Sage’s Epilogue
Sage's Epilogue
One Year Later
“Oooh, baby girl, look at this place! It’s snazzy as hell,” Devlin twirls in place, admiring the surf-inspired woodwork hanging on the wall. He points at it and gives me a knowing look over his shoulder. “I see you pimping your man’s work. Don’t think I didn’t notice.”
I laugh and wrestle with a large, oversized box. In the last year, I’ve finished the refurb. Not alone, and definitely not under the sole advisement of internet experts.
But now that Griffin and I have finished transforming his office into mine—complete with bespoke bookshelves for all the spicy audiobook narration I’ve been booked to record—it’s time to pass the house on to the next O’Donnell daughter who needs a soft landing.
My sister Rosemary huffs out a breath as she wheels a black leather gaming chair in through the door. “You’re supposed to be helping, Devlin.”
“I am helping, honey. You didn’t call me over to lift heavy shit, did you? Because, babes, I just got my nails done.”
“Watch out, Dev, coming through!” Griffin grunts and shuffles in backward through the door. Between him and Dad, they’re balancing his latest creation and navigating the doorway.
“Up a little. To the right,” Dad commands and Griffin follows. “She wanted it along that wall.”
“Can’t believe I get to work on a Griffin Owens original.” Rosemary claps her hands with glee. “Do you know how much these go for?”
“Work? Sis, people pay to watch you play games on the internet. How is that work?” Devlin bats his eyelashes at her.
Rosemary snorts. “It’s just as much work as it is getting all made up and working the clubs, okay?”
Devlin roars with laughter. “Okay, honey. I got you.”
Dad and Griffin get the table in the right spot, then Dad straightens up with his hands braced on his lower back. Twisting this way and that, he eyes Griffin up. “You couldn’t pick a lighter medium to work with, could you, Griff?”
Griffin laughs. “Think maybe you need to exercise more, bud.”
“That’s it, right?” Mom comes through the door and sweeps a glance through the entire room as if double-checking nothing’s been missed.
“Alright, I’ve already paid the movers and, I think, that means we’ve got enough time to get ready and make our dinner reservation.
You made that reservation, right, Juni? Juni? Juniper!”
“What? Yeah, I did it already. Jeez.” My youngest sister looks up from her phone and pulls her earbud out of her ear.
Mom rolls her eyes and points at me. “And showtime’s at seven, right, Sage?”
I nod. Then, all of a sudden, as I look around the room and see my whole family crowding into the vibrant, opened-up space I worked so hard to make a reality, I feel oddly choked up.
Across the room, Devlin pouts in my direction and mouths, See, baby girl, you did it!
And I did. I rebuilt my house—and my life. This time, with Griffin who comes up to tuck me into the crook of his arm.
Blinking rapidly, I try to clear the emotion from my eyes when he calls for everyone’s attention.
“As you all know, it’s Sage’s directorial debut tonight on the SBU Main Stage.
” Griffin’s voice glows with pride. “And since we’re all together now, and later, there’ll be the cast party hosted by the one and only Miss Dottie Tees,” —he gestures to Devlin, who waves his hand in a stahp it motion— “I really couldn’t think of a better time to do this. ”
Griffin takes both my hands in his and drops down on one knee.
“Ohmygod,” Rosemary whispers, covering her mouth with one hand. “Juni, it’s happening.”
“Sage, I never thought I’d meet the love of my life because she ran out into the middle of the street.”
My laugh comes out choked and my vision goes watery as he pulls out a simple silver ring topped with the bluest of sapphires.
“But you barreled into my life, and no matter how many times I tried to swerve around you, I couldn’t stop my heart from colliding with yours.
I’m crazy about you. I have been from the moment we met.
And if there’s one dream in my life I’ve yet to make a reality, it’s making you my wife.
So, please, Sage. Do me the honor. Will you marry me? ”
“Oh my god, of course I will.” My hands tremble as he slides the ring over my finger. And as I lean down to press my lips to his, all I hear is applause.
Thank you so much for reading Sage and Griffin's love story!