54. Epilogue
Epilogue
Seven weeks later, Lachlan and Violet sat at Lachlan's parents’ dining table in a room with a wall of windows that looked out to a calm, sunny sea. Spotted white seals frolicked on shallowed islands, basking in the warm summer's sun. Alex and Drew sat across from Orlagh, Violet, and Lachlan. His parents sat at the ends of the table. They'd just finished brunch. It had become a regular thing on Sundays, and usually, they were all present. Alex had missed a couple of times as he was on the special forces with the police and couldn't always get away.
According to the doctors, Orlagh had made a miraculous recovery. She'd come out of the hospital a couple of days after she'd awoken from her coma and improved quickly. Thankfully, she had no ill effects after her ordeal. Instead, it seemed to be the impetus to live life to the fullest. She was planning to go back to university in the hopes of getting her master's and then perhaps even a doctorate in psychology. Violet loved the sentiment as she very much believed that life was short, and you had to make the most of it.
"Right, well, I believe V and I did the clean up last time, so ye all are on yer own," Lachlan said as he stood from the table, taking Violet's hand in his.
His siblings groaned behind them.
Lachlan led them out the back garden door and down the path a little way to an old wood bench that overlooked the small harbour behind his parents' home. It had become one of Violet's favourite spots over the past few weeks. They sat in companionable silence, and Violet closed her eyes, letting the sun warm her face as seagulls' calls filled the warm, salty sea air. She never dreamed that her life could be so perfect.
Ever since that first drunken night together, Violet had stayed over at Lachlan's. A couple weeks back, she'd given her notice to her landlord that she was moving from her cottage. She adored the little place, but she was barely there anymore. She and Lachlan agreed it was silly to hang onto it. Sally put her head in Violet's lap. They always brought Sally for brunch at his parents’ since they also had a couple of Irish wolfhounds. The three dogs would run and play together.
"She doesnae seem to want to leave your side lately," Lachlan commented as Violet stroked Sally's head.
"Animals are very intuitive," she said.
Lachlan raised a brow, and Violet took a fortifying breath, her heart beating nervously. She had to tell him—the time had come. "I suspect Sally knows that there's a baby growing in my belly.” Lachlan's brow furrowed, and she struggled to gauge his reaction. "I'm pregnant," she whispered.
His eyes grew wide as understanding dawned, and then his warm laugh rippled through her as he dropped to his knees in front of her, putting his hands on her still flat belly. She had noticed that her pants felt a little tighter as of late. She found herself popping the top button of her jeans more often than not, but she wasn't officially showing yet. Violet ran a hand through Lachlan's hair. How she adored him. Nothing made her happier than knowing their baby was growing inside her—and that the man before her seemed over the moon.
"Och, we're going to huv a wee one?" he said as if he could hardly believe it possible.
"Mmhmm." She nodded.
"Does anyone else ken? Aside from Sally." He ruffled her ears.
“Well, Orlagh guessed it last week. I didn't even know then, though. Your sister is freakishly intuitive." She smiled.
Lachlan nodded in agreement. "Aye, I ken it. Now I ken why she kept giving ye those doughy-eyed looks during brunch today. I wondered what the secret was.”
"I wanted you to be the first to know, but Orlagh had me pegged. Are you happy about it?" Violet asked, biting her lip and suddenly feeling a bit nervous. Everything was happening quickly, they hadn't even talked about marriage, never mind having kids.
"Aye, I'm ecstatic, maybe a little shocked. But I'm so damn in love with ye, I cannae imagine anything better than huving a baby with ye. Our baby.”
Violet felt a tear slide down her cheek as a breeze rustled the long blades of grass around them. When she looked at Lachlan again, still on his knee in front of her, he was holding out a diamond ring to her, and her eyes jumped to his as her pulse quickened.
“I suppose it’s good timing. Will ye marry me, V?” He threw her an imperfectly perfect, impossible-to-resist, crooked smile.
"I— How did you know?" Violet had planned on telling Lachlan about being pregnant today, but he hadn't known, had he? "Did Orlagh tell you?”
Lachlan chuckled. "No, I didnae ken. I ken I wanted to ask ye, and when they phoned me yesterday from the jewellers to say the ring had arrived from Edinburgh, I decided to ask ye here. I ken ye love this spot.”
"I do love this spot." She touched his face.
"My knee is getting wet down here, love. Tell me yer going to marry me."
Violet nodded. “Nothing in this world would make me happier than to be your wife. Yes, of course, I’ll marry you!”
Lachlan scooped her up in his arms and gave her a very thorough, seal-the-deal kiss. She grew breathless as his tongue swiped against hers hungrily. She’d never tire of his kisses.
"Christ, leave those two alone for a minute, and they're going at it like rabbits in the springtime.”
"Drew, dinnae be rude." Lachlan's mam scolded her youngest son.
Violet pulled her lips from Lachlan's, realizing they had an audience.
She didn't think she'd ever seen a sight that warmed her heart more. The entire Mackenzie Clan stood there watching them with grins on their faces.
"Did ye tell him about the baby?" Orlagh said excitedly.
"Baby?" Alex, Drew, and Lachlan's Dad, Allan, said in unison.
"I thought they were jus' gettin' engaged," Lachlan's dad added, looking confused.
Diane elbowed him, a silent indication to zip it, and she came over with open arms as the first to congratulate them.
Lachlan felt unreasonably nervous as he stood scanning the familiar faces seated watching him from where he stood in the beautiful, manicured gardens of the distillery. It was coming up to fall now, and the gardens were lush with blooms. It pleased him that Violet's family could be here for the wedding. He could see how happy she was to have them, especially her younger sisters.
It had been five weeks since they'd gotten engaged and he'd found out about their baby. He loved seeing Violet with a little growing bump in her belly. He'd never really thought about becoming a dad, but now that their baby was growing in its momma's belly, making her glow even more beautiful than before, it was all he could think about. He couldn't wait to hold their little one in his arms, to watch him or her grow. They loved their families, but they were both excited to start their own little family.
Lachlan's heart thudded in his chest when he caught sight of his bride at the end of the isle. Her gown was white lace, and she wore her hair up with loose tendrils falling against the smooth skin of her neck. She looked every bit the angel he knew that she was. She had to be an angel because she'd changed his life so profoundly. She truly made everything better, and he couldn't wait to spend the rest of his life with her. Everything felt perfect—beyond perfect.
The ceremony ended, and he thoroughly kissed his new wife so she wouldn't soon forget that she was his. There were hoots and hollers, cheers and whoops from their guests, but Lachlan didn't care. All he cared about was the woman in his arms. When he finally managed to tear his mouth from hers, she looked at him with hazy, lust-filled, mossy green eyes.
"I think I might need a private tour of the cask cellar before the reception starts," she whispered.
"Aye." He grinned.