Epilogue
“Thank you for the ride.” She reached across the console and patted Ethan’s shoulder. “I knew I could count on you to keep my arrival top secret.”
“Happy to help.” Ethan grinned. “You’re about to make my little brother very happy.”
Scottie clapped her hands, then reached for her purse. “I hope so.”
“I’m going to go hunt for a parking spot. If you see Tisha, tell her I’ll be right in.”
“You bet.”
Scottie climbed out of the SUV, smoothed the skirt of her pale-blue floral maxi dress, slipped her purse strap over her shoulder, and headed for the entrance to the community center.
Pausing, she drew in a deep breath, savoring the familiar tang of salt water and the cool spring breeze drifting in off the bay.
The last of the afternoon sunlight had turned the water into a sheet of hammered gold.
Snow still clung to the mountain peaks that ringed Redemption.
She studied the sign—brand new since she’d left six months ago. The black letters on the marquee read Redemption Rising: A Night to Rebuild.
She glanced at the time on the retro-style clock hanging from a lamppost nearby.
The fundraising dinner and silent auction had started more than an hour ago.
Selfishly, she’d wanted to arrive early to have a few minutes with Tate, but her flight had been delayed.
His siblings had told her, when she’d planned her surprise, that tonight’s fundraiser was something he’d spearheaded.
If she hurried, she could still dance with him for a song or two.
It had been a long six months apart. She’d worked hard—eighteen-hour days on set—grabbing a day off here and there to hike or sit on the beach. Of course, she’d taken a thousand photos, but it hadn’t been the same without Tate.
True to his word, Damian had kept the set safe. She hadn’t taken a single reckless risk. Their work schedules and the distance between New Zealand and Alaska had made staying connected hard. Most days she and Tate had relied on voice memos and DMs.
Now adrenaline hummed in her veins as she peeked at her reflection in her phone’s selfie camera. Tonight, they breathed the same air, stood on the same soil. If she had her way, she’d be in his arms in less than five minutes.
Sidestepping a pile of melting snow on the sidewalk, she rushed through the community center’s double doors. Home. Finally.
Muffled laughter and country music greeted her.
The aroma of barbecue made her stomach growl.
She paused to admire a table featuring framed historical photographs of Redemption, and mason jars with raffia bows tied around the tops and packed full of fresh daisies.
An easel stood off to the side listing all the donations for the silent auction.
Out of habit, she lifted her phone and snapped a few pictures.
Inside, a band filled the stage. A young woman who looked vaguely familiar stood at the microphone, singing a classic country hit.
Couples dotted the dance floor. Round tables filled the room, each covered with crisp white cloths and stunning floral centerpieces.
Glowing strands of lights with Edison bulbs crisscrossed the crowded venue.
Scottie paused inside the doorway, scanning the faces for Tate.
Caroline spotted her first. “Hey! You made it!” She raced toward her, pulling her into a hug and laughing.
Scottie hugged her back. “Hey, you.”
Caroline pulled away to study her. “You look so good. Oh, that tan—I’m jealous.”
“I did leave behind some pretty warm sunshine and gorgeous beaches.”
Caroline pulled a face. “I don’t want to hear it.”
“If you ever get the chance, you should go to New Zealand.”
“I’m in.” Jude, Caroline’s boyfriend, looped his arm around her waist and tugged her toward the dance floor. “Come on. Don’t keep me waiting another second to dance with you.”
Caroline blushed and called over her shoulder, “He’s here, you know—wearing himself out.”
“We’ll talk soon,” Scottie said, though her gaze was already drifting across the room.
Tate stood near one of the auction tables. Buttery brown leather dress shoes. Stone-colored pants. The sleeves of his mint-green dress shirt rolled up to reveal strong forearms. He tipped his head back and laughed at something his friend Anthony said.
Their goodbye at the airport last fall had been brutal—tears, whispered promises, and one last kiss before she’d forced herself through the security checkpoint.
And now here they were. He was doing what he did best—taking care of the people in his community.
Mrs. Dawkins ambled by, paused, then nudged Scottie with her elbow. “You can’t just stand here all night and stare at him, you know.”
“You’re right about that, Mrs. D.” Scottie grinned, anticipation humming under her skin. She wove through the tables toward him.
When Tate finally spotted her, his mouth fell open, surprise flashing across his face.
“Hey,” she said, her voice barely steady. “Heard a rumor you’re auctioning off handsome bachelors.”
“Scottie,” he breathed out her name. “You’re home.”
“I couldn’t stay away.”
“I’ll leave you two alone,” Anthony said, winking at her as he walked off.
Tate’s gaze swept slowly from her toes back up to her eyes. “You look even more beautiful than the last time I saw you.”
“Thank you.” She did a little twirl.
Tate’s eyes gleamed. “Are you here to help with cleanup, or did you want to bid on something?”
“Depends.” She moved closer. “What’s a girl got to do to dance with a council member?”
His mouth curved. “A kiss wouldn’t hurt.”
“Done.”
She closed the last of the distance between them. Tate swept her into his arms, then his lips met hers, warm and sure. She tunneled her fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck as he deepened the kiss. He tasted like spearmint gum and…home.
When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers. “I love you, Scottie. I’m so glad you’re here.”
“I love you too. That’s why I came home a day early. Because I just couldn’t stand to be away from you,” she whispered. “Come on—dance with me.”
A ripple of applause went up around them, and she blushed when she realized it was for them. The other couples made space on the floor as the band shifted into a slow ballad.
Tate’s palm settled at the small of her back, guiding her gently. He threaded his fingers through hers and pressed their clasped hands against his heart. His eyes never left her face.
They turned slowly beneath the warm glow of the lights, laughter and conversation weaving through the music.
For the first time in ages, she didn’t feel like she was just passing through.
She felt like she belonged.
Scottie Sheridan never backed away from a challenge. Loving Tate—and allowing him to love her—was the best one yet.
THE END
Thank you for reading The Echo of Your Heart. Return to Redemption for Megan and Trevor’s story in The Hidden Light of Her.
She came home to fight for her daughter. She never expected to face the secret that could destroy them both.
Megan McGuire has spent eleven years running from one reckless night — and the lie she told to survive it.
Now, with her daughter Isabella begging to escape a painful life in Seattle, Megan returns to Redemption, Alaska, determined to prove she's more than the family screwup everyone remembers.
No more bad decisions. No more men calling the shots.
Just a fresh start, a coffee counter, and the daughter she's desperate to deserve.
Then Trevor Kelly walks out of the wilderness.
The local pilot everyone mourned as dead has been found alive — broken, scarred, and carrying no memory of his former life. Not the town that grieved him. Not the night he and Megan shared. And certainly not the eleven-year-old girl who has his eyes, his stubborn jaw, and no idea he exists.
As Trevor pieces together a past he can't remember and Megan builds a future she's terrified to trust, the Christ-centered community of Redemption closes in with equal parts gossip and grace.
A missing-artwork investigation puts Trevor under suspicion.
An observant grandmother sees what everyone else has missed.
And Isabella — sharp, wounded, and watching everything — is asking questions Megan can't dodge forever.
When the truth finally detonates, Megan faces the one thing more frightening than her secret: surrendering every outcome to a God whose redemption might be big enough for a lost pilot, a hurting child . . . and even her.
In Redemption, Alaska, everyone deserves a second chance — even the people who've stopped believing it.
Keep reading for a sneak peek…
THE HIDDEN LIGHT OF HER | WELCOME TO REDEMPTION, ALASKA #5