Epilogue Elliott
Two and a half years later
Elliott cleared her throat and smiled. “Hi, everyone. Most of you know me, but I see a few new faces tonight. I’m Elliott, and I’m a four-year cancer survivor.”
She told the members of the survivors’ group her story and listened intently as each person went around the room, talking about their experience and triumph over their cancer diagnosis. Keri sat to her right, hands folded over her hugely pregnant belly. Elliott had slipped several cookies from Melt My Tart into Keri’s purse earlier, and Keri had immediately announced Elliott as this child’s godmother.
An hour later, Elliott pulled into the driveway of the house she and Jamie had purchased six months ago. It was an older ranch-style home that needed a little updating on the inside, but the yard and back patio had ultimately swayed them. The prior owners spent a lot of time outside, and when the Realtor stepped out to take a call while showing them the home, Elliott and Jamie had sat on the back porch for a few minutes. He’d said he loved the trees shading the backyard, and she’d said she could see herself relaxing out here with a book every night, even in the winter with the built-in fireplace.
The decision was pretty easy after that.
Elliott smiled when she saw Jamie’s truck was already there. He’d been gone for a couple of days at a tree-climbing competition, and she’d missed him terribly.
Hank was at the door, tail thumping the wall when she stepped inside.
“Hey, handsome,” she crooned, scratching his head.
“Talking to me or the dog?” a masculine voice asked from her left.
She smiled and took the single step down into the sunken living room. “Both.”
He met her in the middle of the room and slid his hands around her waist, pulling her in. His hair was slightly damp from a recent shower, and his sexy smile, along with the crisp, fresh scent of his skin, sent her heart racing.
She hugged him tight, running her hands across the long, hard muscles along the length of his back. “Welcome home.”
His lips searched along her temple and down her cheekbone, and she tilted her face to give him what they both wanted. Even years later, his kiss still sent butterflies swarming through her stomach.
“How’d it go?” she asked, keeping her arms around him.
“Good. Got another trophy.”
“Yeah?”
He tipped his head to the coffee table, and she released him to lean down and look at it.
“Wow. It’s even smaller than the last one.”
That got her a light pinch on her waist. “I had a surprise for you, but now I’m thinking maybe I shouldn’t give it to you.”
She twisted around and slipped her hands under his shirt, running her fingers across his warm skin. Looking up at him with her best doe eyes, she leaned in. “You’re the best, fastest, most impressive tree-climber in all the world.”
He squinted one eye, his lips twitching. “And the sexiest?”
“Definitely the sexiest. I’ve never met another arborist with an ass like yours.”
“You’ve never met another arborist.”
“Irrelevant.” She pressed a kiss to his scruff-covered jaw. “Please give me my surprise. Please?”
He pursed his lips and shot her a skeptical glance. He tapped his index finger against his lower lip, and she grinned, kissing him there. With a satisfied nod, he took a step back. “Okay. But it’s not here.”
“Where is it?”
“You’ll see. But we need to leave now so we don’t lose daylight.”
Excitement filled her as they climbed into his truck. He entwined his fingers with hers and rested their hands on the console as he merged onto the highway.
“Blythe called while I was at the airport waiting to board,” Jamie said. “Said she saw something on Instagram this morning I might be interested to know.”
“What’s that?”
Jamie squeezed her hand as he smiled with genuine happiness. “Carly’s engaged.”
Elliott sucked in a breath. “What?”
He nodded. “He’s a doctor, apparently. Blythe said they looked stupid happy in the picture.”
As his words sank in, Elliott’s lips parted and she let out an involuntary laugh. She clamped a hand over her mouth and blinked rapidly. “I’m just ... I don’t think I’ve ever been so happy for another person.”
“I know.” His voice held a sense of wonder. “It’s like part of me is relieved for selfish reasons, like I finally feel sort of absolved of the hurt I caused her. But more than that, I’m just happy she’s happy. That she found someone who’s so much better for her than I could have ever been.”
Elliott lifted their joined hands and kissed the back of his. “That’s such great news. I’m glad Blythe told you.”
“Me too.”
He exited the highway and she looked around. “Are we going to the trees?”
“Yup.”
“That’s not a surprise.”
He gave her the side-eye. “Can you just trust me?”
“Fine.”
Once they reached the field, he pulled into the grass and parked in his usual spot, then helped her over the fence. They walked hand in hand to the bench underneath the arching canopy of the oaks, like they’d done dozens of times before.
“Sit,” he said, then added, “Please.”
She did as instructed.
Jamie remained standing, and as he shuffled on his feet in the grass, she admired the long, lean muscles of his forearms and the way his chest and shoulders filled out the fitted shirt. His hair had dried and was a little messy and windblown from the drive over, and it looked positively delicious. As he lifted a hand to adjust his glasses, she nearly reached out to pull him down with her.
“Do you know what today is?”
She searched her brain for the significance of this day but couldn’t think of anything.
He smiled softly and stopped moving. “We met four years ago today.”
Mentally calculating backward from her transplant date, which was one she’d never forget, she realized he was right. How could she have missed that?
He dropped to one knee before her.
At the simple gesture, goose bumps swept across Elliott’s skin, and the breath whooshed out of her. Within seconds, tears were streaming down her cheeks, and she scooted forward, framing his face with her hands.
Gently, he took her hands and brought them down. His fingers trembled slightly, but his eyes were determined and steadfast. “My life was never the same after that night. From the second I saw you at that bar, I knew you were special. I’d been hoping for an excuse to talk to you, and when you brought up the ridiculous notion that cheesecake is a pie, I had my in. I almost jumped off that stool and whooped with joy.”
She choked back a laugh. “And yet you interrupted and mansplained instead.”
Uninhibited devotion shone in his eyes. She couldn’t tell how much was his and how much was a reflection of her own. “Got me a few more hours with you, didn’t it?”
Pressing her forehead against his, she whispered, “It got you a little more than that, I’d say.”
“Hours, days, years.” He swallowed, his voice thick. “Marry me, Elliott. Every second with you has been worth it, and I won’t be happy with anything except forever.”
She kissed him softly, her knees bumping the one he had extended. She smiled against his lips. “I will if you admit I was right. Cheesecake is a pie.”
His breath brushed across her face as he laughed. “Just don’t tell Blythe, okay?”
“I swear.”
“Elliott Holland, love of my life. You were right. Cheesecake is a pie, and will you please marry me?”
“Gladly.” She launched herself at him, and he fell back into the grass with a grunt. Laughing, she kissed his face, tears mixing in with the insistent movement of their lips.
His arm pressed her close to his chest while he buried his other hand in her hair. “I have a ring in my pocket,” he said into her mouth.
“Mmm,” she murmured. “Is it big?”
“Size is subjective.”
“I disagree.” She put her hands on his chest and lifted herself up a little. With a sly grin she slipped her hand into the front pocket of his jeans. “Is this it?”
“Nope. That’s another surprise, that needs to wait until we get back to the truck.”
Heat rushed through her like a lit fuse, but she stayed on task. With a wiggle of her eyebrows she shifted her hand until she felt a small piece of metal. “This is definitely smaller than the other thing.”
He huffed out a laugh. “Shit, Elliott. This is supposed to be serious.”
“No it’s not.”
His hazel eyes slid back and forth between hers. “It’s not?”
She shook her head and pulled out the ring. “Love is happy. And fun. And wonderful.” Light caught on the beautiful round diamond on its simple gold band, and fresh tears fell from her eyes. “And so very beautiful and perfect. I love it, Jamie.”
She looked down at his handsome face then, and his lips were tight in that way when he was trying not to cry. His chest rose and fell with each breath, and he looked at her like she was everything.
He took the ring and slowly slid it onto her finger. “I love you.”
Her heart couldn’t handle it. “I love you more.”