Epilogue
The porch light works now. Finn flew in with a toolbox and had it glowing in less than ten minutes, and then stood under it looking so pleased with himself that I had to kiss him on my doorstep like a teenager.
After that it was the sticking window in the bedroom.
Then the wobbly step. Then the kitchen faucet, the closet door, the gutter.
Small fixes, week after week, month after month.
We visited all the tourist sites, ate at all the restaurants I had on my list, and watched all of Carey Grant’s movies. Finn commuted between Denver and California, repairing my entire house until one day in March I realized what he'd actually been doing.
Building us. Piece by piece.
Our adopted stray cat moved in eleven days after we did, walking through the propped-open back door like he'd been waiting for us. He sleeps on Finn's drop cloths and answers, when he feels like it, to Winston.
It’s now the third Friday of December at 4:40 in the afternoon, and the group chat on my phone detonates.
Sadie
I get credit for this, right? It was my idea
Marisol
She did say the words ‘condemned Victorian’
Dahlia
Have you heard from Joanna Gaines yet??
I’m standing in the now finished kitchen in one of Finn’s flannels getting ready to make my first attempt at pecan pie.
We’re hosting Christmas dinner, and two sets of parents are inbound.
Finn’s mom and dad arrive tomorrow morning, and my mom and her boyfriend of the past year will land in the late afternoon.
Dahlia and Theo are hosting Dad this year. I’m not quite there yet.
I laugh at the comments and swipe over to Instagram. Finn posted a reel yesterday that went viral overnight, and I’m guessing that’s what they’re still losing their minds about.
I blink when I see 1.7 million on the bottom of the video.
The reel starts like they always do. Finn walking backward, talking to the camera.
Except this time, he's not in a client's gutted living room.
He's in our house. In our backyard, where he just finished the fence that has a secret gate into our neighbor’s yard.
Someone once said we don’t get to choose our neighbors, and I have no idea how we keep getting so lucky. The Rowans moved in six months ago, and we’ve been having patio parties ever since.
“So I don't usually show you my own projects,” Finn says to three hundred thousand strangers. “But this one's the most important thing I've ever built, and I only get to reveal it once. So I’m going to take my time. Show it to you piece by piece . . .”
Finn’s stubble scratches my face, and I jump. He laughs, leaning over me, and kisses my cheek. “You want lunch?”
I nod. “Did you see this is almost at 2 million views?”
He shrugs. “I don’t really pay attention to that.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Okay.”
“What?” He grins, and those dimples . . . “I’m serious.”
“I know.” I set my phone down and walk to him behind the island. I wrap my arms around him and wait for him to drop the loaf of bread.
He does so, then pulls me in and kisses me. “You know, the Rowans are having a baby in the summer.”
I smile against his mouth. “I’m very aware.”
Finn reaches for my hand, spinning the ring on my finger. “How many gummy worms would it cost me?”
I laugh out loud. “To get pregnant? You couldn’t afford me.”
Finn sweeps me off the floor and sits me on the counter so we’re at eye level. “I’m prepared to make a strong offer.”
I clear my throat. “I’m sure you are.”
“After the wedding, I was thinking—”
I groan. “Always with the planning. You know, Finn? You’ve changed. You used to be a lot more fun.”
He laughs and attacks my neck, kissing that spot that kills me. Right below my earlobe.
“Okay! Okay! I give in!”
He pulls back. “See? You always tap out.”
“Hey, that’s not—”
Finn pulls me into his arms, wrapping my legs around his hips. “I’ve got the afternoon off.”
“Hm. Interesting. So do I.” It’s a Saturday, but it’s rare that Finn doesn’t have at least one project he needs to check in on over the weekend.
“Lunch after?” He whispers, and I nod, wrapping my arms around his neck.
Four kids on the same block plus nearly three decades and one cruise ship wedding equals not one, but two happily ever afters. We were so scared to lose Larkspur that, for a while, we forgot it was something we could build.
Everywhere we go.
———
Dreamboat Cruises isn’t done yet … but you should head over to the Smash Point Social Club while you wait for the next trip
She lied about knowing how to play pickleball.
Now she’s stuck taking lessons from Calder—grumpy, sarcastic… and very distracting.
All Alecia needs is to win over her office crush.
But between the banter and late-night rallies…
she’s starting to want the wrong guy.