Epilogue
Tex
Two Years Later
In the two years I’ve been back in Rugged Mountain, Marley and I have gotten married, had our first baby, built our dream cabin, made at least four benches for Mrs. Robinson, opened a craft store, saved the bookstore, and officially adopted our first Doberman.
One could say, we’ve been busy. I’d say, we’re catching up on missed time.
She stands from the office chair in the back of the bookstore and looks out at the packed house.
“I still can’t believe this worked. I mean, we’ve got double the profits coming in from when this place was in its heyday.
Not to mention that the craft store is doing well too.
” Her gaze meets mine with a playful grin.
“Are you the smartest man in the world or something?”
“I’ve been told I am, yes.” I laugh and hold her close as the girls at the front desk work through the line of folks who just finished their crochet tutorial that goes with a popular reverse harem book.
So far, we’ve learned that people really love a little community more than anything, so we offer themed nights, live music every Friday night, and we have the bookstore speakers to cover us the rest of the week.
Turns out, Grandpa Milton was onto something with the community aspect of it all.
She smiles sweetly and lays her head against my chest for half a second before the baby starts crying from the pack-and-play behind us. We like bringing her to work. It gets her acclimated to the store at a young age, and the whole community gets to know and love our baby girl the same way we do.
“I’ll grab her,” I say, turning back toward our little Milly who’s nearly a year old next week. We named her after Marley’s grandpa Milton, of course.
Sometimes I think about him and wonder if maybe this was all part of his master plan.
That maybe he’s sitting somewhere with his big golden book, looking down on us, writing out plans for our lives like he did for the bookstore.
I’m not a superstitious guy, so that sentiment sounds a bit ridiculous, but either way, I owe the man a beer and a huge thanks.
Without Chestnut Lane Bookstore, Marley and I may never have come back together, my little girl may never have been born, and the new year would’ve started out just like the last.
Instead, here we are surrounded by neighbors who’ve become family, stories that spill out of every corner, and music that lights up this place. Chestnut Lane bookstore is no longer surviving, it’s thriving, and so are we.
I scoop Milly into my arms, her tiny fingers curling around mine, and Marley leans against me with a soft sigh.
“I’m sorry.”
“Sorry?” I narrow my gaze and stare at the girl I love. “Why would you ever be sorry?”
“I’m sorry it took me so long to come back to this.”
I kiss the top of her head and breathe her in. “Sometimes we have to lose our way to find the path that was meant for us. All that matters is that you’re here now.”
“Always,” she says, tipping up onto her toes for a kiss. “Always and forever.”
“Always and forever,” I repeat, the same way I did the day we got married. The same way I have every day since. I say it so much because they’re without a doubt the truest words I’ve ever spoken to the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known, in the most special place I’ve ever been.
Chestnut Lane books is where our story began and I know it’ll be where our story continues.
THANK YOU FOR READING.
READ KIT’S STORY HERE.