34. Epilogue
Epilogue
Chloe
Things at my parents’ house are oddly subdued, considering I skipped last week’s dinner.
Usually, my mom would pounce on the chance to lay on the guilt thicker than her famous meatloaf glaze. But today? Silence.
I glance at Brody sitting across from me at the table and instantly know why I’ve been spared the interrogation.
My dad’s been chatting his ear off since the second we walked in, and it’s only gotten worse since dinner started. Brody might hate talking shop outside of work hours, but tonight, he’s indulging my dad purely out of sheer nerves.
“What do we talk about?” he had asked on the drive over here, his knee bouncing in the back seat.
I shot him a look. "You’ve been to dinner with my parents a million times. You know what to do."
His lips twitched in a half-smile, though I could tell he was still a little uneasy. "I don't want to put my foot in my mouth. What if I accidentally talk about… I don't know… sailing or something?"
I laughed softly. "Dads never sailed a day in his life. Stick to golf. He loves watching it."
Brody's expression relaxed, a genuine chuckle escaping him. "Okay, golf. Got it. "
Golf has yet to come up. Go figure.
“How about you, Chloe?” my mom asks, butting her way into the conversation. My dad and Brody grow silent, looking at us expectantly.
“What about me?”
She waves her fork absently, like she’s fishing for words she hasn’t quite found yet. Finally, she blurts, “How’s the lodge coming along? Eli says it’s still on schedule, aside from a few hiccups.”
“Well, we’re going to have to get used to calling it Bluepeak Hotel now, Mom.” I smile, pushing peas around my plate. “It’s looking great. Mason’s been handling everything like a pro, so the construction hasn’t really interfered with day-to-day operations.”
“He better be,” Brody grumbles, taking a sip of his wine.
“Stop giving him a hard time.” I nudge him. “If anything, it’s the construction next door that’s been hell.”
“Next door?” My dad frowns. “That’s not part of the lodge, though.”
“It’s that cluster of cabins abandoned for years.” My mom chimes in, doling out another helping of her famous meatloaf. “Is that part of your project, Brody? I can’t imagine what you’re putting there, since the hotel already has it all—extra floors, a spa, an indoor pool…”
This is the first time she’s spoken directly to him all evening, he freezes like a deer in headlights.
I bite my lip to keep from laughing because seeing him, Mr. Cool-and-Collected Alpha CEO, totally rattled by my mom? Pure comedic gold.
“Uh, well, the plot’s marked for something, yes,” he says, focusing on scooping up his food like it holds the answer to all his problems.
“As far as you remember?” My dad mumbles through a mouthful of food. “You know this project inside and out.”
“Actually, Brody…” I jump in, enjoying this way too much. “Couldn’t you have the guys move their loudest tasks to another time? Dinner service is a nightmare with all that banging and clanging next door.”
He forces a small, still refusing to make eye contact with me, like he’s been doing with my parents. “Sure, I’ll see what I can do. They’re on a tight schedule, though, so I’m not sure how much wiggle room they have.”
“You can’t rush these things, Chloe.” My dad sighs, leaning back in his chair to rub his belly.
“Quality takes time. We can’t have buildings crumbling down around people.”
I shoot them both a pointed look. “Try explaining that to guests who are ready to start a riot over the noise. All I’m saying is that it’s making my job a lot harder than it needs to be.”
“It’s not only the lodge, hotel she’s managing,” my mom adds. “She’s been overseeing things with the construction too, Norm. She’s overloaded, and it’s totally understandable she’d want to smooth things over where she can.”
“Well, Brody said he’ll fix it,” my dad says, slapping Brody’s shoulder. “He’s the boss, he’ll deal with it. Right ?”
Brody chokes on his food, nodding as he gasps. “Yes, sir. Anything for Chloe.”
Our eyes meet across the table, and he gives me a small smile. The room softens. For the first time in a long while, that warm, settled feeling kicks in, like I actually belong. I can’t remember the last time I brought someone home. Or wanted to.
Seeing how easily my parents accept him into our little family fills me with happiness. I know he feels it too, because he’s visibly more relaxed than he was at my place. The tension easing out of him. He’s lighter, happier.
“Look at you two.” My mom coos, glancing between us. “New love is exciting, isn’t it?”
I blush, feeling the heat creep up my cheeks.
“You have an amazing daughter. Falling in love with Chloe has been the best thing about this entire project. I wasn’t exactly excited to come back, but she’s changed that.” I can feel his eyes on me, even though he’s talking to my parents.
“A development within a development.” My dad laughs, giving Brody another hearty slap on the back.
He’s not wrong. This little curveball hit me out of nowhere, but I wouldn’t change a thing.
Dinner goes on smoothly, with Brody finally loosening up enough to toss out a few sarcastic comments and poke fun at my dad’s, well, dad-ness.
By the time dessert rolls around, the table is filled with more laughter than I’ve heard in ages, and I’m starting to think this might actually be one of the best dinners we’ve had.
Then it happens. The subtle shift.
Before I finish my last bite of pie, mom clears the table with incredible speed, moving like she’s racing a clock.
“You kids have a great time.” Her eyes dart to Brody, then back to me with a look. She’s ready to bounce us out the door.
Dad, oblivious to the sudden “hurry-up” vibe, says, “You’ve been a wonderful guest, Brody! You know, we’re always happy to have you. Tell Chloe she’s gotta come back and help with the guest list for next week.”
"Wait, what?" I glance at my mom, whose hands are now literally pushing plates around to expedite the process.
“Alright, time to go!” she chirps, grabbing my purse off the hook. “Can’t keep you out too late now!”
Brody and I exchange a look. “You’re… rushing us out of here?” I ask, trying to make sense of it all.
“Not rushing, sweetie!” she says, practically kicking us out. “It’s getting late, and I’m sure you two have better things to do.”
She’s really pushing it now. Even my dad seems to be picking up on the odd urgency. “Yeah, right. But hey, no reason to stay if you have plans...”
Brody stares at me. “I’m pretty sure we’re supposed to be rushing out.”
I shrug. “Oh, 100%. This is some next-level escape plan, I swear.”
Once we make our way out the door, I can’t hold it in anymore.
“What the hell was that?” I ask as we step into the crisp night air. “It was like we were on some weird deadline, and they couldn’t wait to get rid of us. What do you think? Have they secretly been plotting against us this whole time?”
“Maybe your parents missed their crime documentary or something.”
“Oh, yeah, they definitely wanted to watch that more than hang out with us,” I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm. “I mean, who could blame them? We’re such a handful.” I wink at him.
“You know, for the record, we’ve been together a year now, and I’m only now getting the hectic exit treatment. I’d call that a win.”
“I’m thinking of sending them a thank-you card for giving us the most awkward dinner departure of all time.” Brody laughs, amused.
We keep walking, laughing under the moonlight. I still wonder what the deal with my parents was, but somehow, the night feels right. Everything’s falling into place, one awkward dinner exit at a time.
He’d sent his driver home, opting to walk me to my apartment.
“Having you there made it bearable,” I say as we walk, the warm breeze licking my bare arms. When Brody suggested taking the long way, I didn’t object.
“Your parents are great,” he says, giving my hand a squeeze. He hasn’t let go of it since we left.
“They really care about you.”
“Sometimes too much.”
He slowly turns to look at me. His eyes gleaming in the starlight, and for a moment, I forget how to breathe. This man, this gorgeous, brilliant, sweet man, is mine. As I am his.
“I love you,” I blurt out. I’ve said it a hundred times by now, but he still startles like it’s the first.
His slow smile curls into that irresistible smile, and my heart does its usual flip.
“I don’t blame you,” he says, his eyes glinting with playful mischief.
I nudge his arm with a playful slap, the warmth of his skin lingering on my fingertips as we fall into step together .
The world feels quiet, it’s only us and the moonlight.
I’m beginning to think how this is one of the best nights of my life, when Brody tugs my hand, stopping me. My heart skips, and I glance around, realizing I’ve been too wrapped up in the moment to notice where we’re headed.
“We’re back at the lodge?”
“Not the lodge,” he says, heading toward the construction lot next to it.
“Rrrrright, I forgot— hotel .”
“Bingo,” he says, like I’m the one missing the obvious. “Now come on. There’s something I’ve been dying to show you.”
I follow, still unsure what’s going on, but trusting him enough to keep the millions of questions in my mind at bay.
We navigate our way between haphazard piles of building materials, tools and random equipment scattered around. It’s dark, which doesn’t exactly help.
My foot catches on a rogue brick, sending me stumbling with a not so adorable snort laugh.
Brody’s reflexes kick in, wrapping his arms around me before I face-plant.
“You okay?” he asks, steadying me on my feet.
Words completely fail me as I straighten up, my eyes locking onto something that immediately twists my heart in different directions. There, above the door of one of the half-built cabins, the moonlight shines against a beautiful sign, Words of Whimsey in elegant lettering.
My throat tightens as my emotions threaten to knock me over harder than that stupid brick.
“ Brody … ”
“Hold on, let me—”
He scrambles over some wayward planks and flips a switch dangling from an exposed cable.
The half-constructed cabin is bathed in soft yellow lights, winding around the rafters and windows, casting a magical glow. My breath catches, and my heart officially leaves the building.
“It’s not done yet,” he says, making his way back to me as I stand frozen in place, overwhelmed. “But I couldn’t wait anymore. I needed you to see it.”
He takes my hand guiding me inside. The creaking door swings open, revealing a work in progress that shoots straight to my heart. Tears slip down my cheeks as I take it all in. The coziness, the charm, the sheer thoughtfulness of it all.
His excitement takes over as he moves around the space, eagerly pointing out every detail, not able to contain his enthusiasm.
“This is where the cash desk will go.” He waves at the empty space closest to the front door. He sweeps across the floor in a flurry of dust glowing yellow in the dim light. “The shelving’s almost finished, and I’ve already scheduled your first book delivery for next week.”
“A week?” I choke out.
He spins around, arms spread wide. “You could set up tables here for promotions, put some armchairs by the fireplace there,” he points to the corner, “and upstairs, we’ll have a coffee shop and more seating. Oh, and books, obviously.”
“Upstairs?” My eyes go wide as I spot the staircase behind him .
He grabs my hand again, leading me up the wooden steps.
I gasp when we reach the second floor. It’s quaint and cozy, exactly how I imagined it would be.
“Brody, I love it.”
He pulls me into his arms, his voice soft in my ear. “And I love you.”
He kisses, and I lose myself in the moment.
We break apart, breathless and overcome with so many feelings.
“So, this was the mysterious racket all along?” I tease. “You were having a bookstore built for me?”
“It’s your dream, Chloe. And I wanted it close to the hotel so you can easily go between the two whenever you want.”
“It’s perfect.” I go on my tiptoes to kiss him again, but before I can, he steps back, gently uncurling my arms from his neck.
“One more thing…” He drops to one knee.
My heart flatlines. My brain shuts off. And my jaw? It hits the floor.
I watch, frozen, as Brody pulls a small, pink velvet box from his jacket pocket. For the second time tonight, I’m stuck in a state of shock, my mind spiraling into regret over not wearing a cuter outfit, or getting my nails done, for that matter.
But all those ridiculous thoughts vanish the moment he looks up at me, his eyes misty with emotion.
“You changed my world,” he says, his voice thick with feeling. He clears his throat, but it doesn’t help much. “Meeting you was the best thing that’s ever happened to me. You’ve made me better. You’ve made everything better. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”
He opens the ring box, and I swear, he’s captured a galaxy in there. The diamond glitters as if he bundled up a thousand stars and stuck them onto a band of gold.
“I don’t blame you.” I manage between sniffles and laughter, my hand trembling as I wipe away a tear, mocking his earlier words.
He smiles, his eyes full of emotion. "Chloe, will you marry me?"
“Yes!” The word bursts out of me.
He grins, slipping the ring onto my finger before pulling me into his arms.
And I don’t need to say another word. The way I kiss him says it all. A "hell yes" wrapped up in every breath I take.