Epilogue
I push open the front door at Austin and Luca’s house, walking in with Hunter behind me. “Luca, we’re here!”
“I’ll be right out!” he calls from behind the closed bedroom door. “Make yourself at home.”
We sit down on the couch, and Hunter rests his hand on my thigh. My fingers instantly settle on his wedding band, and I twist it around his finger. I worried for a while that this annoyed him. He never seemed to mind when I ran my fingers over his or his palm, but I know this is different.
I asked once if it did. He gave me the most indulgent smile, kissed my forehead, and told me to twist away. Anytime we’re sitting together like this, he offers me his hand. No matter where we are. It doesn’t matter if we’re out with friends or if we’re having a quiet moment on the couch together.
The door opens, and Luca walks into the living room, holding something behind his back. “Okay, I have a gift for you, and you can’t freak out.”
My eyebrows shoot up. “I think I’ll wait to decide if I’m gonna freak out until I see what it is.”
Luca sits down beside me, and Austin walks out of the bedroom, taking the recliner next to the couch. “Damn, baby, couldn’t even wait for me?”
Luca scoffs. “I haven’t even given it to him yet. I was waiting.”
“How are you guys doing?” Austin asks.
“Can’t complain,” Hunter says, shifting beside me. “It’s about to be calving season, so it’s busy.”
“It really is. Exhausting too,” I add.
“Which reminds me,” Luca says, turning to face me. “How are you adjusting to the new meds?”
I give a so-so motion with my hand. “Better, I think.”
I was terrified when I had a pretty significant dip in my mental health two months ago, but my support system rallied around me. I talked to Charlotte, and with the help of a new medication my psychiatrist prescribed and some extra therapy, things are looking up.
“Good,” Luca says with a grin. Pulling his hands from behind his back, he holds a small box in his lap. “Okay, so like I said, you can’t freak out.”
I smile back. “And like I said, I’ll wait until I see what it is.”
Groaning, Luca hands me the package.
I peel the paper back. “I wanted you to see it before it hit the shelves.”
Pulling his new book out of the box, I smile. “I’m so damn proud of you.”
This story was a labor of love for Luca. It was also hard for him to write. I lost track of the number of times he called in the middle of the night while Austin was on shift, his mind stuck in Damien’s cycle of abuse.
It brought up bad memories for me too, but watching him write a fictional love story based on escaping the very real abuse he suffered at Damien’s hands… Well, it was eye-opening for me.
He, just like me, was doing his best to survive. Luca is living proof that you should never judge a person’s healing by their outward appearance.
“Thank you,” Luca says softly. “Open it, please.” I carefully open the cover. “Keep going.”
I flip two more pages when my eyes snag on my name.
“Holy fuck,” I breathe, reading over the words.
To Theo Lock
Thank you for inspiring me, for supporting me, and for being my proof that life goes on. For showing me that happiness exists, that healing exists. I couldn’t survive without you and your friendship.
I would never have been strong enough to write this without you.
I love you.
My eyes are burning, and a tear leaks from the corner of one, spilling down my cheek. I wipe at my face, glancing up to find Luca teary-eyed as well. “You dedicated your book to me?”
He gives me a shaky smile. “Of course,” he whispers, his voice choked and hoarse.
My throat goes tight as I pull my hand from Hunter’s and drop the book in my lap so I can reach for Luca.
He collapses against me, wrapping his arms around me as he hugs me. He shudders hard, sniffling in my ear. I squeeze him tighter. “I don’t have words,” I whisper. “This means so much to me. You mean so much to me.”
A muffled sob leaves him. “You mean so much to me.”
There are countless things in life I regret. Giving a small-town sheriff’s office a file with the worst things that have happened to me is not one of them. Without that, I wouldn’t have this life. I wouldn’t be married to the most amazing man on the planet.
I wouldn’t have Luca and Austin or Arlo and Jasper. Hell, I wouldn’t even have my parents back in my life.
Everything good that has happened to me has happened because the man currently crying in my arms was brave enough to confront his fears and call me.
Luca pulls away, wiping at his wet cheeks, and I do the same. “Oh my God,” he mumbles, laughing. “I’m a fucking mess.”
That makes me laugh too. “No, you’re not.” I pick the book up again, opening it back to his dedication. “Holy shit,” I murmur, still in awe.
“I have a good feeling about this one,” he says. “It’s gonna be my breakout.”
Dragging my eyes back to his, I smile. “I have no doubt. It came straight from your heart. I think it’s going to resonate with a lot of people. Just don’t forget about me when you’re a big, famous author with a cult following and movie deals.”
His loud laughter heals my soul. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.”
“Do you all wanna stay for dinner?” Austin asks. “I’m gonna make beef stew.”
Luca glares at him. “It’s my turn to make dinner.”
Austin jumps up. “You’ll have to beat me to the kitchen.” Then he darts past Luca. Luca jumps up, chasing after him.
I watch them with a smile on my face for a second, chuckling as they push each other out of the way to be the first to pull ingredients out.
Turning to Hunter, I take his hand in mine and bring his wedding band to my lips to press a kiss to it. “Do you wanna stay for dinner?”
“Sounds perfect to me, sweetheart,” he says, leaning in to steal a kiss. “I want to be wherever you are.”
And I want to be wherever he is. Now and forever.
THE END