Epilogue
David
One Month Later
Flipping a burger, I smile at Delilah as she shows Morgan and Nathan around our newly completed fire pit area. They’ve become extremely close over the past month, Morgan excited to have someone in town she can rely on.
I will admit, the school is a bit cliquey, but I hope to change that soon. It’s hard seeing some of my staff feel isolated, but I have to remain professional.
They come back up and Nathan joins me at the grill. “That looks great. I’ve been thinking about building something similar on the farm, but just don’t have the time.”
“I will send you the contact info for the guys who did the work. They’re great.” Nathan seems nice. Quiet, but down to earth.
Finishing off the burgers, I load the plate and carry it over to the newly purchased patio set.
Nathan sits next to Morgan. I see Delilah watching them with a thoughtful look on her face.
“How’s the farm, Nathan?” Delilah asks.
“Busy. Crops are good this year, which is nice. And Morgan fixed up my neglected veggie garden, which makes the entire property look much better.” Nathan looks at me, explaining, “It’s been a rough few seasons and my farm has taken a hit.
Since Morgan rented the suite above my barn, she’s been helping clean up the yard site. ”
“It can’t be easy to maintain everything on your own.” I don’t know much about country life or farming, but by the little bits Morgan has shared at school or when she’s visiting Delilah, I already knew the past several years had been hard on Nathan.
Delilah smiles at me as she digs into her burger. This lunch is her attempt at friend matchmaking with Nathan. She has spoken fondly of him for a while, her favorite cousin. Even though he is over a decade older than her, he was always kind and engaged when their families would get together.
“This farm has been in my family since the nineteen fifties. It will go through its cycle.” Nathan shrugs off the compliment. “How are you liking small town living?”
Exchanging a look with Delilah, I grin. “It’s okay. I’m not used to being greeted by people I’ve never met as though they know me. But coming here, reuniting with Delilah, it’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”
She flushes a little. “We had some growing pains in the beginning, but now we’ve found our stride.”
Morgan’s phone dings. When she picks it up and reads the message, she gasps.
“What’s wrong?” Nathan’s immediately on alert.
“My ex just sent me an invitation to his wedding. With my ex-best friend.” She looks furious.
“Don’t go,” Delilah suggests. “Why subject yourself to that?”
She sighs. “I know I should say no, but it feels like letting them win. Like they know they got to me. But I can’t go alone.”
“I will go with you,” Nathan offers.
She gives him a small smile. “I appreciate that, but I want them to think I’ve moved on. That I found something better, and the sting of their betrayal is completely gone. I want to rub my happiness in their faces.”
Nathan squares up to her. “Okay. I will go and we can pretend we’re together. We could start now, that way you can post on social media and make it really believable.”
“I don’t want people knowing it’s not real here though. It would be so humiliating.” Morgan looks down at her hands.
I knew she was having a hard time here, but maybe it’s more than I thought.
Nathan lifts her chin with his finger. “Okay, so only the four of us will know it’s fake. For everyone else it will be real.”
She searches his eyes before nodding. “Okay.”
That evening after they’ve gone home and Delilah and I are in bed, she rolls over to look at me. “I’m so glad you moved here and we have our second chance.”
Pulling her into my arms, I hold her close. “Me too.”
She kisses my chest. “Lunch was interesting, hey?”
Chuckling, I meet her gaze. “Was lunch a friend setup, or more?”
“Maybe a little from column a and a little from column b.” She chews on her lower lip. “Morgan is scared to open herself up to anything and I think Nathan is too shy for his own good.”
“He didn’t seem shy to me.”
She smiles. “Only because he went into protective mode. We may need to help them along the way.”
“Meddler.”
“You love it.”
“I love you,” I say, cupping the back of her head.
“I love you too.” She tilts her head back, brushing her lips over mine.
When I walked into the Thistle Creek Public Library two months ago, I never expected to find love in the stacks, but I’m so damn glad I took this job and took the leap of faith that Delilah might have a place in my life.
She’s my forever.
* * *
I never expected to be locked in the library after hours, let alone with my ex.
He’s the one that got away, and now he’s telling me things are different and that he’s here to stay.
Is this about to be the most awkward night ever? Or am I going to find love in the stacks as we get our second chance?