Epilogue
EIGHT MONTHS LATER
Irolled over, and rebounded off Eliza for the third time that week.
I was still getting used to permanently sleeping in the same bed as her.
Still surprised that another warm body was lying next to me.
But it was something I was thrilled about.
Two weeks in, and the novelty of waking up next to her hadn’t worn off.
“Did you just smack your nose again?”
I smiled as Eliza rolled over, her face adorably creased with sleep.
“Uh-huh.”
“You really need to get used to the fact we live together.”
“I do. But you’re the first person I’ve ever lived with. It’s only been two weeks. My body needs time to adjust to its new circumstances. Plus, I’m on Highland time now.”
Eliza rolled her eyes, then pressed her warm lips to mine. She smelled delicious: freshly baked.
“Are you ready for the circus that’s coming to town today?”
I scrunched my eyes shut and wrapped myself around her like a koala. I hadn’t looked outside yet, but I already knew the snow would still be piled high in our garden and beyond.
“No,” I whispered.
Today was a big day for Voss Watches. Roka was arriving with Sasha for a spot of PR. It was also Fiona’s last day, and we were throwing a big party to celebrate her. As soon as she installed Eliza, and I told her I was moving here, she informed us she was going to retire.
“It’s time, hen. But I’ll still be around, don’t you worry. The company is in safe hands with you, Eliza, and Ronnie.”
“You think anybody would notice if we don’t turn up?” I asked. “Maybe we could become invisible, like the people who used to live here when we were kids?”
Eliza grinned, then kissed me again. “I forgot about them.” She looked wistful. “Do you think they actually were ghosts? And if so, are they still here?”
I frowned. “I’ve had enough ghosts to last me a lifetime. If they are, at least they’re not chatty like my family.” I paused. “Talking of which, did I tell you Sage is coming today?”
Eliza shook her head. “You did not.”
“Bryce couldn’t get the time off work, and Katy didn’t want to drive up on her own. Sage offered to share the driving and the childcare.”
“Is she bringing any spirits with her?”
I rolled my eyes. “Have you ever known my mother to miss a big occasion? I’ve no doubt they’ll be here. I just hope they respect the event and shut up. I’ve had enough time worrying about them. Now it’s time to trust our instincts and do what we think is right.”
I tucked a strand of hair behind Eliza’s ear and stared at her beautiful face. She was all mine. Sometimes, I couldn’t quite believe I got so lucky. What I’d been searching for had been right in front of me all along.
Eliza ran a hand down the side of my body, and I burrowed into her. She kissed my shoulder, then the top of my head. “I’m getting up now, because we should get going. But I’m making bacon sandwiches first. Got to keep the CEO fed so she can perform today.”
I groaned and rolled onto my back.
It was still lonely at the top, but at least I had Eliza beside me now.
“Oh my god, I am such a fan. Thank you so much for coming, for wearing Voss watches, for your music, just for everything you do.”
When Ronnie said he was Roka’s biggest fan, I hadn’t realised he was serious. But last night in the pub, he’d told me he had all Roka’s albums in every format, including a signed gatefold that he’d paid hundreds of pounds for. Now, I was going to have to prise her hand out of his death grip.
“Okay Ronnie, let the woman have a coffee before you propose marriage.”
Ronnie glanced at me, releasing Roka reluctantly. “It’s just, I don’t think I’ll ever get over today.”
I really needed to extract Roka before she called security.
However, she’d clearly met her fair share of Ronnies.
“Before you go, let’s snap a selfie,” Roka told him. “Do you have your phone?”
She was a pro, and Ronnie almost levitated with joy.
Then Eliza and I took Roka on a tour of the factory, where she shook every hand, posed for countless photos, and said all the right things.
Once she’d spoken to the media about her upcoming single, ‘It’s About Time’, we brought her back to our reception lounge, where Sasha was waiting. Roka kissed her as soon as she saw her.
“You two are official now, I assume?” Roka asked, snaking her arm around Sasha’s waist.
I nodded, recalling that first kiss in that Brooklyn bar. Roka had been there from the start.
“Eliza bought a cottage, got a new job up here, and I moved in. We’re now Highland lesbians, and very much together.” I threaded my fingers through Eliza’s to prove the point. Nothing had ever felt so right.
Showing she was thinking the same thing, Eliza kissed my cheek.
Roka beamed our way. “It’s about time.”
It’d only taken us two decades.
“Talking of which: what time is the party tonight? I met Fiona when I arrived. How cool is that woman?”
“The party will get going after work. And yes, Fiona is the absolute best. Way cooler than her son, Ronnie, who is not normally such a fanboy,” I said.
Roka grinned. “He was fine. And if I didn’t already have a mom, I’d want Fiona to adopt me.”
I laughed. “My sister and I are already in the queue.”
Hours later, the party room at the factory complex was a mass of people all drinking, chatting and eating the delicious food prepared for us by the local deli.
Eliza had got a good deal because she was on first-name terms with the entire village.
Living with her was like living with a local celebrity.
In Goldloch, Roka’s star was totally eclipsed.
I grabbed a flute of champagne from a passing tray, and walked up behind Eliza, who was chatting to Margot and Max. They were staying at the pub, but were due for dinner at Loch Cottage tomorrow night. Our first dinner guests as a couple.
“Great turnout. You must treat your staff very well. Everyone seems happy.” Max gave the room an appreciative glance.
“You should take a leaf out of our books, Dad,” Eliza told him, with a wink.
He rolled his eyes, but smiled. “That’s up to Alicia now. I told you I promoted her and she’s in interim charge? She’s doing a good job, too. Soon, my life won’t be appeasing staff. It’ll be whisking my future wife on exciting adventures and working on my golf handicap.”
Eliza shot me a look, and my gaze went to Margot’s ring finger. Sure enough, there was a large rock on it.
“When did this happen?” I pulled Margot into a bruising hug, and she looked the most bashful I’d ever seen her.
“Last week. We didn’t want to make a fuss to upstage your big party and Roka being here. But Max has brought some vintage champagne up with us, so perhaps we could pop it tomorrow night?”
This softer, more vulnerable version of Margot was going to take some getting used to, but I was here for it.
I reached over and shook Max’s hand. “Congratulations. Do we need the traditional ‘treat my aunt well or else’ conversation?”
Max laughed, his smile accompanied by a certain sparkle. He was a catch, and no mistake. Just like his daughter. “She’s already given me her minimum expectations of a husband. I’ve promised to study them well.”
Eliza hugged them both. “So long as you don’t want me to be a bridesmaid, I’m delighted for you.”
Katy and Sage walked over with champagne in their hands, and we told them the news. I’d never seen Katy look so stunned.
“The woman who told me marriage was a patriarchal trap is getting married?” Katy shook her head. “I have to hand it to you, Max. You must have some sweet-talk to turn Margot’s head.”
Sage clinked my glass with her own. “Are you settled in okay? What a gorgeous place to live. Katy pointed out your cottage on the lake when we drove in, too. Quite a change from Hackney.”
“Polar opposite. But sometimes, change is good, right?”
Sage gave me her wise nod. “Change is inevitable.”
“I have to ask,” I said, lowering my voice to a whisper. “Is there anyone else here tonight?”
She gave me a knowing smile. “They’re always here, Poppy. But I think you’re more settled now, which means they are, too.” She squeezed my arm. “You’ve got this. You can do this from here. They’re always here if you need them.”
At the allotted time, Eliza and I got up on stage. She tapped the microphone, and eventually, the crowd hushed.
“Thanks everyone for coming. I know having free food and drink makes it a real draw, but I hope most of you are here to wish Fiona good luck in her retirement. I, for one, want to say this place won’t be the same without her. Where are you, Fiona? Come on up.”
Fiona bounded onto the stage, waving like she’d just won the lottery.
Eliza hugged her before continuing. “Goldloch has truly changed my life. I first came here as a kid with the Voss family for summer holidays, and I loved it then. Mistakenly, I thought you had to be Scottish to live here. But since moving in, I can honestly say you’ve all made the transition seamless.
I sold it to Poppy by saying we could see how it goes, but I think I’m here for life. ”
A huge cheer went up from the crowd. Eliza gave me a cheeky wink.
“Thank you to Fiona for being my mentor.” Eliza turned to me. “And to our CEO, Poppy, for showing me true courage and grace under pressure. And for knowing that even though this was not part of the plan, sometimes taking the road less travelled is where the adventure is.”
She passed the microphone to me, and I hugged her.
“You’re too good,” I whispered in her ear, before taking a deep breath.
Eliza was more the public speaker. My heart thumped in my chest as I looked out at the sea of people.
Most of them worked for me. It was a lot of responsibility.
But it was also something I was going to give my all.
I spotted Sage in the front, hand to heart. She gave me an encouraging smile.
She was right. I could do this.
“Exactly one year ago I persuaded my Aunt Margot to give me a chance to run the company. I had no idea what I was getting into, and honestly, if I had, I might have run for the hills. Now it turns out, by moving here, I have run for the hills, but this time in a positive way.”
Laughter rippled through the crowd. Fiona gave me an encouraging smile.
I took a deep breath and carried on.
“I never wanted to run the company when I was a kid, but I always loved it here. When Mum died, the world went a bit grey, but moving here, the colour is starting to flood back.
“Now Voss Watches is a globally recognised brand thanks in no small part to our collaboration with an international pop star — take a bow, Roka! — and also thanks to Eliza Carpenter. I could not have done any of this without her. She’s been my touchstone, my mentor, my sounding board, my shoulder to cry on.
But as much as she’s been one hell of a business partner, she’s also proved to be one hell of a life partner, too.
” I turned to her. “Eliza, I love you. Thanks for suggesting we move home.”
The crowd went crazy for that one.
“Finally, to Fiona, the beating heart of Voss for so many years. Thank you for it all, and I hope you know I have you on speed dial in my phone.”
Fiona grinned, then made a heart shape with her fingers.
“You will always be welcome back here,” I told her. “You are Voss.” I turned back to the crowd. “Thank you to each and every one of you for making this company what it is. I look forward to getting to know you all over the next few months.”
Only when I put down the microphone did I realise my hand was shaking. I took a deep breath and glanced towards Eliza. She walked up, a rueful smile on her beautiful face.
“Took you months to tell me you loved me, now you’re announcing it to huge crowds?”
I grinned. “Is that okay?”
“More than okay,” she replied.
After the party, we walked home. The paths were clear of snow, and the moonlight sliced the loch like a silver knife.
The evening couldn’t have gone off any better.
We’d presented Fiona with an all-expenses trip to Switzerland as her retirement gift, along with a fat bonus to spend while she was there.
The band had played, everyone danced, and now we were tired and it was just gone midnight.
However, having swerved all but a couple of drinks all night, I wanted a whisky in the moonlight in front of an open fire.
Eliza got it going, while I fixed our drinks.
Half an hour later, warmth circled the room.
“When we were kids, my dream was to live here and have hot chocolate in front of a fire while it snowed outside.” I smiled at the memory.
“Nearly right. We swapped hot chocolate for whisky.” Eliza smiled, then took a sip of her drink. “Can you believe Margot and Dad’s news? I didn’t see that coming.”
I shook my head. “Nobody did. Are you okay that our families are going to be connected?”
“We kinda already are.” She cleared her throat. “Actually, I’m a bit miffed.”
I frowned. “Why?”
“Because if anybody was going to propose to a Voss woman, I wanted to get there first. Dad kinda stole my thunder.”
I tried to untangle her words. Was she saying what I thought she was saying?
Eliza put down her whisky glass, then took my hand. Before I knew what was happening, she dropped to one knee.
My breath caught in my throat.
This was actually happening.
Oh my fucking god.
“Poppy Frances Voss. You make me very happy, and I know now that you’re my soulmate. We got here the long way, but we made it. I bought our cottage, and I want to live in it together. Which means it only seems right to ask: will you marry me?”
For a moment, the world went absolutely still. The fire held its breath, while outside, the moonlight froze. My heart thumped so hard I was certain it would wake the entire town, but somehow I managed to find my voice.
“Yes,” I whispered. Then louder: “Yes, you brilliant, ridiculous woman. Of course, yes.”
Eliza’s face broke into the most radiant smile I’d ever seen as she stood.
“This was a spur of the moment thing, so I don’t have a ring—”
I launched myself into her arms and stopped her words with a hot kiss. Our first as a newly engaged couple, but definitely not our last.
We held each other tight, swaying slightly as the fire crackled back to life, and I could feel her laughing against my neck. This woman who’d smoothed out the corners of my chaotic life, who’d shown me what home really meant, who’d just given me everything I never knew I wanted.
She pulled back and looked at me, shaking her head. “You are the biggest surprise of my life, you know that?”
“In a good way?” I asked, head tilted.
“In the best possible way.”
THE END