Epilogue
Austin
I swipe my palms on my jeans as Steve pulls up to Mason’s house. Nerves buzz under my skin like static. I debated a dozen times before making that call, but Mason was quick to invite me over. Now, I’m here, stepping up the familiar walkway.
“Hey, Austin.” Mason greets me at the door with his usual warm grin, and I can’t help but feel a bit more at ease.
“Hey, Mason. I appreciate the invite. Hope it’s not a bad time.”
“Never for you, man.” He claps me on the shoulder, ushering me inside.
The sound of video game explosions and teenage banter drifts from the game room. Mason’s twin boys are engrossed in their own digital world, controllers in hand. Caroline sweeps in, her expression fondly exasperated. “Boys, volume. Remember, other people live here too.”
“Sorry!” they chorus without taking their eyes off the screen.
“Would you like a drink?” Mason offers, leading me to the living room.
“Sure.” Even the word feels stiff on my tongue, my tension still very present.
“I’ve got something special,” Mason says, reaching for an elegant bottle with a rich amber liquid inside. “This is from the first batch we made when Cameron, Dillon, and I got some money. We went to Kentucky and worked with a boutique distillery, picking our own ingredients for the mash. It’s just matured to twenty-five years.”
“Wow, sounds impressive,” I murmur.
He pours two glasses, the caramel bourbon catching the light as it swirls into the crystal. “Started with two hundred bottles back then. We’ve done it every year and increased our production. Now we’re setting enough aside that in twenty-five years, we’ll have two-thousand bottles ready.”
“Planning ahead, I see.”
Mason hands me a glass. “Tell me what you think.”
I take a cautious sip, the flavors unfolding on my palate. “That’s really good. I can pick out vanilla...and cinnamon, maybe?”
“Spot on!” Mason beams with pride.
“Still tastes like lighter fluid to me,” Caroline quips from the doorway.
“Everything tastes like lighter fluid to you,” Mason retorts.
“Maybe so,” she concedes with a roll of her eyes. “But I’m glad you both enjoy it.”
“Thanks, Caroline. And thanks for this, Mason.”
“Anytime, Austin. You know that.” His gaze settles on me, solid and reassuring. It’s moments like these, small pockets of normalcy, that make life at EnergiFusion bearable. With friends like Mason and Caroline, even someone like me—who’d rather shrink into the background—can find a place to belong.
I take a deep breath, looking around. “I had hoped that last Justin sighting was going to pan out.”
“Us too,” Mason says as he takes a sip. “But he’s getting online regularly now. And Theo and Crystal have been emailing him, trying to get him to return.”
I hadn’t thought about reaching out to him that way. “Maybe I should ask him to call me.”
Mason nods. “I know Theo has reached out and heard nothing, but it’s worth a try.”
I make a mental note to do that tonight. But this isn’t why I’m here.
I set my glass down, the rich notes of the bourbon still lingering. “EnergiFusion’s doing well,” I start, feeling the warmth from the alcohol bolstering my courage. “But there’s something else... I’ve got this ring.” My voice falters slightly, betraying the nerves I’ve been harboring for half a year.
“Ring?” Caroline leans in, her face lighting up. “For Danica?”
“Yeah.” I pull the small box from my pocket, twisting it between my fingers. “Been carrying it around for a while. I thought I might ask when we were in Hawaii last year, or at Christmas, but the timing has never been right.”
Caroline’s hands come to her heart, eyes gleaming. “Oh, Austin, that’s wonderful! You two are perfect for each other.”
“I just...” I swallow hard. “I don’t know how to ask her. And I’m not even sure she’ll say yes.”
“Have you talked about marriage?” Caroline tilts her head.
“We’ve...skirted around it.” I admit.
Mason now looks at Caroline with an affectionate gaze. “You just need to ask her, Austin. Stop waiting.”
“Easy for you to say.” I chuckle mirthlessly.
“Believe me, it’s not.” Mason’s smile is rueful. “My biggest mistake was not asking Caroline out sooner. We both ended up dating some real duds because of that hesitation.”
“Ah, yes,” Caroline chimes in. “Like the girlfriend he moved in because she was actively sabotaging his firm.”
They share a laugh, and the sound of it eases the tension in my shoulders. They’re encouraging without even trying. Maybe they’re right. Maybe it’s time to just take the leap.
Caroline leans back in her armchair, gaze thoughtful. “Austin, Danica doesn’t need fireworks or a flash mob. Just make it quiet and romantic.”
I nod. She’s right. Danica would appreciate something heartfelt over something grandiose. “Thanks, Caroline,” I say. “I think I know just what to do.”
Still, for the next couple weeks, the engagement ring remains my shadow, tucked securely in my pocket wherever I go. Valentine’s Day comes and goes. Too cliché, I decided. The ring feels like a talisman, heavy with intention and promise, urging me on.
Then, on a particularly unremarkable Tuesday afternoon, I find myself thumbing the small velvet box in my pocket once more as I sit in my office. With a deep breath, I dial Danica’s number.
“Hey, you,” she answers, her voice weary but always a balm to my soul.
“Rough day at the office?” I ask.
My question is met with a weighty sigh. “The partners are fighting, and I’m swamped. It’s a mess.” Her frustration seeps through the line.
“Let me take some of that stress off your shoulders,” I offer, already envisioning her smile. “How about I pick you up for a nice dinner?”
There’s a pause, and I can almost hear her weighing the idea.
“That sounds perfect,” she finally agrees. “Thank you.”
“Great. I’ll pick you up at your office at six.”
Details confirmed, I end the call, slip the ring back into my pocket, and start planning, ready to turn this mundane Tuesday into a night that will change our lives forever.
I tap my fingers on the mahogany desk, impatience growing as I watch the minute hand crawl forward. I’m willing myself to think of something good when the idea hits me like a lightning bolt—a picnic at Golden Gate Park, intimate and picturesque. It’s the perfect setting for a proposal. Turning to my laptop, I send Alison an email, explaining the meal I’d like and asking her to have it ready with Steve by five p.m.
She replies almost immediately. It will all be taken care of. Her efficiency always impresses me. I scour the internet for the ideal spot in Golden Gate Park, and I settle on the serene imagery of the Japanese Tea Garden. That’s where I’ll ask Danica to be mine forever.
“Steve will be waiting with dinner in a picnic basket and a red and white checked blanket,” Alison assures me a little while later when I call her as I grab my jacket and head out.
But the second I’m in the car, I know we’re in trouble. Traffic is inching along, and tension knots my stomach. The clock on the dashboard mocks me. I should’ve expected this.
“Can’t this thing go any faster?” I mutter, more to myself than Steve.
“Sorry, boss. This traffic’s a monster today,” he says sympathetically, his eyes fixed on the road.
My phone buzzes, and I see Danica’s name flash across the screen. She sounds defeated when she speaks. “Austin, I’m just going to head back to the loft. I can’t deal with waiting for you here. I need to get out before I say something I’ll regret.”
“Wait, no, I’ve got something planned—” I start, but she cuts me off.
“Let’s just meet at the loft, okay?”
“All right,” I agree, though every fiber of my being screams in protest as we end the call. “Change of plans, Steve. Take me to the loft,” I say, trying to mask the dejection in my voice.
“Sure thing,” he responds, making a swift lane change to reroute us.
The rest of the ride is silent, worries bouncing in my head. As much as I try to push them away, I can’t help but wonder if this is the universe’s way of telling me something. But no, I won’t let superstition dictate my future. Not today.
We pull up to the loft, and I take a deep breath and reach for my phone, dialing Danica’s number. It rings twice before her voice comes through.
“Hey, you home?” I ask, trying to inject some cheer into my tone.
“Yeah, I’m already in my pajamas, the furry ones with kittens on them,” she replies with a small laugh.
A smile tugs at my lips, despite everything. “Well, I’ve got a picnic all planned for us,” I say, gripping the basket a little tighter.
“Ugh, today was rough, Austin. I think I’m more in the mood for that bottle of Chardonnay I have in the fridge,” Danica confesses.
I can hear the clink of glass in the background. She’s already poured herself a glass. “Chardonnay sounds good, but let’s do both. I’ll be right up,” I say. The line goes dead, and I exit the car, carrying the picnic basket like a peace offering to the gods of fate, who seem intent on thwarting my plans.
As I walk into the loft, the sight of Danica, her hair tousled, looking like an angel wrapped in fluff and comfort, hits me straight in the heart. She looks up, her eyes reflecting a day’s worth of stress and something softer, something that beckons me closer.
“Hey,” she murmurs.
“Hey.” I open my arms, and it’s all the invitation she needs. She steps into my embrace, and the world rights itself as she cuddles against my chest. I hold her close, breathing in the scent of her hair. “Let’s not let a perfect picnic go to waste,” I suggest. “How about we lay it out in front of the fireplace? Make it cozy.”
A slow smile spreads across her face, pushing away the shadows of her day. “I’d like that,” she says.
“Great.” My heart lightens as I set down the basket and unload its contents. As long as I’m with her, location doesn’t matter.
Danica sinks down beside me, her eyes catching the firelight as she recounts her day with a mixture of amusement and exasperation. “Dr. Weston is unbelievable,” she says, shaking her head. “He’s like a child, I swear. Today, he even had me break up with his girlfriend for him.” She releases a short laugh, more incredulous than happy.
“Seriously?” I chuckle along with her. “Wow. I’ve done a lot in my time, but I’ve never outsourced my breakups.”
“Neither have I,” she retorts with a smirk. “But there’s a first time for everything, right?”
We’re laughing now, the tension of the day dissolving. I grab a grape from the spread and hold it to her lips. She bites into the fruit, sweet juice escaping and trailing down her chin. Without thinking, I lean forward, my tongue darting out to catch the runaway drop. She gasps softly, a sound that sends a current straight through me.
“Delicious,” I murmur, meeting her gaze.
She hums, her appreciation vibrating against my lips. The air between us crackles, and I know if I don’t act now, I’ll lose this perfect moment to passion.
“Danica,” I start. “Remember when you first banged on my door, all fired up about the parking space?” My heart races at the memory of that fiery spirit, which hasn’t dimmed a bit since then.
Her laughter is soft, nostalgic. “How could I forget? You were so infuriatingly calm about it.”
I smile, because she’s right. My laid-back nature contrasted with her storm, but we’ve found balance in each other, order in the chaos.
“And then there was my mother,” I continue. “Trying to keep us apart, but I just... I couldn’t stay away from you, Danica. Not then, not ever.”
Her hand finds mine, fingers intertwining like they’re meant to fit together. This connection, it’s what I crave, what drives every decision I make.
“Your joy for life, your thirst for knowledge, your zeal for adventure—it’s magnetic,” I tell her. “Being with you, it’s been the greatest journey of my life.” My throat tightens as I reach into my pocket for the velvet box that holds the future. “And I want that adventure to last a lifetime. To grow with you, to build a family, to watch the years pass, knowing we’re together through it all.”
My hand trembles as I present the ring to her, the oval-shaped pink diamond that catches the flickering light from the fireplace, a symbol of my commitment, my love, as vast and enduring as the stone itself. “Will you marry me, Danica?”
I hold my breath as I extend the ring, the moment stretching out like a tightrope between two cliffs. For an instant, there’s silence, a hush that swallows the room, the world outside, everything but the two of us. Then, life rushes back in a single heartbeat, and she launches herself at me with such force that we tumble backward, her arms wrapping tightly around my neck.
“I love you, Austin,” she breathes into my ear. “So very much. And yes... Yes, I want all the same things with you.”
I wrap my arms around her, holding her close, feeling the rapid beat of her heart. It’s real. She said yes. “Danica,” I whisper. “You just made me the happiest man alive.”
She looks into my eyes, her hair a beautiful mess around her face. Her joy is so pure it seems to light up the room, even more than the flames crackling nearby. “Good,” she says, tracing the line of my jaw. “Because you’ve made me the happiest woman. I can’t wait to spend forever with you.”
The weight of the ring in my hand feels insignificant now, compared to the weight lifted off my heart. She wants this—us—as much as I do. All those fears, all the doubts, they dissolve in the warmth of her embrace, in the promise of our shared future.
“Forever sounds perfect,” I tell her, leaning in to capture her lips. I seal our engagement with a kiss that holds all the love, all the commitment, and all the adventures yet to come.
Thank you for reading Bossy CEO . I hope you enjoyed it. You can check out a sneak peek from Grumpy CEO due to be released, March 2025.