Epilogue
Riley
One year later…
“How is it already Christmas again?” Amber asks as she walks into the event venue at the hotel.
“Crazy thing about Christmas. It appears to be an annual thing,” I joke and she laughs, giving me a partial hug. It’s only partial because her other arm is loaded with gifts.
“Let me take those from you,” Cameron offers.
“I don’t know who the new guy is but I like him,” she teases and I smile up at him.
“I like him too,”
“Think you’ll keep him?” she asks.
“Maybe. I have to think about it,” I say with a giggle and I stand on my tiptoes to plant a kiss on his cheek.
“I’ll just let you girls mingle,” he says as he heads towards the tree with the presents.
“We’ll be talking about you the whole time,” Amber calls out.
“I figured as much,” he calls back and we laugh.
“This is swanky,” she says, looking around the room. “You really know how to deck the halls for a party.” She’s not wrong. It’s decorated to the nines, but not in a tacky 80s sort of way. It’s tasteful but elaborate.
“Well, I do know a thing or two about event planning,” I say, taking a sip of my cinnamon orange berry sangria.
“That looks delicious, where do I get me one of those? Your girl is thirsty,” she says and I laugh, linking my arm in hers to guide her to the refreshments.
We pass some of Cameron’s friends from the hospital as we go and Amber does a not-so-discrete double take.
“Speaking of thirsty…who is that tall, dark glass of water?”
I glance over and then turn back to her with a smirk. “That’s Trevyn. Cameron’s best friend.”
“Trevyn…” She repeats the word. “That’s a yummy name.”
“He’s trouble,” I tell her as she grabs a sangria off the table.
“Perfect, so am I.”
I laugh again, looking around the room. It’s weird being back here again.
I haven’t been in this room in over five years and even though it’s decorated differently this time (less Katherine influence, more my vibes), something about being back in the place where I first met Cameron gives me goosebumps. Even if I didn’t know who he was.
A lot has changed since then though. Noah’s traction on the social media page, between his wish story and the Christmas play has kept a steady flow of money coming in from people who want to support kids with critical medical needs.
Every penny of it has gone to the Just Breathe families and the free clinic.
Not having that stress on my shoulders has given me room to build my business, which has been thriving since I left my old job.
Turns out a lot of people preferred my taste over Katherine’s, everyone from the Deverse family to all their friends in the wine industry (kind of a big gig in California if you didn’t know).
“Hey girl!” Brianna’s voice breaks through my thoughts and I turn to see her and Bailey walking in. We hug and she stops to look around. “Riley, you have outdone yourself.”
“Oh it’s not a big deal,” I wave it off, handing her a sangria.
“Not a big deal? It’s epic,” she says and Amber agrees.
“It really is gorgeous. And speaking of gorgeous…" She bites her lip and I realize her and Trevyn are pretty much making sex eyes at each other from across the room. “What’s Trevyn’s type?” she asks, saying his name like the word itself is made of honey.
“Nurses usually…” I say as I take a sip of my sangria.
“I can be that…” she says before walking in his direction.
“Lordy…” Brianna says and we both laugh.
Cameron walks up and looks at Trevyn, then Amber, then me. “What’s going on there?”
“Nothing good,” I say and he slips his arm around me, giving me a quick peck.
“You did amazing, sweetheart. This is a perfect Christmas party. Much better than the last one,” he says.
“Cheers to that. This one I can actually see your face,” I tease.
“Unfortunately though I can’t see your ass…”
My mouth pops open and I swat at him playfully.
Brianna laughs. “I’m going to go check on the boys. They look like they’re about to go feral on the gifts over there.”
“How are you?” Cameron smiles down at me once we are alone.
“Good,” I smile up at him. “How are you?”
“Good. Come on. I want you to meet my sister,” he says as he tugs me across the room.
“I’ve already met your sister,” I say, struggling to keep up. I might not be in a Mrs. Clause suit but I did wear heels that may or may not be slightly ambitious.
“Yes, but this time you know she’s my sister and not my ex wife,” he says over his shoulder with a wink and my cheeks flush.
“Right…I forgot about that,” I mumble and I’m praying to god she forgot about it too.
Stacey and her husband are standing by the tree where Ian has found Bailey and Noah, which is perfect since they are all the same age.
“There she is!” Stacey says, pulling me into a hug. “This party is out of this world, Riley. Seriously, I’m going to need to book through you next time my company has an event.”
“You have our number,” Cameron says proudly.
“Thank you,” I tell her.
“How do you like running your own business?” she asks me. Stacey has to be the most warm, lovely, transparently genuine woman I have ever met.
I look around, taking in a breath and then let it out with a full body sigh. “It’s amazing. It was scary for sure but now, seeing what it’s blossomed into, it’s a dream come true.”
“Well, you’re amazing at it. For real. I’m so happy for you. Both of you,” she smiles up at Cameron and they hug.
“Stacey,” I say. “I want to apologize–”
But Stacey shakes her head, grabbing my hands.
“Stop right there. There is no need to apologize for anything. I am just happy that my brother got his stubborn head out of his ass because now, we are family. And that’s the only thing I ever wanted for him.
Plus, I’ve gained a nephew and hopefully… a sister in law one day.”
I bite my lip with a smile and Cameron shakes his head at her. But Stacey just winks at him and laughs.
Suddenly, Sarah starts tinging on her glass with a cocktail fork. “Hey everyone! I think that this holiday party needs some dancing and some music!” she says and everyone cheers. “But first…I want to invite the host and planner of it all to say a few words because girl, you deserve it.”
Good lord.
I smile as everyone in the room turns to me. “Thank you, Sarah. I just love public speaking,” I say sarcastically and everyone laughs. “But seriously. Thank you everyone. None of this would have been possible without all your love and support. I’ve always loved parties and events.”
“Gotta love an open bar!” Trevyn calls out and everyone laughs again.
“Amen to that,” I smile, raising my glass.
“But good food and drinks is only part of it. It’s the people.
People with chaotic, busy, stressful lives stopping long enough to come together and celebrate something or someone…
that’s why I love this job. That’s what life is all about.
At the end of the day, we have been thrown a lot of curveballs.
Some that I was sure would take us out. And yet, somehow, we have managed to catch them all.
And it’s because of people like you. Family and friends and co-workers all blending together to love and support each other.
To provide for each other. If you had told me last year that I would own my own business, that medical debt would no longer weigh down on me and that Noah…
” I pause to swallow. “Would have new lungs, I would have said you were crazy. Yet here we are. Thanks to generosity and teamwork, Noah and everyone at the hospital are thriving. And it’s thanks to everyone in this room. So give yourself a hand.”
I glance around as everyone claps from Brianna and Amber to Sarah and Trevyn and the hospital staff. To Stacey and even Josh who apparently isn’t such a villain after all. To heather and the other moms of Just Breathe. I love them all.
“As many of you know,” I go on. “Almost all our success can be credited to the social media page. They’ve provided funds and support for medical care for these kids, not just Noah but kids in the group.
Kids at the hospital…” I say, looking over at Cameron who looks a little curious.
“Just Breathe made a donation using donated funds to Reinhart last year.”
“They did?” Cameron asks and I just smile.
“Under the Secret Santa…”
His jaw unhinges and he pulls me against him. Everyone cheers and whistles.
“You were Secret Santa?” he asks.
“Me. Random givers. It was a group effort.”
“Alright, my turn!” Cameron says. “I have something to say too. But you’re all going to have to follow us…”
With that, he takes me by the hand and tugs me towards the back door.
“Where are we going?” I ask.
“The rooftop,” he smiles over his shoulder and my heart jackrabbits in my chest.
Everyone circles around us and Cameron goes on.
“As some of you know, this is where Riley and I first met. I won’t go into all the details of that night…
” he trails off long enough for people to snigger and we end up getting a few cat calls.
My cheeks flush pink. “But long story short, meeting her here would change my life forever. She was sexy and funny and real and for years I wondered if I’d ever see her again.
Maybe by fate? Well, fate was on our side because we did meet.
Five years later. And she rocked my world.
Her and her son. My son. So, that being said… ”
Cameron pulls away from me and lowers to one knee. And with that my heart stops beating. He stares up at me, tears in his eyes, and I stare down at him, my hand covering my quivering chin.
“Riley…I love you. I love you and our crazy story and our crazy life and I never want the chaos to end. So will you marry me?”
Everyone holds their breath waiting for my answer, which obviously comes pretty quickly.
“Yes…” I say, holding out my left hand. “Yes, I will.”
Cameron slips the ring on my finger. And while it’s not the massive rock from last time (that one I gave back to him), it does take my breath away. It’s delicate and gold with tiny diamonds. And in the middle is an emerald, cut in the shape of a star.
Like the ornament from the festival.
Like the ornaments we made for our tree.
Cameron comes to his feet and pulls me into him. “Do you like it?” he asks softly.
“I love it,” I say. “I love you.”
“And I love you,” he echos.
With that, he kisses me and everything around us fades away. Like it’s just the two of us on top of the world, like a star on the top of a tree. People begin to file out and Josh pats Cameron on the back.
“I think we’ll give you two some privacy…” he says, heading for the door.
“Lock it on your way out,” Cameron jokes. “We’re going to be here for a while.” He looks down at me and I shake my head with a smile. “You never know what can happen on a roof top.”
What to read next? You’ll love Accidental Groom: A Silver Fox Ex Fiancé’s Dad Romance, available on . Read now!
Check out the first chapters on the next page…