Epilogue
ONE MONTH LATER
HALEY
“Knock, knock,” I said as I opened the door to Booker and Aubree’s house.
They expected me about this time of day as after my classes, I stopped by and took care of little Josette, named after Booker’s maternal great-grandmother, to give him a breather.
Ethan would be meeting me here in just a little while.
Aubree and Booker had offered us dinner, and I never turned down a meal.
“There she is,” I murmured as I entered Booker’s office, bent down and picked her up from the bottom of the playpen.
Booker looked over his shoulder and smiled. “Hey there, Haley. How you doin’, girl?”
“Dandy. How has little Josie been all day?”
“A little angel,” he said beaming.
“I have no doubt,” I cooed, then addressed the baby. “Does she want to go for a walk?” She gave me a huge smile. “Oh, I think she does.”
“How’s the law thing going.” He swiveled fully around in his chair. His intense blue eyes watching his happy daughter.
“I’m loving it. I knew I would.”
He rose and sent his hand over her little head, totally engulfing her full head of red hair. “Good, I’m going to hire you as my attorney as soon as you graduate and take the bar. I need a good one.”
“We’ll keep all of your business in the family. How’s the book coming?”
“Words flowing, screen filling. It’s all good.”
“Excellent. I’ll take her downstairs for a bit.
” I squeezed his shoulder, he reminded me so much of Brax, but different.
It was always so strange because they looked identical.
But Booker smiled more often and he always had this twinkle in his eye like he had a private joke he was always laughing at.
I really liked it as much as I loved Brax’s brusqueness and Boone’s mischievous slyness, like he was always plotting something chaotic and hilarious. “Mind if I go for a walk with her?”
“Nope, you know where everything is. Aubree will be home in an hour, and we’ll get dinner started.”
“Sounds good. See you in a bit.”
Downstairs, I got lost in my thoughts and stood at the window, enjoying the sights of the city I’d fallen for almost as much as I had for Suttontowne.
“Hey, babe,” Ethan said as he kissed the back of my neck. Then kissed Josette’s forehead. “How are you doing?”
“Good. How was your day?”
“I think I am officially a small-town deputy. I got a kitten out of a tree. Beat out the fire department boys and didn’t even need a ladder.”
I chuckled. “Oh, my God, I’m sure there’s got to be a medal coming your way.”
He slapped my butt. “Sassbucket.”
“Just living up to my promise. Speaking of promises. We need to discuss the details of the wedding.”
“Yeah, yeah, babe. Tomorrow. We’ll have the whole weekend.”
I turned to him with the baby in my arms. “I found a house I’d like you to look at. How about we do that tomorrow, too?”
“A house. That sounds good. Where?”
“Not far from Outlaws and it has this old barn in the back that would make an excellent office for me. I was looking in town, but would like to be closer to Brax. What do you think? It’s sorta a fixer-upper.”
He gave me a wide grin. “Ah, you thinking of using my services, beautiful?”
“I’m always thinking about using your services, handsome.”
He kissed me, and I got the stroller out and set Josette inside. “Want to go for a walk with me?”
“Sounds great.”
He wrapped his arm around me as we walked, and I had to agree. It was great.
TWO MONTHS LATER
ETHAN
I was used to Haley knowing exactly what she wanted, so when we drove over to the house that had caught her eye, I was completely on board.
I loved working with my hands. The foundation was in excellent shape, but this Victorian revival, nestled in moss draped oaks, in my opinion, had to be gutted.
Haley was okay with that if we kept the historic details.
Before I knew it, we were purchasing it.
Since we paid in cash, it was just a matter of getting the deed.
We started on renovations the next day and worked steadily.
I hired out a lot of the sub-contracting, plumbing, electrical, and drywalling, but was excited about using a lot of the reclaimed wood I had saved from the church pews.
Haley loved the idea. I cut and did my own version of a peg and wood floor in the downstairs mixing it in with some matched cypress with enough left over to do her barn floor as well.
That structure was in better shape than the house, but we redid the outside to mimic the gables on the house, built a New Orleans inspired courtyard and a pool along with a great outdoor space that Boone so rocked with his creative talent.
By the time Jake and Sky’s wedding rolled around, we were almost ready to move in. I had gone there after work to do the final installation of the gable accents when Haley drove up. She stepped out of the car and trailing behind her was the cutest black lab.
I came off the porch and kissed her mouth. “What did you do?”
“Well, he needed a home, and I so love dogs. But when I was on the run, I couldn’t keep one. But now, I can buy whatever I want. I’m so home.” She bent down and picked him up. “I think he will be a great addition to our family. His name is Otis.”
I reached out and took him, his body warm, his fur soft. He licked my face and that was the end of that.
She looked at her watch. “We have the rehearsal dinner in about an hour. We’d better get going, take a shower and change. I can’t believe the day is finally here.”
I nodded. “You had a hand in making it something special. Sky was blown away with the table decorations.”
“I was happy to do it. I love those women like the sisters I never had. Speaking of that, they invited us over for dinner as soon as they get back from their honeymoon.”
The church rehearsal was a piece of cake as I was already in Chase’s wedding as an usher.
I knew what to do and when to do it. Brax did the food and it was great.
The next day dawned bright and beautiful.
Sky looked amazing in her dress and kicky cowboy boots.
Haley sighed through the whole thing, especially when Jake and Sky said their vows.
I couldn’t wait until it was Haley and I tying the knot.
The next day, after church, everyone, including Jake and Sky helped us move into the finished house.
Samantha’s cake was a hit, even with Brax.
It was a crazy day of activity, but at the end of it we all gathered in the back yard.
I had strung up twinkly white lights because Haley had mentioned that would be nice.
Brax took over the barbecuing and we were happy to oblige him.
I looked around. All of us had moved on and were now married or about to be. Booker and Aubree and their little girl, Josette, his success more than he had imagined and Aubree starting on her med school journey.
Boone and Verity both thriving in their business and their family with their four children. I was so proud of my baby sister that she had made something out of the hardship and uncertainty of her unplanned pregnancy, but her deep love for Boone had won out.
Then Brax and River. Where to start? She had taken what she wanted and that was her art and her tempestuous relationship with one of the most notorious skirt-chasers in this town.
Chase, the recluse, finding Samantha in her historically steeped restaurant, Imogene’s and from the ashes of her family’s loss, they had come out of the shadows to love and make a life together. She was pregnant and my best friend was going to be a daddy. I was very happy for him.
Jake and Sky, newly married, wholly in love, constantly touching, gazing into each other’s eyes as if they couldn’t get enough of each other. Jake was a different man, mellowed and reconciled with his family and his brother. He and Sky were building their own family legacy.
I looked over at Haley who was talking animatedly to Brax.
Most likely all about her plans for his businesses.
She was now managing everything, Boone and Verity, River, Evie’s antique shop and all Brax’s projects while she was taking a heavy load in law school.
She was naming it Huckleberry Enterprises.
She was vibrant, strong, and happy, and I was the luckiest man alive.
I had started off sheltering Lawson and was now loving Haley.
Through her courage, I had discovered my own and we were taking steps to join our lives.
She walked over to me and slipped her arm around my waist. “It doesn’t get any better than this, Ethan.”
I smiled, pulling a small box out of my pocket.
“I have been waiting to give this back to you.
Waiting until we were settled. I gave her the box, and she looked up at me with shining eyes.
When she opened it. Her eyes went moist as tears slipped down her cheeks.
“Oh, Ethan. You got it fixed. Thank you.”
I pulled the butterfly necklace out of the box and gently clasped it around her neck.
“The butterfly has a lot of meanings, but did you know it’s a symbol of rebirth?
I’d say we’re new people beginning our journey together.
” I tipped her chin and kissed her mouth.
A sharp bark brought us out of the lip-lock with laughter.
I dipped down and picked up Otis. “You feeling left out, boy?”
He licked my face, and I fondled his silky ears and hugged his squirming body, his thumping tail beating against my ribs. I set him down.
She wiped at her eyes, rubbing her thumb along my bottom lip. “I love you, Ethan.”
“I love you, babe.”
“Hey, stop fooling around and get the food served. We’re starving,” Boone groused.
“Keep your shirt on, huckleberry,” Brax growled. “You can’t eat no barbecue with broken teeth.”
“Yeah,” Booker said. Then Boone shoved Booker, and Brax shoved Boone. Before we knew it, they were wrestling on the ground. Some things would never change.
But I had to agree fully with Haley. It didn’t get better than this. I watched as she touched the butterfly, a smile on her face. I hadn’t imagined the whole of our lives could change so much that we were unrecognizable at the end of this transformation.
But, our metamorphosis was symbolic of our faith. We had that for each other, for ourselves—turning the tides of our lives. Joining together to forget the past, look forward to our future, and live, love and laugh in the here and now.
I couldn’t forget the other powerful butterfly symbol—soul. Haley and I shared an endless passionate bond—hopelessly in love with each other. That was the best symbol of all.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read Sheltering Lawson!
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If you’d like to read more from me, check out the Other Titles by Zoe Dawson.