Epilogue
Blaze
Six months later
“I can’t believe it’s move in day!” Ciara clapped as I parked my truck in front of the farmhouse.
A couple of months ago, I moved my parents into the carriage home on the property, after finishing up a few more renovations.
I made it elderly friendly, by adding in a seat in the bathroom tub, and other small updates to help them.
This way, it would be a safe place for them as they got older, no more stairs to contend with, and I didn’t have to worry about them in the crumbling farmhouse, tripping over a loose piece of carpet, or falling down a flight of old stairs.
I also hired a home health aide to help me out with their care, as the construction job kept me busy, along with the club.
In the meantime, Ciara and I dated, enjoying dinner in the city, and showing her the small towns of Appleridge Mountain, whenever I had a free night off work. And after four months of nonstop time together, I figured why not ask her to move in. She spent most of her nights here with me, anyway.
While she finished up her lease on her apartment, I worked hard to fix up the necessary repairs in the farmhouse, like the leaky sink and broken tub, installing a new toilet, and upgrading some appliances.
I still had a million things to do on the to-do list, but for now, it was enough to welcome my lady inside.
We made it official after three months of dating and little did she know, her friends Jeanie, Shelly, and Diedre were helping me plan the perfect proposal, including shopping for her dream ring.
When you know it’s right, you don’t let go, you don’t let anything ruin the chances of being together and that’s how it felt with Ciara.
I might not have been looking for love, but it fell into my lap, and I wasn’t about to close the door on it.
“I know. I’ve been waiting forever. I can’t wait to wake up to you every morning, baby.” I said as I leaned across my truck’s middle console and kissed her, long and deep. She always tasted so damn sweet. I could never get enough.
“Me either. Jeanie is tired of hearing me whine.”
“Ha! She must be happy it’s moving day too, then.”
“Oh, she is. But she’s also begging to come for a visit.”
“Invite them all, baby. We’ll have a housewarming party. I need to fix a few more things first.”
“How about we unpack later and go say hi to your parents first? I’m starving.”
I threw my head back with laughter. Ciara couldn’t stop raving about my dad’s tomato sauce.
He was already making a batch for her right now.
Cooking lately has seemed to bring up his spirits, and I was happy he found something he liked.
Most days he was depressed not able to work and watching my mother’s health decline, but there was always a smile on his face when he was cooking.
Ciara was his biggest taste tester. She also loved watching trashy reality TV with my mom, and both my parents just adored her.
Sometimes I wondered if they admired her more than me. But that wasn’t possible.
“Pops already has the sauce on. We might as well eat some lunch before we get started.”
“At least I only have a few bags. You won’t believe how much crap I got rid of.”
“Oh, I can believe it.” I said as we climbed out of my truck and she came around the front.
“Would you still love me if I filled this house with stuff?”
“Of course I would. I’d just slowly clean it out when you weren’t looking.”
Ciara laughed, and we couldn’t stop smiling all the way to the carriage house.
How I met the love of my life at my side hustle job, I’d never know, but I wasn’t about to question it.
She was perfect, and I’d forever be thankful.
I’d also forever be thankful her first engagement was called off.
Something I told her often, and she loved to hear.
Because she was happy too. She wasn’t stuck in a loveless marriage she didn’t want.
And a couple of months later, when I proposed to her under a moonlight sky, she cried tears of joy, happy to be engaged to a man she wanted to marry.
I was happy I found my forever in her.
THE END
Thank you so much for reading Guarded Love!