Epilogue
Their love wasn’t painful. It was beautiful. The pain had been in trying to keep it from flourishing. Growth that was being suppressed by fear. But once it was given free rein, it spread over everything. And it made their life beautiful.
Once he let go of the idea that he had to earn everything, even his relationship with his mother improved.
And ten years later, as they brought their four children to visit their grandmother for Christmas, going to the house in Vienna felt light.
Which was something Romeo would have said was impossible.
But it turned out that nothing was truly impossible with love.
Especially not the kind like he and Heather had.
They enjoyed a lovely Christmas dinner with Carla, and then went back to their favorite hotel, with all the kids in tow. Though they did complain about having to share a room, since the suite only contained two bedrooms.
“It will build character,” Romeo said to his oldest son before he closed the doors and then went to the room where his wife was waiting.
“They’re such menaces,” she said.
“My favorite ones,” he agreed.
He looked at her, and familiar desire stirred in his veins. It had never stopped. This. The profound, glorious ache that he felt for this woman.
This woman who he loved so softly and fiercely. And who he made love with with all the passion contained in his being.
“I have loved you for well over half my life.”
“It’s true,” she said. “Though you would never have called that love back then.”
“No. But I was a fool then.”
“Were you?”
“Yes.” He wrapped his arms around her. “I used to think that hating you had become a habit. But it was just being obsessed with you. Thinking about you. Wanting you.”
“What do you think now?”
“Loving you is not a habit, Heather Accardi. It is who I am.”