EPILOGUE
ANNALISE
One year later
Sebastian and I came to the cabin before Mom, Dad, and Walker. We wanted some time to ourselves and need to complete the finishing touches on getting the downstairs bedroom converted for Mom and Dad, and the small little room we haven’t used in forever cleaned and a bed set up for Walker.
When we made this year’s Christmas plans and told Walker we’d be coming up early, he full-body shuttered.
We’ve never talked about how he found Sebastian and me last year, and I have no desire to relive the experience.
He’s learned to knock before entering any room we’re in together.
It’s kind of funny at times. We’ll be in the kitchen at my parents’ while everyone is at the table, and he’ll announce his presence before turning the corner.
We’ve finally finished everything we needed to do and are curled up on the couch in front of the fire with a Christmas classic on.
I’m tucked into Sebastian’s side, his arm around my shoulders as I play with his fingers.
I’m hardly paying attention to the movie, my brain too focused on what I brought with me on this trip.
We’re barely into it when Sebastian pauses the movie and asks, “What’s wrong, baby?”
I look at him over my shoulder and force a smile. “What do you mean?”
His thumb massages the space between my brows, which I must have subconsciously furrowed.
“You’re not repeating the lines to yourself, so you’re obviously not paying attention, which means something else is occupying your attention.”
“It’s nothing,” I say, reaching for the remote to play the movie.
He knocks it out of the way and grabs my wrist, bringing it to his mouth and placing a soft kiss on my pulse point.
Sebastian is big on physical touch as a love language, both in giving and receiving.
He’s always touching me in some way, either pulling him into his side and holding me, gently running a finger over my skin as he passes me, or stopping to place soft kisses on my shoulder, head, or lips.
Every time it seems to calm me. If I’m feeling overwhelmed, all I need is for Sebastian to wrap me in his arms and to take a few breaths and I can get my head on straight.
I’m not sure why I’m so worried right now. Maybe it’s the pressure of societal norms, but you know what, fuck those because I’m not going to let those have me losing any more time with Sebastian. We’ve waited far too long to get to where we are, I’m not wasting any more.
I slowly slip out of his arms and off the couch, his look of confusion having me bite my lip as I dig through my bag. Finding what I’m looking for, I close my fist around it and pull it out, holding my hand behind my back as I take my time getting back to the couch to try to figure out what to say.
I’ve run through ways to say this a hundred times in my head before today, but for some reason, none of them feel right. Sitting on the edge of the cushion, I face Sebastian.
“Everything okay?” he asks, worry coating his voice.
I nod. “Yup. More than okay.”
He sits taller, draping his arm across the back of the couch, his fingers, delicately dancing up and down my arm. The action has me smiling.
“Last year when I came up here, I thought I’d be spending a solo trip here.
Then you showed up, and even though I didn’t want you here when I first opened that door”—we both chuckle—“I’m glad you showed up.
This last year has been more than I could have dreamt.
” I bite my lip as I pull my hand out from behind my back.
“I know this is usually done the other way around, but you’ve done all the big gestures, and I want you to know I’m as in this as you.
” I open the small black box I’m holding and expose the gold band sitting inside.
“Are you?” he asks, his eyes bouncing between the ring and my face.
I nod. “Yes. I’m asking if you, Sebastian Hayes, will marry me.”
He grips my face, and his lips immediately find mine. His kiss is consuming, lighting up my entire being. My hands find his hair, gripping it as I kiss him back. I let him take control, dictating the speed and allowing his tongue to sweep through my mouth.
When I’m out of breath, I pull back, a smile on my lips. “Is that a yes?”
He pecks my lips again. “That’s a yes in every language known to man.”
I laugh at his eagerness and pull the band from the box, slipping it on his finger. He picks up my left hand, his thumb brushing over my ring finger.
“This spot seems awfully empty,” he muses.
“That’s okay,” I say, and he shakes his head, pushing off the couch. I watch him head into our room, returning a couple minutes later, a grin lighting up his face.
“You beat me to it, but I’m glad,” he says as he holds out his hand, a ring pinched between two fingers. It’s breathtaking. He takes my left hand and slowly slips the ring in place.
“I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you, Annalise Reid.”
“I think I prefer the sound of Annalise Hayes.”
I didn’t think his grin could be any bigger, but somehow, it grows.
“I think you’re right. Annalise Hayes has a better ring to it.”
I lean forward and kiss him before he slides back into his spot beside me, pulling me into his side.
I don’t think either of us pay attention when he presses play, both twisting the other's ring as we stare at them. It’s amazing that one old cabin and a snowstorm threw me together with the love of my life and into a future I could only dream of.