EPILOGUE
I wake slowly, the morning light filtering through the blinds casting a warm glow across the bedroom. I roll over in the king-sized bed, my hand reaching out to trace feather-light hearts on Gavin’s chest. He stirs, his skin warm beneath my fingertips, and opens his eyes, a lazy smile spreading across his face.
Even after four months, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this. Waking up next to him, feeling this content. It’s October now and after experiencing my first actual Texas summer with heat in the triple digits almost every day, I’m glad for the cold fronts that are coming through, although Gavin tells me this is a “false fall,” whatever that means. The mornings have that crisp autumn feel, but he warns me not to get too excited since the afternoons still climb into the nineties. Still, I’ll take these moments of relief where I can get them, savoring the brief taste of fall weather while it lasts.
“Good morning, beautiful.” His voice is deep and gravelly with sleep.
I smile back, feeling a flutter in my chest at the endearment. “Good morning.”
He pulls me on top of him, his hands sliding down my back, drawing me closer. I fit perfectly against him, my legs straddling his hips, and I lean down to press a soft kiss to his lips. He deepens it, his hands moving up to tangle in my hair, and I melt into him, everything else fades away.
His lips are soft and insistent, and I lose myself in the kiss, my hands roaming across his chest, savoring the feel of his skin under my palms and I can feel his heart beating steadily beneath my hands, a comforting rhythm that matches the pace of my own.
I pull back slightly, breaking the kiss, and look down at him, my hair falling around us like a curtain. “Good morning,” I whisper again, a smile playing at the corners of my mouth.
He chuckles, one hand cupping the back of my head. “It is now.”
I laugh, and he pulls me down for another kiss, his lips claiming mine with an intensity that takes my breath away. I feel his smile against my mouth, and I can’t help but smile back, my heart light and happy in a way it hasn’t been in a long time.
“Speaking of good mornings,” Gavin says, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, “are you ready for our weekend? Sophie’s going to love the arboretum and botanical gardens today.”
I smile up at him with the mention of our plans. “I can’t wait to see all the fall flowers. Mary Beth told me they do this amazing pumpkin display with over 75,000 pumpkins. Can you imagine?”
“Only you would get this excited about plants.” He kisses my forehead. “But that’s one of the things I love about you.”
The word ‘love’ still sends butterflies through my stomach. After Matt, I never thought I’d hear that word and feel safe. But with Gavin, everything’s different.
“Oh! I need to pack Sophie’s sketch pad. She’ll want to draw everything she sees.” I start to climb off him, but he holds me in place.
“Before you go into full planning mode, don’t forget your call with Angela at ten.”
My excitement dims slightly. “Oh right, the lawyer.”
“Yeah. She needs to update you on the lawsuit against the courthouse.” His hands rub soothing circles on my back. “Hey, I know it’s scary but that clerical error from Dale’s office was a major screw up and things could have been way worse.”
I nod, trying to push down the anxiety that bubbles up whenever I think about anything related to Matt. Even behind bars, serving his maximum sentence, he still has this power to affect me. “I still can’t believe it.”
“And now that attorney is paying for it. Big time.” Gavin’s voice carries a hint of satisfaction. “That judge was furious when she found out their mistake put you and Sophie in danger.”
“I know.” I trace random patterns on his chest, gathering my thoughts. “Sometimes I wonder if—.”
“Hey.” He tilts my chin up, making me meet his eyes. “You’re here now. Matt’s where he belongs, and that courthouse is going to make sure nothing like this ever happens to another family.”
The sound of little feet pattering down the hallway breaks through our conversation. I smile, knowing what’s coming and I slide off him and onto my side of the bed.
“Mommy! Gavin!” Sophie bursts through the door with Nugget on her heel, her blonde hair a mess of tangles, clutching none other than Mr. Hoppy.
“There’s my princess!” I open my arms. She launches herself onto the bed, giggling as I catch her followed by Nugget, who jumps up too, tail wagging a million miles a minute.
“Are we going to see the flowers today?” Her eyes grow wide with excitement.
“We sure are, Soph.” Gavin sits up, ruffling her hair. “But first, what do you say to some breakfast?”
“Pancakes?” She bounces on the bed. “With strawberries?”
“Hmm,” I pretend to think about it. “I suppose we could make pancakes. If someone helps me mix the batter.”
“I will! I will!” She scrambles off the bed, running toward the kitchen. Nugget looks between me and Gavin before darting off the bed and barking after Sophie.
“Sophie, wait for us!” I call after her, laughing.
“I better go make sure she doesn’t try to make them herself again.” I start to get up, but Gavin pulls me back for one more quick kiss.
I head to the kitchen, where Sophie’s already dragged her step stool to the island. The morning sun streams through the large back windows, warming the space and making everything glow. It’s moments like these that make my heart feel full to bursting.
“Okay, little chef, let’s get started.” I pull out the ingredients while she watches eagerly.
As we mix the batter, my mind wanders to the upcoming call with Angela. The lawsuit has been proceeding smoothly, but every interaction related to the case brings back memories I’d rather forget. The day we were told that my address at Ms. Lucy’s house wasn’t redacted from the divorce papers. The terror when Matt snuck onto the property and left me that eerie message on the window. His hands wrapped around my neck like a vice.
“Mommy, you’re spilling.” Sophie’s voice snaps me back to the present. Batter drips off the whisk onto the counter.
“Oops! Good catch, baby.” I wipe up the mess, forcing myself to stay present.
Gavin joins us as I’m flipping the first batch, freshly showered and dressed for the day. He lifts Sophie so she can “supervise” the pancake flipping, making her squeal with delight.
“Remember,” he says to her, “we have to make sure Mommy doesn’t burn them.”
“I heard that!” I point my spatula at him, trying to look stern but failing miserably.
Over breakfast, Sophie talks excitedly about everything we’re going to see today. “Can I bring my colors? I want to draw all the pretty flowers.”
“Of course you can, sweetie.” I share a knowing look with Gavin. She has no idea about tomorrow’s surprise trip to the aquarium. “Maybe you’ll see some flowers you want to plant in our garden.”
“Like the ones Mrs. Mary Beth has?” She asks around a mouthful of pancake.
“Smaller bites, please,” I remind her. “And yes, maybe we can ask her for some suggestions next time we see her.”
After breakfast, I help Sophie get ready in a lilac short sleeved dress and sparkly purple sneakers. After my shower I opt for a pink lace peplum tank top, some light wash skinny jeans and white espadrilles. Gavin sent me, Sophie and Ms. Lucy to the nail salon yesterday and I got French tip nails, wanting to keep them more on the simplistic side and not too long because snipping flower stems and long nails don’t quite mix
“Penny for your thoughts?” Gavin asks as I’m finishing up drying my hair.
“I’m thinking about how different everything is now,” I admit. “A year ago, I was so scared all the time, just trying to keep Sophie safe. Now we have this beautiful life, amazing friends, you…” I step into his open arms. “Sometimes it feels too good to be true.”
“But it is true,” he murmurs into my hair. “You deserve all of it, Bailey. Both you and Sophie deserve to be happy and safe and loved.”
“Mommy! Gavin! Nugget’s all done going potty!” Sophie calls from down the hall.
“We’re coming, Soph!” Gavin calls back. He gives me one more squeeze before releasing me. “Ready to go see what 75,000 pumpkins look like?”
I can’t help but smile as Sophie runs ahead of us through the Dallas Arboretum. The air is filled with the sweet perfume of flowers, and Gavin’s hand is firm in mine as we follow an energetic Sophie around. The afternoon sun casts long shadows across the manicured lawns, and I can hear birds chirping in the nearby trees.
“Mommy, look at all the pumpkins!” Sophie squeals, pointing at a large area with a colorful array of fall mums outlined with pumpkins and gourds. Her eyes are wide with wonder as she twirls around, taking in the spectacular display.
“Wow, that is a lot of pumpkins,” I say, squeezing Gavin’s hand. He’s been unusually quiet since we left the house, but his smile hasn’t left his face once.
We make our way through the various gardens, Sophie insisting on stopping to smell nearly every flower bed we pass. Her little nose scrunches up adorably with each sniff, and she offers her expert five-year-old opinion on each one. When we reach the Japanese garden, the tranquility of the space washes over us. The carefully manicured trees and stone pathways lead us to a beautiful koi pond where vibrantly colored fish swim lazily beneath the surface. The gentle sound of water trickling over rocks creates a peaceful atmosphere.
“Look at the fishies!” She exclaims, pressing her face close to the water’s edge, her reflection rippling in the pond. I’m about to tell her to be careful when she suddenly straightens up, something clutched in her small hand, her eyes twinkling with delight.
“Mommy! Finders keepers!” she exclaims with a mischievous grin, bouncing on her toes.
“Sophie Marie, what is that?” I let go of Gavin’s hand and hurry over to her, concerned about what foreign object she might have picked up. When I reach her, she giggles and places something in my palm. It’s a small blue velvet box.
My heart stops. The world around me seems to freeze.
With trembling fingers, I open it and there, nestled in white satin, is the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen. It’s a delicate vintage-style princess cut sapphire surrounded by tinier diamonds that catch the light and scatter tiny rainbows across my hand.
I turn around, and there he is, down on one knee, his eyes shining with love and nervousness.
“Bailey,” he begins, his voice thick with emotion, one hand steadying himself on his knee, “I don’t just love you; I admire you. I’ve watched you fight battles no one should have to face, and through every hardship, you’ve shown more courage and grace than anyone I’ve ever known. You and Sophie are my home now, my reason for every breath. Loving you isn’t just something I feel, it’s who I am. And I promise for as long as I live, I will never stop choosing you.” His voice wavers slightly as he speaks, and I can see the depth of his feelings written across his face.
I’m crying now, hot tears of joy streaming down my cheeks as Sophie wraps her small arms tightly around my legs, looking between us both with pure, unfiltered joy.
“Sophie,” Gavin continues, turning his attention to her with such tenderness that it makes my heart swell even more, “you know how much I love you and your mommy, right?”
She nods enthusiastically against my leg. “To the moon and back and all around the stars!” Her little voice rings out with absolute conviction.
He chuckles, wiping at his own eyes with the back of his hand. “That’s right, Soph. And I promise to always love you both that much and more. You are gentle and so compassionate, lighting up my world with your smiles and laughter, and you make me feel so loved every single day. I promise to protect you, to always listen to you, and be there for every moment, big and small. I promise to read you bedtime stories and chase away the monsters and love you like you’re my own, because in my heart, you already are.”
She beams at him, her whole face lighting up, and I can barely see through the cascade of tears that won’t stop falling. My heart feels like it might burst with happiness.
“Bailey,” he says, turning back to me, his voice carrying all the weight of this perfect moment, “you’re it for me. You’re the first person I want to talk to every morning and the last person I want to see every night. You’re the strongest, most loving, most incredible woman I’ve ever known, and I want to spend the rest of my life making you as happy as you’ve made me.” His hands shake slightly as he takes the box from my hands. “Bailey, will you do me the absolute honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me?”
I’m nodding before he even finishes the question, my whole body humming with emotion. “Yes,” I manage to choke out through my tears. “Yes, yes, a thousand times yes!”
With steady hands that contrast his emotional state, he takes the ring out and slides it onto my left ring finger, and it fits perfectly. He stands and pulls me into his arms, kissing me deeply as Sophie dances around us, clapping and cheering with unbridled excitement.
“Did I do good, Gavin?” she asks proudly, practically bouncing with contained energy. “Did I do good keeping the secret?”
He scoops her up in one fluid motion, and I realize this whole magical thing was planned between them, my heart melting at their conspiracy. “You did amazing, Soph. You’re the best secret keeper ever.”
“And now we’re gonna be a real family?” she asks, looking between us.
“Sweet girl,” I say, my voice thick with emotion as I wrap my arms around both of them, feeling complete, “we already were. This just makes it official.”
As we stand there in the Japanese garden, surrounded by the beauty of fall and the love we’ve built together, I think about how far we’ve come. From those terrifying days of running and hiding to this moment of pure joy and promise. Gavin’s right, we did start growing in Pine Grove, Sophie and I, finding our place in our small Texas town with this wonderful man who loves us both so completely. Cherry blossoms float around us like nature’s confetti, celebrating this moment alongside us.
“I love you,” I whisper to him, my fingers tracing the strong line of his jaw as he kisses me again. My heart feels like it might burst from happiness, a feeling I’d almost forgotten was possible before him.
“I love you too, future Mrs. Mitchell,” he murmurs against my lips. The way he says my future last name sends a spark through my entire being.
“Me three!” Sophie chimes in, wiggling between us with her infectious giggle, making us both laugh. Her small hands reach out to touch the ring, eyes wide with wonder.
And in this perfect moment, with Gavin at my side, Sophie in our arms and a ring on my finger, I know we’re exactly where we’re meant to be. The garden’s peaceful atmosphere wraps around us like a warm embrace, and I silently thank whatever twist of fate brought us to Pine Grove, to him, to our happily ever after.