Epilogue
A week later:
Ally stepped aside from Chip’s front door and made room for her dad with his arms wrapped around her last box of art supplies. Her mother trailed behind carrying the small rack Ally used to house some of her paints, this final parade past signifying that, as of now, Ally was all moved into Chip’s place in Harlow.
On the driveway, Chip slammed the tray of her dad’s pickup shut and his gaze caught hers in confirmation. She was his. All his.
His every step toward her picked up pace now, his smile growing until he wrapped her in his arms and swung her around, raining countless, quick kisses about her face. “You’re mine now.”
She laughed at the cartoonist voice he used. Laughed at the euphoric truth in his words. She was his. And he was hers. No more distance to separate them. No more family pressures to keep them apart.
“Well”—her dad’s heavy footsteps preceded his voice—“that’s us done.”
He strolled over and clapped Chip on the shoulder, the strain over his cheeks denoting sadness while the light in his eyes held pride. His little girl had grown up. She’d moved on. And with a guy her parents had loved almost as long as they’d loved her.
“Happy unpacking, Ally Bear.” Her mom drew in and caught Ally in a hug. “And don’t you two get into any more trouble, okay?”
She slid back, her gaze bouncing between Ally and Chip, her face exuding the same forlorn happiness as Ally’s dad. Though Ally had no plans for problems with Chip, avoiding the Syndicate’s notice wasn’t so guaranteed.
Ramos had already intercepted whispers on the Syndicate’s main player, Rudolph Manzinni, repealing his past hands-off approach when it came to Harlow. Mark had gone into hiding, perhaps overseas, the chance of him still seeking revenge not over yet. All while multiple government agencies worked to intercept any and all Syndicate plans.
Chip drew in and hugged Ally’s mom. “See you Sunday?”
Her mom stepped back and leveled a wink. “You betcha. It’ll be just like old times.”
While her mom wandered outside, her dad doled out one last embrace to Ally and then followed suit, her dad’s truck soon rumbling out the drive, leaving Ally and Chip to start their new life in this house. Together.
Chip pushed the front door closed and then pulled Ally in for a long embrace, one that took stock of this new reality, the house indeed seeming to hold a reverent quiet.
“You sure we can fend for ourselves?” She smiled up at him, loving the strength his body imbued in her moment of uncertainty.
“We’ll do better than that.” His hand snaked around her bare waist from under her cropped pink halter top, and he pressed a line of kisses down the side of her neck. “We’re destined for greatness, Ally Bear.”
She laughed at his use of her mom’s pet name for her, as well as one other thing. “Destined, huh?” She leaned back and raised a brow. “I thought you said you don’t believe in karma, fate, or voodoo?”
“Oh, I still don’t, but”—he dropped another kiss to her lips, then pulled away, his tug at her hand taking her with him—“if there were such a thing, you and I are most definitely fated for each other.”
“And greatness. Don’t forget, we’re destined for greatness.” She found herself nearly out of breath as he pulled her through the living room and into the kitchen.
“Starting now, in fact.” He picked her up, garnering a light squeal from her as he sat her on the countertop, the height and cold white marble a shock. “I have to ask you something, first.”
Her heartbeat lifted to a fast drum, but she bit her lower lip, withholding questions she struggled to voice, anyway.
“I want to make all your dreams come true.” His gaze searched hers, his open expression hinting vulnerability while his eyes still held a cheerful light. “You know that, right?”
Her mouth ran momentarily dry, but she nodded and answered, “Is that the question?”
He let loose with a chuckle and shook his head. “No. But if you lean back ever so slightly and rummage through that fruit bowl over there, you might just find what I’m referring to. Something that belongs to you.”
She narrowed her eyes, and her pulse rose to a loud rumble. Her muscles felt heavy and slack, prompting her to stall any action.
Something small enough to fit in a fruit bowl?
Something meant for her?
Not a ring .
I’m not quite ready for a ring!
Her jaw sprung open, and his stare latched to her reaction, the need to escape his notice her motivation to lean back and do as told.
She dug through the wicker bowl, fingers brushing over smooth banana skins and bumpier oranges. A green apple jumped the bowl’s edge and hit the counter; she squealed again, scrambling to catch the rolling fruit.
Meanwhile, Chip’s lips met her bare tummy, the tender gesture and arousing warm sensation forcing her to stifle a groan. “There’s nothing here.”
His tongue grazed her belly button, damn near melting her into the white stone beneath her. “Keep looking.”
“You’re not helping, you know.”
His breath tickled her skin through his chuckle, her desperation rising until she took to tossing the fruit out one-by-one, the basket eighty-percent empty before a red envelope lay apparent along the bottom.
Catching the envelope and tapping it to Chip’s chest in lighthearted retaliation, she worked out a heavy sigh, followed by a shaky laugh. “Oh, thank goodness. I thought you were trying to propose.”
“Wow, don’t sound so relieved.” He narrowed his gaze on her. “Besides, you haven’t opened your gift yet. Maybe I still am.”
His attention fell to the envelope in her hand, and hers followed suit, her tummy hardening at his warning. Still, she worked a finger under the envelope’s top flap, flicking her gaze up to Chip’s expectant stare before prying the contents loose.
“What?” Her heart strained, and tears pricked the lower edge of her eyes. “What is this?”
He jutted his chin to the two pieces of paper in her hand. “What does it say?”
“Prague Vaclav Havel International Airport.” Her breath hitched, and she clapped a hand over her mouth. “Chip, I’m going to Prague?”
His eyes glittered along with his smile, and he gave a silent nod. “Hopefully, you’ll take me with you.”
She laughed and sobbed in one rickety sound and threw her arms around him, her tears quick to splash down her cheeks. “This means everything to me. Thank you. Of course, you’re coming.”
She clung to him with all her strength, her chest heaving, her joy so sky-high, he could have asked her to marry him now and she’d say, “Yes. A thousand times, yes.”
She leaned back and swiped at the wetness on her cheeks, sniffing back another need to cry. “How did you pay for this?”
She lifted her gaze to him, her heart heavy because she didn’t want to hear he’d made a huge financial sacrifice to help her realize this dream.
Though the drama with Mark Farro had churned unexpected interest in Stonewall, no deal had been settled yet. In fact, while Chip remained in Harlow building his idea, he had a business advisor juggling deals between tech firms in Minneapolis and Toronto.
His work would stay closer to town, with the plan to garner investment so that Stonewall would always remain largely Chip’s company.
“Ally”—his gaze softened in a sign he had something important to say—“my dad paid.”
The weight at her heart lifted, and she pressed her hand to her chest, holding back another wave of tears. “Why? Why would he do that?”
“Because he’s sorry.” Chip shrugged, his lips rising into a big smile. “He called it a belated graduation gift, but secretly, I think he’s starting to like the effect you have on me.”
“Oh yeah?” She dipped her chin and caught his lips momentarily with hers. “And what effect is that?”
“You forced me to stand up to him. I guess that’s a sign of growing up, right?” A tight look of uncertainty took him over, and he nodded down to the tickets in her hand. “I booked for a year from now. That gives us time to settle our work stuff, but we can always change the date.”
She reached out and laid a hand to the side of his head, stroking her thumb over his soft hair. “No, this is perfect. Maybe by then, the trip will double as a honeymoon.”
She hit him with her biggest smile, reveling in his light surprised jolt, only for his face to relax into a slow look of knowing. Next, his hands found her lower back, and he pulled her forward over the countertop, stopping once she had no farther to go. “I’d like that.”
He dropped his mouth to hers, unleashing a long and sumptuous kiss, his hands sweeping under her top and higher up her back, making it clear where he wanted this to go.
She pulled her lips from him for one quick second to whisper her own heart’s desire. “Me too.”
His lips met hers again, and he lifted her off the counter, her body wrapped around him and supported in his arms. For so long, she’d wanted freedom and needed love, her lacking confidence and scattered approach keeping her away from both. But then, she’d found her childhood friend—or more precisely, he’d found her—and she’d learned all about what she loved most.
She loved Harlow. Loved her family and her tight community. She loved herself just as she was. And if all that love wasn’t enough, well, she sure as anything loved Chip Overton too. And despite all her past misadventures. All those times she’d followed her heart all the way to some other man who was not hers, each awkward failure suddenly made a whole lot more sense.
Because now, Chip Overton unequivocally loved her right back.