Epilogue
Cammi
One year later
San Francisco still doesn’t feel real sometimes.
“Cammi, table four needs another latte!”
“I’ve got it,” I call back, grabbing the cup before the foam settles too much.
The café smells like roasted beans and cinnamon. Soft music hums in the background, with sunlight spilling through the wide windows like something out of a dream I never thought I’d get to live.
“Careful,” Bella, my coworker, teases as I pass her. “You’re smiling again.”
“I always smile,” I shoot back.
“Not like that,” she says, grinning knowingly. “That’s the ‘I’m in love, and my life is perfect’ smile.”
Heat creeps into my cheeks. “Shut up,” I mumble, but I’m laughing.
Because she’s not wrong. Not even a little. I have a new family to love now—Noah’s family. His younger brother is just like him. Quiet and mischievous. And his sister, although two years younger than me at seventeen, has become one of my closest friends.
His parents are so gracious and warm—a far cry from the woman who birthed me. Ever since I left that apartment back home, she still hasn’t reached out. And I’m glad. My life is as close to perfect as I ever thought I’d get.
I have a man who loves me. Millie and I are still close—she and Wilder have even come to visit. I love my job at the café. What more can I want?
“Still on for tonight?” Bella asks, bringing me back to the present.
“Yeah,” I say, unable to stop the excitement out of my voice. “Noah’s taking me out.”
“Ooooh, fancy,” she sings. “Where?”
“He won’t tell me,” I admit. “Just said to dress nice.”
She gasps dramatically. “A secret date? Oh, he’s planning something.”
My stomach flutters. “He always is,” I say softly.
And that’s the truth about Noah. He’s made me the happiest woman alive. He’s possessive in a way that thrills me, and protective in a way that doesn’t cage me but somehow makes me feel freer than I’ve ever been.
He found his place here. Private security, working with his brother, building something solid, something real. And me? I found mine too.
“Hey, don’t forget your tip,” Bella says, nudging a few bills toward me.
“Right,” I laugh, grabbing them.
A simple, warm, and safe life. Something I never thought I’d have.
***
Later that evening, I smooth down my dress nervously as I step out of the house I share with Noah.
“Noah?” I call.
“I’m here.”
I turn, and my breath catches. He’s leaning against the car, dressed in dark jeans and a collared shirt, sleeves rolled just enough to show his forearms.
“What?” he asks, a slow smile spreading across his face. “You like what you see?”
“Maybe,” I tease, walking closer.
His eyes drop briefly, taking me in. “Yeah,” he murmurs. “Definitely worth the wait.”
My heart does that thing again—that stupid, uncontrollable flip. “Where are we going?” I ask.
“Patience,” he says, opening the car door for me.
I roll my eyes, smiling. “Suspicious.”
“You trust me?” he asks.
I don’t hesitate. Not for a second. “Always.”
The Wharf is buzzing when we get there. Dinner is wonderful—but it’s the lights reflecting off the water, the laughter floating through the air, the distant sound of waves crashing softly against the docks that make the date memorable.
“This is beautiful,” I breathe.
“Not as beautiful as you,” Noah says easily.
I nudge him. “You’re getting cheesy.”
“Get used to it.”
We walk side by side along the boardwalk, hand in hand. “So,” I say, glancing up at him, “what’s the occasion?”
“Do I need one?”
“Yes,” I say immediately.
He chuckles. “Can’t I just take my girl out?”
My girl.
I bite back a smile. “You can,” I admit. “But this feels…different.”
He doesn’t answer right away.
And then he stops walking.
“Noah?” I say softly.
He drops to one knee. My entire world stops.
“Wait…” I can’t breathe.
“Cammi,” he says, his voice steady but softer than I’ve ever heard it.
I shake my head slightly, overwhelmed. “Oh my God…”
“You walked into my life when I wasn’t looking for anything,” he continues. “And somehow, you became everything.”
Tears blur my vision instantly.
“You made me believe in things I didn’t think were meant for me,” he says. “In peace. In love. In having something worth fighting for. Now that I have you, I want all of you. I don’t just want a future,” he adds quietly. “I want a future with you.”
He opens a ring box. “Marry me.”
I’m silent—for just one second. “Yes,” I choke out. “I love you. Yes, I’ll marry you.”
He exhales like he’s been holding his breath forever. He rises, then slips the ring onto my finger before pulling me against him. I laugh through tears as he lifts me slightly off the ground.
“I love you,” I whisper again.
“I love you more,” he murmurs.
Cheers erupt around us. I pull back, startled. “What…?”
That’s when I see them. “No way,” I gasp.
Millie. Wilder. Noah’s brother. His sister.
“Oh my God,” I laugh, covering my face. “You guys knew?”
“Of course, we did!” Millie yells, running toward me.
“You planned this?” I turn to Noah.
“Maybe,” he smirks.
I hit his chest lightly. “I can’t believe you!” But I’m smiling too hard to be mad.
“Come here!” Millie pulls me into a hug. “I missed you!”
“I missed you too,” I laugh.
Wilder claps Noah on the back. “About time, man.”
The night turns into a celebration—laughter, hugs, and a brighter future. As I look around at all of them—at him—I realize something. This isn’t just a new life. It’s my life.
And for the first time, I wouldn’t change a single thing.
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