Epilogue
TED
The delivery truck backed down the gravel road with wide-load flags snapping in the breeze. I stood in the yard with Kacen and watched six weeks of waiting finally roll onto the lot.
It was gorgeous.
As far as manufactured homes went, the model Kacen had decided on had to be the top of the line. There were marble counters, wood floors, and a full kitchen. It was impressive.
I had to admit that when Kacen first told me my trailer had to be scrapped, I was low-key devastated. I loved that little trailer.
But since I didn’t have to physically move off the property, I figured I’d be fine with anything.
The crew dropped it onto the new concrete pad and then spent some time getting it completely level before they hooked up the utilities. And then a few hours later, they were gone, and I was left with a nicer home than any I’d ever lived in before.
And my heart sank.
Kacen gave me the grand tour once the crew cleared out, gushing over the deep kitchen sink and the walk-in shower. It was fancy, I’d give it that. But I wasn’t fancy, and I didn’t care about bells and whistles. It didn’t feel like home to me, and just being in there made me uneasy.
“You’re awfully quiet.” Kacen reached for my hand and kissed it. “Is everything okay?”
“It’s really nice.” I forced a smile and looked around my new home as something heavy settled in my chest.
“But…” He knew there was a but. There was no way there wasn’t a but.
I didn’t answer right away as I tried to sort out what I wanted to say. Or rather, what I didn’t want to have to say out loud. “I don’t think I wanna live in it. I mean, I appreciate all you’ve done, but…”
“What, babe? You can tell me anything.”
I took a breath and reached for some courage deep inside myself.
“I don’t wanna live alone anymore. No matter how nice the trailer is, I want to be with you.
” My voice was steadier than I expected, and I was grateful for that.
I didn’t like that I’d started crying all the time.
“There, I said it. I know that sounds stupid, and I’m sorry I’m being an ungrateful brat right now… but that’s how I feel.”
“It doesn’t sound stupid and you’re not being a brat.” Kacen squeezed my shoulder to interrupt me before I could truly spiral. “And what I think I hear you saying is...” He pulled a keyring I didn’t recognize out of his pocket and held it up. “You want these instead?”
My breath hitched as I tried to contain my hope. “Are those…?”
He pressed his mouth to mine and kissed me.
“Keys to my house…which I’m hoping will become our house.
I had them cut a few weeks ago, and they’ve been burning a hole in my pocket ever since.
” He ducked his head in a rare show of vulnerability.
“I’ve been dying to ask you but kept chickening out because I was afraid you’d say no. ”
How could I ever say no to him? “Are you sure about this?” I reached for the keys and tested the weight of them in my hands.
“Definitely sure. I just want you here with me every day.” He kissed me harder this time, right there in front of the brand-new trailer I would never live in.
“Then, yes. I’d love to.” I wrapped my arms around him and squeezed tightly so he could get even closer. “That’s what I want too.”
It was ironic that I wanted to crawl under his skin and be as close to him as possible when I never wanted to be close to anyone before Kacen rolled into my life. But now that I had him, I wanted him right beside me for the rest of my life.