Epilogue Cody
When we arrive in Besancon, life offers us the next step: the house Luc’s mom found.
She charmed the agent into holding it for us, and the moment we step inside, it feels right.
It feels like ours. It’s the perfect balance of classy without being over the top.
There are scattered antique touches, but nothing that feels old-fashioned, and the area around it is quiet without feeling dull.
Standing inside the house makes it feel real, so different from looking at pictures.
Now that I’m here, I want it even more, and I can only be grateful to Odette.
If she hadn’t acted on our behalf while we were on our honeymoon, somebody else would have snatched this house away before we could. We would have missed our chance.
Admittedly, I don’t know if I’ll ever grow fond of my mother-in-law after everything Luc told me about her—even he still has a complicated relationship with her—but it’s great to have her help. Also, since I don’t speak fluent French and Luc has no experience buying a house, we need her for this.
That’s why she joins us as we view the house, mainly speaking French because of the realtor, which Luc then translates for me.
“He says several families are interested in the house; he’s already received an offer,” Luc whispers to me while his mother talks to the realtor.
“But he might be bluffing, I don’t know.
One good thing is that he seems charmed by my mom.
Maybe too charmed . . . Honestly, I don’t know what’s going on there, and I also don’t really want to know. ”
I can’t suppress a chuckle. Look at her, flirting to get her son a house . . .and possibly doing more. I’ll have to give Luc’s mom a thank-you present if this works out.
“He says he’s open to our offer, but we’ll have to be quick about it,” Luc adds. “No later than tomorrow.”
I nod. Usually, I would have liked more time before making such a big decision, but Luc and I have been talking about moving to an area like this for months and dreaming about this house for weeks. Also, after our amazing honeymoon, I’m more than ready to take the next step.
The next morning, we haven’t changed our minds—quite the opposite actually—and after discussing housing prices with Odette, we put our offer in. A few days later, it’s accepted!
Then, before I know it, Luc and I are standing in front of our new house, with me holding the key to open what is now our front door. This time, we’re alone, and I’m glad we are. It gives us some time to adjust to our new house and make it our own.
Luckily for me, Luc knows just how to do that.
He’s grinning cheekily, eying me from behind the kitchen counter. “Now that it’s ours, we’re going to have sex in every room, starting in the kitchen,” he says. “And once we’ve done it in every room, we’ll move on to the balcony, then the garden. And definitely the car again too.”
I like the way he thinks. “Sounds good,” I reply, smiling. “When do we start?”
“Right now.”
I chuckle at that, stepping toward him and taking him into my arms. My husband. Sure, things will still be complicated sometimes. Dating a younger guy and living in a foreign country always is. But I’m ready for it. There’s nothing I want more.
He smiles at me, wrapping his arms around me and looking as happy as I feel. This makes it official: Luc and I have found our place. Not just in this house, but with each other. After all this time, we’re finally home.
The End.