Epilogue
“You know my mother’s going to want to throw us an engagement party.”
Hannah nodded, flipping on her turn signal to indicate she was going to pass the car that was doing five under the speed limit. The closer they got to New Hampshire—to home—the faster she wanted to drive.
“She can throw us any kind of party she wants as long as Gram makes the blond brownies,” she said. “And I’m sure my mom and your mom are already talking about it.”
“They really did take the news well. About you moving all the way across the country, I mean.”
“Better than I expected, actually. I must look as happy as I feel.” She smiled when he reached over and squeezed her thigh. “Plus, my parents are once again in possession of their truck and camper, and you and your brothers own a campground. I’m sure you can see where this is going.”
“I think if we added up your family and my family, we could almost fill that place.”
“If we do that, can we get rid of Dave and Sheila?”
He laughed and rummaged in the bag at his feet for snacks.
“Brian almost threw them out while we were in California, you know. Dave had some strong feelings about them moving the horseshoe pit and Brian had some strong feelings about what he wanted to do with the horseshoes. Joey really earned his keep that day, from what I hear.”
“Every day’s an adventure.”
“You’re sure you want to do this?”
She laughed. “We just drove all the way to California, packed this poor car full of what it could hold, sweet-talked my mother and sister into packing and shipping the rest, and now we’re driving all the way back. I’m pretty sure.”
“You’re just in it for the road snacks,” he teased, pulling an emergency Snickers out of the door pocket.
After he opened the wrapper, she took it from him, but didn’t take a bite. “I kind of miss the camper.”
“I kind of miss the legroom in the truck, but this gets way better gas mileage.”
“But with the camper, we could pull into a nice shady spot and climb in the back and make love. We can’t do that in my car.”
“Not without pulling some muscles and possibly getting arrested. Also, you’re insatiable. I thought it was going to take us four days to get across Nebraska.”
Hannah gave him a smile that promised more of that in the near future, and then took a bite of her candy bar.
By tonight, they’d be back at Birch Brook Campground and as much as she’d enjoyed their road trip, she couldn’t wait. They’d be staying on site twenty-nine, in an RV borrowed from his family.
There was a lot to sort out. Maybe they’d stay in the house during the winter and in an RV in the summer. Joey had pointed out there were plenty of Kowalskis who were good with a hammer, so maybe they’d add a second story to the house.
In their spare time, she and Rob would work on a coffee table book of forgotten places and stories in northern New Hampshire.
It would be a joint effort, with her doing the research and writing, and him taking the photos.
The book might even tie into her podcast, which she’d keep in a format that would probably lose a massive chunk of audience, but she didn’t care.
She might even help Kenzie out at Corinne’s Kitchen if she wanted to get out of the campground now and then.
She’d waited tables to help pay for college and she was sure it would come back to her.
She wasn’t sure yet what else her future held, careerwise. But she knew with absolute certainty that Rob would be at her side, and they’d build that future together. And hopefully, before too long, they’d add some more kids to the family tree.
Once she was finished with her candy bar, she took a long swig of the coffee from the center console. Then she reached out and took his hand, weaving their fingers together.
“Do you want me to drive for a while,” he asked, squeezing her hand.
“Not yet. Have I told you in this state that I love you yet?”
“You did in New York, but we’re in Vermont now.”
“I love you.”
He lifted their joined hands and kissed the back of hers. “I love you, too.”
They were almost halfway to the New Hampshire border when Rob’s phone chimed.
In the time it took him to fish it out from under their snack stockpile and extra napkins in the door pocket, it chimed six more times.
And Hannah realized her phone was vibrating in the center console.
She’d been added to the family group chat before they left for California and, to be honest, she loved Rob’s family, but she had some regrets about sharing her contact info.
“The wedding planning group chat is blowing up,” he said, scrolling down his screen.
“If it’s the tie versus bow tie thing again, I already voted.”
“It’s not. Also, I thought the tie versus bow tie argument got walked back to suit versus casual.”
“Sure, because every bride in a gown and heels wants to exchange vows with a guy in cargo shorts and a Patriots T-shirt.”
“Hey, better than a guy in a Jets T-shirt.”
“My phone is still buzzing,” she pointed out. “Even the blowup when Joey suggested white crepe paper strung around and Steph was mad because that was just a fancy way of saying he wanted to TP her wedding wasn’t this bad.”
“Oh,” he said as he stopped scrolling. “Damn.”
“What?” If they called off the wedding after all the text messages that had gone into it, she was going to delete every Kowalski in her contact list. Except Rob, of course. And Brian because he sent her funny pictures of Stella when he was bored.
“Steph’s maid of honor can’t make it, so her friend Siobhan is stepping in.”
“And that’s bad why?”
“Siobhan used to be Brian’s sister-in-law.” He winced. “They didn’t like each other much before Kelly left him. Things got heated during the divorce and...let’s just say Steph’s wedding just got a lot more interesting.”
Keep reading for an excerpt from Room for Two More by Michele Dunaway.