Epilogue #2
“I knew something wasn’t quite right between Harry and Prunella,” she’d told me once. “Something was…missing. And now I see the way he looks at you, I know exactly what it was.”
My cheeks had heated, and I’d decided not to extend that particular conversation topic.
And even though I doubt Arthur and I will ever have anything but a superficial relationship, I’m working on forgiving him because I know how important family is to Harry. And what is important to Harry is important to me.
Because that is what love is, the recognition that your partner’s world is now your world too.
The flip side is that Harry has had to learn to play nice with Oliver, which has been somewhat amusing to observe.
“Yes. I’m sure she will invite them,” Harry answers me.
I nod, then head to the dining room to set the table.
Harry and I talk throughout dinner about our respective days, swapping stories and jokes, catching up on the latest gossip from Westminster and beyond.
But after dinner, as is our usual ritual on the nights we’re both at home, we put away all our technology and play cards.
It’s early November. A year ago, Harry and I were living together in a cabin in the Finnish wilderness, not knowing if we’d make it back to civilization, not knowing what the future held.
Could I ever in a million years have imagined that a year later, we would be here in my flat, in a successful relationship the whole world knows about?
I beat Harry easily playing Rummy, and he grumbles playfully about my uncanny luck, threatening to switch to a game that relies more on skill than chance.
It’s not until I’m packing up the cards that I notice he’s fiddling with his watch, a sign that he’s nervous.
“What’s up?” I ask.
“I have something to give you,” he says.
“What is it?”
“It’s an anniversary present of sorts.”
“Anniversary?”
“Yes, well, I thought we don’t really have an official start date, do we? But today marks a year since the night we saw the northern lights.”
My breath catches in my throat. I can never forget that night. I’d gone to bed upset, reminded of my mother and the heartbreak Harry’s father had caused her. Then I’d woken to the northern lights, and my only thought had been how I wanted to share the moment with Harry.
“That was…that was the first time I realized there was no going back from this,” Harry says. “Although I must say we did give it a good try.”
“It seems as good an anniversary as any,” I say. “But I’m not sure it’s fair to decide when our anniversary is and not inform me and then upstage me by buying a gift.”
“You can buy the present next year.” Harry flashes me a quick smile, but I know this man so well, I can tell he’s still slightly stressed.
He goes over to the cabinet in the dining room and comes back with a flat, rectangular package wrapped in elegant silver paper.
He hands me the present, his eyes never leaving mine as I unwrap it with cautious curiosity to reveal an official-looking document.
I raise my eyebrows. “You got me a policy document? Because I have such a shortage of these in my life.”
“Just read it,” he says.
I scan the document briefly, and my gaze flies to his in disbelief.
It’s the deed to a cabin in Finland, with both our names on the title.
“The owner rebuilt the cabin after the fire, and I approached her asking if she would be interested in selling it,” he says. He pauses for a second before continuing, “The original sauna is still there.”
I just blink at him.
“I wouldn’t normally make such a big decision without consulting you, but I really wanted this to be a surprise.” Harry’s voice is husky.
“Oh, trust me, it’s definitely a surprise,” I say.
“I figure…” he clears his throat. “I figure if we ever get caught up in the details and forget the basics of what’s important in life, we can go back there to remind ourselves.”
I glance back down at our names, side by side on the deed.
“I think that is a really, really good idea. One of your better ones, in fact,” I say, as his face relaxes. “Of course there’s not that many of them to choose from—”
I’m cut off by Harry closing the distance between us and kissing me.
I kiss him back because nothing gives me more happiness than kissing this stubborn, opinionated, complicated man who is mine.
And kissing Harry is always a good reminder that while we don’t agree on so many issues, we’ll always be in perfect sync regarding the things that truly matter.
A Note From Jax
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