Epilogue #2
Family is the people who stick by you no matter what. It's not blood. It's not genetics. It’s shared history. Loyalty. Love.
Vivi and I had been tossed out by the parents who raised us. We hadn't been good enough for them and they’d walked away. I didn't care.
Vivi did, a little. She held on to a thread of hope, and when our parents realized she was connected to the Winters family, to Aiden Winters specifically, they made an attempt to reestablish a relationship.
I was relieved when Aiden put a stop to it.
He'd met them once, and once was enough. He protected Vivi from their attempts to control her, and when Vivi and Aiden didn't invite them to their wedding, Suzanne and Henry Westbrook said a final goodbye.
Good riddance. It hurt Vivi, and for that I was sorry. It always hurts when that last desperate bit of hope is quashed. But, like me, Vivi had so much to fill the empty space. She had it all.
So did I. My baby sister was happily settled, back in school, married to a guy who almost deserved her. I was neck deep in a brand-new start-up, moved into my house, and head over heels in love with Annabelle.
There was only one thing missing. My ring on Annabelle's finger. I'd told her I would take it slow. I had been. Okay, I rushed her into moving in, but she was sleeping in a glorified closet.
I made a deal with myself. If I could get her living under my roof, I'd give her plenty of time before I pushed any further. And I did.
Six long months.
Six months to show her how much I loved her. How good we were together. Six months to show her the life we'd have. Six months for me to learn that she was more perfect than I'd imagined.
I supported her devotion to the café, and she was right there with me, never chiding me for working late and missing sleep. Not getting annoyed when I got so sucked into my project I forgot to show up for dinner.
She was always there, sliding a plate beside my laptop, making sure I ate. Reminding me when I hadn't had enough sleep. Shoving me out the door for a run or rubbing my shoulders when they knotted from leaning over the keyboard.
Taking care of me the way I took care of her.
I went a little overboard on the ring. Nothing too flashy, but it had to be perfect. It had to be Annabelle. I looked for ages, scouring every jewelry store in Atlanta until I found exactly what I wanted.
Annabelle didn't like big diamonds. She wanted something unique.
Something that was just right. I found it in a collection of jewelry from an estate sale.
A large, cushion-cut blue topaz surrounded by diamonds that sparked like the fire of the sun against the cool blue of the sea.
The second I saw it, I knew it was hers.
Now, I just had to get it on her finger.
I'd thought about a dozen scenarios—taking her out to dinner, sneaking the ring in her dessert, a romantic weekend away. Nothing felt right.
Annabelle was wary of grand gestures after her first marriage, and I didn't want to remind her of Tommy.
I wanted this to be about us.
In the end, simple and direct won the day.
I lay beside her in our bed, watching her sleep, her cinnamon hair a shadow in the silvery moonlight. She was turned toward me, her hand on my arm.
She always slept like that, touching me, her fingers warm on my skin.
Gently, careful not to wake her too early, I lifted her hand and slid the ring on her finger. Moments later, the alarm beeped and her eyes fluttered open, dazed with sleep, confused to see me awake.
Usually, if I was awake at four in the morning it was because I hadn't yet gone to sleep. I never opened my eyes before her if we'd gone to bed together.
She watched me, the haze of sleep drifting away as her fingers tightened around mine and her eyes dropped to her hand.
"Chase?" she whispered.
"Do you like it?" I asked, turning her hand until the ring caught the moonlight, stones flashing.
Her eyes flared wide. "It's beautiful. But, what—?"
"I love you, Annabelle. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I can't imagine anything else, but you and me. Together."
Annabelle's eyes met mine, tears pooling on her lashes. "You're sure?"
"I've never been more sure of anything in my life. Will you? Will you marry me?"
My heart hitched as her brows drew together. She looked down at the ring on her finger and back to me.
I'd thought I'd given her enough time. Thought she was ready.
I knew I was. I didn't want Annabelle to be my live-in girlfriend.
I wanted her to be my wife.
Annabelle didn’t answer. Not in words.
She lifted her hand, the ring bright in the darkness, and stroked her fingers along my cheek, ending at my chin. Holding my face still, she shifted to her side, rolling into me, pressing her mouth to mine.
Her kiss was slow and sweet.
“Is that a yes?” I asked, my lips brushing hers.
“Yes,” she said, taking my mouth in another slow, sweet kiss, her tongue tracing my bottom lip before she kissed me again. And again.
“Yes, Chase. Yes. Always yes. Always you and always yes.”
That was all I needed to hear. I closed my arms around her, reveling in her shriek of surprise as I flipped her to her back.
Just this once, she was going to be late to work. I’d help her make up the time later.
We had an engagement to celebrate.
Finally, Annabelle in my arms, the last piece of my life slid into place.
Turn the page for a sneak peek of Unraveled, the first book in The Untangled Series, featuring the Sinclair brothers!