Epilogue Rosie
3 YEARS LATER
Counting the paper unicorn plates, I check that we have enough. Between neighbors, Carter’s family, and my own family, I’m not quite sure why we didn’t have our daughter’s third birthday party somewhere else.
“Why is it so difficult for them to hang a banner? Like seriously, they’ve been at this for five minutes,” Esme comments as she stands next to me in the kitchen, holding her toddler. It’s nice having kids close in age; playdates and coffee are part of our routine.
Dropping the plates on the counter, I review the scene, and my lips quirk out. She isn’t wrong. “It’s all about height, I guess?”
“Sure. What’s with men and counting inches,” she quips.
I chortle a laugh. “Can we keep it PG? It’s a birthday party, after all.”
She shrugs. “It’s true.” She passes her son a cracker from the snack tray. “On a level of one to ten, how chaotic is this party going to be?”
“A nine point five.”
Bouncing her son on her hip, she grabs his little hand. “Fun. Now let’s go see if Auntie Hailey has delivered that baby yet.” She walks away to join Hailey on the couch where she is taking up residence for the party, rightfully so, as she’s about to deliver a girl any day now.
Glancing to my sister sitting on the floor with Cassie and playing with her tea set, I make note that Bella has been acting strange all day. I’m about to head their way, but a man with swagger and predatory eyes is approaching me.
“Bravo for finally hanging the decorations,” I tease Carter who wraps his arms around me.
“Don’t get sassy on me. We already have a little princess over there who gives it to us in full,” he reminds me.
I giggle because he is very right. Stepping back, I lean into Carter’s shoulder as he stands by my side to observe our daughter squealing in delight. “She’s growing too fast.”
“We can always do it again,” he highlights. We give one another a glance before bursting out a laugh. “Yeah, we’re not going there.”
I always thought that I would want a big family. The same as I grew up with. However, my views changed after having Cassie. Every day is pure sunshine and lullabies, but it’s work and far too many sleepless nights. It’s to the point where my imagination has me second-guessing if she is possessed, and I burn sage to save us all. Except, that is not the case. She’s healthy, but sleep isn’t for her, barely any hours a night since she was born. It affects you when you rarely get a night of rest. It’s not a risk we want to take again. Maybe we will change our minds one day, but for now, one kid it shall be.
“It’s all good. Just the three of us,” I agree, then sigh as our little girl is no longer a baby.
The loss of Carter in my arms brings my attention back to the tasks at hand. He steals a carrot from the tray and evaluates all of the options for snacks.
“Feeding an army?”
I raise my brow because he should know better. “Something like that. It’s our families.”
“And Jet,” Oliver adds as he joins us around the snacks. We all dart our attention to the back French doors to see Jet standing in the snow and wagging his tail. Carter and I have considered many times that we need to get our own dog, but Jet visits us enough. “Cupcakes. Nice choice.” Oliver tips his nose to the box of pink icing and sprinkle-covered mini cakes.
“Cookies, too. Options for everyone.”
Carter returns to me and slips his arms around my waist from behind. “She thinks of everything, this one.” He pulls me close to his body, and for a second, I’m questioning if we are crossing the border on public display of affection.
“Good. One of you needs to have a brain in your relationship,” Oliver says in jest to hold up their brotherly camaraderie.
“Aren’t you funny. Now make yourself useful and grab the champagne,” Carter instructs him with a cheeky smile on his face.
I shake my head because they may be grown men, but they are adorable with one another.
My husband gathers champagne flutes, and Oliver grabs a bottle of champagne and orange juice from the fridge. With supplies in hands, we stroll over to the living room where everyone has congregated.
“A toast before the circus gets here,” Carter announces with that suave grin that makes me molten every single time. It drives the old ladies at town council meetings crazy, too.
“Gotta listen to our mayor.” Keats smiles and helps distribute the glasses.
Bella stands to sit on the armrest of the couch and next to Esme who placed her son on the ground to play with Cassie.
“Not fair. I have to resort to orange juice.” Hailey is grumbly, and I’m positive she’s physically uncomfortable, too.
Carter holds up the bottle. “I know today is for our daughter, but we deserve to celebrate too for surviving three years of hugs, tantrums, and thrown toys. But you gotta love them.” He glances over his shoulder to stare down affectionately at our daughter who looks up at him with doe eyes full of wonder and a cute little smile while she holds her stuffed dog. “Yes, we do. We love you,” Carter tells her in his special voice reserved for our daughter.
“To good neighbors and friends. Thankfully no snowstorm, either. Thank you for being here.” I begin to feel warmth on my face and then a sting at the top of my cheeks as tears swell at the bottom of my eye. “Okay, I’m emotional. My little baby is three, and we’re all getting older, and I just want to down some alcohol.”
Everyone lets out a chuckle and smiles as we all raise our glasses.
“Thankfully we all live on Everhope Road?—”
Oliver intercepts Carter’s effort to continue his toast. “Which also means it would be awkward if we turned down the party invite.” My husband grins, because as much as Oliver is joking, he raises a valid point.
“As I was saying. To all of us. Thank you for being here and celebrating our daughter’s third birthday. Cheers.”
Everyone clinks their glasses with whoever is closest before taking a sip.
“Ooh, this is yummy. Where is this from?” Esme studies the liquid in her glass.
“From Olive Owl, it’s from my family. I had a crateful in my trunk,” Bella explains.
Before Esme can further their conversation, the sound of the front door opening and a herd of people entering the house causes me to down the rest of my glass in one go.
I love our families. I really do. But together? I need all of the strength. Our parents plus singing “Happy Birthday” with cake all over Cassie and everyone insisting on photos. It’s going to be a scene, for sure.
“Where is my little grandbaby?” I already hear my mom, as she must be getting her coat and boots off.
I notice that Bella has roamed to the corner of the living room near the windows. She seems a little lost.
Joining her, I nudge her shoulder. “You okay? You seem off.”
She smiles weakly at me. “Totally.” She brings her drink to her lips, and it seems to be more of an avoidance tactic.
“Could’ve fooled me,” I reply flatly. “Come on, what’s up?”
“Don’t you have guests to attend to?”
I sputter a laugh. “ Please. They’re not here for me. Besides, when Cassie is in the room then it’s like they forget who even lives here with her.”
“It’s just… everyone is so happy and with someone. Me?” She blows out a breath.
I give her a hug. “Relax. Mr. Right will come.”
“All of our cousins will be married before me.”
I chuckle and smile at her. “We have a lot of Blisswood cousins, and to my knowledge, nobody currently has a riveting love life.”
Bella looks at me as though I’m crazy. “Are you kidding me? Gracie is pregnant with the hockey coach, not planned.” We both swing our gaze to the kitchen where she is chatting with my mom.
“Oh yeah. But still, don’t worry.”
She gives me a stern look and points her finger at me. “Fine. You’re right. Maybe one day. I mean, I might have kind of accidentally broken that no-fraternizing clause that I signed.”
This excites me. “Ooh.”
“Nothing special. Just a solid make-out session at a holiday party.”
There is no possible way to even suppress my jaw dropping and the smile painting on my face. “I live for these details.”
“The holidays make everyone a little crazy. I mean, does your kid really need five outfit options?”
“Hey, snowman, reindeer, Santa, elf, and a dreidel ensures she is ready to roll with every single mayoral function and family photo.”
She laughs at me. “If those are your concerns, then you’re doing fine.”
I smile softly to myself and glance at Carter talking to friends with a beer in his hand. Our eyes latch for a second. Yeah. Life is good when you have a loving husband, a daughter who is our joy, and a street we call home. Finally, I have everything I need.
Thank you for reading.