Epilogue #2
Vivian shows him to a two-person table on the far side of the room.
The second he walks off, Ames appears from the kitchen and heads over.
“Are they tag-teaming?” Beckett grumbles under his breath. “Don’t they know it’s fucking Valentine’s Day?”
“Hey, guys!” Ames says with the kind of desperate brightness he’s been exhibiting more and more often recently. “How’s it going?”
Beckett’s face softens slightly, but he still mutters, “Peachy. So far, we’ve had to talk to Mom, then that hot mess—” He nods at Carlos, who’s chugging water and compulsively smoothing his hair. “—and now you. Could you, I don’t know, hang some privacy curtains or something?”
“I think it’s sweet,” I argue. “Your mom wanted to make sure I was okay. And Carlos is adorable. I hope his date tonight’s worth all the effort.”
“The last woman he dated never let him get a word in edgewise, so tonight’s lucky lady has to be better,” Beckett says.
“Or gentleman,” Ames says.
Beckett looks at him questioningly, and Ames flushes.
“I mean, don’t assume his date’s a woman.” There’s a hint of defensiveness in his voice. “Carlos could be bi or gay. It takes some guys longer to figure it out. That’s allowed, Beck.”
Beckett looks at his brother carefully. “Of course it is,” he says slowly. “There’s no timeframe. But I don’t think it happens nearly as often as some people wish it would. It’s not like in those novels the book club likes to read.”
Ames’s face goes as red as mine had been, and pain flickers across his features. He’s been in a bad place since Robbie told him Lissa wanted to get married.
Though Ames has never admitted he’s in love with Robbie, it’s been pretty obvious, at least to me, that Ames has been dreading an engagement announcement. Seeing Beckett being so careful with his brother makes me think he’s finally guessed the truth too.
“Ames!” Jenna calls from the kitchen, and he excuses himself to go talk to her.
Beckett watches him leave with a frown. “I don’t like seeing him like this.”
“Me neither.” I reach for his hand again. “But Ames will figure it out. And he won’t be alone. He’s got us. He’s got a circle of people who support him.”
Beckett’s expression softens as he brings my hand to his lips. “I love that you’re part of that circle now.” He winks and adds in a sexy growl for my ears alone, “And not just because of what you did the other night in the barrel room.”
I nearly choke on my water, remembering how I’d proved, once and for all, that I am definitely not intimidated by Beckett.
Not by any part of him.
Ahem.
Beckett grins wickedly. “Sorry, baby, was that on the revised list of things we’re not supposed to talk about?”
I shake my head with mock annoyance. Beckett knows very well that there’s nothing we can’t talk about anymore. “Ideally, I’d prefer not to discuss that in public,” I tell him, raising my chin. “And not when I’m wearing these jeans.”
Beckett laughs and tweaks my chin with one finger. “You love it,” he says, and he’s right.
I love his smirky innuendos and his gruff sweetness. Mostly, I love the way he makes me feel safe and cherished and wanted every minute of the day.
Before I can tell him exactly how much I love it, we’re interrupted again.
“Griffin!” Ada’s clearly a little wine-drunk and isn’t making any attempt to be quiet as she toddles over. “Did you hear the news?”
“Happy Valentine’s Day, Ada,” Beckett says a little sourly. “I hope you’re enjoying the holiday.”
Ada chuckles. “As a matter of fact, I am. I’m here with the Ardor Society. It’s our Ar-dorable Valentine’s Day Dinner.” She points to a large table on the other side of the restaurant. “Ames outdid himself!”
Beckett and I exchange another wordless, amused look. After outdoing himself with the Halloween vampire menu last October, the Ar-dorables have decided Ames is one of them. He grumbles about it every month when he’s coming up with new themed menus, but I secretly think he likes it.
“Anyway, enough of your interrupting, Axford,” she says crisply, and I have to bite my lip at the look on Beckett’s face. “I wanted to tell Griffin the latest news on Derek Sullivan.”
She leans in conspiratorially, but she’s still talking loud enough for the restaurant and probably some passersby on the street to hear. “The investigation down in Massachusetts is still ongoing, but I hear he’s declared bankruptcy.”
Beckett doesn’t comment, but he does exhale a satisfied grunt. It’s not a surprise, exactly. Derek has sold off pretty much his whole operation in Winsome already, just to pay his legal bills. Which means the guy who bought the land got himself a really good deal.
I grin at Beckett across the table, and his lips tip up in response.
When the lawyer came by last fall, she hadn’t just dropped the news that Jim was alive; she’d also informed me that the trust Jim gave me also includes the royalties from the Whispers books. And since the money’s been growing untouched for years, it had really added up.
Enough that I’d gotten a financial planner who’d advised me to invest in real estate.
Which means now, believe it or not—and sometimes I still cannot—I’m the owner of over a thousand acres of Vermont forest. A thousand acres of hardwoods and softwoods and all the creatures who call them home.
It’s a huge responsibility… but fortunately, I know a guy who can make sure that forest is protected for generations to come, and I happily leased the land to him.
And I did it officially, even though he assured me he’d have taken a handshake deal.
After Ada returns to her book club, Beckett and I finally, finally, get a moment alone. He’s stroking his thumb over my knuckles, and I feel the familiar flutter of contentment in my belly that still surprises me sometimes.
“I heard from Milo today,” I tell him. “He’s coming for another visit next month.”
Beckett rolls his eyes. “Is he still claiming he’s only coming to get more hydration pickles and hang with his new BFF?”
I chuckle. Milo claims he won’t forgive me for my “betrayal” in moving to Vermont until my lumberjack and I have produced the required four children named in his honor, which I warned him won’t be happening anytime soon…
or ever. But he still comes to Winsome pretty much monthly, supposedly to hang with Vivian, who he says is his soulmate.
“He’s actually going to spend the summer here,” I add, watching Beckett’s reaction. “Your mother’s going to teach him to plant an herb garden, apparently.”
“And where’s he going to stay?” Beckett frowns. “The treehouse is pretty cramped for two people, babe. Especially when one of them enjoys pickle-turret shenanigans on a regular basis.”
“Actually…” I lean closer. “I thought I might give up pickle-turret shenanigans while he’s here.”
He narrows his eyes skeptically. “Is that so.”
“Mmm.” I run my fingers over his strong calloused hand and under the cuff of his shirt. “In fact, I was thinking I might see if this guy I know would let me stay with him in exchange for some… forest-y shenanigans.”
“Some guy, huh?” Beckett’s voice is a low rumble that makes my stomach somersault and all my blood head south.
“My guy,” I correct softly. “My favorite guy. Who makes the best maple syrup pancakes, and gives really good back rubs, and looks fucking hot when he’s handling an axe.”
“Wow.” Beckett’s blue eyes darken again, and it’s glorious. “Sounds like a catch, this guy.”
“You have no idea,” I murmur. Then I lean in and kiss him.
Beckett’s lips are soft and warm, and as usual, once I taste him, I can’t get enough. The kiss is sweet and dirty and full of love, as all of Beckett’s kisses are.
I never take for granted the way we fit together. The freedom and safety I’ve found with him.
I’m just about to declare that we need to go home immediately and celebrate our first Valentine’s Day at home, when there’s a commotion at the door, and Robbie and Lissa come in. They’re flushed from the cold, and Lissa is smiling from ear to ear.
Ames is just re-emerging from the kitchen when they come in, and he stops dead when he sees them.
Vivian hurries to the front and greets them with an apologetic smile. “Hey, you two. I’m sorry, but we’re completely full tonight. Quite the crowd for Valentine’s Day—”
“Oh, I figured!” Lissa’s practically bouncing in her high heels. “But we’re not here for dinner.” She thrusts out her left hand, and my stomach plummets. “We wanted Ames to be the first to know… we’re engaged.”
The restaurant erupts in congratulations and excited chatter. Everyone here is in love with love and eager to celebrate.
Almost everyone.
Ames’s face drains of color right before my eyes.
Robbie notices and takes a hesitant step in his direction. “Amesie, I—”
The door opens again, and someone new walks into this mess. Ames’s gaze darts to the newcomer like a drowning man in search of a lifeline.
Ames’s eyes widen, and so do mine because the man who walks in is none other than Erick Nelson, wearing a long wool trench coat I’d bet my brothel couch is this year’s Bruno Cucinelli.
“Oh my god! Erick?” I wave and half rise out of my chair. “I had no idea you were coming to Winsome.”
Erick clocks the dozens of eyes staring at him and swallows nervously. “Oh. Well, actually, I’m here to meet—”
“Me!” Ames strides forward and wraps an arm around Erick’s waist. “He’s here to meet me! Because Erick and I have an announcement too. Surprise! We’re… together.” He squeezes Erick enthusiastically. “Tell them, honey bunch.”
“The fuck you say,” a male voice that sounds suspiciously like Beckett’s Carlos growls from somewhere in the restaurant.
Robbie’s whole face contracts in shock and suspicion.
Vivian’s eyes widen, but she smiles gamely and says, “How wonderful! It’s lovely to see you again, Erick.”
Erick looks utterly poleaxed. Like he opened the door to Watchfire and ended up in an alternate dimension. But all he says is, “Th-thanks?”
“Congratulations, Robbie and Lissa,” Ames says brightly. He pulls Erick a bit more tightly against his side. “Now, come on back to the kitchen, pookie, and let’s get our Valentine’s Day on.”
Erick takes a deep breath and casts a worried look toward the dining room in general but allows Ames to draw him away. Robbie looks like he wants to go after them, but Lissa grabs his arm and tows him toward the front door, babbling something about telling her parents, and he gives in.
Carlos gets up and marches toward the kitchen.
Beckett’s hands clench into fists, and he half rises like he wants to follow, but I lay a comforting hand on his wrist, and he blows out a breath.
“That’s… fucking weird,” he breathes.
“Beyond weird. Starting tomorrow morning, we’re gonna be all up in Ames’s business,” I say firmly. “And Erick’s too, come to think of it. We’ll get to the bottom of this.”
Beckett’s eyes soften as he looks at me, and he turns his hand over to thread our fingers together. “The day you came to Winsome was the best day of my life, city boy,” he says gruffly, and I know he means every word. “Even if I didn’t know it at the time.”
Not for the first time, I am swamped with love for this man. For the life we’re living. For the future we’re building together.
I came to Vermont all those months ago thinking I was a guy who’d lost.
Now I know I was a guy who was lost. A man who’d forgotten that life could be an adventure with all sorts of unexpected twists and turns and that it didn’t have to be a solo endeavor with winners and losers.
Now I know there’s no extra points awarded for doing life alone, and no weakness in wanting to share it with people who make you feel good and happy, safe and strong.
Looking around Watchfire—at Vivian fussing over customers, at Ada and her book club drinking wine and discussing romance tropes, and most importantly at the man in front of me, who looks at me like I’m the most important and cherished person in his world—I realize Vermont gave me something I hadn’t even known I was missing.
A home.