Epilogue

Cameron

“Are you serious?”

“Positive,” I reply, picking up my old-fashioned from the coffee table.

Joey and I were greeted by the yellows, oranges, and reds of fall in New York City when we returned yesterday. Thanksgiving is right around the corner, though the streets and landmarks are adorned with festive holiday decorations already. I love how the city comes alive with holiday spirit and the way the crisp fall air adds to the cozy ambiance.

After living out of suitcases for four months, Joey was ready to reunite with her wardrobe. Millie is back from another tour, so I said my goodbyes at their apartment to give the two of them time to catch up.

While I slept terribly without my girl last night, I have my own catching up to do. Starting with informing Ezra that I’m moving out.

“She’s it for me, man,” I admit. “We’ve been living together since July anyway.”

To celebrate the completion of Joey’s book, I swept her away to Catalina Island for a weekend. The terrain and landscape are so similar to Crete that we felt like we were back on the island that serendipitously brought us together not once, but twice.

“How do you feel, gorgeous?” I asked, running my fingers through her hair.

It was still damp from the bath we’d taken the night before.

“I feel more settled than I’ve ever felt before.”

Her expression showed it. For months, she had been stressing about her mom and her book.

“Yeah?” I cocked a brow. “Why is that?”

She set her espresso cup on the small table between us, then climbed onto my lap. Her robe gaped open, gifting me the perfect view of her tits. She played with the hair at my nape. I’d let it grow far too long over the last few months, but Joey liked it. She said it gave her more to grab on to.

“Because of you.” She kissed my jaw and nuzzled into my neck.

“I love you.” I played with the belt around her robe. The feel of the terry cloth brought images of the previous night to mind. This time, her senses were the ones deprived.

I had swirled ice around her nipples and sucked them into my mouth before licking the water left behind off every part of her body. Every. Part. I’d reveled in the way she shivered and squirmed on the mattress, clawing at the sheets and letting out desperate mewls.

The way her cunt had convulsed around my tongue, then my fingers, then my cock, had nearly made me lose my mind. Her last climax dragged on forever. When I’d finally spilled inside her, I basked in the way my cum leaked out of her pussy with every electric spasm.

“I love you too.” She traced the tattoos on my arm.

We made small talk for a few minutes, but when she mentioned dreading the pull-out sofa and being ready to find a place that feels like home, I took my shot. “What do you think about moving in together?”

She sat back and blinked at me. “Are you serious?”

“I’ve never been more serious, but if you’re not ready or if?—”

“Yes!”

The shock of her sudden consensus caused words to wedge in my throat. But when she broke into the brightest smile, I exhaled a long sigh of contentment. Joy bubbled in her laugh, and we drank in each other’s kisses before I carried her back to bed and took my time showing her just how happy she makes me.

Ezra clinks his glass of whiskey against mine in congratulations, but that isn’t even the biggest surprise I have up my sleeve.

Me

Joey doesn’t suspect anything does she?

Millie

Dude

Cool it

I’m leaving now. She thinks I’m going to Sam’s

The coast is clear. Come get your girl

Joey’s book doesn’t release for another few weeks, but I’m surprising her with a private book launch with her closest friends. She doesn’t want to celebrate, but publishing a book is a huge accomplishment, so Millie and I got to work on a surprise.

She thinks I’m taking her to see a special showing of Singing in the Rain at a nearby theater tonight, but I have a stop to make first.

I meet Millie at the Black Hole to check in. I find Iris in the kitchen and thank her profusely for closing the café early tonight. In response, she hands me a sign to hang on the door that reads Closed for a private event.

Mark is catering, of course, and from the look of the food setup, he and his wife went overboard. Ari picked up the custom cake I ordered—a confectionary replica of Joey’s book—and is setting it up as the focal point. My parents and Claire arrive as I’m headed out to get tonight’s guest of honor.

Joey looks hot as fuck in black faux-leather leggings, an oversized cream-colored sweater, and spike-heeled boots.

“Ready to go?” she asks, greeting me with a kiss on my cheek.

I brush the loose curls that fall over her shoulder back and take a peek at my watch. “We have some time. I thought we could look at a few apartments I found online first.”

“Um, sure,” she says, tilting her head.

She pulls out her laptop and plops onto the sofa with me.

We look through one after another, but her shoulders are hunched and her lips are turned down just a fraction. Shit. Is she having second thoughts?

I close the laptop and set it on the table, then shift so I’m facing her. “Okay, what’s going on?”

With her head dipped so her hair hangs around her face, she tangles her fingers in the ends. “I don’t think we should look for apartments.”

“What?” My body heat rises.

She grasps my hand and pulls it to her chest and finally looks up at me, her bottom lip trapped between her teeth. “What if we take a year to travel?”

“Travel?”

“Yeah. I can promote my book from anywhere in the world. And you can take on projects anywhere we go. You were so successful these last few months in California, so why not expand to other places?”

“What about all that talk about having a real bed and a place to call home?”

She straddles my lap and captures my face in her hands. “Baby,” she says, “wherever you are, that’s my home.”

About four blocks from her apartment, Joey’s cursing her heels, so I offer her a ride on my back. When I stop outside the Black Hole and set her on her feet, I convince her that we should pop in and grab a coffee on our way. Someone had the foresight to pull the window shades down, and I do my best to keep Joey turned so she can’t see the closed sign.

A collective “surprise!” erupts from inside, startling her. With a jump, she spins to me, her eyes wide and her mouth agape. Grasping her shoulders, I turn her to face our friends, then step out of the way as they all rush her. Every one of them is holding an advanced copy of her book and a Sharpie.

Elin and Brooks flew in, and Talulah, looking like a proud grandmother, is here, standing next to Claire. Opposite them, Ezra’s propped up against a table; he said he was bringing his new girlfriend, but there isn’t a face here I don’t recognize. Even Peg and Fran are here, tears welling in their eyes. Iris is behind the bar, fussing with a tray of pastries.

Joey makes her way around the room and is speechless when she sees the cake. Once everyone has hugged and smothered her with praises, she finds me at the bar.

She dives into my chest and giggles. “I can’t believe you did this.”

I grasp her chin and lift it. “You think anything’s been added to the secret menu while we were gone? ”

She narrows her eyes, but without argument, she turns and asks, “Anything new?”

“Actually,” Iris says, her voice an octave too high. “We do have a new drink. We named it after a book written by a local author.” With a wink, she places a plastic to-go cup on the counter in front of us. “It’s called Plot Twist.”

Joey gasps and her eyes go wide when she gets a good look at the cup. Specifically, the item lying on top of the lid, held secure by a straw through the middle.

A green amethyst gemstone set in yellow gold.

She covers her mouth with one hand when she looks to me, then back to the ring, then back to me again.

“You remembered,” she whispers, her eyes welling with tears.

Of course I remembered. Green—the color of her dad’s eyes.

I gather her hands in mine and take a deep, cleansing breath. “Truth or dare ?”

Her lips twitch as she surveys me. “Dare.”

“I dare you to marry me.”

Her eyes light up, and that lip twitch morphs into a full, knowing smile. “That’s quite the dare,” she sings, wrapping her arms around my neck.

With shaking hands, I pull her body tight against mine and bury my lips in her hair.

She cups my cheeks and locks her eyes to mine. “Are you sure?”

Squeezing her with all I have, I choke back tears. “I’ve never been more sure of anything.”

The End

Remember when Cam volunteered to help Joey with her “spicy” writing assignment? Curious how that went down? Enjoy this STEAMY bonus scene. (You’re welcome.)

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