Epilogue
JESSE
ALMOST A YEAR LATER
T he house was empty when I walked in, the only sounds the wind chimes on the porch behind me. The scent of lemon hung in the air, and I knew Casey had been cleaning. The wood of our central staircase gleamed in the diffused light. The thick-planked hardwood sparkled.
She’d been busy while I was gone.
Miller and Barney were asleep on one of the oversized sofas in the living room.
They liked the one closest to the fireplace we’d installed during the renovations.
It was a great addition, especially during cooler fall nights and the cold winters.
Casey was already planning where to put the Christmas tree this year.
The house was complete on the main floor, the kitchen with its overload of cupboards and long lengths of counter well used and loved by Casey.
I loved eating the food she prepared there.
Upstairs, our room was done, and we were slowly finishing the rest of the spaces. One room was an office/guest room. The other bedrooms were for our future.
Our family.
I tapped my pocket, ensuring the box I had picked up was still there.
Then I went to find Casey, certain where she would be.
I walked through the trees, coming to the clearing. She sat on the log, her face lifted to the sunshine. She loved to sit out here, sharing her life with Lou, weeding the little garden that was thriving under her care.
A twig snapped under my foot, and her eyes flew open, her smile welcoming. She held out her hand, and I took it, bending to kiss her.
“Hey, Pix.”
“Thorne.”
I chuckled. “Am I scowling?”
“Your resting face always scowls.”
“I see. I was unaware.”
“Well, now you know,” she teased.
I sat beside her, our fingers entwined.
“How was Mark?”
“Great. I miss working with him. But he loves days only, and so does Linda.”
She hummed.
“Chief told me I could go to days if I want at the next opportunity.” I smirked. “That could be a few years, though.”
“Something to look forward to.”
She leaned her head on my shoulder. “Do you know what today is?”
I pressed a kiss to her head. “Yep. A year ago today, you broke in to my house.”
“Our house. And I didn’t break in.”
I laughed. “I will never forget that sweet ass hanging from the window. My first instinct was to give it a squeeze.”
She nudged me. “Pervert.”
“We’ve come a long way.”
She sighed. “We have.”
In a fast move, I turned and hit the ground, one knee bent. I held out the box I’d taken from my pocket. “How about we go a little further?”
She looked at the box, then at me. “Thorne?” she whispered.
I opened the box, the diamond catching the light. It was nestled between two sapphires that gleamed brightly. “Marry me, Pix. Please.”
Tears filled her eyes. “It’s so beautiful.”
“The sapphires reminded me of your eyes.”
I took it from its mooring and slid it on her finger, bending to kiss her knuckles. “Please,” I repeated.
“Yes,” she sobbed and flung herself into my arms.
I held her tight and sat back on the log. I let her cry for a moment. She always cried when happy. Or sad. And sometimes when she felt overwhelmed. I liked being there for her and helping her smile again.
She wiped her eyes and held out her hand, twisting it in the sun. The ring twinkled and gleamed, looking so right on her finger. I couldn’t wait to add a band and call her my wife.
She looked up, startled, and I realized I’d said that out loud.
“Soon?” I asked.
She nodded, still looking at her ring.
“What do you want? A big wedding?”
“No. Something small. Us, a few friends.” She sighed, looking around. “Could we do it here? Have a reception in the house?” She clasped her hands. “It would feel as though Lou were here.”
I shrugged. “Why not?” I tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “Why don’t you wear her dress, Pix? She would have loved that.”
“Oh!” she exclaimed, her eyes dancing. “I could!”
“I can print out the paperwork, and we can apply for a license. We could be married soon.”
“Yes!”
“Then let’s do this.”
The sun was high on the day I married her.
Some friends gathered by the heart on a warm summer day, and I waited for my pixie, feeling anxious and excited.
She appeared, her dress fluttering around her calves.
The pale yellow suited her, the embroidery catching the light.
Her hair was down, and she carried a small bouquet of daisies and roses—much like Lou had years ago.
Around her neck, she wore Lou’s pearls, the small circles smooth and bright.
She was so beautiful, it took my breath away.
She was already crying as she walked toward me, and I reached out my hand, bringing her close and wiping the tears from her eyes.
Unable to stop myself, I kissed her soft lips, our justice of the peace clearing his throat.
“Plenty of time for that later,” he admonished with a wink.
I stepped back and gathered her hands in mine. “Ready?”
“Yes.”
And I married my pixie.
Mine forever.
A FEW MONTHS LATER
CASEY
I curled up on the sofa with a cup of coffee, tucking a blanket around my knees. The house was quiet, the animals asleep. They were calling for snow and possible freezing rain tonight, but right now, the sun shone outside, despite the cooler temperatures.
Jesse was at work, and he would be home late tonight as he had gone in early to cover another shift so he would get off sooner. I was glad. I hated it when he was gone nights now, even though I knew it was part of the job. I understood why Linda was so happy that Mark had started working only days.
A knock at the door surprised me since I wasn’t expecting visitors, but it was a delivery service with a package.
I opened it, suddenly excited. The box contained the Christmas lights I wanted to put up on the house.
They’d look so pretty on the gable and the porch.
I’d ordered enough to do all around the upper part of the house as well, but I needed Jesse to do that.
I looked at the lights, a thought hitting me.
I could install them on the porch, simply using my stepladder from the kitchen.
I bit my lip, trying to ignore the voice that whispered I could install the ones on the lower gable.
I had been on the porch roof that summer, handing Jesse things as he and his crew installed the new roof above.
I had been nervous at first, but the slope was minimal and it wasn’t high like the second floor. I shook my head. Jesse also had me strapped into some sort of harness for safety and kept an eye on me. But I hadn’t tripped or fallen once.
But again, I shook my head. I would put them on the porch and the railings. That would take me most of the afternoon. Jesse could finish them on his days off. He’d be surprised when he got home and saw these ones up.
That was enough.
Except, the lights turned out to be as easy to install as the instructions said.
I had it all planned when I ordered the lights, so I knew where to start, and the lights themselves were simple.
Pull the line fairly taut, press the light into place, and move on to the next one.
I was excited about how they would look.
There were various color combinations and settings, and they could be used all year-round, although Jess had given me a look when I’d told him that.
“Christmas lights, Pixie. They are Christmas lights. We are not decking the house out all year-round.”
I had already decided we would.
He’d get used to it.
I finished and plugged them in, thrilled at how good they looked. Once the lights were stretched over the gable, they’d look fantastic.
My gaze strayed to the garage, and I shook my head. Then I glanced at my watch. It was only two. The porch had taken me three hours. Since there was only one gable plus the trim around it, it would be simple and probably only take an hour. Jesse would be so proud of me.
I shook my head. “Bad idea,” I muttered.
I needed to go inside, have another cup of coffee to warm up, and leave it until tomorrow.
Even as I thought that, my feet took me to the garage and the ladder. Jesse had bought another one, not as heavy and cumbersome, and it was all I needed to get to the gable. I could do most of it from the ladder, in fact. I’d only have to scramble up the porch roof to do the peak.
I was doing it.
I got everything I needed and climbed the ladder, grateful the sun had been out all day.
The trim was dry, and as I hoped, the straight part went quickly.
I had to go up and down the ladder several times, but I did so carefully, only cursing on occasion.
I moved it one last time, looking up to the gable.
It looked higher than I remembered, and I wondered if I should wait.
Jesse would tell me I should wait. In fact, he would insist on it.
So, I climbed back up and started edging to the gable, taking deep breaths and trying not to look down.
But I did, and I froze, then lowered my head, staring at the shingles.
With a sigh, I realized that I couldn’t do this and I needed to climb down.
I shut my eyes and willed my body to unlock.
All I had to do was climb down the ladder.
Once I got there.
I heard someone walking by, but I didn’t look down again.
I didn’t dare. I was deeply regretting my decision and wondering why I never listened to the voice in my head that sounded like Jesse.
It was usually right. Then behind me, I felt the ladder shift, and I lifted my head, my eyes growing wider as a sandy-brown head of hair appeared, followed by Jesse’s scowling face.
I stared at him, lights in my hand, partially frozen from fear and not denying the rush of relief at seeing him.
Then he spoke.
“What. Are. You. Doing?” he growled.
Shit. It wasn’t Jesse. Thorne was here—and he was pissed.
JESSE