Epilogue
EPILOGUE
HALLE
Six months later…
“Are you nervous, sweetheart?”
I let out a shaky breath, my stomach tied in a million knots. “I’m terrified, Asher. What if no one shows? What if this was a stupid idea and the town doesn’t care?”
His hands find their way to my arms, his touch steadying me as he runs them up and down, trying to calm me.
“Shh,” he whispers, soothing me. “The store is a huge success, and everyone’s been excited about today. Especially the moms. You heard Tess this morning, it’s all they’re talking about when they get their coffees.”
His words settle the doubt inside me, and I smile weakly at him, but I don’t think anything will calm my nerves. Today is my first art class for the kids after school. Their moms will drop them here, then head over to Sunlit Espresso while the kids learn the basics of mixing paints and putting what they learn into action.
“Thank you,” I whisper, leaning up to place a soft kiss on his lips .
“If you need me, call me,” he says, his voice reassuring. “But I’ll be back after Con and I restock the bar.”
He kisses me one last time, lingering just for a moment before he pulls away and strides toward the door.
“Oh, and Halle,” he stops, spinning to look at me, “I told you we’d make your dreams come true.” He winks, and I catch the pride and playfulness behind his eyes.
He leaves me standing here alone, and for a moment, I just look around, not believing that this is all mine. It still feels surreal. Every corner of this space is what I envisioned. The warm sunlight pours in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a glow across the room. Soft purple shelves hang on the walls on either side, filled with art supplies. There are canvases and easels stacked neatly behind the black counter, and down the center of the room, a long wooden table stretches, surrounded by chairs.
I breathe in the place, the faint smell of fresh paints and paper calming me as I walk around the room, my fingers brushing over the tiny aprons hanging on the back of the chairs. I check the table, making sure it has everything I’ll need for my first group of kids.
With Hunter and Asher’s help, we made my dream come true. Their belief in me and their support have turned what felt impossible inside my head into something real, and I still can’t quite understand how this is my life now.
The only thing that would make it better would be if Hunter was here to share it with me. Six months have passed since he chased Asher down and decided to stay behind. The time feels like it’s flown by, but his absence still weighs down on us all.
We have our ups and downs—days where we keep moving forward and others where we sit around, waiting, hoping to see him walk through the door .
The guys are doing their best to keep the bar in check, with Asher taking on the role of running it solo and Connor stepping up to help. They’re holding it down, but there’s a subtle tension in the air as the weather warms up with the summer months right around the corner.
The only time we’ve heard from Hunter in the past months was when Asher reached out with the proposal to buy this building. The lady who had it for sale was hesitant at first, but when she heard what I wanted to turn it into, she lit up and loved the idea so much that she cut the guys a deal on the promise that I offer a girls-only sip and paint class.
When Asher came to me with the keys, I broke down, promising I’d pay everything back, but he just waved me off, telling me not to worry about it. I won’t give up on trying, though. I won’t ever forget this. They changed my life in ways I can’t fully express. They gave me a purpose and turned my dream into a reality. This town, this place, these people—it’s everything I’ve ever wanted. It’s where one day I hope to marry Asher, raise our family, and build a life Mom and Aiden would be proud of.
Sunlit Cove is home.
The bell above the door chimes, breaking me from my thoughts. I spin toward the sound, a gasp slipping from my lips.
“Hi Halle,” she says, her voice familiar yet hesitant.
“Sarah,” I breathe, as my eyes take her in.
The small person at her side draws my gaze. The little boy tugs on her hand, his eyes wide with excitement as he looks around the room.
“Mommy, they have paints! Can I paint?”