Epilogue
CAITLIN
Six weeks later
Iglanced at the clock in Brian’s truck. I wished he’d drive faster.
We were running late for the baby shower.
How would it look if the guests of honor arrived late?
I was sure Laura and Amy, who were co-hosting the party, wouldn’t mind, but it felt wrong to me.
They’d put in so much effort not only for the shower itself, but also to make me feel welcome to the family and to the town.
And they’d been an enormous help in getting my business up and running. The tattoo parlor opened two weeks ago, following a month of remodeling. In the days since we’d been open, business had been steady, and I felt optimistic that Mel and I would be a success.
Laura had even come in and gotten a small tattoo of an ornate heart with her late husband’s name on it. I had thought it was sweet, and I’d enjoyed hearing Laura talk about Brian’s father while I worked on the design. It made me feel even more like a part of the family.
I was less confident about my connection with my parents.
At Amy’s encouragement, I met with a therapist to try to work through many of the negative feelings I had about my upbringing.
The woman was great and she suggested I roleplay some different talking points so I could better organize my thoughts and feelings around my parents.
With the therapist’s help, I felt confident enough to meet my mother for tea one morning.
Coffee was officially off my list of okay items to consume since the baby took a firm dislike to it, and I got violently ill every time I had even a sip.
Laura helped me doctor ginger tea so it was more palatable, and I’d actually developed a taste for it.
The meeting with my mother could have gone much worse, which I took as a win.
She had come with a list of complaints and criticisms and when I hadn’t reacted to any of them, she’d backed off.
Mostly. Then, I’d told her that if both her and my father wished to have a relationship with me, it would be on my terms. Not hers.
When she’d suggested we come to dinner one night, I’d turned it around and agreed, but told her that it would be at our place.
To my surprise, she didn’t balk at that.
I had no idea whether a relationship would work out with my parents. I hoped so for the sake of my baby, but if it didn’t, it wouldn’t prevent me from being happy. This town was definitely big enough for all of us.
A car whipped into the passing lane and cruised past us, honking its horn. I caught sight of the driver, a gray-haired granny, and laughed.
“You could drive faster, you know,” I suggested to Brian. “We’re running really tight on time.”
“They’ll wait for us, and I don’t speed, not even for you. I’m not taking any risks with your life or hers,” Brian insisted, with a glance down at my expanding waistline.
Just that week we’d found out that the baby was a girl, and Brian had been beyond excited.
He’d made lists of girl names, and I’d noticed him searching online for ideas on how to decorate a girl’s bedroom.
He was already talking about moving to a larger house so there would be space for a playhouse in the yard.
I’d objected, saying it wasn’t necessary, but I knew we would move when he found the perfect house.
He wanted the best for all of us, and that was non-negotiable in his eyes.
If I didn’t already love him so much, I’d love him even more for that.
Brian still took his work responsibilities seriously and he could be stubborn, but he was the best man I’d ever known.
That had been true when we first dated, and it still was.
I sometimes wished we’d been able to see then how perfect we were for each other, and not wasted all those years apart.
But maybe we needed the time to truly appreciate how special our love was.
“We’ll be having a wedding to go to soon,” Brian commented when we parked in front of the ranch house. He got out and came around to my side of the truck and opened the door for me. He insisted on helping me, even if I didn’t need it.
“That’ll be fun.” I was looking forward to the event.
“It should seem odd that Amy and Cal got engaged after only a month, but when you see them together, it seems so natural. I guess when you know, you know, right?” I stepped up on the porch to head to the door, but Brian stopped walking beside me, so I turned to him. What was going on?
“I’m glad you think so,” he said. “Because I’ve got something to ask you.” Brian dropped down to one knee in front of me and my hand flew to my mouth in surprise.
In the background, I heard Laura’s voice calling out, “Brian just went down on one knee, y’all.” Brian didn’t seem to hear it or see the faces of his family appearing in the windows, peering at us.
“Darling,” he said, his gaze steady on my face, “I don’t have to tell you that you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, but I’m going to tell you that I love you and I will until we’re old and gray and then some.
You’re the only woman for me, and I feel so lucky I got a second chance with you. ”
My shock was wearing off, but I still felt absolute wonder. Could this be real? It seemed too good to be true—until he opened the ring box he’d pulled from his pocket and showed me what was inside. I gasped.
Flowers, like the ones I loved, decorated the gold band of the diamond solitaire ring. It was breathtaking and perfect. Those little yellow flowers were a symbol of our love for one another, going back to the morning I’d left him the drawing in place of saying I loved him.
He’d gotten that tattoo because he’d continued to love and miss me. I felt tears come to my eyes, happy tears. We’d loved each other for so long. Despite the time we’d been apart, in the end, we’d chosen each other. And I was going to keep choosing him for the rest of my days.
“I had this made special for you.” His face was so serious, which somehow made him absolutely adorable. “And I didn’t want to wait another minute to ask you.”
“Yes,” I said even though he hadn’t gotten around to formally asking me to be his wife. His care in selecting the ring said everything I needed to hear. “Yes, I’ll marry you. I’ll absolutely marry you. But you have to come up here so I can give you a real kiss.”
“My pleasure, darling.” He slipped the ring on my finger before rising. He cupped my face in his hand for just a second as our eyes met and then he kissed me.
He deepened the kiss, and I forgot why we were there and that everyone was waiting for us. The only thing that mattered was Brian.
“Geez, you two, get a damn room already.” I snapped my head up in shock when I recognized the voice.
“Ethan?”
“Oh, so you do remember me.” My brother stood on the porch dressed in camo pants, a T-shirt, and boots.
His arms were crossed and he was glaring at the both of us.
He looked pissed, which was very unlike my easygoing brother.
Before I could say anything, he threw his arms out.
“And why exactly did I have to find out via a baby shower invitation that you two were dating? Give me a hug, sis, and then someone needs to get me a beer.”
I threw my arms around my brother, and he wrapped me in a hug. I could feel the tension in his shoulders. “Is this what you want?” he whispered to me.
“It is. So very much,” I told him, wiping the tears from my cheeks. He visibly relaxed.
“So long as you’re sure.” Ethan stepped back and eyed Brian, who looked tense. Finally, Ethan said, “Looks like we’re going to be family.”
Brian had his hands tucked into the pockets of his jeans. “We are. Will that be a problem?”
The rest of the Thornes appeared to be holding their breath. Then Ethan smiled. “Nah, man. Took you long enough.”
The two of them exchanged a hug with more backslapping than I thought necessary, but it relieved the tension. Brian’s family—my family now, too—poured out onto the porch to hug and congratulate us. I felt so welcome and loved—and having my brother here was the icing on the cake.
As everyone was going back in, I slipped my hand in Brian’s.
While I was happy to be surrounded by those I care about, there was no greater love than what I felt for this man standing in front of me.
I felt his warmth and the strength of his touch and knew that there was so much happiness yet to come for us. I couldn’t wait.