Epilogue
Alice
Four Months Later…
Halloween
“Can I light them now?”
Nellie looks over her jack-o’-lantern proudly. The triangle eyes and sharp teeth she carved all by herself.
“Sure can, kiddo. Press this button and click this one like this.” I hand her the tea candle and the long candle lighter, demonstrating how to light the flame as I pass it over.
We lean over the candle together. Nellie sticks her tongue out between her lips in concentration as she focuses on igniting the flame.
Just as the wick catches, the door opens. The security alarm beeps until Sutton enters the code.
“Dad! Come look at our pumpkins. Alice and I made them together.”
I wince but maintain my smile. Sutton had mentioned before leaving for work how disappointed he was about missing the pumpkin carving. I hope Nellie’s excitement doesn’t dampen his mood.
“Those look cool, Nellie-Jo. You even have the flame lit and everything,” Sutton says, admiring her handiwork.
“Can we put them on the porch?”
Sutton glances from his daughter to me. “One sec. I have something to show you first.”
A frisson of excitement zips through me. Sutton crosses into the kitchen, a large bag hanging from his elbow.
“What do you have planned?” I ask, eyeing the bag with suspicion.
“You said you love surprises…”
“You brought us a surprise?” Nellie dances on her tiptoes, trying to get a better look.
The bag on his elbow rustles with movement that doesn’t come from Sutton.
He reaches into the bag. “Candy and costumes and trick-or-treating are a lot of fun, but I thought we could make this Halloween special in another way.”
My eyes widen, and Nellie squeals as Sutton produces a very tiny black kitten. Its blue eyes blink slowly, and its tiny claws dig into his sleeve as it tries to climb up to his neck.
“You bought us a kitten!”
The way Nellie refers to us as a unit warms my heart. She took to me moving in permanently with zero issues.
“I found you a kitten.”
A smile curves my lips as Sutton plops the little peanut into my awaiting palms. I kneel, letting Nellie crowd in as we both inspect the baby from up close.
“Where did you get it? Him? Her?” I lift the tail. “Her.”
Nellie pets her, cooing as she strokes from ears to tail.
“Someone found a feral litter. I brought them by Cortney’s vet clinic, but I decided this little one was coming home with me today.”
“She’s soooo cute!” Nellie croons, tickling the kitten between her ears.
“What should we call her?” I stroke my fingertips over her soft fur.
“Let’s call her Midnight!” Nellie suggests without hesitation.
I glance at Sutton. “What do you say?”
Sutton’s piercing blues fill with desire, pinning me to the spot as he replies, “I’d say whatever my girls want.”
Two Months Later…
Christmas
“What do you think?” Whitney slides up beside my spot on the far back wall where I’m taking it all in.
“It’s beautiful.” Green and red twinkling lights sparkle overhead, draped across the wide-open dance floor at The Rocks.
The room is full of people gathered for the second annual Powell-Stone family Christmas.
I’ve been told the Powells have celebrated here for years, but once Cortney and Spencer got together, it made sense to combine the holiday into one, massive family gathering.
“Do you believe it yet?” Whitney leans in close.
“Believe what?”
My best friend loops her arm through my elbow. “That these are your people.”
That sentence alone sets my heart racing, and a swoop in my stomach follows. Fighting the smile lifting my cheeks would be impossible.
“In all my thirty-two years, I’ve never felt anything like it,” I confess, unable to deny the love these people show me every single day.
“I know I say this all the time, but I’m so glad you’re here. Do I like that you withheld information from me in order to do it? No. Do I forgive you? One hundred percent. Am I beyond thrilled that you found your own version of a blue-collar Blizzard-Hottie? Without a doubt.”
We giggle like two schoolgirls discussing our crushes at recess. I search the room until I lay eyes on Sutton. He isn’t hard to find. Most of the men here are tall, but it’s like my soul feels his from across the distance.
He looks up from where he’s deep in discussion with Jude and Spencer, his expression softening.
“Gosh, I feel like I wasted so much time. I could have moved here right after you, and who knows where I’d be right now?”
“Time worked out exactly as it was supposed to.”
I lay my head on Whitney’s shoulder. “You’re right. It’s just that with a whole unknown future laid out in front of us, I want to get started right now.”
Sutton moves across the room as if summoned, stopping by my side and touching his mouth to mine.
“Whitney.” He inclines his head. “Mind if I steal her for a moment?”
Whitney tries and fails to hide her grin behind a plastic cup of fruit punch. She waves her hand between us. “No, absolutely not. She’s all yours.”
Sutton wraps his arm securely around my waist. “Let’s grab your coat.”
“Are we leaving?”
“No. I just need to show you something.”
Sutton helps me into my knee-length parka before sliding on his own winter insulated coat. His fingers thread through mine, the familiar weight of them just another sign I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.
I stop just inside the double doors before he can tug me through. “Oh my gosh, look at how much it’s snowing!”
When I moved to Minnesota, I thought I’d hate the cold and snow.
I had resigned myself to becoming a hermit in the winter and not leaving the house until spring.
That was before I saw for myself how absolutely beautiful it could be.
How it felt when fresh snow crunched beneath my warm winter boots.
How the lawn glittered in the morning after a nighttime snowfall.
And like now. Big, fat, fluffy flakes floating gently to the ground.
“I want to catch one on my tongue.”
Sutton chuckles and kisses the back of my hand. “Plenty of time for you to do that.”
We step outside. A rush of cold air whips my cheeks. I might love the snow, but I’m still getting used to the bitter cold. And according to all the people inside, today’s temperature isn’t even ‘that bad.’ Whatever that means.
If I had to guess, I’d say I haven’t seen the worst that a Minnesota winter has to offer. Not by a long shot.
I wouldn’t mind if Mother Nature saved that particular surprise until next year. Once I’m more used to the weather.
Hand in hand, Sutton guides us on a casual stroll.
We turn the corner behind the bar into a small courtyard that the town has decorated for the holidays.
Thick ropes of green and gold garland hang from the rooftops, the ends capped with large red bows.
A massive pine tree was brought in and placed in the center, twinkling with silver strands of Christmas lights.
Christmas music is piped through hidden speakers.
Sutton pulls me into his chest, slowly swaying us from side to side.
I sigh happily, taking it all in. “You’re making my first snowy Christmas magical.”
“I have a surprise for you,” he murmurs.
Tilting my chin back, I meet his gaze. “You got me a kitten not even two months ago, and we haven’t even opened our gifts to each other yet. What else could you possibly have to surprise me with?”
He slips his hands into his pockets and shrugs. “You could call it a promotion.”
I cock my eyebrow. “You already fired me.”
“I changed your job title, and I’d like to do it again.” Sutton drops onto one knee on the snow-covered ground. “This time, I’d like to make you my wife.”
He opens a black ring box. Nestled inside is a massive oval-cut center stone glittering in the falling snow.
“Marry me, Alice.” Sutton’s voice grows hoarse. “I’ve known you were mine for a very long time now, and I want to make that official in every way possible.”
“Yes! God, Sunny. I’ve been yours. I will always be yours.” I fall to my knees in the snow beside him as tears stream down my cheeks.
Sutton chases them with his thumb. “Are these for me?” His mouth finds mine, kissing me through the salty taste of my tears.
I nod against his lips. “You’ve given me something I never thought I’d find.”
“What’s that, beautiful?”
“You’ve given me home.”
Seven Months Later…
Fourth of July
After years of feeling utterly alone, I’ve grown to love the holidays. Mostly because Sutton makes it his goal to top the last one with his continuous surprises.
For Halloween, it was our kitten. The sweet girl fits into our family so well that even she and Merit get along. It’s not unusual to find them snuggling in a midday ray of sun.
On Thanksgiving, he had to work, but sweetly ordered me to spend the day with his family so that Nellie and I weren’t alone.
Once the festivities were complete, he sent Nellie to stay with Whitney for the weekend and booked a surprise staycation at a boutique hotel, complete with spa reservations for just the two of us.
Christmas was his magical surprise proposal.
For New Year's, he told me we were going out to dinner, but drove us to the airport instead for a secretly planned long weekend in Paris.
On Valentine's Day, he surprised me by turning the rarely used home office into my own personal library, complete with a chaise lounge just big enough for the two of us to reenact some of my favorite spicy scenes.
And today is the Fourth of July. While I can’t imagine he’s come up with a surprise for this one, I have something of my own planned.
We lay in the back of his truck bed, tailgate down, blankets and pillows piled high beneath us. We camp beneath the budding twilight in a wide-open field on the edge of town.
Nellie bounces around, in and out of the truck, shrieking in childlike awe as her Uncle Silas lights off Roman Candles.
“Are you sure those are legal, Officer?” I ask Sutton beside me.
“Don’t look at me. I’m off duty. He’s a cop too, and he bought them by himself.” The exasperation in Sutton’s voice isn’t hard to miss.
I lean deeper into his side, snuggling into his warmth.
“Hey! You better not lose a finger before I get to watch some fireworks!” Sutton yells at his brother.
Silas flips his brother the bird.
“Real cute, the two of you. I can only imagine what it was like for your mother.”
Sutton snorts. “She had her hands full, that’s for sure. And it wasn’t just us. She had six Powells constantly through her front door too. I don’t know how our moms managed, but they kept us all out of trouble and our bellies full.”
“I know she’s proud of the man and father you are.”
His thumb strokes over the ring glittering on my fourth finger. “Husband too.”
We got married in May in a courthouse ceremony.
Whitney was my maid of honor, Silas was his best man, and Nellie was our flower girl.
The rest of our family watched from the back of the room as we made our commitment to each other official.
It was small, intimate, and, most importantly, undeniably ours.
The first boom pierces the air, exploding in red and purple crackling colors. I use the distraction to dig the surprise out of my pocket.
Leaning into him, I press my lips to the underside of his jaw, stealing a quick taste of his skin. “I have a surprise for you,” I murmur.
Sutton drags his attention away from the fireworks exploding overhead. His body grows still at the white stick in my hand. His large palm swaddles mine.
“Firecracker,” he whispers my cherished nickname reverently.
“We’re promoting Eleanor to big sister this coming February. I’m eight weeks along tomorrow.”
“You’re having my baby?”
I lick my lips, excitement bubbling in my chest. “Babies.”
Sutton’s blue eyes blaze. “How many?” he growls.
“You’d better ask your mom for some tips.”
“Alice…” Sutton warns, gathering me into his arms. “How many of my babies did I put in you?”
“We’re having twins.”
His forehead slips against mine. His huge palm covers my lower stomach. “Thinking of you pregnant makes me so fucking hard.”
A laugh slips free. “I think that’s how we got into this predicament.”
Sutton kisses me deeply. “You’re a dream come true, Firecracker. One I didn’t think I ever deserved. Your steady love brought me out of denial.”
I cradle his cheeks in my hands. “Love you, Sunny. There’s nobody else in this world I’d want to do this with. Only you.”
You don’t have to say goodbye quite yet!
Then, turn the page to start reading Cortney and Spencer’s story, REVIVAL, Book One of the Stone Trio Series or Lee and Juniper’s story, ABANDONED, Book One of the Powell Sanctuary Series