Epilogue - Amelia
Three months later…
I step into the elevator at the Crawford offices as I ascend to the top floor. It’s been a long time since I was last here, and I feel very different from how I did on the first day.
As I step out onto the floor, there’s no one around, all the desks just as immaculate and perfect as I remember them.
I shift my clutch under my arm, walking over the plush carpet toward a familiar and intricate door.
I smile as it opens and Franklin Barnes emerges, looking pissed off, as I hear Lucas’s exasperated voice behind him.
“That’s entirely my point. You are as stubborn as a mule!” Lucas is saying, one hand in his pocket, but a smile on his face.
“I wish I’d never agreed to work with you. You’re an asshole,” Franklin mutters without much heat, and then they both see me.
Franklin rolls his eyes, but Lucas’s gaze runs over my body, and I can see the familiar pulse of heat as he licks his lips.
“Evening, Franklin,” I say as Barnes comes forward to greet me.
“Amelia, my darling, would you please knock some sense into this oaf? You look beautiful.”
“Why, thank you,” I say, kissing his cheek as he does the same to me. “I like your tie.”
He smirks at me, holding out the yellow tie covered in yet more flamingoes. It’s even brighter than the last. “My son continues to torment me.”
“Am I interrupting?” I ask. Their meeting should have ended over an hour ago.
“Not at all, Lucas has been boring me with how wonderful you are. I may commission one of your paintings for my office; it really does help add a splash of color to this place.”
I frown at him in confusion as he kisses my hand.
“But I really must be going before my wife accuses me of abandoning her again. Lucas, it was good to see you, as always. I will email you my thoughts on all your terrible ideas. Goodbye, Amelia. I look forward to seeing you at dinner next weekend.”
“Goodbye, Franklin,” I say with a grin, as he heads toward the elevators. I turn back toward Lucas. “Hey, gorgeous.”
“You’re telling me. Holy fuck, you look sensational.”
“You approve?” I ask, turning in a circle. I’m wearing a long satin gown of gold, which I knew he would love.
He stalks toward me, pulling me against him, and I can feel just how much he likes it by his hardening cock.
“Wow. Hello,” I say, as he groans into my mouth.
“I don’t have time to show you what I think of you in this dress, do I?” he asks.
“Not if you want to be on time, no.”
“My brothers are late for everything.”
“Not when they’re introducing their new girlfriend to their whole family, they’re not,” I say firmly.
He grunts reproachfully. “Fine. But I get to fuck the living shit out of you later.”
“You’re so romantic.”
“I know,” he says with a smirk and then goes to close his office door.
“Wait a second,” I say. “What was Franklin talking about with that commission stuff?”
Lucas turns to me, fidgeting in place as he shrugs a shoulder. “Uh… well, he likes your art.”
“Lucas, he’s never seen my art.”
His only reply is to push the door open further, and I walk inside curiously, only to see one of my paintings hanging above the couch.
It’s a portrait I did of Lucas’s face some time ago, in gold and white. I never intended it to be hung anywhere, least of all his office, and I look back at him in alarm.
“That… that’s not supposed to be there!” I say, but he waves me off.
“I love it. It’s staying. And it means I can brag about you to whoever will listen.”
I sigh, looking at all the imperfections I wish I had dealt with before he did this.
“Stop picking it to pieces. You never think anything you paint is finished, and I love it because it’s from you.”
He grabs his jacket and quickly tugs on his socks and shoes as I smooth a hand over my gown. I look confident even if I don’t feel it.
“They’re gonna love you,” he says, kissing the top of my head as we make our way to the elevator.
“I hope so,” I say, tugging at the seam. “Do any of them know how we got together?”
“No, and if they ever find out, you have nothing to be ashamed of. I’m the one who hired you; the guilt is all on me. I’m just the lucky sonofabitch who convinced you to stick around.”
We travel down to the parking lot, and Melvin drives up in a Rolls-Royce I’ve not seen before.
“Wow. Is this the car you keep in the country?” I ask.
“It is. I thought we’d arrive in style. Also, Charlie will lose his shit when he sees it. He hates all that crap, and I do love pissing him off.”
I snort as I get into the car. It’s plush and beautiful inside, and there is a champagne flute waiting for me in a holder behind the driver’s seat.
“My lady,” Melvin says.
“My lord,” I reply. “You look very handsome tonight. My goodness.”
Lucas shoots me a glare as Melvin adjusts his tie. “You’ll make me blush, Amelia.”
I grin at him, saluting him with my glass, and we set off as Lucas sips from his drink, the lights of New York crossing through the car like shards of gold.
“Which one is a ruby wedding anniversary, again?” I ask. “I meant to look it up, but I forgot.”
“Forty years. It’s also my mother’s favorite gemstone, so I was commissioned to find her a gift. My dad’s been asking for my help with things like that for years. He’s terrible at presents.”
“Do you have it with you?” I ask excitedly, and he chuckles.
“You do love sparkly things,” he says fondly as he pulls out a box and shows me a beautiful set of pearl and ruby earrings.
“Oh my goodness, Lucas, they’re beautiful.”
“They are, aren’t they?”
“She’ll love them.”
“Oh no, these are for you. My mother doesn’t have pierced ears,” he says, flashing me a grin, and I stare at him.
“What? Are these real rubies?” I say, my voice coming out higher than usual.
Lucas’s grin only widens as he hands them to me. It’s his ‘no nonsense’ face, and he glares at me until I take the box with trembling fingers.
“Lucas, I can’t wear these, they’re so expensive!” I say weakly, but he just nudges me until I put them in my ears.
Once I’ve secured them in place, I show him, and the bright happiness in his eyes is enough to placate me.
“You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he says, kissing me gently and pulling back.
“Thank you, they’re gorgeous,” I say, snapping the box shut and placing it on the seat between us.
“The color reminds me of that dress you wore the night you came to my apartment,” he says, smirking at me, and I shake my head.
“Ambrose is going to be there tonight, isn’t he? Are you planning on a repeat performance?” I ask, just to get a reaction from him. He tugs me across the back seat, and I almost spill my champagne everywhere.
“Fuck no. I love Ambrose, but you’re mine. And that time in my life is well and truly over. I don’t need anyone else now. I have you.”
I lean against him contentedly as we continue on through the New York traffic.
After a while, we arrive at the hotel where his parents' wedding anniversary is taking place. I’ve heard a lot about Elona and Ed, but I’ve not met them until now.
The only member of his family that I see often is Charlie, and although Lucas gets stupidly jealous about how close we are, Charlie is like a goofy older brother to me.
Lucas helps me out of the car, and we walk inside to gentle piano music playing and dozens of people in beautiful suits and dresses mingling about.
But I barely notice any of it, immediately taken aback by the artwork on the walls.
“Oh, I know that painting!” I say. “That was at the Statesman!”
I stare around at the other paintings on display, frowning as I realize every one of them is familiar to me. I’m about to remark on it when I see the owner of the gallery, Michael Statesman, walking toward me through the mingling guests.
“Oh my God,” I whisper, as Lucas steps up beside me, his hand smoothing over my waist.
“Hello, Michael,” Lucas says, greeting the gallery owner as if he’s known him forever. “Quite the venue for your pieces.”
Michael nods enthusiastically. “I’m very grateful to you, Mr. Crawford, for putting our little gallery on the map. Hello Amelia.”
I shake his hand. “How do you know my name?”
“Oh, I remember you. One doesn’t forget a lady wandering in off the street in a waitress's uniform and talking about art like a connoisseur.”
I laugh, glancing at Lucas. “Well, I have always loved your gallery. I think you have a unique eye.”
“So Mr. Crawford tells me. I was honored to be able to show your piece.”
I freeze, staring at him, as he steps aside and holds out an arm.
There, front and center in the room, is my self-portrait. The fractured face looks back at me like an alien, entirely unlike the woman I’ve become.
I turn to Michael in amazement. “How did you—”
“Mr. Crawford asked me to view it for him. I've chosen it for my next exhibit. I can promise you it was objective. He told me nothing of the artist, merely that he admired them. You have talent, Amelia. It’s a wonderful piece.”
He is hailed from the other side of the room by a man and a woman coming through the doors, and he nods to us as he moves away.
I compose myself, turning to Lucas, half furious, half elated.
“I can’t believe you,” I hiss. “Tonight is about meeting your parents!”
He shrugs in that infuriating way of his.
“There was an opportunity, and I took it. When I booked this hotel, they were discussing what to have as their next art exhibition. I knew you loved the Statesman, and so I thought I’d stop by.
Michael was only too eager to partner with them.
It’s great publicity for a small gallery and wonderful for the artists too. ”
“Lucas,” I say, gesturing at the portraits around the room. “These people are on a whole other level to me—”
“They’re not. You just think so because you don’t realize how talented you are.”
I roll my eyes at him. “You’re biased.”
“Well, if he’s biased, so is half the room. I’ve been standing next to your painting for twenty minutes, and everyone loves it.”
I turn, my heart swelling at the sight of my sister in a floor-length midnight blue gown. It matches the long scarf tied around her head, hiding her temporary hair loss. Her skin is glowing, and she looks flushed and healthy.
The LUNA treatment, which has been ongoing for three months, has been tough for all of us, but there’s no denying the impact it’s having. Dr. Monroe is hopeful that she will make a full recovery.
“You’ve been standing by my painting for twenty minutes?” I ask skeptically.
“Yep! Well, you took forever to get here.”
I laugh as she hugs me and does the same to Lucas. He and Annabelle are close now, and she adores him almost as much as I do. Charlie approaches from behind her, handing us both a flute of champagne.
“Come on, Amelia,” he says wearily. “Mom is not going to wait any longer to meet you. She’s been asking if you’ve arrived every ten minutes for the past hour.”
I laugh, even as my nerves return tenfold and Charlie hooks his arm in mine, about to escort me over to his parents. I glance at Lucas fearfully.
“Hold your horses, Charlie,” Lucas says firmly. “That’s my job.”
Charlie seamlessly transfers his arm to Annabelle with a theatrical bow that makes her laugh and leads her through the room ahead of us.
Once they’re gone, Lucas steps up beside me, taking my arm, and we walk through the other guests as I inhale deeply, trying to calm my hammering heartbeat.
“You’re not really mad about the painting, are you?” he asks. “I know I can be high-handed about things sometimes. I’m just so proud of you.”
I smile up at him, shaking my head. “Not mad, exactly. Just shocked. I didn’t expect it, and I don’t think it belongs in a place as fancy as this.”
“It’s the best one. I’m not just saying that.”
“Like I said, you're biased.”
“I am. I love it, although it doesn’t really look like you. I hope that isn’t a rude thing to say.”
“Not at all,” I concede. “I was thinking the same thing. I was very unhappy when I painted it.”
He stops, pulling me round to face him. “But… you’re not unhappy anymore?” he asks, and for a moment, he looks like a little boy seeking validation.
I laugh. “Of course not. Back then, I was working three jobs, my sister was dying, and I was alone. Now I get to paint all day, Annabelle is thriving, and I’m in love with the kindest man I’ve ever met.”
His eyes darken with pleasure at that, and he bends down to kiss me.
“I love you, Amelia. So much, I wonder how I deserve you sometimes.”
He kisses me just as there’s a loud shout from behind us, and Lucas pulls away.
“There she is!”
I turn to see a very straight-laced man approaching us across the room, his face friendly but resigned. Behind him, a flowing, glittering fairy of a woman rushes toward me, her arms outstretched.
“Is this her?” She shrieks. “The woman responsible for making my Lucas so happy!” The entire room falls silent as Lucas stiffens beside me.
“Remember how much you love me,” he says urgently. “No takebacks, even if she embarrasses the hell out of both of us.”
“Not a chance,” I say, taking his hand and tugging him forward to meet my future family. “We’re in this together.”