Epilogue - One year later - Emma
It's freezing in Hope Peak and I can't wait to get home.
It's been fun to help the businesses all around Hope Peak.
August was right, there were a lot of people that needed help with some kind of organization.
Sometimes I come up with systems to make their business more efficient, sometimes I'm just helping people declutter their wardrobe.
It's unconventional, but it suits me just fine.
I'm always up for a challenge, and I love the variety that comes with working with different customers.
It's never one-sided either.
I collaborate with my clients to find solutions, getting to know them or their business better before offering advice, which I also love.
I've never been this happy with my career.
Today, I'm at Peak Produce helping Mae to organize her inventory and come up with a system to prevent waste.
She's been handling it fine, but it's getting more difficult for her to be on top of everything, especially since she wants to spend more time with her grandchildren and not at the grocery shop.
I wave Mae goodbye and make sure I don't leave anything of mine at Peak Produce.
If I leave even a single note, I’m certain it’ll be scrutinized and put on display for the whole world to see, or at least for our small town, which is my whole world.
When August and I started dating, it's all everyone talked about.
I'd be lying if I said it was all sunshine and roses but I’ve been too in love to give a damn.
I still can't believe my dad accepted our relationship so easily.
I remember how nervous we both were when we went to my parents' house to share the news, repeatedly going over what we were going to say.
August made sure he didn't sound too abrupt in his speech—though in his first draft, he had written "I want her to be mine." I laughed so much when he showed them.
But in the end, we shared our relationship, and my dad supported us.
I guess he trusted us both to know what we wanted.
And we do.
It's been perfect sharing my life with August.
I run to the car as snow falls.
It's Valentine's Day and August promised to make us ramen.
Ever since we went to the city and ate some, August has been eager to recreate the dish at home.
When I asked him why he surprised me with a sinful smile.
"I want to see you eat ramen again."
Who am I to refuse ramen? It's not just him who adored the dish, I too can't stop thinking about it.
I was never big on Valentine's Day but for some reason, with August, it feels special.
He doesn't want to push us to buy expensive stuff that we don't need or to go to a fancy place on the worst night to go on a date night.
No, he is just happy with being at home with me, making it slightly more special than usual but not overpowering.
That's exactly my kind of Valentine's Day.
When I get home, the scent of broth cooking greets me and I instantly salivate.
I'm greeted by Marshmallow who seems to be waiting for me, I squat down to pet him like I usually do.
He’s been living here ever since I moved in, he was used to the garage but we did a couple of test trials and found he liked it here too.
August still can't make him purr, we quibble about it a lot, it's adorable how jealous he is of our cat's preference for me.
August arrives, his tattooed arms out in the open, it gives me a thrill every time.
I stand so I can take off all my layers.
"You can take everything off while you're at it."
He says.
And he smirks.
That's something that has changed too.
He has been smiling more, even if it's just to tease me.
He's always going to be my grumpy man and I've learned to deal with that, to give him the space he needs, to show him I'm not going anywhere.
But he reserves some smiles for me and it makes me feel so special every time he does.
"Shouldn't we eat first?"
"Not really."
"Come on! I'm starving August. You promised me delicious ramen."
"And now I'm promising you delicious sex."
"Later!"
His eyes wrinkle and I know he's just messing with me.
When I taste the ramen, I moan, it's even better than the one we ate at that restaurant. How did he pull this off? August has been treating me with all kinds of home-cooked meals but this is just another level.
"I was hoping to hear that again." He stares at me with those dark eyes that have seen all of me.
"What?"
"That sound."
"You hear that all the time." We still can't keep our hands off each other, the way August always knows exactly where I need him at any given time has made sex addicting.
"No. This one is different. This one is reserved for ramen."
I choke on my ramen laughing loudly.
"You're crazy."
"Crazy for you."
"This is the best Valentine's of my life."
"We haven't got to the best part yet."
"Oh really?"
We eat and play around with each other, his remarks making me giggle like a mad woman between each slurp. Who knew someone like August would be this funny? Throughout this year, I've learned that he is not the single layer guy I thought he was, the grumpy man. He is grumpy but there are reasons for his grumpiness, he is quick to solve problems because he can see all the possible paths to the best solution, he likes his alone time more than he likes to make small talk with other people and he cares so deeply about everyone around him. He is mine and the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. I eat until my stomach feels it's about to burst. August, seeing my inability to walk, carries me to our couch and I immediately snuggle against him, my heart feeling like it's bursting too, almost like it's possible to be loved too much.
I'm too full to even think about sex and August can tell, he brushes his hand against my hair and three minutes later I'm sound asleep. Running a business has been fun but also taxing, I'm constantly falling asleep whenever I get to the couch.
When I wake up the next morning, I'm in our bed, feeling his beard on top of my head and my right leg wrapped around him. I try to slowly untangle myself from him without waking him up, but he surprises me by pulling me closer instead.
"Morning." I still can't get used to how his voice sounds in the morning, it's one of the sexiest things ever. "Slept well?"
"Yes." I get closer so our noses are touching. "I'm so glad it's Sunday and I don't have to work today. Let's stay in bed all day."
"Sounds good to me." Something darkens in his eyes and with a flash, he wraps his arms around my waist and turns with me until his body is hovering over me. I glance at his shorts, showing me exactly how much he wants me. He starts to trail down his lips, lifting my shirt so he can kiss my breasts but he doesn't linger for long. Instead, he gets between my legs, putting his mouth on my clit and loves me over and over again until I'm screaming out his name. When I come out of my post-orgasm haze, he stands up.
"You know what happens when you ask me to stay in bed all day."
I smirk, of course I know, I wouldn't have suggested it otherwise.
I close my eyes again as he leaves our bedroom. I must drift off because when I open them again August is back beside me. A tray of food rests on his lap, and he's holding a steaming cup of coffee in his hands.
"You made me waffles?"
"You deserve the best." He says simply. Like it's the most natural thing in the world to be this attentive.
Suddenly starving, I grab one plate of waffles, and spread a dollop of peanut butter.
"It's been one year," August says as I grab my own cup of coffee after eating my waffles. "And it has been the best year of my life."
"For me too."
He rests the cup in his nightstand and turns to face me.
"You know how bad I am with words but bare with me for a second, I've been practicing for this," a small smile appears in his expression and I love how shy he is at this second but so earnest. "You're everything to me Emma. You've shown me love even despite my flaws, I never thought love could ever be this easy. I thought love was hard. But love isn't hard with you. You give me the space I need without resenting me and, even if that's easy for you, it's the biggest treasure someone has ever given me. And it seems incredibly privileged to have you for myself, to dare to have you at all." He shifts to grab something from under his pillow. "And I'd love for you to marry me and spend the rest of your life with me. No matter what comes our way, I want to be there with you. All the good things but the bad things too. Will you marry me?"
My eyes are fighting tears over his words and there's no doubt in my mind about taking this step with him. He is my person just like I'm his. Our age difference doesn't matter, just that we respect and love each other and want to spend the rest of our lives together.
I close the distance between us and smash his lips with mine, accepting him fully with my heart.