Epilogue
ONE AND A HALF YEARS LATER
“Put your hands together for the Boston Celtics!”
The lights dance around the arena as the players run out onto the basketball court, jumping right into their warm-ups. “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses vibrates throughout the stadium as it does at the beginning of every home game.
“Look, Lily, there’s your daddy!” I point at Paul, running toward the middle of the court. With no surprise to any, he was the NBA’s number-one draft pick and has proven his worth the entire season.
He’s all serious. Ready and focused for the first game of the NBA finals. That is until he sees his little girl wearing a baby-sized jersey with his last name on it, and that heartbreaking, beautiful smile appears on his face as he waves to his little princess, jogging over.
“Daddy loves you,” he coos as he scoops Lily into his arms, holding her high above his head. Her beautiful, big green eyes widen in excitement. She squeals, making the most adorable baby giggle as he spins her around before bringing her down to his chest. He looks at me and winks. “Daddy loves you too, baby girl.”
I shake my head, feeling my cheeks heat up, thankful that Paul’s mom is getting food now.
“You know I love making you blush,” he teases.
I push my hair behind my ear. “So, are you going to finally tell me what the big surprise is?”
Paul woke me up this morning by whispering in my ear, “I have a surprise for you, baby girl.” But now that I know I have a surprise coming my way when I don’t like surprises, I’ve been on the edge of my seat all day, ready to get this surprise over with.
I swear to God, it better not be the Princess Leia costume he tried to get me to wear last Halloween.
Even Princess Leia didn’t want to wear that costume.
He taps the tip of my nose. “Nope. You have to be patient.”
I roll my eyes.
“Your mommy is so impatient,” he tells Lily, who bubbles with laughter. “But I think she’ll like our surprise. Don’t you?”
Lily places her hand on Paul’s cheek, giggling, and my heart melts into a big sappy puddle.
“Okay, you two.” I gently take Lily from Paul, adjusting the little pink bow in her hair. “Don’t you have a game to warm up for?”
He peers over his shoulder. “I’m going to win this game for you. And after, we’ll go straight home so I can give you your surprise.” He winks, bends down to kiss me, and then races toward his team on the court, where he spends the next couple of hours making good on his promise, winning his game with a buzzer-beater shot.
* * *
“Hey, Mom, do you mind taking Lily for the night?”
My head whips to Paul with parted lips. We haven’t spent a night away from Lily, and I don’t know if I’m ready for that yet.
Is that the surprise? Our first night away together since having her?
My stomach coils as I anxiously bite on my thumbnail.
He looks at me, smiling, taking my hand over the center console. “She’ll only be just down the street.”
I raise a brow in confusion as I look back at Mrs. Weston, who smiles and replies, “Of course.”
“This was planned?” I ask, watching Paul, who shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly.
“Maybe,” he responds.
After dropping Lily and his mom off at her house, Paul turns in the driver’s seat to face me.
“What if she wakes up and needs me?” I ask. “What if she’s out of formula? Or diapers?”
Paul laughs, his fingers running through my hair, pushing it back. “We’ve been living with my mom for a year now. You know perfectly well that the basement is stocked with everything and anything she might need for Lily.”
I sigh. “I know. You’re right. She’ll be fine. Your mom has been nothing but amazing. I don’t know what I would have done without her.”
After we had Lily, we took up Mrs. Weston’s offer to have us live with her. Initially, I was hesitant, not wanting to invade her space, but she assured me that having family in her home was exactly what she needed. And while Paul was away for games, she was always by my side, helping me navigate the enduring trials of motherhood.
God, I was so exhausted the first few months that it all seems like a distant blur now.
“Although…” He hesitates before saying, “There is a slight chance Lily will forget who you are—”
I swat his arm. “That’s not funny!”
He chuckles. “She’s going to be fine. I promise. It’s just one night.” He holds a small piece of black fabric before me. “Now, I need you to wear this.”
“A blindfold?”
He nods, smiling.
“Really, Paul?”
“Really.”
I let out a sigh as I take the damn blindfold and wrap it around my head so I can’t see anything. “Now what?”
“Now, I’m taking you to your surprise.”
The car starts up again as I feel it slowly drive down the road, but after only a minute or two, Paul brings the SUV to a stop. I hear his car door open and close, and only seconds later, he’s opening my door.
“Is this the part of our relationship where you take me into the woods and chop me up into tiny pieces?” I ask, turning toward him but unable to see anything.
He laughs. “We really need to get you off of those damn scary movies.” He reaches across me, unbuckling my seat belt.
“Never. They’re my comfort movies.” I place my hand over the blindfold, ready to tear it from my face. “Can I take this off now?”
“Not yet, baby girl.”
I sigh in frustration.
His large hands slide around me, lifting me from my seat. He carries me bridal style, his shoes crunching on…gravel?
Where the hell are we?
“Nervous?” he asks.
“Should I be?” I respond, clutching his shirt. But as my fingers dust along his collarbone, I feel his heart beating rapidly beneath my touch. “Are you nervous?”
“Yes.” I can feel him nod. “But it’s a good kind of nervous. The kind of nervous I get before a big game.” His lips land gently on my forehead, and I bite my bottom lip.
Finally, he sets me down and spins me away from him so that my back touches his chest. His arms wrap around my waist as his lips brush over my exposed neck.
“Okay, now you can look.” He slides the blindfold off of my face, my eyes blinking open.
“It’s a house…” It’s a really lovely house if I say so myself. “Whose house is this?”
It has a wraparound porch with two rocking chairs sitting in the front.
It has fairy lights positioned all over the yard.
It’s painted white with black trim and shutters.
A large eastern redbud tree stands in the front.
There’s a stone pathway leading up to the house.
And lilies are potted, sitting on every step of the…
Oh. My. God.
My eyes move around the area, realizing where we are.
This was the abandoned house at the end of Paul’s neighborhood, hidden in the woods.
The one that I told Paul I loved.
He bought it. No, he didn’t just buy it. He transformed it into my dream home.
My mouth parts, all words in the English dictionary erasing from my mind as I’m rendered speechless.
“You…you…” I point at the beautiful house, now seeing it for what it is.
Our new home.
He wraps his arms around my waist, pressing my back to his chest. “I told you I would always take care of you and Lily.” His lips brush across my ear, sending goose bumps over my skin.
“Paul, this is more than that.” I turn around, clutching his shirt. “You built us a home.”
He smiles. “Do you like it?”
Tears gather in the corners of my eyes. “I don’t even know what to say except that I love it.”
He presses his lips to my temple. “Want to look inside?”
I beam, eagerly nodding my head.
He intertwines our fingers, leading us up the pathway to the front door. Slipping a key into the deadbolt, he unlocks it and suddenly lifts me in his arms.
“What are you doing?” I giggle.
“I have to carry you over the threshold. I’m a sucker for tradition.”
“Tell that to the baby we have together…” I tease.
He laughs, bringing me inside and placing me gently on the floor into a massive open space, the breath leaving my lungs as I see what’s hanging on the walls. My heart hammers beneath my chest at the sight before me. Placing my hand right over my heart, I whisper, “You were the anonymous buyer.”
The first paintings I ever sold hang front and center in the room.
I face him. “How?”
He takes a step toward me, reaching his hand out to trace the tattoos covering my shoulder. “These pictures were too important not to be in our home. They’re our family.” He smiles. “So, before I asked Ray to take our picture that day, I texted him to call the gallery and purchase all of them with my card.” I roll in my bottom lip, shaking my head. “Are you mad?” he asks nervously.
“No,” I admit, swallowing every emotion inside me. “I’m so thankful for you. I’m so thankful for this life.”
His arms surround me as I do the same, holding him tightly. His lips press against my temple. “Do you want a tour?”
I lift my head. “I would love one.”
He takes my hand, guiding me through the massively beautiful house.
Our home.
The tour starts downstairs, going through the living room, the dining room, the elegant kitchen that overlooks the lake, and his office. And when we make it upstairs, he says, “There are five bedrooms. A master bedroom for us with an en-suite bathroom, a bedroom for Lily, and rooms for guests or future siblings for Lily.” I blush, shaking my head.
This man.
He thought of everything.
Absolutely everything.
“Did I do good?” he asks.
“You did really good, big guy.” I rise on my tiptoes, pressing my lips to his.
“And I was thinking,” he starts. “We could fit some of your art supplies in the dining room. It has a nice view of the lake.”
“That works for me—”
He shakes his head, laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
“You really think I had a whole damn house built for us, and I wasn’t going to include a space for you to paint?”
“What do you mean?”
He holds his hand out for me to take. “Come with me.”
I intertwine our fingers, letting him lead us outside to the edge of the giant deck, where my eyes catch on the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
“It’s all yours,” he whispers.
My heart bellows beneath my chest as I gaze at the mini cottage before me, knowing what it is. My very own art studio. One that overlooks the lake with beautiful fairy lights surrounding it.
“Paul…” My lips tremble, emotions taking over me like I’ve never felt before as I bring my shaking hand to my heart.
“Go take a look,” he coaxes.
I want to. I really fucking do. But my damn feet are frozen in place. And as if Paul knows this, he intertwines his fingers with my free one and leads us toward my very own art studio.
“When you first saw this house, you told me you could see yourself painting here. You said someday I want a space built by the water where I can create art any time of the year. You were glowing with happiness at the thought of it.” He smiles down at me as his hand wraps around the doorknob. “And Sarah, there isn’t a single thing I wouldn’t do to make you happy. I hope this proves that.”
He pushes the door open, directing me inside, and I can no longer contain the small sob that escapes me.
Because I find myself standing in an artist’s paradise.
There are easels and paints on one side, a whole wall made of glass that slides open, giving me the most beautiful view of the lake—our lake. And in the back, there’s a family portrait of Paul, me, and Lily. Walking up to it, I immediately recognize the brushstrokes and techniques from Paul’s mom’s collection.
“I don’t even know what to say. I’m so overwhelmed. No one has ever done—”
My words cut off as I turn around, stilling at the sight in front of me. My eyes, which usually have to look up at Paul, are currently looking down.
Love overwhelms me as I stare at the man who has my whole damn heart in a chokehold, down on one knee with a small blue box in his hands. His shaking fingers open the tiny box, revealing the most gorgeous ring I’ve ever seen.
An extravagantly round emerald stone sits on a white gold infinity band surrounded by white elongated diamonds, making it appear like a lily.
“Sarah Fleur.” Paul’s voice trembles as he says, “I will never be able to put into words what you mean to me. You are not only the mother of my child but the missing piece to my life. You are the reason my heart beats every day, and you are, without a doubt, the love of my life.” I can barely see Paul through the rainfall of tears pouring down my cheeks. He gingerly takes the ring out of the box, holding it closer toward me, his eyes glistening against the twinkling lights around us. “My baby girl, will you make me the happiest man in the world and marry me?”
“Yes!” There’s no hesitation in my voice. There’s no reason for me to take a second to think about my answer. This man has unknowingly given me a life worth living again, and I want to spend every single day I have left with him by my side. “God, yes, Paul.” I jump into his arms, wrapping my own around his neck as I greedily devour his lips, never wanting this moment to end.
Parting from me, he takes my hand, slipping the ring on my finger, which fits like a glove. My eyes look from the ring to him, my lips parting with no words spoken, completely too stunned to speak.
“Congratulations!”
“Hell yeah!
“Do you know how long we’ve been waiting out here?”
I gasp as I turn my head to find an audience. But as soon as I see who it is, I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face.
They’re here. Natalie, Nate, Vanessa, and Jason.
I clasp my hands on Paul’s cheeks, greedily seeking one more kiss before I stand and run over to Natalie and Vanessa with open arms.
“We’re so unbelievably happy for you!” Natalie exclaims through tears.
“I’ve already booked you a couple of appointments to look for a dress. We’re going to make a whole weekend of it!” Vanessa squeezes me before wiping the tears from her cheeks.
“I can’t wait.” I look between them, cherishing this moment I get to share with them.
“Congratulations, you guys.” Nate hugs me and then pats Paul, who stands behind me, on the shoulder. Paul’s hand lands on my waist, pulling me toward him.
“I think some champagne is in order.” Jason lifts a large bottle in the air and then quickly pops the cork off as Vanessa holds some plastic flutes out for him to pour into.
We all lift our glasses in the air.
“To friends that I’m lucky enough to call family.” My eyes dance across the room, taking in everything about this moment before landing on Paul, the man who never let me go.
My fiancé.
My soon-to-be husband.
“And to the unwritten chapters of our lives.” Paul leans down, kissing the top of my head. “May our stories only get better with time.”
“Cheers,” we all say in unison, laughing as we take a healthy sip of champagne, knowing our stories are far from over.
Because the best is yet to come.
The End.