Epilogue - Sawyer
“ W hat the hell are you wearing?” Sutton looks at me like I’ve grown a second head from where he sits in the theater room, watching yet another movie.
“What? I think I fit in,” I say, fixing the cuffs of my new shirt, walking toward him.
“Well, news flash. You don’t.” He jumps up from the sofa to get a good look at me. It’s true, I feel like a fish out of water in these clothes, but now that I’m a Whispers local, I thought I should at least try to look the part.
“You don’t like the jeans or…?” I look down at the blue denim adorning my legs, wondering what I’ve done wrong. The bright-blue shirt is a little loud, the jeans a little tight, but this is what the local shop had in stock, so I just had to go with it.
“You look like a rich rancher who has never ranched before in his life.” Sutton grins at me, holding back a laugh.
“Tanner said jeans and these more casual shirts are what I need to be wearing.”
“Yeah, well, Tanner should probably stick to making whiskey and less on fashion advice. You can’t wear dress shoes. You need boots at least and a Stetson,” Sutton says, and it’s my turn to look at him like he’s crazy.
“A Stetson? Tanner doesn’t even wear one of those.”
When his smirk widens, I realize he’s deliberately trying to encourage me to go all out.
“I’m home…” Annabelle singsongs from the front door, the sound fast becoming one of my favorites of the day.
It’s been a few months now since the incident and she and the kids are doing great.
Their resilience has really shown through, as has the town's heart, all coming together to offer support in one way or another. I think I’ve put on at least ten pounds due to the cooking the local ladies have done for us.
“In here!” I call out to her as I wiggle the buckle of my new belt, wondering how cowboys wear these large metal things around their waist all day long.
“Speaking of home, what the fuck are you doing still hiding out here? When are you going to leave?” I ask my brother.
He’s been lying low for months now, only doing small trips into the diner and the bar a few days of the week, and while I love having him here, now that Annabelle and the boys live here with me, I wouldn’t mind some space.
“Bobby has been contacting me flat out, so I want to lie low for a while longer. But then he said he has a Hallmark movie for me.”
“Hallmark?” I frown, knowing that’s the complete opposite of what his brand is.
“Yeah, apparently I need to show a good side. All those fighting monster movies are making me too siloed. After being away from LA, he thinks I need to do something totally left field to get people really talking.” He doesn’t look convinced and neither am I.
“Sounds like shit advice, if you ask me,” I tell him honestly.
He sighs. “Doesn’t matter. This is the game if I want to play it.”
“And do you?”
“What?”
“Want to play it?”
“What are you two talking about?” Annabelle breezes in, looking like the other half of my heart that she is. My grin is instant. But then she stops short when she sees me. “Oh, what are you wearing?”
“That's what I said.” Sutton stands by her side, the two of them ganging up on me, and I roll my eyes.
“I’m wearing Whispers fashion. Besides, we’re talking about when he’s moving out.” I nod to Sutton.
“Oh, you going back to LA?” Annabelle asks him.
“I kinda like it here. Bought a plot of land just next door, actually,” he says, so nonchalant.
My eyes nearly bug out of my head. “What?” I ask, totally blindsided.
“Thought you would like me around some more. Plus, I love the boys, and I’m still hoping Connor will give me a new whiskey to promote. I put the paperwork on your desk for you to look over and settle for me.” I rub my eyes but smile, loving that he’s going to stick around.
“Kevin and Noah will love having you here permanently.” Annabelle smiles brightly, and if she’s happy, I’m happy.
“Great. Okay, I’m going to the diner.” He’s already walking away, slipping on his baseball cap.
“You’re going there a lot lately. Sure it’s safe?” I ask him, knowing that as soon as the paparazzi finds him, he’ll be eaten alive since he has been gone so long.
“Yeah, Rochelle puts me in the back. I keep my hat on, and the locals are the perfect bodyguards. They shield me and lie if anyone comes sniffing.” He grins, and I know what he’s talking about, because I’ve seen it in action. I love Whispers; it’s like one big family.
“You can take my truck. It’s out front,” Annabelle offers and passes him the keys, another safety privacy method for him. Always in different cars so no one ever knows it’s him. Good thing I purchased her a new truck.
“Thanks. Later.” He swings the keys in his hands as he walks out the door.
“He seems to love the diner. He goes there all the time?” Annabelle says once he leaves.
“Yeah…” I frown thinking about it, knowing my brother. He doesn't just go there for the coffee, even though it’s the best.
“How did you do today?” I ask her, smiling. She and Victoria were packing all the soaps for the Van Cleef project. The deal in progress, adding millions to her bank account, and her life has completely changed.
“It was so good. Victoria took a lot of footage for socials, and I think we must have packed over a hundred large boxes.” She’s never one to shy away from hard work.
After everything that happened up at the farm, we decided it was best for her and the boys to live with me, closer to town, where they can hang out with their friends, Kevin can get to baseball quickly, and Noah spends many an afternoon baking with Debbie.
We have a nice little routine going where I drop them to school in the morning on my way to the office and pick them up at the end of the day.
Except for days like today, when I come home and work from my home office, knowing Annabelle was going to be home earlier.
“The new distribution shed going okay?” I step up to her, my hands finding her waist with ease.
We had the farm completely renovated, thanks to Victoria and her brilliant design expertise and Griffin’s amazing team.
The old farmhouse has been remodeled, and Gertie’s Soaps now runs from the farm, right on the doorstep of the beautiful lavender and roses that make up the product itself.
Each room has turned into an office for each of the girls; plus, they have a large meeting room and kept the kitchen for their lunch requirements.
She hums. “It’s beautiful.”
“So what do you think?” I ask her about my outfit.
“I hate it,” she says without hesitation, then rolls her lips.
“Seriously? I was trying to fit in.” I chuckle, knowing that I do look ridiculous.
“You don’t need to fit in, Sawyer. I love you for exactly who you are. Fancy suits and all.” She steps into me, and I wrap my hands around her, loving nothing better than having her close. Her hands loop around my neck as she looks up into my eyes.
“You sure? I mean, the lady in the store said that I look exactly how country men do around here?” I ask her, and she laughs.
“Don’t change, Sawyer. I think you're perfect.” She leans into me, her lips brushing mine.
“Hmmm, I think you’re perfect,” I say, taking her lips slowly, wanting to savor her, since the house is normally not this empty and quiet.
“You know… we have a few minutes before…” I start to say when the front door whips open.
“We’re home!” Kevin yells from the front door.
“Fuck,” I curse under my breath, having missed the opportunity to take her to bed.
“In here!” she calls out, grinning, looking even more beautiful, if that’s remotely possible.
“What are you wearing?” Kevin balks from where he is at the door, looking at me, wide-eyed, like I rolled in shit.
“New clothes, like them?” I ask him, and he huffs a laugh.
“Ahhh, no,” he responds quickly and honestly, just like his mother.
“Can I use your phone, Ma? I got to call Harvey about baseball,” he asks her.
“Sure, honey.” She passes him the phone.
“What do you think, Noah?” I ask and watch him look me over with a frown, and I sigh.
“Okay, back to suits it is,” I say, just as I hear Kevin on the phone.
“Oh my God, you should see my dad, he’s wearing the stupidest clothes…” Kevin giggles as he walks off to his bedroom, and I freeze, my eyes darting to look at Annabelle. The shock on her face is obvious.
“Did he just call me…” I ask her, my heart about to crack wide open.
Her eyes shine with tears as she nods. “He did.”
I cough, clearing my throat.
He just called me Dad.