Epilogue
Avery
One year later
I'm reviewing contracts in my home office when Brennan appears with coffee.
"Break time, counselor."
I look up from my laptop, and my heart still skips when I see him. A year together, six months living in the cabin we bought and renovated, and I'm still not used to how much I love him.
"Is it break time, or are you just bored?"
"Both." He sets down a coffee and kisses the top of my head. "Also, it's Friday afternoon, and you promised you'd only work half days on Fridays."
"I did, didn't I?"
"You did. Our compromise, remember? You work structured hours; I schedule things occasionally. Balance."
I save my document and close the laptop. "Okay. I'm done. What's the plan?"
"No plan. Thought we'd be spontaneous."
A year ago, that sentence would've sent me into a panic spiral. Now I just smile. "I love spontaneity. As long as there's a general direction and estimated timeframe."
"See? Growth." He pulls me from my chair. "Pack a bag, my Thawed Queen. We're going to the cabin for the weekend."
I chuckle and kiss his chin.
The cabin. Our cabin. The backcountry emergency shelter where we first made love, which we sneak out to from time to time. So far we haven’t gotten caught. But Brennan still works with the resort, just as a contractor now, so he can come up with an excuse if we do ever get caught up there.
"I'll be ready in twenty minutes."
"Make it thirty. I know you need to check weather conditions and pack snacks and make a list."
"I do not make lists anymore."
"You made one yesterday. I saw it on the counter. Color-coded with highlighters."
Busted. "Fine. Some habits are hard to break."
"I'm not asking you to break them. Just bend them a little."
This is us now. Compromise. Balance. Me with my schedules and him with his spontaneity, meeting somewhere in the middle where life is structured enough to feel safe and loose enough to feel alive.
My law practice is thriving. Small-town work—estate planning, real estate closings, business contracts—exactly what I needed after years of high-stress litigation. I work from home two days a week, office on Main Street three days. Billable hours are reasonable. Stress is manageable.
And I'm happy. Genuinely, surprisingly happy.
Brennan expanded his guiding business into wilderness therapy programs for burned-out professionals. Turns out, our story resonated—lots of people want to escape the corporate grind and learn to breathe again.
He's found a purpose. I've found balance. We've both found home.
***
Thank you for reading.