Epilogue
ZOEY
A Year Later
“ Y ou know I have a zero percent chance of getting anything done when you come home in that outfit,” Matt says, his hands roaming over my ass.
I roll my eyes, even though, secretly, I’m not the least bit annoyed by it. “And by outfit, you mean my scrubs.”
“Yes.” He slips his fingers under the hem of my top. “I told you, don’t say scrubs. It’s a uniform .”
He kisses my neck, whispering my name, his grip tightening with painful pleasure. It almost makes me forget that I should stop him before he gets too wild.
Horny Matt is always my favorite to come home to after a long shift.
Studying pediatric nursing and doing my residency at the local hospital leaves me exhausted most of the time.
So when I get home, it’s easy to give in. Most of the time, he insists on taking care of me, helping me out of my clothes, washing my hair, and doing all sorts of wicked things to my body. Then he feeds me frozen meals, and I fall asleep against him on the couch.
But not tonight. We have somewhere to be.
“I should let you know that a kid threw up on me today.”
His hold on me loosens, and he buries his face in my neck with a sigh. “Well, that was an instant turnoff.”
“I know,” I chuckle, raking my nails through his hair. “It was the goal. We can’t be late for the town meeting. Lola said it’s an important one.”
“Then let’s get in the shower. We’ll multitask.” With a smirk, he tugs on the drawstring of my pants.
“I thought you said you took one already,” I laugh when he bites my neck playfully.
“I’m covered in vomit by proxy. I need to wash this off.” He lifts my top over my head, and when his attention lands on my breasts, his eyes go feral. “Yes. I feel very dirty. Shower. Now.”
He picks me up roughly, pulling a yelp from me. As he strides to the bathroom, I cling to him, my legs encircling his waist and my arms draped around his neck.
The water is barely warm when he hauls me into the shower. “You’ve got two minutes, honey,” I pant into the hollow of his throat.
Under the spray, he lines himself up with my entrance, smooth and hard. “Oh, don’t worry. It’s gonna take way less than that.”
He pushes inside me, and like every time, I need a couple of seconds to adjust to his fullness.
But when I’m ready, when I squirm and beg him to move, he doesn’t hesitate.
He fucks me hard and fast, hands clutching my hips, gliding me up and down his cock until I’m writhing against him and my legs clench tightly around his waist.
He follows me right after, moaning my name as he spills inside me.
When my vision has returned, he eases me to my feet and kisses me with aching softness. “I love you.”
I smile against his mouth. “I love you more. Now get ready or we’re gonna be truly late.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Saying that the last year has been busy would be the understatement of the century. Busy would mean studying and doing my residency, driving an hour each way, and enjoying a few days off every other week.
That’d be the easy version. My year has been unbreathable.
After the investigation into my father’s company, the hotel project on Emile’s land was put on hold, and with it, all the promises I had made to the local small businesses and the people I’ve come to care so much for.
It took a lot of work to earn their trust again.
Eventually, though, most apologized for their outbursts that dreadful night.
Patty, naturally, did not. But after the town buried their hatchet, life reverted to the way it used to be.
Before my residency, my days consisted of coffee at Rosie’s and croissants at Mia’s.
Lounging in Lola’s bookstore, devouring all the smut she recommended, then heading to Coop for a late afternoon beer.
After long talks with Ruth, I finally convinced her to let me invest in her hotel. My funds would allow her to renovate, expand, and upgrade her outdated booking system, as well as establish the partnerships I had always planned for.
Once school started, I had to get creative with my time.
When I wasn’t at the hospital or following my classes online, I was checking in on Justin’s construction crew and helping Matt grow his business through the mentorship program—which, thankfully, was not legally tied to my dad’s company.
This year, he hired his second employee, and with the store running full speed, he was able to fund his sister’s school without breaking a sweat.
Every minute available after that, I’ve devoted to Matt and Daphne.
And finally, finally , three months ago, just in time for the tourist season, the new and improved Butterfly Inn opened its doors.
Bookings have reached a record high. Carl’s expedition trips are sold out until next year, the microbrewery tours we’ve organized with Cooper are a must-hit on the Pine Falls itinerary, and Mia and Rosie are the official breakfast suppliers.
The town has been thriving, and the best part is that the locals are reaping the rewards of all that hard work.
“What are you thinking about?” Matt asks as we walk hand in hand into the room.
“How far everybody has come this year. It feels like a whole new town. Don’t you think?”
He squeezes my hand. “It does, and you have everything to do with it.”
I smile, accepting the compliment, knowing he won’t allow the brush-off on the tip of my tongue.
“Why do you think Rob called this emergency meeting?” James asks when we get to our group of friends.
“It has to be about Emile’s land,” Oliver says. “It’s been sitting on the town’s books for too long. They have to decide what to do with it.”
“Hopefully someone will propose something soon,” I mutter as Matt guides me into a chair.
“How’s school going?” Charlee asks, leaning forward to peer around Oliver.
“Good,” I say. “Saving every penny I can to eventually open my own practice in town one day.”
Matt hums next to me, his arm resting on the back of my chair. His support over the past few months has been unwavering.
Opening a practice here in Pine Falls. That’s the new dream. But between the money I poured into the program for Matt’s store and the renovations at the Butterfly Inn, my bank account is running low.
Mom offered to help me, but she already lives on a relatively tight budget.
Having her by my side, supporting me at every turn, means more to me than any amount of money could.
When I broke down and told her about the Pine Falls saga, we spent hours on the phone, the two of us fighting to catch our breath between sobs.
Despite its loads of challenges, this year has been transformative in so many ways.
The most important change of them all was the shift in my career and aspirations.
It took me a while to find the specialty that was right for me and even longer to figure out what I want to achieve after I finish school.
All my life, others have made choices for me.
Then, last year, I suddenly found myself standing in front of a blank canvas, and the sheer number of options was overwhelming.
But with Matt and my mom acting like my own personal cheerleaders, celebrating victories as ridiculous as when I passed my first exam, I’m no longer afraid.
It’ll take time, but I’ll get my practice up and running. And once I do, it’ll be the most reputable pediatric practice in all of BC. I’ll make sure of it.
“Everyone, please grab a seat. This won’t take long,” Rob says into the mic, his tone official. “Thank you. The matter on the table tonight is a vote on a project for Emile’s land, as I’m sure everybody knows.”
Frowning, I tilt closer to Matt. “Did you know?”
“No.”
“Matt,” Rob calls. “Would you join me up here, please?”
Twisting to face him head-on, I blink.
Matt only grins, a slow, teasing expression that suddenly makes my stomach flip.
“Okay, maybe I knew a little bit.” He drops a quick kiss on my cheek. “Okay, bye.”
Then he’s gone. Up and out of his seat before I can string a single thought together.
My heart takes off at a sprint as he joins Rob at the podium. What is happening?
I glance at Lola, and when she spots me, a mysterious smirk tugs at the corner of her mouth. Charlee catches my eye and winks. Winks .
What is going on?
“Thank you all for coming tonight,” Matt says into the mic.
His voice moves over me like a caress. “As we all know, we welcomed a new member into the Pine Falls family last year.” His eyes find me.
He always finds me. “She arrived in ridiculous shoes and yelled at me for almost running her over while her head was buried in her phone. Remember that, honey?”
As laughter bubbles up around me, I manage a dazed nod.
“What are you doing?” I mouth.
His grin widens. “I believe everyone here has met Zoé,” he continues.
“And therefore, you all know she’s one of the most selfless souls you’ll ever encounter.
She gives everything she has to the people she loves, and, lucky for us, we are those people.
For the past year, she’s poured her heart and energy into making good on a promise that fell apart through no fault of her own.
And somehow, she still delivered. For every single one of us. ”
My throat tightens, and heat pricks at the backs of my eyes.
Lola scoots over, taking Matt’s chair, and slides her hand in mine.
“What is he doing?” I whisper, voice cracking.
She nods to him. “Just listen.”
“I won’t make this a big speech. You already know why I’m here.
But Zoé, honey, you don’t. So let me skip to the part that matters.
Tonight, I am officially submitting plans for a project on Emile’s land.
My proposal grants Zoé the land for her future pediatric nursing practice.
The practice will be built with the help of every willing citizen in Pine Falls, through any service they can offer and materials they can donate, or simply through time and a little bit of love. All in favor, please raise your hand.”
There’s no holding back my tears. One by one, people around me lift their hands. Next to me, Lola beams and releases me so she can raise hers high.
“Patty, don’t be a jerk. Come on,” Matt adds playfully.
Patty groans, but she puts her hand in the air too.
“There you go.” Matt chuckles. “In a unanimous vote, the project is adopted.” He leans toward the mic, his voice dipping low, full of tenderness. “Honey, everybody in this room has rallied for you. This is how loved you are.”
I break. A full-on tears-streaming, heart-bursting mess. The room erupts, the air swelling with cheers. But my brain can’t keep up with the avalanche of joy and disbelief crashing over me.
When I wipe at my eyes, clearing my vision, I find Matt standing at the podium, waiting for me with a steady smile, his gaze never leaving mine. My world narrows to him. To us.
Lola nudges me, startling me back to reality. “Go,” she whispers, teary-eyed too.
It takes a second to get my legs moving and to wipe away another wave of tears, but then I’m weaving through the crowd full of people I consider family, heading straight for the podium.
Matt reaches for me, sliding his arm around my waist and dragging me to him in one smooth movement. I bury my face in his shoulder and laugh through the hot tears staining his shirt.
“What the hell just happened?” I whisper into his chest.
He bends down, his lips brushing my hair. “After all these years, Zoé, you finally get everything you deserve.” He pulls back a fraction, zeroing in on something behind me. “There’s one more thing missing. Wait for me.”
He lets go of me and jogs to the back of the room, where his parents and Daphne are standing. He crouches and takes something from his sister’s hands before leaning in for a hug. Then he darts back.
“Now,” he says, his mouth at my ear, the words just for me. “For this part, I only need one vote.”
He kneels, holding a beautiful oval-shaped ring between his thumb and index finger.
The crowd lets out a collective gasp. My breath catches too, my knees ready to give out.
I don’t fight it. I go down and meet him there, crying again.
“Are you serious right now?” I choke.
He swallows hard, his voice trembling like he’s battling to keep himself from falling apart right along with me. “Zoé, the moment you showed up, you turned my life on its head, and I’ve never been the same. I know it’s fucking cliché, but I’ll roll with it.”
He lets out a wet chuckle.
“You came here with the wild notion that you were not worth loving, but honey, letting me love you is the greatest gift you could ever give me. Every day, I wake up to find the love of my life sleeping soundly next to me, and I go to bed every night with the overwhelming knowledge that you’ll fall asleep in my arms. It’s a heady thing, the realization that this could be my life until I take my last breath.
I don’t want to wait any longer to make it official. ”
His eyes shine as they lock with mine.
“So what do you say? Will you marry me?”
The world stills. My heart stops. And even though I’m crying, and laughing, and probably in shock, the answer comes to me so clearly.
“Yes,” I breathe. Then, louder, with everything I have, I say it again. “ Yes !”
I throw myself into his arms, and he catches me like he always does, steady and sure, kissing me like no one’s watching, even as the room bursts into applause.
He draws back, his face lit up with pure joy. “I love you so much,” he says as he slides the diamond onto my finger with a shaking hand.
I say it back again and again as I pepper him with kisses, my tears melding with his, our hearts pounding in sync.
Somewhere in the room, Charlee’s shouts ring out over the chaos, and then there’s a pop. Champagne flows, and just like that, we’re pulled into hugs and laughter and well wishes. Through it all, Matt never lets go of my hand, the one he put a ring on.
The party goes on all night. Music blasts through speakers, and the center of the room transforms into a dance floor that has Matt swaying his hips against mine.
Hours later, we’re back home, tired but grinning from ear to ear. Side by side on the porch, we look up at a sky starting to soften into the pink of dawn, my head resting on his shoulder.
I hold my hand out in front of me, admiring the way the diamond catches the morning light. The sight fills me with pride and tugs at my heart at the same time.
“Everything okay, beautiful?” Matt murmurs.
I nod against him, smiling. “This is gonna be a happy life.”
He slides his arm around my waist, nestling me deeper into him. “I agree. Forever has a nice ring to it.”