Epilogue
GRAE
ONE MONTH LATER
“Don’t lift that,” Caden barked.
I slowly set the box on the hatch of his SUV and turned to face my fiancé. “Caden…”
“You’re still healing.”
I blew out a breath, making the hair around my face flutter. “The doctor said I’m good to go. Two weeks ago.”
“He said you still needed to take it easy,” Caden argued.
“If I felt tired or was in pain. I’m neither.”
The handful of stitches on my back and neck had come out during that visit, and the bruises on my throat had faded so much they were nearly nonexistent. I felt remarkably good, all things considered.
Caden crossed to me, brushing the hair out of my face and wrapping his arms around me. “Just let me take care of you for a little while longer.”
I melted at the pleading in his voice. Things hadn’t been easy since my kidnapping. Caden had been on edge, rechecking the locks on the doors and windows every night before bed and checking my blood sugar levels more often than I did.
I pressed a palm to his chest, relishing the feeling of the steady beat there. “I’m okay.”
Caden dropped his forehead to mine. “You had a nightmare last night.”
I shifted in his hold. “But you got me through it.”
He pulled back. “Want to tell me what stirred things up?”
I’d had a few nightmares while in the hospital, and Caden had gotten me through each one. He’d climbed into that hospital bed and held me until I could go back to sleep. The nightmares had faded once we got home, but they’d kicked up again last night.
“I don’t know if I want to go back to work at Vacation Adventures,” I admitted.
Jordan had told me to take all the time I needed, but ever since I’d gotten the all-clear from Doc, I’d been thinking about it more.
There were just too many painful memories.
I couldn’t sit at a desk that should’ve been next to Eddie’s.
I couldn’t be forced to relive a million different memories but question them all.
Caden stilled, staring down at me. “Okay.”
“You don’t think that makes me a coward? Not to mention a horrible friend for leaving Jordan high and dry?”
Caden traced the ridges of my spine with his fingertips. “I think you’re the strongest person I know. And the kindest. How many times have you had Jordan and Noel over here, just making sure they know you don’t blame them? Making sure the three of you heal together.”
They’d been to the house at least five times in the past two weeks alone.
Jordan had been especially apologetic, both for not seeing what Eddie was hiding and for doubting Caden.
Seeing how wrecked Caden had been at the hospital had made Jordan and Noel realize just how much he loved me.
They might have even started to like him.
And they weren’t the only ones; even Rance had found a moment to apologize to us both.
I toyed with the hem of Caden’s T-shirt. “I don’t want to hurt them, but I think I need to start fresh.”
“They love you. They’ll understand.”
Warmth curled around me. Caden always knew just what I needed to hear. “Gonna have to figure out what to do with my life.”
I loved leading trips in the wilderness around Cedar Ridge. Losing that would be a blow.
Caden’s gaze shifted, and my eyes narrowed on him.
“What?”
He shrugged. “I might have an idea.”
“Spill.”
He grinned. “Always so impatient.”
I tweaked his nipple. “Stop toying with me.”
“Ow! Geez, you’re vicious,” Caden said, rubbing his chest.
“Could’ve gone for my knives instead.”
Caden chuckled. “Point taken.” He shifted on his feet. “What would you think about coming to work at The Peaks?”
My eyes flared. “Work for you?”
Caden had been leveled with more than his fair share of work now that Gabe was in prison, and his father had officially been ousted from the company. But he’d never brought up the idea of me coming to work for him before.
“With me,” he clarified. “We could transform The Peaks into what it always should’ve been: a family place. One where people can reconnect with their loved ones and themselves. You’ve always been great at using nature to help people do that.”
Tears stung my eyes. It was the ultimate compliment. It was what I always hoped to bring people when I took them up on the mountain or out on the lake. I couldn’t imagine anything more special than doing that alongside Caden.
“Okay,” I whispered.
His brows flew up. “Okay?”
I laughed. “You don’t have to be quite so shocked.”
Caden wrapped his arms around me. “I just thought I’d have more of a fight on my hands.”
“I’ve gotta let you have your way now and then. It’ll keep you on your toes.”
He shook his head but grinned down at me. “Can’t imagine being happier than I am right now.”
I stretched up onto my tiptoes, brushing my lips against his. “What about when my family gets here any minute, and I turn your house into complete chaos?”
The fire restoration company had finally gone through my place, boxing up everything that wasn’t too badly damaged by the fire, and everyone was helping me officially move into Caden’s house today. It hadn’t been a total loss, but it would take some serious work before I could sell it.
Caden kissed the tip of my nose. “Worth it.”
Honking sounded, and Nash rolled down his window. “Stop kissing my sister in front of me.”
Maddie smacked his chest.
“Maybe we could get him a muzzle,” Caden muttered.
I couldn’t hold in my laugh as I reached up to finger the necklace Caden had returned to me after eleven years. The fact that he’d kept it with him for all that time was a greater gift than he’d ever know.
A parade of vehicles filed into our driveway, and my brothers, parents, Maddie, and Wren piled out, all grabbing boxes and starting for the house.
“Where should we put these?” Holt called.
“Just pile them in the living room for now,” I answered. “I’ll figure out where to put it all later.”
Caden winced, and I grinned as I patted his chest. “Just remember, you’re the one who asked me to marry you. Gonna mess up your organized existence.”
He kissed me long and slow. “I think I’ve needed that all along.”
A car door slammed, and I looked up to see Jocelyn walking away from her Mercedes with a wide smile. “I brought sustenance.”
Her transformation over the past month had been nothing short of miraculous.
Casting off Harrison and taking control of her life had been just the ticket.
She’d been absorbed into the fabric of my family as if she’d always been there, joining in on family dinners and game nights.
And most surprising of all, she’d taken control of the family company instead of hiring someone else to take the helm.
The new job had made her come alive at a time she desperately needed it.
I crossed to Jocelyn and gave her a big hug. “Thank you so much for helping.”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world. And I brought some new samples to go over with you and your mom.”
Caden groaned. He was already losing it over the wedding talk.
Jocelyn shot her son a warning look. “Don’t you even start with me, young man.”
I choked on a laugh.
Nash grinned at Caden. “You’d better watch your step if she’s young-manning you already.”
Caden grimaced but didn’t argue. “What can I get out of your car?” he grumbled.
“Now that’s better,” Jocelyn huffed.
We made quick work of unloading all the vehicles, me sticking to only the lightest items. Then we descended on the feast that Jocelyn had brought. We devoured it while sitting on our back deck, the sun streaming down around us.
Caden leaned over and pressed a kiss to my temple. “Need anything else to drink?”
“I’ll take another diet.”
“You got it.” He squeezed the back of my neck, disappearing into the house.
Roan lowered himself into Caden’s empty seat. “How are you feeling?”
I smiled at my brother. “Good. I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy.”
A softness filtered into Roan’s eyes, one I rarely saw. “I’m glad, G.”
I stared back at him. “Want this kind of happiness for you, too.”
Roan’s face closed down, and I cursed myself. I knew I shouldn’t have said anything, but I couldn’t help it. With all this joy swimming around in me, I had to want it for the people I loved most, too.
His gaze shifted to the trees. “Some people aren’t built for that. Part of them is too broken.”
My heart cracked at his words. “Nothing’s too broken about you.”
Roan shook his head, standing. He bent and kissed the top of my head. “Enjoy your happy.”
I watched him wind through our small crowd and disappear down the porch steps into the forest where he’d always felt more at home.
“Everything okay?” Caden said, sliding back into his chair.
I forced my gaze back to him. “I’m worried about Roan. He’s pulling away more and more.”
Caden looked to where Roan had disappeared. “He’s been through a lot.”
I nodded. “I just wish I could fix things for him. Take some of that burden.”
Caden turned to me, his eyes gentling. “Kindest heart I’ve ever known.”
I leaned into him. “Just want him to be happy. To heal.”
Caden framed my face in his hands. “Miracles happen. You’re living proof of that. Helped heal pain in me I thought would never mend.”
Tears gathered in my eyes. “Caden.”
He kissed the tip of my nose. “Love you, Gigi.”
My lips curved as I sat back in my seat. “I’ll never get tired of hearing those words.”
“Good. Because you’re going to hear them a lot.”
I laughed, and it felt so dang good. The breeze picked up and carried the scent of roasted chicken our way. My stomach roiled. Crap.
I lurched to my feet and made a beeline for the bathroom. Don’t puke. Don’t puke. Don’t puke.
My hands hugged the bathroom sink as I took deep breaths, in through my nose and out through my mouth. Slowly, the nausea faded.
The door eased open, and Caden slipped inside, worry lining his face. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I just felt off for a second.”
“Gigi…” he warned.
A million very real curse words flew through my head. “I had a plan.”
Caden arched a brow.
“I wanted to tell you on our first night in our house, just the two of us.”
“Tell me what?”
I swallowed hard, hoping like heck this news would make him happy. “I’m pregnant.”
Caden’s jaw went slack. “You’re what?” he whispered.
“Pregnant. Preggers. Knocked up.”
“You’re on the pill.”
I lifted my shoulders and let them drop. “I wasn’t really good about taking them in the hospital, and then when we got home…”
Well, we hadn’t wasted any time.
Caden moved in closer, his hand going to my belly. “A baby?”
“I know we didn’t plan—”
He cut off my words with a kiss. “Can’t imagine anything better.”
Tears filled my eyes. “Really?”
“Greatest gift I’ve ever been given: your love, this baby, our family.”
“Stop it.”
He pressed his forehead to mine. “Thanks for holding on for me.”
Caden’s face went blurry in front of me. But I still knew it like the back of my hand. Because he’d always lived in that secret place inside me, and I knew that would never change.
“Thanks for being worth it.”
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