Epilogue
EPILOGUE
CALLUM
“ S ounds great, everyone. I think we got it!”
I spoke to the band from the control room where I was listening behind the audio engineers. The band in the booth looked back with smiles, amped up by the adrenaline of performing their own music in a professional recording studio. The group reminded me of the young musician I was when I first entered the industry.
“Great job,” I said, slapping Aidan and Genevieve on the backs in a gesture of thanks. They had been my first hires for the recording studio, and I remembered how nervous I was as I interviewed them. But I was starting to realize that I should go ahead and trust my instincts. These audio technicians had worked out wonderfully, proving themselves to be responsible and kind employees. A lot of the times they taught me things about the business!
The receptionist I had hired last month was also proving herself invaluable. Not only did Jess have a killer instinct for administration and calendars, she was already showing me how great of a marketer she was. Only a month in, and I was planning to move her from part-time receptionist to full-time executive assistant. After the success of my recent solo album, the recording studio was getting more inquiries than we could handle. I was going to need some more help to keep this place running.
A knock on the door drew my attention away from thoughts of our success. Instead, I smiled for an entirely new reason, knowing who would be waiting for me on the other side of the door.
“Look at that smile,” Aidan teased. “If that’s not a man in love, I don’t know what is.”
I rolled my eyes as Genevieve wagged her eyebrows at me. I ignored them as I crossed to the door and opened it to find Darcy standing there.
“Oh, good!” She said when she saw me. “I thought your ‘recording’ sign would never go off.”
I slipped my arm around her back and pulled her close so I could kiss her. Darcy let out a small squeal of surprise as she shifted the picnic basket she held away from our bodies so it wouldn’t get crushed.
“Hello to you, too,” she said when I released her. “Are you ready for lunch?”
I smiled at her with a wide, goofy grin. It was strange to realize how happy it made me just to see her face. I couldn’t get over the butterflies that flew around in my stomach anytime I knew we would be spending time together.
“I’m starving,” I said as I grabbed her hand and walked with her back toward the main reception area.
“That’s what happens when you work for six hours straight without a break!” Darcy laughed.
We had been into the studio early this morning since the band only had one day left of their visit in town. We’d completed their album, but there were a few songs I knew we hadn’t quite unlocked yet, so I’d offered them an additional session this morning before their flights home. But it meant we didn’t stop much throughout the day. Truth be told, my team and I were acquiring a bit of a reputation for getting absorbed in our work. Thankfully I had Darcy around to pull me out of these obsessive periods.
“I’m headed out for a bit,” I told Jess as we crossed through the lobby. “Make sure you take a break too.”
I saw Jess focusing on the computer screen in front of her, a new logo for the studio open in Photoshop.
“Yeah, I will,” she mumbled, but I could tell she was barely listening. When Jess got like this, not much would pull her away from whatever was in front of her.
“Better yet, why don’t you order food for the team? Aidan and Gen could use some fuel too.”
The thought of free food actually made Jess look up at me, and she smiled.
“Sure thing, boss. Hey, Darcy, I didn’t even see you come in!”
Darcy chuckled as she said hello to Jess who was already sorting through her drawers to find the takeout menus. With the staff taken care of, I opened the door to the old hardware store and held it open for Darcy to cross out in front of me.
“That place is really buzzing,” she said, taking my hand again as we crossed the street to the park.
“I know,” I answered. “It’s hard to believe how far we’ve come in less than a year.”
“How long do you have?” Darcy asked.
“About an hour. The guys are coming in to take another crack at that new song.”
“The big number one hit the band keeps talking about?”
It had taken a bit of convincing, not to mention the hiring of a new manager, to get my bandmates to agree to my solo album. Despite some bruised egos, everyone seemed to realize it was what I needed to keep my creative juices flowing. Or at least they pretended to understand, once I promised them we could do another the Horizon album by the end of the year. Lucky for us, the solo album had only increased the public’s interest in our music.
“I know we’re dangerously close to going off schedule,” I said, “but we want the album to be perfect.”
“Hey it’s your studio,” Darcy laughed. “I think you’re entitled to a little extra recording time.”
I looked up to see Liz, Maggie, and Alan waving enthusiastically from the park.
“I didn’t know it was a family affair!” I laughed as Darcy pulled me across to Liz and her children. I pulled Maggie into a hug and ruffled Alan’s hair as they told me all about the end-of-year concert they would sing at next week.
“I hope you didn’t volunteer for this one,” I said as I looked over at Liz. She looked back with a sheepish expression.
“How can you say no to these faces?” she asked as she put her hands on top of each child’s head. “And I probably should have told you sooner, but ... I’m not the only one volunteering.”
We settled down on to the picnic blanket Liz and the kids had set up while Darcy came across the street to get me.
“Let me guess,” I laughed. “I’m running sound.”
“Well, if you insist!” Liz laughed, and though I rolled my eyes at her, I was secretly excited to help my niece and nephew with their school play.
“You know, I have some people who might be even better suited for the job,” I said, thinking about Aidan and Gen working hard back at the studio. Hopefully my employees had agreed on a lunch spot by now so they could order.
“As long as the parents and grandparents can hear their children, I don’t care how it gets done,” she said.
We settled into our lunch, and I was delighted by how ordinary it all felt. I never imagined I could meet my family in the park for lunch before I headed inside for my own afternoon session in the studio. I marveled at the way Liz and Darcy could weave in and out of conversations about work while still engaging the children in tidbits of information or questions about their days. And most of all, I delighted in how close Darcy sat to me, as if it were the most comfortable and ordinary thing for us to lean against one another as we snacked on cheese and fruit.
After they had satisfied their hunger, Maggie and Alan ran off toward the playground with Maggie squealing as Alan chased her. We laughed as we watched them.
“How did things go with that couple today?” Liz asked, turning her attention to Darcy. “Sorry I couldn’t get out there to meet them.”
“No problem,” Darcy said. “Though if I had known how much work two offices was going to be, I might have reconsidered! I started a business with my best friend so we would actually see each other!”
“Which is why we need to hire more staff!” Ever since Darcy and Liz opened the second office, they had been debating about whether to bring in additional agents or some administrative assistant to help them with all the paperwork they were drowning in. I tried to stay out of the conversation whenever possible, since I had learned that getting myself in the middle of my sister and my girlfriend was an unenviable position to be in.
“We were talking about the couple I met with,” Darcy said, guiding the conversation back to Liz’s original question. “They’re eager to buy, and no house of their own to sell since they’re currently renting. I had barely asked the most basic information when she was suddenly telling me about their newborn and wanting to have a home for him to grow up in.”
“How sweet!” Liz said.
“Adorable,” Darcy agreed. Her hand rested casually on my knee and I brought my hand up to rest between her shoulder blades, simply happy to touch her and show her that I was here for her.
A scream from the playground pulled our attention and Liz was instantly on her feet, motherly instincts kicking in.
“Alan!” She cried out. “Leave your sister alone!”
Liz set off toward the playground, continuing to scold Alan as she went. I felt Darcy’s shoulders move as she laughed. She looked over and smiled, and then she leaned into me, allowing my arm to wrap around her in an embrace.
“Thanks for coming to lunch,” she said as she tucked her head into the crook of my neck.
“Thank you !” I said. “If you hadn’t pulled me out of that dark studio I would still be in there with headphones over my ears listening to the same two measures over and over again.”
“Well, good. I’m glad you’re happy to be out here. I was starting to worry I was pulling you away from your work.”
I pulled back then, and Darcy sat up to look at me. I wanted her to see how serious I was when I spoke.
“Darcy, the only thing that makes the work in the studio worthwhile is you . It’s us. I’m doing all of this for us. And if I don’t get these breaks out in the sun surrounded by people I love, then I can’t create the art that I do. It’s a recipe, and right now, I’d call this the secret ingredient.”
She leaned in and kissed me before resuming her place leaning against my side.
“I love you,” she said. It was so easy and matter-of-fact, you would have thought she had said it a hundred times before. And though it was the first time she had said this to me, I wasn’t surprised by the words at all. I was only surprised that I hadn’t said them first.
“I love you,” I responded. We sat in silence for a moment, watching Liz try to coax Maggie down from the top of the monkey bars. I thought about where we were a year ago and everything we had accomplished in the time since. And I thought about the years ahead of us and the adventures that were still in store.
“That couple looking for a house,” I started, surprising myself with the words. “It has me thinking ... maybe it’s time to think about getting our own place. If you’re interested.”
“Really?” Darcy asked. She looked at me with curiosity, and I could sense her excitement already growing. “Are you up for that?”
“Of course,” I told her. “In case you haven’t noticed by now, I’m not going anywhere. You’re stuck with me.”
“Promise?” Darcy laughed. I took her hand in my own and squeezed it tight in response.
“Alright,” she continued. “So, we’ll look for a house.”
“Good,” I smiled. My whole body felt warm at the idea of our future. And talking about it with Darcy was even better than dreaming about it. I looked over at her and smirked.
“Hmmm ... Now if only we knew a real estate agent ...”
Darcy pushed her shoulder into mine in a playful shove. I allowed myself to be knocked over from the blow, and we were soon on the ground, laughing and playfully pushing each other like giddy children without a care in the world.
THE END.
If you enjoyed Second Chance at Us then you will love Beneath his Protection.
Sexy secret billionaire, club owner finds himself irresistibly drawn to the new girl in town in this scorching small-town romance. Brace yourself for a thrilling journey with twists and turns that will leave you breathless with anticipation.