Epilogue
Eight Months Later
W hen I pull the canvas cloth attached to the sign over the front doors, everyone holds their breath in the sweltering August air. As it sails to the ground, a cheer goes up from the crowd standing on the sidewalk in front of Pages of Pelahatchie, the newest, and only , bookstore downtown.
“Let us in already!” Peyton yells as I pull the double doors open.
Friends and family surge around me to enter the store on opening day. Everything I never knew I wanted is right here, along with the boy who made all this possible. Beau moves easily, chatting and making people laugh as they head inside. He throws a wink over his shoulder as he walks in with Peyton and I bite my lip to hold in the effervescent happiness coursing through me.
Alone on the sidewalk, I watch through the windows as neighbors and new faces mingle and marvel at the renovations. We worked slowly to turn the old hardware store into Pages . After I moved into the apartment upstairs, Beau showed me the plans he made after buying the building. Though he’d scribbled them on a napkin from Hal’s, I had to concede that he knows me pretty well. He hung onto that tattered napkin the entire time I was in Houston, hoping one day we’d get our second chance. It was here all this time hiding in plain sight. Patiently waiting for me to fall in love with it–and it’s owner again.
Looking around, it seems everything he drew has the perfect spot. The place is a dream come true with its loft, reading area, and grand staircase running up the right-hand wall. The blend of colorful books against the old brick walls feels familiar and intimate. I never imagined my love of reading would lead to all this, but I’ve long since given up trying to anticipate when and how life’s gonna throw me for a loop. The best things have always come from out of nowhere, like unexpected fireworks on a summer night.
As I listen to the chatter, I glance over at my dad walking with a cane and browsing the historical fiction section. I wonder if he’s proud that despite running from it my whole life, I ended up a business owner anyway. It’s taken a long time, but I think he’s finally made peace with how everything ended up between us. Connor, the newly-made manager of the General Store, walks by and pats his shoulder. They exchange a few words and Connor hurries off.
He passes me on his way out and says, “I gotta head back, but the place looks great, Tessa.” The most serious one from Beau’s group of friends is everything Daddy could ask for in a manager. He’s patient, detailed, and friendly. The perfect person to run the General Store in my stead. The store is in wonderful hands with him running it and Peyton doing the finances.
Mama and Ella walk outside arm in arm, surely gossiping, but they each give me a hug as they take my place at the windows. “Get in there, girl! You can’t stand out here all day.” Mama gives me a little push and I let the excitement draw me inside.
As I make my way to the register, Peyton accidentally drops a book. We’re both surprised when an older guy with dark hair catches it effortlessly. He hands it back to her with a sultry smile and I shoot her a raised eyebrow behind his back. She just shrugs and shakes her pretty, blonde head at me, bending down to pet Ox as he winds around people’s legs. There’s one person I’m looking for and I can’t find him anywhere.
I’m still searching, taking everyone’s sincere congratulations in stride, when I feel Beau’s hands snake around my waist from behind. “Can I borrow her for a few minutes, ladies?” he asks the two elderly women I’m chatting with. He pulls me close and kisses my neck, loving making me uncomfortable with his public displays of affection. This time I decide to lean into it, if only to confuse him. Even now, I love challenging him. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of pushing his buttons.
When the tittering old ladies leave, I ask, “Did you need help finding something, sir? Or are you just here to bother me?”
“Is kissing me bothersome, Firecracker? Is that any way to treat a potential customer?”
“Oh, you can read?” I feign surprise, wrapping my arms around his neck. “I had no idea!” He chuckles and disentangles himself to pull me hurriedly towards the office in the back. “What’s the rush? Where are you taking me?”
He leads me through the doorway and immediately, I’m pushed up against the wall. Beau presses into me until we’re flush against each other. His mouth is hungry on mine, stealing kisses until I’m breathless. When he pulls back it’s with the tenderest expression in his eyes.
“Listen, smart mouth, I brought you back here to tell you how proud of you I am, but if all the congratulations are going to your head, I’ll go find someone else to annoy.”
He makes to move away, but I pull him back until every inch of him is pressed against every inch of me. “Not just yet.”
His weight holding me down has always been the biggest turn on and I relish the few moments alone with everything going on outside. As we kiss, our hands roam and his tongue sweeps against mine, making me shiver with anticipation.
Like everything else, he notices the movement and asks, “How you feeling, Firecracker?”
I try to play it cool, but my heated gaze gives me away. “A little restless, actually.” Tipping my head back against the wall, I squirm under his gaze, rubbing my thighs together for a little more friction.
“Well we can’t have that, can we? Should we resurrect the Fuck-It List? You know, just to keep you from getting restless.” His voice drips with sarcasm.
“There’s nothing else on it,” I question with the quirk of a brow. Because there isn’t. We put the list to bed after we came back from the cabin last year and haven’t needed it in, well… I can’t remember the last time we did something stupid in the name of keeping me entertained.
“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Beau leans in, whispering something he’d like to add to the list just to cross it off again. Something that would certainly be pretty risky, considering we have a store full of people on the other side of this door.
He slides his hand under the hem of my shirt, skating his fingers across my stomach and up under my bra to cup my breast. The pads of his fingers stroking softly over my tight nipple feel so good that I’m considering giving in, no matter the consequences. My own fingers are itching to touch him, growing frantic from the way he’s teasing me. I’ve just slipped my hand down the front of his jeans when the office door flies open.
We spring apart, narrowly avoiding being hit as Peyton says, “I knew it.” She leans casually against the doorframe, blocking us from view as we right ourselves and our clothes. “Could you two chill? Save it for the pond at least, there are people asking for you.” She hooks a thumb over her shoulder and gives us a Cheshire cat smile before walking away.
Beau falls back against the wall and blows out a frustrated sigh. “What’s her deal? She has some weird sixth sense or something.”
I shake my head. “Perks of small-town living. Everyone’s always up in your business.”
“Shep texted to say he’s sorry he couldn’t be here,” Beau offers and I nod solemnly.
The store opening is right in the middle of the season so Shep couldn’t get away, but the flowers he sent are sitting on the counter by the register. It couldn’t be helped, but I still feel a twinge of hurt at not having him here. I’ve traded my weekly calls with Peyton for weekly calls with Shep and he and Beau are finally back to normal, texting almost every day. More than anything else, I’m grateful they worked everything out. I wouldn't have been able to handle it if their relationship stayed strained the way it was.
Beau and I visited him for a few games this summer and even got Peyton to make the trip once. Having the whole gang back together was indescribable. More than Pelahatchie, I’ve realized, they’re my home. I’m lucky enough to have not one person, but three. All of whom are in my corner as much as I’m in theirs.
While I was worried Shep would be too lonely in Houston by himself, he seemed genuinely happy on his own. I needed him for everything when we lived together, but I forgot he’s always been a bit of a loner and he’s comfortable that way. It was just me that complicated his life. He’s been on fire in his second major league season and his game is better than ever. I’m so proud of how hard he’s worked to get into the right headspace. The Tornadoes star pitcher is a total catch these days.
“Come on. You’ve got customers.” Beau leads me by the hand back into the colorful chaos.
Peyton’s running the register as I pass. I walk around, speaking and straightening small things, not quite sure what to do with myself under all the attention. As I’m pointing a little boy to the children’s section against the wall, I hear someone call my name. I turn to find my dad staring at me with an unreadable expression. “Did you need something, Daddy?”
He nods somewhat nervously and looks down at his shoes. After a moment, his head jerks up and he squares his shoulders. “You did good with this,” he says. His eyes flit around the room, making me follow his trail and taking in the sunny room filled with people we know and love. “A bookstore really suits you. Owning it…suits you.”
Tears prick behind my eyes as I read between the lines. He’s proud of me. He may not say it in so many words, but knowing it came from his heart makes it all the more worth it. He said it in his own way and that’s enough for me.
Without saying anything, I wind my arms around his middle, hugging him the way I used to when I was a kid. He stumbles a little, clearly taken aback by this display of emotion, but I feel his arms come around my back and he pats me gently. We stand there for a long time and Daddy eventually puts a hand on my shoulder. He gives me a small smile before turning and walking over to see the photo my mom took as she holds it up to him.
“If I could have everyone’s attention, please?” Beau sidles over to me with a sheepish grin on his face. Everyone in this store knows he’s not really embarrassed, so it makes me wonder what stunt he’s trying to pull. “I know y’all are so proud of Tess and I appreciate you coming today to support our girl, but I have something I want to ask her.”
My heart hammers in my chest. I can feel my cheeks redden as I put a soft hand on his arm and shake my head as inconspicuously as I can. He smiles down at me and turns his ratty Tornadoes hat backwards.
There are audible gasps throughout the crowd as he gets down on one knee. If this man thinks he’s going to propose in front of the whole town, he’s got another thing coming. I’m gonna kill him. I’m going to commit a murder right here in my brand new bookstore. He looks up at me from the ground and takes my unwilling hand.
“Beau,” I hiss through clenched teeth. He continues right along with mischief written all over his face. “Tessa Jennings, you’re the hardest working person I know. You’re also the most hard headed, so I had to put you on the spot or else we all know you’d say no.” Everyone’s holding their breath, I can feel it in the staleness of the air. “Firecracker, you make me the happiest man in all of Pelahatchie. So will you please let me move in upstairs with you?”
No one moves as his words register. The only movement is the pursing of my lips as I wonder if he’s serious. Suddenly, Peyton laughs from somewhere behind me. Her loud hoots have everyone joining in. Soon the whole store is laughing at the spectacle Beau’s made and he’s eating it up. He rises off his knee and cups my face for a kiss. I can’t help but chuckle too as I kiss him back. The old Tessa would shove him and walk away, but I’ve done some growing up. I’m a business owner now and I can’t disappoint all my patrons.
My eyes roll all on their own as I nod happily. “Sure,” I say. “I guess you can move in, but only if you bring the dog.”
A cheer goes up from the crowd and Ox must sense it because he comes waddling over to us. I hear Peyton over the noise. “You never know what the fuck is going to come out of his mouth.”