Epilogue
Epologue
Two years later, SeaTac Airport: Zac
Zac waited—not so patiently—at baggage claim.
He fidgeted restlessly. Tabby cat was coming home from assignment and her plane had been delayed by a few hours.
And he was already counting the minutes as soon as she’d left.
Each month, she flew or drove off somewhere awesome—typically with blondie as her trusty photographer—to get material for her feature in Rock ‘n’ Ropes.
The rest of the time they lived together in a little house in Leavenworth.
The van was a suitable in-between while they found the right home, but the snug confines were a bit much for two opinionated adults.
A flood of exhausted passengers spilled from the escalator and Zac pushed through the crowd in search of his auburn-haired woman. A glint of golden highlights caught his eyes as Tabitha trudged behind a chaotic family of six. But when she caught sight of him, time stopped.
So did his heart.
Because her face lit up with love and joy . . . and was that a hint of lust?
She peeled off from the masses and leapt into Zac’s waiting arms, those mile-long legs wrapping around him shamelessly.
Her lips landed on his with such ferocity that it might as well have been a year that they were apart rather than ten days. She dipped her tongue into his mouth before he had a chance to invade hers first. A rumbly groan bounced in his chest, holding her tightly.
“You’re here, waiting for me,” she mumbled into his neck.
“I will always wait for you, tabby cat.” He kissed her temple and inhaled the heady coconut and sunscreen scent that was so inextricably hers. The same scent that had worn off his pillow by that morning. But straight from the source? Yeah, that was lifeblood.
“I can’t wait to show you my tan lines.”
“Tabitha Ann Handcock,” Zac scolded, pulling back to look into her eyes. “Did Madam SPF get lazy in her applications this trip?”
She giggled. “Of course not. But that much time out in the sun, it’s bound to happen. Fortunately for you, they’re very faint, so you’ll have to look really closely.”
“I’m sure I’ll be up for it,” he growled, half tempted to find someplace private to start his investigation.
“Feels like you already are,” Tabitha teased. Her breathy voice tickled the shell of his ear, and his semi became even more pronounced.
“Did you miss me too, big guy?” Lark’s syrupy sweet voice interrupted the reunion.
It was a struggle but he turned his attention to the feisty woman. “Of course I did, blondie.”
“That’s the correct answer.” She nodded, moseying to the baggage carousel to retrieve their suitcases.
“We should probably cool our jets, huh?” Tabitha, always the voice of reason.
“I suppose so. Unless indecent exposure is on your bucket list.”
“Definitely not.” She released her legs and slowly slid down the front of him until her sneakers hit the floor.
Zac groaned, simultaneously grouchy and grateful for the delicious agony.
Tabitha took his hand and pulled him toward blondie to watch the bags go round and round.
He dipped his hand into his pants pocket and gripped the small box that had pressed uncomfortably against his junk when she’d assaulted him a minute ago.
Worth it.
As soon as they got home, he’d drop to one knee and present it to her. He’d almost forgotten about that particular mission—their reunion had wiped his mind clear of everything but her.
“Sure, we don’t mind, right?” Tabitha asked Lark and Zac while Lucy waited patiently on speakerphone.
“Oh, I’ve missed The Rooftop,” blondie said, nearly drooling on herself. “We haven't been there in weeks.”
Both women looked expectantly at Zac, who clenched the steering wheel. Even though he had a ring burning a hole in his pocket, he refused to deny his woman anything. He conceded. “I could use a bite.”
Lucy’s squeal shook the phone. “Perfect! We have some big news that we can’t wait to tell you.”
“See you in an hour,” Tabitha laughed. She hung up and squeezed Zac’s leg. “You sure you’re all right with the detour?”
No.
He picked up her hand and placed a gentle kiss on her fingers—ring finger specifically—and decided the proposal could wait. “Yes. I’m fine with it.”
“Good, because I’m starving and need some of those damn onion rings.”
Speaking of rings . . .
Zac heard the group the second he crested the rickety stairs at The Rooftop Tavern.
It was impossible to miss the rowdy chatter and laughter that followed his loved ones everywhere they went.
And even though he was ready to bury himself in bed with the woman of his dreams, he found his heart filling with gratitude.
His parents may have been absent most of his life, but his found family gave him everything he’d longed for.
“Hey, ladies! Welcome home,” Frankie called, waving them over. “How was Greece?”
“Hot. Exhausting. Incredible.” Tabitha laughed, accepting the glass of beer the little blonde guide poured from one of the communal pitchers. “I’m happy to be home, but it’s on my list for a future vacation.” She glanced at Zac, eyebrows raised.
“I’ll follow you anywhere,” he responded to her suggestion.
She grinned and Zac thought he saw the barest hint of a blush—even if it was all in his imagination. After all, he’d been wearing rose-tinted glasses since she surprised him on the Old Pipeline Trail two years ago.
Frankie filled more pints and passed them around the group, while the newcomers took up the available seats. Zac drew the short straw and settled in next to his bestest best buddy, Benji. Zac nodded hello, not entirely certain nice words would come out if he attempted a verbal greeting.
“It’s good to see you,” Benji surprised him by saying in his usual curt tone.
Zac recoiled and furrowed his brow in confusion. “It is?”
The former professor pulled off his glasses and buffed them on a handkerchief—not pretentious at all—and shrugged. “Sure, why not?”
“Ok. I’ll play. It’s good to see you too.” The sentiment felt weird to Zac, like trying to speak through a mouthful of cotton balls.
“How is the new house?”
“Nice. Cozy.” He nodded and noticed Frankie eavesdropping with a covert smile. Ah. She was encouraging her partner to warm up to Zac. He was willing to put effort into pleasantries for her. Searching for something to ask Benji back, he settled on his job as a lawyer. “How is the practice?”
“Good. Busy.”
“Good.”
“Can I have everyone’s attention?” Jonathan’s jolly voice boomed over the group. Both Zac and Benji muttered a quiet thank god and blew out breaths of relief. “We have an announcement.”
“I’m pregnant again!” Lucy hollered. “With another set of twins.”
Everyone erupted into excited shock. Jonathan smiled, if a little pale with fear.
Four kids under the age of three. They were going to have all their hands full for chrissake.
But he was happy for them. He took his place in line to hug them both while also feeling grateful that he wasn’t in Jon’s shoes.
“I’m about ready to drop,” Tabitha mumbled as they lumbered through the front door.
After the Millers’s big announcement, they stayed and celebrated with their friends until Kendrick kicked them out of The Rooftop so he could close up for the night.
Zac had been antsy to get home so he could propose and then get down with his fiancée, but she’d wanted to linger and catch up after her time away.
“I bet. You’re going on twenty four hours of no sleep, tabby cat.”
“Would it be weird if I slept right here by the door?” she asked, untying her shoes and flinging them off.
Zac scooped her up in his arms and held her close. “Sure would. Plus there’s one more matter to attend to before you’re allowed to sleep.”
She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and grinned sleepily. “Ok, but you’ll have to prop me up. And don’t expect any fancy gymnastics.”
He carried her down the hall and set her gently on their bed. Jet lag or not, she was the sexiest woman alive. He’d happily live the rest of his life being wrapped around her little finger.
Zac gripped her bare ankle and lifted her leg so he could kiss the soft skin from her calf to inner thigh. The whiskers of his beard tickled her skin and she squirmed beneath the treatment. But instead of applying the same treatment to her other leg, he prowled over top of her.
“I have something special for you.”
“Real classy,” she said deadpan. But her smile gave way with the eyeroll.
“Not that—although you can have that later—this.” He pulled the little box from his pocket and popped it open.
The elegant band of sky-blue diamonds sparkled in the light from the bedside lamp.
Tabitha’s eyes, which matched the shade perfectly, glistened with welling tears.
“I thought about what to say in this moment, wrote a bunch of things down. But you’re the wordsmith.
My fancy journalist who travels around the world having insane adventures.
I could never match your talent. Or your tenacity. Or your kindness. Maybe your beauty.”
Another eyeroll but that only released her tears.
“You’re right,” Zac continued. “I’m nowhere near as sexy as you. But all I ask is that you allow me to come along on one specific adventure.” He could barely keep his heart in place. It beat so aggressively in his chest.
“And what adventure is that?” She ran fingertips carefully over his cheek.
“The one where you marry me and let me follow you around for the rest of our lives?”
Tabitha pressed up, taking his lower lip between hers to nibble and lick. He returned the kiss, taking it deeper, all the while please please please say yes bounced around his head.
She finally pulled back and said, “It’s about time you asked.”
Zac wasted no time pulling the ring from its box and slipping it on his fiancée’s long finger. “You know this means you’re stuck with me, right?”
His tabby cat grinned wickedly. “Good. Now I believe you neglected my left leg. It’s jealous that the other got the full beard experience and it got skipped over.”
“We can’t have that, can we?” he teased as he lowered down her body, determined to finish what he’d started.
The End