parents and inviting them for a visit. I don’t know that they’ll ever think I’m exciting, exactly, but given that we haven’t seen each other in a couple years, them coming home for a visit is a good start.
I shift in my seat, patting my pocket to make sure the box is still there. Reid, ever the observer, raises an eyebrow as he takes a sip of beer. I shake my head slightly, not quite ready to do it, but also not not quite ready.
Basically, I am a nervous mess and can’t handle anything right now.
Also, I do not plan on proposing to the love of my life in Los Amigos, no matter that it’s our favorite restaurant in town.
Carmen comes over with a round of tequila. We pass it around, and Willa starts the toast.
“To family.”
Goldie is next. “To new beginnings.”
“To love,” I offer.
“To my future wife,” Reid finishes.
We’d all been moving our glasses to our lips, but at Reid’s words, we stop and stare.
“What did you just say?” Willa says.
And that mother fucker goes down on his knee and takes Willa’s hand in his.
“Eep!” Goldie’s hands fly to her mouth.
Willa stares at Reid.
And right when I’m trying to decide if I’m pissed that he’s stealing my thunder—okay, potential thunder, whatever—I see Ox appear out of nowhere, his phone trained on Reid and Willa and out of Willa’s line of sight.
God damn, Reid’s good.
Reid takes a deep breath and lets it out, smiling with absolute love at my best friend. “Willa Dean Dash.”
“Reid,” she whispers shakily.
He gives a soft laugh as he reaches up to wipe her cheek with his thumb. “Don’t cry yet, sweetheart. Let me get the words out.”
She sniffs and nods.
“From the very beginning, I was absolutely smitten with you. You walked up to the table, dropped your pen, banged your head, and swept me off my feet. And even though you spent way too much time running away from me, I knew all I had to do was keep wearing those running shorts and I’d wear you down.”
Willa snorts out a laugh, and I can see how red her cheeks are burning.
“Ah, you laugh, but it worked.” He winks at her, then reaches into his shirt pocket and pulls out a ring. “Willa, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
“Has that ring been in there the whole time?” Willa asks.
Goldie huffs. “Answer the man!”
“Yes!” Willa says. “Yes, yes, yes.”
Reid slides the ring onto her finger, then stands and pulls her to him. The entire restaurant explodes into applause, and the Mariachi band appears and begins to play. Carmen and others pop streamers over the couple, and in moments it’s clear we are in the middle of one heck of a celebration.
Goldie leans into me. “Did you know about this?”
If you only knew. “I didn’t,” I tell her, “but this is amazing.”
I give Reid a congratulatory handshake that he turns into a hug while Goldie squeals and grabs Willa into a fierce embrace. Ox ambles up, waving his cell phone.
“Did you get it?” Reid asks.
“Of course I did,” Ox answers. “It’s already sent.”
Finally, Goldie releases Willa, and I get to congratulate my best friend. Pulling her into a hug, I squeeze tight. “I’m so happy for you. You deserve all the happiness in the world.”
She sniffs. “So do you.” We break apart, and she wipes at her eyes, smiling wider than I’ve ever seen. “Why do I keep crying? Holy shit, Matty, I’m getting married !”
I hug her again. “Yeah you are!”
It’s another hour before Goldie and I get home. We let the dogs out, and while Goldie’s back is turned, I slip the box out and hide it. Tonight was for Willa and Reid, but it won’t be long before I propose to my golden girl.
I pull her to me in the dark bedroom, her soft skin and plush lips a heaven that I’m still not sure I deserve, but that I’ll do whatever it takes to be worthy of. I’ll do anything for this woman. When she tells me she loves me, I whisper it back, then I show her. Again, and again. Forever, and always.