Epilogue
ISABELLE
THREE MONTHS LATER (AUGUST)
“ A ction!” calls the director. I’m standing on the side of the stage, watching the scene begin in front of me. Since I enter halfway through, I run my first line through my mind to embody my character: Holly, who was living in the big city for ten years before returning to her hometown and falling back in love with the man who stole her heart as a teenager. Cliché? Abso-flipping-lutely. Yet, it’s been my favorite role to act. Who knew I’d be such a sucker for these cheesy love stories?
The man from Holly’s hometown, Chase, is on the phone in his hardware shop, clearly distressed because he thinks Holly moved back home to the big city and his sister will never get the medical treatment she needs if he doesn’t get married by tomorrow. Don’t ask about the details. They’re not important.
“She’s gone, Mags,” he says. “I don’t think she’s coming back. I’m so sorry. I—” He clears his throat, overcome with emotion. “I wish there was more we could do for you. Thanks. Love you, too.”
The actor for Chase hangs up the phone, rubs his forehead with his hand, and that’s my cue to enter. I step through the set door to his shop, dressed in fitted jeans and cowgirl boots, my hands in my pockets. The bell above the door jingles, and Chase looks up.
His eyes are overcome with emotion, and I feel like he really believes this moment like I do. “Holly,” he whispers. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m back,” I say, a small smile on my face. “I tried to leave, but my heart pulled me back. I can’t be anywhere other than here in Apple Town.”
“Oh. So…it’s the town.” He swallows. “I’m sure Beckanne will be glad to see that you’re back.” He turns around, busying himself with something on the cash register.
I step closer to him until the counter is the only thing between us. “I hope so, but I’m not here for her.”
“Hmm?” he asks, not turning to see me.
“I’m here for you , Chase.”
Those words make him turn and look me in the eye.
“I love you,” I say, my throat catching with emotion. “I always have. I lost myself for a time, but you’ve shown me who I really am and that I belong here. With you.”
“You really mean it?” he asks. “You better not be yanking my chain, because I don’t think I can?—”
He doesn’t finish that sentence, because I grab his shirt from across the counter and pull him toward me, kissing him. Our lips are locked for a few seconds before I pull back and say, “I really mean it.”
“Good,” he replies. “Because I love you, too.”
We kiss again until the director calls, “Cut! Great job, you two! That was the best yet. We’ll take a break. ”
I look back at my costar—the love of my life, Adam Stone—and ask, “Now why do you think that was the best yet?”
He smirks at me. “Probably because we’ve kissed a million times by now.”
I press a quick kiss to his lips. “A million and one.”
He comes around the counter and slips an arm around my waist. “Do you want a snack? Or a drink?”
“Let’s grab some food,” I reply. We head over to the craft services table and serve up a couple of plates. The production team was shocked at first when Adam was serving himself instead of demanding people get everything for him, but now they’re used to it. I think they were all afraid of him, but they’ve been pleasantly surprised by his change of heart. Every now and then, I have to remind him to take a deep breath to calm his frustration, but overall, he’s done the work himself.
“We need to go see Lily this weekend,” Adam says quietly. “Henry and Luna will be there, too.”
I nod in agreement. “Is he officially–”
Adam hums and nods, but we can’t say more here. Her video had a greater effect than we could have even anticipated. The entire public opinion of Tristan Jackson shifted, especially considering the proof she provided in her video. He’s disappeared completely, and there’s no word of him getting a role again in the future. That was good news at first, but there were rumors of Tristan taking legal action against her for defamation of character. So instead of letting her out of isolation, like they had anticipated doing by now, her family doubled down on her lockdown.
“I’ve been talking to Aunt Agatha, and we might have a solution.”
“Oh?”
He nods. “We’ll talk to Lily about it this weekend. How would you feel about taking a trip to the castle, as well? ”
“My dad’s been wanting to see Brigette. Maybe we’ll all go together.”
Yes, that’s right. My dad and Brigette are dating . I’d be weirded out if I didn’t love Brigette so much. Dad has also lightened his workload, focusing only on managing me and Adam now. We still have moments of conflict as he navigates our dual-sided relationship, but we’re finding a better balance. I think he’s realizing how much his work took away from family life, and he wants to be part of the important things now.
“All right, let’s go again!” the director calls.
I look up at him. “You ready?”
“Ready.”
Together, instead of just watching a movie, we make one.
We’re driving up the winding road to the castle again, but this time I actually get to enjoy the view. It turns out the drive is quite beautiful when I’m not the one driving the car. And when it’s not, you know, SNOWING. Since it’s August, it’s pretty warm at three in the afternoon, but it’s a dry heat so it’s fairly comfortable.
Adam laces his fingers through mine, and I smile at him. He gives me the half-grin I love so much, and my heart still flutters in my chest.
“How much longer is it?” Dad asks from the back seat.
Oh, yeah. Dad is with us, too.
“Just another mile and a half,” Adam replies. “We’re nearly there.”
Dad sits back in his seat and sighs. I guess he’s pretty anxious to see Brigette again. It’s weird to watch your dad date, but I’m genuinely happy for him. Especially after his whole speech to me about how love can be hard, it makes me feel good to know that he’s found someone that might make the hard times worth it.
Just like Adam is for me.
“I wanted to talk to you, Adam,” Dad says. “I’m getting constant phone calls now asking for interviews with Lily. It seems like she’s dropped off the face of the planet, but people want to hear more from her.”
“No.” Adam’s response is immediate.
“Even just a quick–”
“Absolutely not.”
Dad huffs and sits back in his seat. I have to admit, it’s nice that Dad and Adam already had a relationship with each other. I can only imagine bringing Adam home to meet my dad for the first time if they hadn’t known each other before. Hey, Dad, this is Adam Stone. He’s a little blunt and gruff, but don’t take it personally. I don’t think that would’ve gone over so well. Instead, they’ve already known each other for years, so there’s no need to sugarcoat Adam’s personality. Adam’s not really on his best behavior for Dad, and Dad isn’t put off when Adam acts like…well, himself.
Overall, Adam has gotten a lot better. He’s kind and considerate, especially toward me, but even toward the people he works with and those who work for him. But when it comes to Lily, he doesn’t beat around the bush. He wants to protect his sister with his last breath.
A few minutes later, we pull up to the castle. It looks so different from when I arrived three months ago, but it’s still so beautiful. I exhale, and smile at Adam. In a weird way, it’s like coming home.
Just as expected, Lionel stands outside to greet us. Adam drives around the driveway and puts the car in park, and Lionel opens my door. “Ms. Isabelle, it’s wonderful to see you again.”
“You, too, Lionel,” I say, squeezing him in a hug. It’s not the most comfortable hug I’ve ever had, but it makes my heart happy. “How’s Josephine?”
“She’s…well.” The faint blush on his cheeks lets me know things are going well between them, but I won’t press any more. “Hello, Mr. Lovett,” he says to my dad.
Dad shakes his hand, and Adam comes around the car to shake Lionel’s hand, as well. “Are we all set?” Adam asks.
Lionel nods. “Everything is nearly in order.”
“Good.” Adam presses a hand to the small of my back, leading me into the castle. Dad follows behind.
“What does he mean that everything is nearly in order?” I ask Adam.
Adam waves me off. “I have to get something from the office. Join me?”
I raise a brow at him. “I’m allowed in there now?”
He presses a kiss to my temple. “You’re allowed in every part of my life now.”
My heart warms. We go up the stairs, and Dad waves goodbye as he heads down the corridor to find Brigette.
“What’s in the office that you need?” I ask.
“Something for Lily,” he replies. We step into the office, and he heads over to the desk, then pulls the old photo of his family into his hands. His fingers lightly trace the crack on the glass, the one I made the first night I came here, and a sad smile appears on his face.
“I want Lily to have this,” he says. “It was a reminder of my mother and the way she raised us to be. To take care of each other, no matter what. I want Lily to have it so she knows I’m doing this all for her.”
I press a kiss to his cheek. “I know you’re doing your best to protect her.”
He straightens. “Enough of this. Would you like to go watch a movie while we wait for dinner? ”
“Really? That’s what you want to do while we’re here?”
He pulls me in by the waist, pressing my body flush against his. “Well, there might be some of this, too.” He kisses me, and my body hums as I feel the passion flowing from him.
I love this man.
We head to the theater, and Adam grabs The Sound of Music from the shelf. “Don’t worry, we’ll stop the movie once Georg and Maria get together,” he says.
“Good,” I reply. “I know it’s a happy ending, but?—”
“But you hate that they have to leave. I know.” He has a twinkle in his eye as he settles in beside me and we start watching the rolling hills of Austria.
We have Lionel bring us dinner in the theater so we can enjoy the movie and give Dad some private time with Brigette. As soon as the scene in the gazebo is over, where Georg and Maria sing about their love for each other, Adam and I turn off the movie and leave the theater.
“Where to?” I ask.
“I have something to show you outside,” he says. Taking me by the hand, he leads me out the front doors of the castle and over to the right. The sun has just set, stars beginning to twinkle in the sky, and the moon casts a glow over us. We pass a row of roses, red and pink and purple and yellow, glinting in the night.
Adam stops, still holding my hand. “This was my mother’s garden,” he says. “It hasn’t bloomed yet since her death.”
We stand still for a few minutes, breathing in the fragrance and soaking in the colors. “It’s beautiful,” I say. “Thank you for showing me.”
“This isn’t why I brought you out here though,” he says .
“No?”
He starts walking again, and we follow the glowing light of the moon to a gazebo in the middle of the field.
“Where did this come from?” I ask. “I don’t remember it when we were here in May.”
“It’s a new addition,” he replies. “Want to check it out?”
My heart starts hammering in my chest. Could this…is he…
We step inside the gazebo, and I take in my surroundings in wonder. It’s a perfect replica of the gazebo in The Sound of Music: white painted wood for the structure, glass panes that allow the moonlight to stream in, and white stone benches in a circle. There are lit candles on all the benches and around the floor.
Our hands still entwined, Adam draws me in close to him. “I remember the first night you came to the castle,” he says. “You threw me off balance.”
“Oh, did I?” I ask.
He smirks. “I was so flustered. That’s why I made you wait two hours for dinner.”
I chuckle. “Now I get it.”
“And then at dinner, I was determined to show you exactly who I was, so you wouldn’t have any misconceptions about working with me.” He shakes his head. “But instead of cowering, you met me as an equal. And you set me in my place.”
“And I missed my chance for a dramatic exit with that snowstorm.”
“True, but I’ll be forever grateful for the snowstorm that forced you to stay.” He holds me close, leaning his forehead down on mine.
“I’m grateful, too,” I say softly.
“You broke me down, bit by bit, and then rebuilt the pieces. I don’t know what I’ve ever done to deserve you, but I’m never letting you go. ”
“You must have done something good,” I say with a smile, referencing the song we just watched from The Sound of Music.
He smiles. “Maybe. No matter what the reason, I want you to be mine. Forever.” He lowers himself to one knee, and out of his pocket, he pulls out a ring. It looks antique, with delicate engravings on the gold that wraps around the gems. The center is a round diamond, surrounded by tiny rubies. “Belle, I never want you to leave my side. You make me a better man than I ever thought possible. Will you marry me?”
Tears fill my eyes, but the answer is immediate. “Yes, yes!”
He stands and slips the ring on my finger, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me in for a kiss. This moment feels almost like a movie, with the glittering lights of the candles and the stars above us. But there’s even more—there’s depth and history and love, a shared connection I feel from my lips down to my toes. Adam is part of me now, and no matter how hard things may get in our real life, this love that we have is worth every moment.
So I have to admit, real life is even better than the movies.
THE END