Epilogue
Two Months Later
“He’s not going to tell you.” Sebastian smirked.
“Of course he’ll tell me. He’s my brother.” I turned to Luke and plastered on my most endearing little-sister smile. “Please,” I said, drawing out the word for a solid five seconds.
“Nope.” Luke shook his head, one arm holding Colton against his chest. His other arm draped over Scarlett’s shoulder.
“Do you know what’s going on?” I asked Scarlett.
She smiled a Cheshire grin, her wild red hair blowing in the breeze. “Don’t worry. I think you’ll like this,” she said.
Luke and Scarlett (and Colt) had met us at our house, but we were all walking toward Calla Bay’s version of downtown now.
It was a beautiful September afternoon, still pleasantly warm but with the telltale sign that we were nearing the end of season.
The tourists had mostly packed it up and gone home, which left our town quieter and emptier, but also feeling a whole lot smaller.
“Don’t say too much. You don’t want to give anything away,” Seb teased. His eyes danced with amusement, laughing at my scowl.
“Yes, yes you really do.”
“We’ll be there in five minutes, Lyds. It’s not exactly a long wait,” Luke said, shaking his head.
I let it go with a huff.
We turned the corner onto Main Street. A row of old stone storefronts lined one side of the street while the opposite side was open to the sandy beach, a blue horizon stretching the ocean as far as the eye could see.
About halfway down this block of stores, I spied a split second of Wes entering one of the units. He was out of sight so fast, if I blinked, I could have missed it.
“Was that Wes?” I asked.
Luke and Seb exchanged a glance, but no one answered.
A minute later, we were upon that unit. Luke opened the door for Scarlett, and he turned back to me with a smile. Seb tugged on our laced hands, pulling me to a stop. The door shut behind Luke, leaving us alone on the sidewalk.
“What is this?” I tried to peek through the windows, but the tint was making it difficult to see. There were people inside, but I couldn’t tell how many or who they were.
“Are you ready to find out?”
“Yes,” I replied, apprehension and anticipation whirling in my gut. Not that I thought it would be anything bad. All three of them had been clear that whatever this was should be a good time.
Seb chuckled at my impatience. “Come on. Let’s get this party started.”
He opened the door for me. Immediately, I was flooded with emotion.
Dozens of people from all over town were here, cheering.
My dad and Sheila stood at the front of the gathering.
Beside him was Wyatt, Maeve, Jane, and Veda.
Reid and Claire were on the other side of Sheila.
Luke, Scarlett, and Colt. Wes. Lisa and Jerry were here, along with Brenda, Amy, and Lauren.
Jeannie from the candy shop and Scarlett’s boss, Daisy, were both here.
Both clients of my newly established PR and Social Media Management company.
Along the walls was a series of photographs. Some had been blown up, like the group pictures of the ladies, topless, tatted, and proud. Some were small, framed photos, like the one I took of Jane and Veda laughing at each other laughing during a Sunday night dinner.
But every photograph was mine.
A gallery of my art.
Someone had set up tables with champagne and hors d’oeuvres. Two teens in pressed white shirts, dark trousers, and floppy heads of hair stood at the ready to serve the guests.
I spun around, trying to take it all in. All of these pieces… all of these people… this was all for me. I swallowed past the lump in my throat and thought I was holding myself together despite the tears that threatened to fall until my dad stepped forward and wrapped me in a tight embrace.
“I’m so proud of you, Lydia. So talented, so strong and resilient. You are so much like your mother.” Those tears that were threatening to fall a moment ago… they ran down my cheeks in messy, wet tracks. “Except for the attitude. That’s all you, Lydi-bug.”
A loud laugh burst out of me. I had barely let go of my dad with another arm was wrapped around me. Wyatt’s large frame engulfed me, and he swayed me side to side in his tight hug.
“You were wasted in New York, Lyds. This is where you belong. With family and friends,” he said.
“You make a difference in the lives of everyone you meet,” Maeve added, pulling me into a three-woman hug with her and Veda.
I went around the room, hugging, talking, and socializing with everyone in attendance. A couple of people even wanted to buy a photograph, including the large group photo of Lisa, Brenda, Amy, and Lauren.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Woodson, that photograph is already spoken for. I’d be happy to show you some other ones though.”
Mrs. Woodson held my hand, sandwiching it between her firm, wrinkled palms. “That’s too bad, dear.
But I understand why someone else beat me to it.
It’s a portrait of strength and inspiration.
So full of life,” she said, gazing at the ladies’ smiling, laughing faces.
“I see that spirit in you, Lydia. I hope we get to do this again next year.”
Mrs. Woodson wandered off to continue browsing through the room.
A shriek rang out, causing everyone to turn to find the source. Scarlett flung herself toward the newcomer at the door. Bright red hair in heavy waves framed the woman. She looked to be in her early twenties, but her fair, freckled skin immediately identified her as Scarlett’s sister.
“What are you doing here?” Scarlett asked, a smile stretching her face wide.
“I needed to come meet my nephew,” her sister laughed.
Luke walked up to greet her, carrying Colton.
“Aurora’s here.” Scarlett beamed.
“I see that. Hey, Aurora. Or I guess, it’s Auntie Aurora now.” Luke gave her side hug, letting Aurora take Colt from his arms.
I turned and scanned the room. Most everyone had gone back to their conversations or were plying themselves with more free appetizers. Except for Wes. His gaze was locked on Aurora, a quiet tension simmering behind his eyes.
I touched his arm to get his attention, and he flicked his gaze to me. “Are you alright?”
“Yup. Just keeping an eye out.” The smallest of smiles crossed his face. “Are you enjoying your night?”
“What do you think?” I gestured to the room of people and art around me.
“You deserve it, kid.”
I caught Seb’s eye under a collection of photos from the shop. The moments of joy, excitement, and pride when a client saw the finished tattoo for the first time. I left Wes to his monitoring and made my way to him.
“Hey there, handsome.” My hands came around his middle, and I tilted my chin up to him.
The kiss was as PG as they came, but sparks lit across my skin all the same.
“I can’t believe this. It’s absolutely incredible,” I said. “Thank you for doing this.”
“You are incredible.” His lips touched mine again. Just a soft caress, but one I felt like I couldn’t live without. “I love you, Lydia Wilder. And I’m not the only one. This town loves you. We want to celebrate you the way you deserve to be celebrated.”
“Why?”
“Consider it a birthday present.” He popped his dimple in a cheeky smile, knowing damn well what that dimple did to my insides.
“My birthday is in May,” I told him, looking up at him from my furrowed brow.
He took my hand, intertwining it with his, and brought it to his lips. “It’s eleven years of missed birthdays.” He leaned in, his honey-brown eyes darkening before he captured my lips in a long, lingering kiss. Chaste, but full of promises. Promises of love and safety. Of forever.
“I love you too, Seb.” I nestled against his firm, broad chest. His strong, tatted arm held me close, and he dropped a kiss to the top of my head.
Eleven years apart would barely be a blip in the lifetime we would spend together.
Because I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that Sebastian Devereux was my forever.
Thank you for reading I Dare You!