8. Epilogue
Two months later
“How’d it go?” Bear pushed up from the side of the old brick building as Valentine stepped outside into the cool evening air, sliding her hand into his.
With the onset of April, Valentine had started wearing summer dresses that hugged her body in all the right places, and he loved how easy they were to take off her. “Great. It was the perfect final night. And I think the class is sick of drawing me anyway.”
Yeah, he doubted that. But tonight had been her last one to volunteer as a model for the art program. A few weeks ago she’d told him she was stepping back from it for a while, surprising him. He knew it wasn’t a sexual thing, but he didn’t love her posing nude—but he’d also never said anything because he knew it mattered to her. That was his own issue to get over. “No regrets?”
“None. I’ve volunteered for years and I’m ready to try some new things.”
She’d been talking about maybe teaching and he hoped she did. She already taught at the community center, but he thought she’d be a great teacher for those wanting to get into animation. Because his woman was talented.
“Oh,” she continued, a little glee in her voice, “I also found out something interesting today. Remember that creep Kevin Dodge?” she whispered, even though no one was near them. “Apparently the university didn’t renew his contract, so after finals, he’s gone.”
Bear held back a grin. Yeah, he might have asked his philanthropic parents to throw some weight around to get rid of that asshole, but he kept that to himself for now. “That is interesting.” Instead of heading to his truck in the nearby parking lot, he motioned down one of the sidewalks toward the direction of one of her favorite parks. The walk was relatively quiet, and they were surrounded by live oaks and magnolia trees draped with Spanish moss, small, lush gardens and antebellum mansions on either side of them.
She leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder as they slowly strolled. “In case I haven’t told you yet today, I love you.”
She’d dropped the L bomb on him a month ago. Finally. Because he’d been waiting to say it since after the first night they’d been together at her condo. Hell, he’d probably known even before then, but he’d also known that if he said it too soon, he risked her panicking again. “You have, and I love you too.” Something he would never get sick of hearing or saying. The last two months he’d gotten to know her even more and she was it for him, no doubt about it. She had the biggest heart of anyone he’d ever met, and he loved everything about her.
As they reached a run-down two-story home with Corinthian columns, he motioned up the overgrown walkway. It was one of the few houses on this street that was in need of a good renovation.
Valentine looked up at him in surprise. “What are we doing?”
“You’ll see.” He subtly pulled out a key as they headed up the small set of stairs to the wraparound porch.
“Bear,” she whispered, looking around as if worried someone would see them. “I know I love this house, but we can’t break in.”
Laughing lightly, he unlocked the front door, enjoying the way her eyes widened.
“You have a key.”
“I do.” He motioned for her to step over the threshold, actively resisting the urge to just scoop her up in his arms. But he wanted to save that for the future. For what he hoped their future would be.
Looking a little stunned, she stepped in the foyer faded by time, with peeling cream and pink wallpaper on the nearest wall, and scuffed wood floors he had no doubt he could get to shine eventually. “What is going on?”
“What would you think about living here? With me? Forever?”
With the waning sun shining in through the window overhead, her auburn hair looked as if it was glowing as she stared up at him. “I’m sorry, what?”
Laughing lightly, he just went for it, going down on one knee. “I hope this isn’t too traditional for you… Marry me? Be my Valentine forever?”
“Yes!” She smiled at the simple gold band as he slid it onto her left hand ring finger, pure joy radiating from her.
“For the record, I looked at diamonds, but—”
“No, this is perfect.” She traced the delicate design work on the band before looking up at him with love in her eyes. “You know me well.”
Yeah, he did. She’d have hated a giant stone on her finger with all the work she did with her hands.
Going up on tiptoe, she kissed him hard, and he was contemplating backing her up against the front door, shoving her dress up and—
She pulled back suddenly. “Wait, did you buy this place?”
He’d wanted to, but… “No, I would never actually make a purchase this huge without consulting you. I know the listing agent and she gave me the key, said I’d better make this sale. You’ve been looking at this place for months every time we walk by. I thought the two of us could renovate it together. Make this place our home.” They’d talked about buying or building after he sold his place but nothing they’d looked at had felt right. And every time they walked by this old home, she gazed at it with such longing, he’d known what he had to do.
Valentine laughed, the sound like music. “You can tell her you absolutely made the sale. I love the idea of making a place our own, together!”
“I’ll put in the offer tonight,” he murmured before backing her up against the front door for real. She belonged here. This was their future home. “I love you, Valentine.”
She wrapped her legs around him as he pushed her dress up and pinned her in place. “I love you back.”
The house might not be officially theirs yet, but they christened it anyway. And once it was theirs, he planned to christen every single room.
Thank you so much for reading Falling for Valentine.