Epilogue - Samantha
One Year Later
Ayear later, Arch stands behind me in the glass studio, sleeves rolled up, wearing a pair of safety glasses that keep slipping down his nose.
“You’re holding the pipe too tightly,” I say, laughing at his technique.
“I’m preventing it from falling.”
“You’re strangling it.”
“It’s metal.”
“The glass can feel your tension.”
“The glass doesn’t have a nervous system.”
I smile. “Trust the process.”
“I trust you.”
Those words mean something different now—trust didn’t return all at once at the masked ball. We rebuilt it slowly. Arch started seeing a therapist. He learned to ask before helping. I realized I could forgive him without pretending his choices hadn’t hurt me.
He never used money to control my decisions again. Instead, he helped me apply for grants whenever I needed them. He came to every student exhibition. He sat through my lectures on Venetian glassmaking and pretended he wasn’t fascinated.
Lily and Lucy still claim credit for our relationship—Kendra claims more—but Arch claims none. That is one reason I love him.
“Ready?” I ask.
“No.”
“Good.”
Together, we turn the pipe—the molten glass opens, forming a flower with see-through blue petals. It isn’t perfect, but it catches the light beautifully.
Arch stares at it. “We made that.”
“We did.”
“I assume this means I’m an artist.”
“It means you followed instructions for eleven consecutive minutes.”
“A personal record.”
He removes his gloves, then reaches into his pocket. My heart stops as he lowers himself to one knee.
“Arch.”
Lily and Lucy emerge from behind the equipment, grinning. Kendra appears beside them with my mother and Rebecca—everyone had known except me.
Arch opens a small velvet box. Inside is a ring with a pale blue sapphire surrounded by tiny diamonds.
The setting curves like glass petals. “The first time I met you, I thought love meant finding a way to keep you,” he says.
“You taught me it means giving you every reason to be free and hoping you choose me.” Tears blur my vision.
“Samantha Ellis, I don’t want to own your time.
I want to share mine with you. Will you marry me? ”
I sink to my knees before him. “Yes.”
He closes his eyes for a moment, but not before I catch the relief in them. “Yes?” he repeats, as if he can’t believe I said yes.
“Yes, Arch.”
He slips the ring onto my finger, then kisses me as our family cheers.
Later, after champagne and cake, and after everyone finally left, Arch locked the studio door.
I lean against my worktable, smiling at him. “Mr. Jamison, are we alone?”
His gaze darkens as he approaches. “Completely.” He lifts me onto the table, then steps between my knees.
“Did you arrange that?”
“I asked.”
“Look at you, learning.”
“I’m highly trainable.”
I wrap my arms around his neck. “Take me home.”
He kisses me slowly. “With pleasure, future Mrs. Jamison.”
My first assignment with Elite Connections had been scheduled for two hours—it ended up giving me a lifetime. Only this time, we got to choose our connection.
-THE END-