Epilogue Ezra
Epilogue
Ezra
“Can we please be done with weddings now?”
“What? You’re not having yours on the property too?” Noah jams his elbow into my ribs with a grin. “Mr. Engaged.”
I roll my eyes. He’s been calling me that for weeks now, ever since I proposed to Summer.
We were walking along Harborview Boulevard, and it just hit me out of nowhere—I wanted to marry her.
Maybe it was the way the mountains looked against the sunset-colored sky, or perhaps it was just that I’m so in love with her that I can barely keep my hands to myself.
Whatever it was, I knew. I had already planned on spending the rest of my life with her, but I wanted it to be official.
I wanted her to be mine in every sense of the word.
I spent the next two weeks looking at rings until I found the perfect one—a brown pear-cut diamond encrusted by several smaller white diamonds—and then I set the plan in motion. I would cook her dinner, then afterward we’d take a late-night drive to do some stargazing, and I’d ask her there.
None of that happened.
I came home to find her in my kitchen in the tiniest pair of shorts, a cropped tee, and an apron. One look at her and all my plans went to shit.
We didn’t make it out of the kitchen for another hour, and I had my dinner on the countertop.
Later, we snuggled in bed with our cereal instead of going for a drive, and at nearly 2:00 a.m., I reached over to the side table drawer, pulled out the ring, and asked her—milk dribbling down her chin and all.
Sometimes I wish I could have waited and made it more romantic, but it just felt so us. And based on the way Summer is showing off her ring to literally everyone tonight and gushing over the story, I think it’s safe to say she feels the same.
“I don’t know where we’re getting married. We haven’t discussed details yet.”
“But you’re hiring Odette as your planner, right?” Noah’s eyes narrow threateningly.
I chuckle, clapping him on the shoulder. “Yes, your wife will be our wedding planner, even if she is the most obnoxious little sister I never had.”
“She’s not obnoxious. She’s perfect.”
His eyes track her from across the room. She stands in a circle along with Izzy and Summer. They’re all giggling and sipping on champagne.
“I can’t believe my sister is married,” Noah says, a grin plastered across his face as he watches them too. “I can’t believe I’m married and have been for two years now.” He laughs. “If younger versions of us could see where we’re at now, they’d flip.”
“Maybe. Or they’d just be really damn happy for us.”
“Shit, Ez. That was kind of romantic.”
I glower at him. “Don’t you ever say that again. I’ll punch you.”
“You boys wouldn’t be causing trouble over here, would you?”
We both turn to find Daniel Turner sipping on a glass of what looks to be punch.
“No, sir. I mean Sheriff Turner. I mean sir.” Noah stumbles over his words, and it’s comical to watch him squirm. “We never cause trouble.”
“Mm-hmm, sure you don’t,” the older man says, his eyes falling to slits as he looks at me.
I certainly cause trouble. While I don’t speed nearly as much as I used to, I’ve still been pulled over five times in the last few years. I’m pretty sure if I didn’t make his daughter so damn happy, I wouldn’t have a driver’s license at this point.
“And it’s just Daniel now,” he reminds Noah.
“Sorry. I know you’re retired now, but it’s a tough habit to break.”
For a split second, he looks pained when Noah says retired, but it disappears as quickly as it came on.
After the heart attack, I think everyone expected Daniel to withdraw from the race for sheriff, even with all the well-wishes. He didn’t. He won and served for another six months before announcing that he was stepping down to focus on his health.
I know a lot of that had to do with Summer deciding to stick around Port Harbor.
“Dad!”
Speaking of Summer . . .
“Dance with me,” she says, more than a little tipsy on all the champagne that’s flowing.
He rolls his eyes but heeds his daughter’s request.
She tosses me a wink as he leads her out onto the dance floor, and I watch as he twirls her around.
It’s sweet, and since Summer and I have been together, I’ve been privileged to witness many moments like this between them. Their bond is special, and his unwavering support is a big reason Summer kept going when the sale of Sunnie’s fell through the first time.
Summer was devastated, though she didn’t want to show it. She was so close to getting her dream—it was right there within her reach—and it was ripped away, all because the bank wouldn’t back her without a cosigner.
I jumped in, ready to help her, but she refused me at every turn.
Ultimately, it was Daniel who stepped up and made it happen.
While they’re technically co-owners of Sunnie’s, he’s only around to make repairs and run errands whenever a supplier inevitably screws up. Otherwise, the place is all Summer’s, and I couldn’t be prouder of her.
“Ezra!” Daniel calls, waving me over. “Come take over, son!”
Son.
That’s something he’s taken to calling me lately, and I can’t deny that warmth fills my chest every time I hear it. Sure, I have my uncle who raised me since my parents passed, but this feels different, like Daniel’s choosing me.
I like being chosen.
“Duty calls,” I say to Noah, patting him on the back before pushing my way onto the dance floor.
Before, you couldn’t have paid me to do this.
I would have made up a reason to say no or use my hip as an excuse not to, but that’s no longer the case.
Now I can’t imagine anything better than leading Summer around to some sappy love song, showing her off to everyone.
Even when my hip pinches as I step onto the floor, I don’t mind it.
I’ll take all the pain if it means having her in my arms.
I grin when Summer spots me, and not just because she’s already smiling back at me.
No, it’s because her eyes light up like they do every time I see her.
She loves me. She’s in love with me. And I’ve never been fucking happier in my life.
“Thanks,” Daniel says, then kisses his daughter on the cheek before hurrying away.
“Hey!” she shouts over the music.
“Hey, Sunny,” I say back.
Then I swoop her into my arms, and she comes to me easily, like we’ve done this before. We have. So many times, and I’ll never tire of it.
“I feel like I haven’t seen you all night,” she says with a pout.
“I’ve been around. Watching you.”
“I know. I can feel it.”
“Just like you’re feeling the champagne?”
She giggles, then shrugs. “I’m letting loose. That’s what you said to do, wasn’t it?”
It was. Ever since Sunnie’s opened back up with Summer as the owner, she’s been working nonstop.
I get it. I was the same way after we got Stick Taps up and running, and the iceplex too.
Hell, for the following years as well. Which is how I know she’ll burn herself out if she keeps going at the rate she is.
If she’s not running around the kitchen in our home, she’s dashing around the one at the restaurant.
She needs a break. Part of me says that because I miss her, but the other part says it because I need her to realize this is a marathon, not a sprint, and that her dream isn’t going anywhere. It’s right here, right now. It’s happening, and it’s okay if she lives in the moment a bit.
“It is. Guess I’m just shocked you’re actually listening to me. You’re usually far too obstinate to do so.”
“You like it when I’m stubborn.”
“I just like you, Sunny.”
She grins, twining her arms around my neck. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
She nuzzles her nose against mine. “Well, I more than like you, fiancé.”
“Is that so?”
“Yep. Which is why I can’t wait to marry you. Did I tell you that? That I want to get married sooner rather than later?”
“No, you haven’t mentioned it.”
“I do. I think we should elope. Let’s leave the country and go somewhere beautiful and say our vows. Just us.”
I laugh, hugging her closer. “I’m pretty sure Sheriff Turner might murder me if we did that.”
Her nose wrinkles. “Yeah, maybe. But you could totally take him.”
“Are you encouraging me to fight your father, Sunny?”
“Maybe.” Another giggle escapes, this time with a little hiccup following behind it. “I think I’m drunk.”
“You most definitely are,” I agree.
“You must be drunk, too, if you’re dancing with me.”
“We stopped dancing minutes ago. That’s just the room spinning.”
“Is not,” she argues, because of course she does.
“Is too.” I press a quick kiss to her lips because I can’t help myself. “Now, tell me more about how you want to run away and marry me.”
She sighs happily. “I don’t care where we get married, honestly. It could be in the gas station parking lot. I just want to marry you. I want to be Summer Rawlings.”
A low hum of approval moves through me at the sound of that. “I want you to be Summer Rawlings too. But with a proper wedding, so your dad doesn’t bury me six feet under before we can say I do, yeah?”
“Ugh. Fine. You win.”
“I always win.”
“You do not. I just let you think you do because I like how cocky you get.”
I bark out a laugh. “Is that so?”
“Yep. I’m just nice like that.”
“You’re something, you know that?”
“I know.” She smiles. “But you like my something.”
“I love your something.” I press a kiss to the corner of her lips. “I love you.”
She sighs. “I love you, too, Ezra. Pretty sure I have since you first saw me in those handcuffs.”
I dip my head closer, my lips ghosting over her ear. “Did I ever tell you how much I liked that look on you? Been thinking we should re-create that.”
“Ezra!” She pulls away, blushing. “Not now.”
“But later?” I quirk my brow.
She giggles. “Later. We have time.”
“Not just time, Summer. We have forever.”
She grabs my dress shirt, pulling me to her and planting her lips against me in a quick, hard kiss.
“Mine,” she says.
“Yours, Sunny. Always yours.”
And nothing about that scares me anymore.
Not when I have us.
Not when I have her.
And not when I plan to never let her go.