Epilogue
Zade
The train to Silverton rattles along the tracks, the rhythmic clanking of steel against steel a constant, soothing background noise.
Outside, the scenery is a blur of green and blue, but I’m not paying much attention to it.
Instead, I’m sitting across from Juniper, who’s curled up with a book in her lap.
Not just any book—oh no, this is the kind of trashy romance novel that I’d usually scoff at.
The cover alone is enough to make you roll your eyes: a shirtless guy with abs has his arm wrapped around a swooning damsel who looks like she’s about to faint from sheer lust.
Juniper’s voice, however, is the real killer.
She’s reading it out loud, and I’m hooked.
“And then,” she reads, her voice dripping with faux drama, “the Duke leaned in, his breath hot against her neck. ‘I’ve wanted you since the moment I first saw you,’ he murmured.
‘You’re mine, and I’ll never let you go. ’“
I raise an eyebrow, pretending to be unimpressed. “This is garbage,” I mutter, leaning back in my seat and crossing my arms. “Absolute trash. I mean, come on, who talks like that?”
Juniper doesn’t miss a beat. “Oh, shut up, Zade. You’re loving every minute of it.”
I scoff, but there’s a smirk tugging at the corners of my mouth. “Come on. This isn’t literature, Juniper. It’s… it’s porn for bored housewives.”
She laughs, the sound light and teasing. “It’s not porn. It’s art. Smutty, ridiculous art.”
“Art, huh?” I tilt my head, feigning deep thought. “So, by your logic, if I write a steamy novel about, say, a rugged, devilishly handsome business mogul, who uses sarcasm as a defense mechanism and falls for a small town girl, will that be art too?”
She grins, flipping to the next page. “Depends. Does he have a tragic backstory and a secret weakness for baked goods?”
“Obviously,” I deadpan. “He’s a complex character.”
“Well then,” she says, her eyes twinkling with amusement, “I’d say you’re on your way to a bestseller.”
“Fantastic,” I reply, leaning forward. “And you’ll be my muse, of course. You know, to make sure I get all the steamy details right.”
She rolls her eyes but doesn’t hide the blush creeping up her neck. “You’re a real handful. You know that?”
“I’ve been told that a lot by my girlfriend,” I say, sliding closer to her on the seat. “But, I know she loves me just as I am.”
She doesn’t argue. Instead, she continues reading, and damn it if I’m not hanging on every word. The Duke and his conveniently voluptuous love interest are tangled in some kind of torrid affair involving secret rendezvous and forbidden love, and I’m all in.
“You know,” I say, cutting her off mid-sente nce, “for a guy who supposedly spends all his time rescuing damsels and maintaining his estate, this Duke sure has a lot of free time for… extracurricular activities.”
Juniper snorts, trying and failing to suppress her laughter. “It’s fiction, Zade. You’re not supposed to overanalyze it.”
“Oh, but that’s where you’re wrong,” I retort, a mischievous grin spreading across my face. “I’m a man of many talents, and overanalyzing romance novels is just one of them.”
She sets the book down, her eyes narrowing playfully. “Will you please let me read?” she asks.
“No!” I blurt, and lean in to kiss her, slow and deep, my hand sliding around the back of her neck. She responds instantly, her arms wrapping around my shoulders, pulling me closer until there’s no space between us at all.
I pull back just enough to catch my breath, resting my forehead against hers. “You know,” I murmur, “I never thought I’d be the kind of guy who listens to smutty novels on a train and kisses the girl of his dreams, but here we are.”
She laughs softly, her breath warm against my lips. “You always keep me guessing, don’t you?”
“Always,” I agree, brushing my thumb across her cheek. “And I’ve got one more for you.”
Her eyes flicker with curiosity. “Oh?”
I reach into my pocket, my fingers closing around the small velvet box that’s been burning a h ole there for days.
I hadn’t planned on doing this here, on a train, with a smutty romance novel as our witness, but hell, it feels right.
Perfect, even. I pull the box out, flipping it open to reveal the ring inside—a simple, elegant piece that somehow seems to sparkle more because of her.
“Juniper,” I say, my voice steady despite the storm of emotions inside me, “will you marry me?”
Her eyes widen, her breath catching in her throat. For a second, she just stares at me, and I start to wonder if I’ve finally pushed her too far, but then she lets out a shaky laugh, nodding frantically.
“Okaaayyyy,” she breathes out, a smile breaking across her face. “Yes, Zade. Yes.”
I slide the ring onto her finger, my hands surprisingly steady. And just like that, the storm inside me calms, replaced by a warmth that spreads through my chest and settles deep in my bones.
“You know,” I say, leaning in close, my lips brushing against hers, “this officially means you're stuck with the King of Grump and Sass forever.”
She laughs—a sound that’s pure joy—and it warms me to the core. “And you're stuck with the Queen of All Things Scandalous. I guess we’re a perfect match.”
“Damn right,” I murmur, pulling her closer. “I’m in love with you, Juniper. And there’s no going back.”
She looks up at me, her eyes shimmering with something that makes my heart race. “I love you too, Zade. In all your grumpy, sarcastic glory. ”
“Well,” I smirk, kissing the top of her head, “I guess we're a pretty unbeatable pair then.”
Juniper
We get out of the car and walk across the lawn and up the walkway to Cora’s house.
Zade stays close, and I can tell he’s a little on edge—he’d never admit it, but Cora scares him just a bit.
When I reach for the door, I hesitate before turning the knob.
It’s unlocked, like always. I push it open and step inside.
The moment we enter the living room, I see Cora. She’s in the middle of cuddling her little one, her newest addition to the family. But the second her eyes land on Zade, she gets up with the baby still in her arms.
“You,” she says, her voice dripping with suspicion as she crosses her arms over her chest. “What are you doing here?”
Zade gives her a toothy grin, as if that will calm her down. “Nice to see you too, Cora. You look... glowing!”
Cora’s glare is intense; the friction between her and Zade is crackling in the air. Before things can escalate, I quickly step forward, sliding my hand into Zade’s and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Cora, it’s okay,” I say, trying to defuse the situation. “He’s not the enemy anymore.”
Cora’s eyes flicker to mine, suspicion softening just a bit. But then, she notices the ring on my finger, and her eyes widen in shoc k. “No way,” she whispers, her gaze darting between Zade and me. “You’re kidding, right?”
I grin, holding up my hand to show off the ring. “Not kidding. We’re engaged.”
For a moment, Cora just stands there, frozen in disbelief. Then, she lets out a squeal so loud it could wake the dead. “Oh my God!” she shrieks, jumping up and down with excitement. “You’re engaged! I can’t believe it!”
Before I know it, she’s rushing over, placing the baby in the crib, and then throwing her arms around me in a hug so tight I can barely breathe.
“I can’t believe you’re actually going to marry this guy,” she says, her voice dripping with mock disbelief as she pulls back to give Zade a playful, scrutinizing look.
“Believe it,” I laugh, feeling warmth spread through me at her reaction. “I’m going to marry him.”
Cora’s face softens, but she still points a finger at Zade, narrowing her eyes. “But if you hurt her, I swear—“
Zade raises his hands in mock surrender, a grin tugging at his lips. “I wouldn’t dream of it. Besides, I’m more scared of her than of you.”
Cora gives a satisfied nod before turning to me with a grin. “Come on, everyone’s in the kitchen. They’re going to flip when they hear the news!”
She grabs my hand and pulls me toward the kitchen, where her kids are gathered around the table, chattering away. The second we step into the room, all eyes turn to us. Kehlani and Jayden ar e perched on stools at the kitchen counter.
“Guess what, guys!” Cora announces, her voice bursting with excitement. “Juniper’s getting married!”
There’s a brief silence, and then the room erupts into cheers. Kehlani is the first to rush over, wrapping her arms around me in a whirlwind of excitement.
Just then, the back door opens, and Axel strides in, his tall frame blocks the doorway. His sharp eyes immediately zero in on Zade, and a slow grin spreads across his face. “Well, look who finally decided to tie the knot,” Axel drawls, clapping Zade on the back. “I thought I’d never see the day.”
Zade chuckles, rolling his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Took me long enough, right?”
Axel’s gaze shifts to me, and his grin softens into something warmer. “Congrats, Juniper. You’re officially part of the crazy crew now.”
“Umm… I already was… way before you came,” I say, returning his smile. “Right, Cora?”
“Yep!” Cora beams, pulling me in for another hug. “I’m so happy for you, Juniper. You deserve all the happiness in the world,” she whispers in my ear. Then, she steps back and announces, “Let’s celebrate!” as she grabs a bottle of champagne.
As Cora pops the cork, I turn to Zade, our eyes locking. He pulls me close, and his lips find mine. The sound of the champagne fizzing and the kids talking fades into the background. In that moment, everything else disappears. It’s just Zade—n othing else matters.
The End