Epilogue
SAWYER
I stepped out of the rain and into OBX Brewhouse, pausing to wipe my wet boots on the mat inside the entryway.
The hostess smiled from her station, where she was wiping down menus. “Hey Sawyer. Willa’s in her usual booth.”
“Thanks, Carly.”
Compared to high tourist season, the bar was mostly empty, though more locals would trickle in now that it was after five. Those who wanted to brave the January cold for a drink or not having to fend for themselves for dinner. I spotted my wife in a booth along the far wall, fingers tapping away on the keys of her laptop, as she often did these days, working on grants or communicating with the team of environmental scientists who were in the process of doing the baseline study for what would ultimately be the wildlife refuge. Roy curled at her feet beneath the table. Beyond them, rain drizzled down the awning windows that were closed for the season, and we were already well on our way toward dark. I looked forward to spring and longer, drier days.
Despite the Airpods signaling Do Not Interrupt to the world at large, she looked up, as if sensing my approach. Those gorgeous hazel eyes brightened, and her smile spread wide. Damn, the sight of that unreserved joy made my heart skip a beat. I didn’t think it would ever get old, but I hoped for another fifty or sixty years to test the theory.
“You’re back! I wasn’t expecting you until the last ferry.”
“Got done a little earlier than expected.”
She slid out of the booth and straight into my arms, automatically lifting her mouth for a hello kiss I was more than happy to provide. With a contented hum, she eased back, eyes fluttering open again. “Is early good?”
“Turns out early is great and, for once, bureaucracy was on our side.” I pulled a folded envelope out of my pocket. “I officially have my contractor’s license.”
“That’s amazing!”
“I’ve still got a few ’T’s to cross and ‘I’s to dot, but this was the big one.” And good thing, too. I already had four people I’d talked to about coming onto my crew who were raring to go.
“Come, sit down. We should celebrate.” Willa sat back in the booth, and I slid in right next to her. No reason to be all the way on the opposite side of the table.
She grinned at me and brushed another kiss to my cheek.
“How’s your work going today?”
“Going well. I’ve been here since just after lunch. I managed to get in the zone and almost finished the trolley grant. If we can manage to land it, I think it’ll make a big difference to traffic and congestion during high season.”
“That’ll put you on the mayor’s good side.”
“It’d be nice if something did. He sure doesn’t like my controlling the trust’s purse strings.” Her focus swung across the restaurant.
Following her gaze, I spotted Drew and Kelly McNamara, Hoyt’s younger brother and sister-in-law, and their little girl, Isabelle, who was enthusiastically conducting the music on the sound system with a curly fry. From this angle, I could just see the obvious curve of a baby bump beneath Kelly’s sweater.
When Willa just kept quietly watching, lips curved into a faint smile, I finally nudged her shoulder with mine. “What is it?”
“I was just thinking how nice they all look together.”
With the chaotic beginning to our marriage, we’d never had a conversation about kids. Not wanting to ruin the easy mood, I tried to keep my tone casual. “Yeah? Is that something you think you want? Kids? Family? The whole shebang?”
Willa went quiet, but I understood this was a reflective silence as she really considered her answer. “I never thought I did. But I didn’t think I wanted marriage, either, after the example that was set for me by my parents. I feel like you and I are doing pretty great at that.” She squeezed my arm and leaned in for a partial hug. “I think we’d actually make pretty good parents, because we wouldn’t make the same mistakes that ours did. Obviously, we’ll make our own, but I think we’ll do a better job.” Her cheeks pinked, and she dropped her gaze to the table briefly before bringing it back to mine. “Is that something you might want?”
I loved this woman so damned much, and she had no idea how much I’d been thinking about exactly this for the past six months. Smiling, I cupped her cheek. “Yeah. With you, anything and everything. Whenever you’re ready.”
With a little laugh, she tipped her face into my palm. “I don’t think I’m quite ready yet. I’d rather be just us for a while. But someday, in the maybe not too long, too distant future.” Her eyes sparkled. “After we’ve had plenty of time to… practice.”
Laughing, I took her mouth in another hungry kiss, all too ready to get to that practice.
“Okay, you two. I’ve got no problem with Willa setting up a mobile office here, but I draw the line at y’all making it a second bedroom.”
My wife eased back, rolling her lips in on themselves to hold in another smile. “Sorry, Bree. We’re celebrating.”
Bree went brows up. “Oh? There an announcement you want to make?”
“Not that kind of announcement.” There went those pink cheeks again. Damn, my wife was cute. “Sawyer just got his contractor’s license. He’s all official.”
“No shit? Congratulations, Sawyer.” She offered me a fist bump. “You want a celebratory drink?”
“Let’s have a couple glasses of whatever y’all’s latest creation is.”
“You got it.”
As she turned to head back to the bar, a motion by the door drew my attention. A teenage girl with a backpack over one shoulder looked around the room. I was shit at judging age. She might’ve been anywhere from thirteen to sixteen. It was hard to tell, these days. I didn’t know her, but there was something about her that seemed oddly familiar. I just couldn’t put my finger on what.
She moved toward the bar, and Bree called out, “Can I help you, hon?”
The girl bellied up to the bar, leaning forward on her elbows. “I hope so, I’m looking for somebody.”
“You meeting your party here?” Bree made her own quick scan of the room, obviously trying to place her with one of the groups already seated.
“No, not like that. I’m looking for my father. He lives here on the island. I thought, this being such a small place, that maybe someone here would know him.”
“We can sure give it our best go. Who’s your daddy, hon?”
The girl straightened, cocking her chin in a gesture that had hair rising up along my arms.
“Ford Donoghue.”