Epilogue - Mason
She wouldn’t let me go back with her to Hibiscus Harbor and help her move. She kept insisting that I had a business to run – and she wasn’t wrong, but I wanted to make sure she didn’t change her mind.
Fortunately, she didn’t and now she’s sitting next to me in my truck about to officially be home – with me – and I couldn’t be happier. “Ready?” I ask her.
She turns to me and smiles. “Ready.”
We climb out of the truck and just before we walk into the front doors of the lodge, I pick her up and carry her through the threshold as she laughs. “You’re supposed to do that when you get married,” she chastises me.
“All in due time, my love,” I shock her. “What? Like you’re surprised to know that I plan to marry you?” I set her feet down but don’t let her out of my arms.
“Well…”
I caress her cheek with my thumb, “Baby, I’ve moved you clear across the country and into my home.
I’m going to propose to you and we’re going to get married.
Then we’re going to have kids and live happily ever after.
Does that all work for you?” Her mouth opens and closes like a fish, “I need you to use your words, baby.”
I watch as she makes a decision. “Maybe. We’ll see. I make no promises” she laughs at me. “A girl wants to be wooed. I neither see nor hear any wooing right now.” She tweaks my nose and then tries to walk away from me.
I grab her by the waist and pull her back to me. “Oh, you want wooing, I’ll show you wooing.” I capture her lips and give her my best kiss I can and I know it’s working because she starts mewling.
Resting my forehead against hers, I tell her what I should have told her years ago.
“I love you, Sydney Winters. with all my being, and I was such an idiot all those years ago. I promise to never make that mistake again.” I drop onto one knee as I pull out the ring box that I’ve had since we graduated high school.
She gasps as she realizes what I’m about to do. “Sydney Winters, will you marry me and make me whole?”
The tears fall down her cheeks as she nods. “Yes, Mason Donovan. I’ll marry you and we’ll make each other whole. I love you, too.”
I put the ring on her finger and stand up, pulling her into my arms. “Welcome home, Sydney.”