Epilogue
brIAR, ONE MONTH LATER
It’s raining as I step out of the car, the drops plopping onto my head, the dirt below.
Lifting my face up to the sky, knowing it’s probably messing up my makeup and not caring, I laugh.
Because…it’s raining.
An hour ago there hadn’t been a cloud in the sky, not even the barest hint of a storm in the forecast.
And now it’s raining.
“Raindrop,” I hear, an arm wrapping around my waist, warm lips kissing off the droplets.
Opening my eyes, I grin at Brooks.
“It’s raining.”
His lips twitch. “Yeah, it is.”
I swipe away a drop of rain that’s clinging to his eyebrow. “You look devastatingly handsome in that suit.”
He grins and it’s laced with a wickedness that makes me want to take his hand and drag him into the back of the car that drove me here.
Too bad the windows aren’t tinted.
And that our friends are nearby, gathered in the clearing, hastily opening umbrellas that River is passing out.
River.
My heart squeezes.
She’s staying with us, having shown up at the house the morning after everything went down…and acting decidedly mum about anything related to Thorn since.
We’ve done a lot of baking over the last few weeks.
And online classes, trying to figure out our future.
And wedding planning.
And putting together the building blocks for a horse rescue.
But not much talking about why Thorn keeps showing up at the house…and why River keeps refusing to see him.
“I have a surprise for you,” Brooks murmurs.
“Is it another car with tinted windows so I can show you how much I love you in that suit?”
His mouth quirks and he smooths back my hair in that gentle way of his. “Damn. That really was a missed opportunity to get you naked, wasn’t it?”
Laughter in my chest and bubbling up into the air around us.
“Fuck, you’re beautiful.”
I wave my hand. “Eh, I had help.”
“It’s not the makeup or hair, and it’s not even the dress. Though”—he settles a hand on my waist, draws me closer—“I fucking love the dress, baby.”
I shiver, and it’s not from the cold.
“What’s the surprise?”
He opens his mouth—
“Use the umbrella, dumbass!”
I jerk at Jace’s voice, see him get swatted by Marie, who’s wearing a gorgeous emerald dress that’s the same color as her eyes.
“He’s not wrong,” Brooks murmurs, opening an umbrella I didn’t even realize he was holding. “But as usual, I forget myself when I’m with you.” He settles it over us, but I just pluck it from his hand and toss it to the side.
“I love the rain, Jace!” I shout as I turn toward him, sticking out my tongue. “So there!”
All of Brooks’s friends—no, my friends now, too—start laughing.
I fight my smile as I plunk my hands on my hips and turn back to Brooks, tapping my toe. “Now what is this surprise of yours?”
He grins.
Then takes my hand and draws me into the trees. “I was going to wait until we were officially married, but”—a shrug—“I don’t want to.”
“Where are you going?” Rory shouts. Chrissy shushes her, but she just says, “What? They’re supposed to be getting married!”
I grin and…just go with it.
Because once upon a time, I lost everything I wanted.
Because once upon a time, I never thought I’d get it back.
But I have.
And it’s better than anything I’ve ever dreamed of.
So, I just tighten my fingers around Brooks’s and let him lead me down a narrow, winding trail. Though, I am glad I opted for sneakers glittered with rhinestones instead of heels this time around.
We turn the corner and—
“Oh,” I breathe.
He’s led me into another clearing. Small and encircled by huge pines, grass and wildflowers covering the ground everywhere…
Except where the trail leads.
It takes a lazy path toward a small wooden structure that had once been an old hunting cabin…
“Brooks,” I whisper, my eyes burning.
That decrepit structure where I once spent the worst week of my life is gone. And in its place is something truly wonderful.
God, I love this man.
The cabin is more like a tiny house now, with glass doors and a chimney coming out of the roof, its walls covered with colorful climbing plants. But that’s not the best part.
A huge copper tub sits just outside the back door.
“There’s an awning that folds out so you can use it even in bad weather,” he says as we draw close, pulling it out and showing me—
I gasp.
Because in the middle of the canopy, right over where I would lay in the tub, is a clear opening.
“So covered or not, you’ll always be able to see the sky.
” He folds the awning back then shows me how the water works, along with the storage tank that will be refilled by rain before being filtered and heated, and the stack of wood that feeds the attached sauna.
He’s thought of every detail so the rest of the little house is just as wonderful: a small kitchenette, a linen closet with bath goodies, a cozy couch I can lay on while reading books I borrow from the shelf in the corner, and—
Freezing, I notice one more thoughtful detail.
The little square of glass positioned precisely over the couch.
So I can see the sky here too.
My eyes fill with tears.
“You like it?” he asks, swiping away one that’s escaped.
I nod, press my lips to his. “It’s wonderful. Thank you so much.”
“Good.” He reaches into his pocket then passes me an envelope.
“This isn’t more blackmail material, is it?” I manage to joke, though the question is watery.
The corners of his mouth tip up. “No.” He nudges a corner. “Just open it.”
I do, and then—
“Dammit, Brooks,” I mutter, blinking like a madwoman so I don’t end up collapsing in his arms and sobbing my eyes out. Because it’s the deed to this cabin…and the acreage around it.
“So you’ll always have a safe space that’s just yours.” His mouth curves up further. “All I ask is that you let me sit in that tub with you every once in a while.”
“Hmm.” I tap my bottom lip, grinning. “I’ll consider it.”
“Consider?” he growls, snagging me around the waist and nipping at my lips. “You’ll consider it?”
“Yup.”
Another nip…followed by a deep, wet kiss that leaves me breathless.
“Still considering?” he asks.
“Absolutely.”
He tugs at a lock of my hair. “Rude.”
“But only because I have a very important question.”
“Yeah? What’s that?”
I waggle my brows. “Will you be naked when you’re in the tub with me?”
“Should we find out?” he asks, slanting his lips over mine—
“Yo!” Rory shouts from outside. “We’re supposed to be having a wedding!”
Giggling, I pull back and glance out the glass doors. Our friends are all standing in the yard, blatantly spying on us. The rain has stopped, blue skies already breaking through the clouds.
“I guess we should go do that thing,” I say lightly.
Brooks grins, takes my hand, and we walk toward the door. “That thing being marriage?”
“Exactly.” I pull it open, step outside.
Which means I receive the greatest gift of all—
We get to start our happily-ever-after with laughter…
And the first rays of sunshine after a surprise summer storm.
THORN
The festivities are just getting underway inside but the woman I want is disappearing outside.
Into the darkness of Brooks’s family estate.
Where it may not be safe.
Yes, he has security.
Yes, we’ve put measures in place to protect everyone in our circle.
Are these measures legal or moral? Not particularly.
But we’ve made it clear to the Lyons—fuck with one of us, and you’ll live to regret it.
Still, River should be careful, shouldn’t put herself at risk any more than necessary.
She’s been through too much already.
Those are the thoughts running through my head as I trail her through the halls and out a set of French doors.
They lead to a covered balcony that overlooks the gardens.
Yup. The gardens. Brooks’s ridiculous family home has gardens and a pool, an observatory and an orchard, stables and a fucking hedge maze.
River doesn’t seek any of those out.
Instead, she just moves to the railing and stares out into the darkness.
For a long moment, nothing happens.
Then it’s as though the armor she’s been holding tightly around herself gives way. She shudders and collapses, hands clenching the railing but her body seeming to fold in on itself.
“River,” I say, hurrying over to her.
But I know I’ve made a mistake the moment I’ve said her name.
Her head whips around and she straightens in an instant, her armor snapping back into place.
Damn.
“What are you doing out here?” I snap.
Her lips press flat. “Getting some air.” She turns away from me, deliberately giving me her back. Fucking ignoring me.
Again.
“It’s not safe,” I say—another wrong thing.
Because she knows how dangerous the world can be.
Intimately.
“I’m as safe here as I am anywhere,” she grits out.
That’s true, and it means that I’m left wondering what to say.
Fuck, I’m always left wondering what to say when I’m with this woman.
“It’s cold.”
“I have a jacket.”
I snort. “That can hardly be considered a jacket.”
She scowls. “Seriously?”
“It’s thin and doesn’t even fully cover your arms.”
“It’s the middle of summer. It was almost ninety degrees today.”
“It also rained.”
A roll of her eyes before she looks back into the darkness. “Thanks for breaking down the weather for me.”
Tense silence falls between us, and again I’m struck by how much I want this woman…and how little I truly know about her. Sighing, I lean back against the railing, ask softly, “Are we going to talk about it?”
Her shoulders go stiff. “There’s nothing to talk about.”
“You sure about that?”
She glares at me. “Yes.”
“Then you won’t care if I do this.”
“Do wh-what?” she asks, brows flying up.
Too late.
I’m already moving, wrapping my arm around her waist, hauling her against me—
And kissing her exactly like I had that night months ago.
Only this time…
I don’t stop.
Thank you for reading!