Epilogue
Decker had never done anything like this before, so he didn’t know if Willa would like it.
But standing on the roof, taking it all in, he figured he’d done all right.
He’d covered the daybed in a plush, furry blanket and set a teak table beside it.
On top, he’d placed glass vases with peonies in every shade of pink—from magenta to the palest blush—and a basket of her favorite road trip snacks.
Later, when he brought her upstairs, he’d plug in the fairy lights and let the whole place glow.
He pulled the blue ring box out of his pocket, thumbing the soft velvet, and then placed it beside the flowers.
A flicker of anxiety moved through him.
He didn’t think she’d say no, but was it too fast? Even if it felt like he’d known her forever, they’d only met five months ago. He could wait—
No. He couldn’t.
There’d never been a moment of doubt. She was the only woman in the world for him.
When you know, you know.
Just the way he’d known to open his own pie shop. Even from up here, he could smell the buttery scent of crusts browning, and it gave him a deep sense of satisfaction.
He was exactly where he should be in life.
He’d been perfectly happy as a stay-at-home dad, but when the pies in their kitchen started covering every inch of counter and table space, Wyatt had jokingly suggested he host a bake fair.
That was when the idea of opening Calamity Pie Co. was born.
After that, it had all happened quickly because they didn’t have to find a new space—they’d kept it in the inn.
Willa said she’d never liked hosting their lavish breakfast spreads in the dining room anyway. It was “too formal,” and the “vibe was off.” So, they’d moved it to the saloon, which was large, fun, and filled with light from its corner location.
It hadn’t taken much to transform the dining room into a café. They’d replaced a wall with a window that overlooked the town square and added a counter, café tables, and a kitchen with lots of ovens and counter space.
Speaking of his pie shop, today was the soft opening, so he’d better get back to his guests. Just as he reached the door, though, he glanced back at the box. What if his brothers came up here? He could imagine them gobbling up the food and drinking the wine.
Assholes.
But more importantly, what if they found the ring?
Yeah, not taking the risk. He snagged it off the table, pocketed it, and headed back downstairs.
As he came into the café, the scent of cinnamon filled his senses. They’d opened the kitchen so guests could watch the baking process, and from here, he had a clear line of sight to the dining area, where familiar faces filled the room.
Vintage cake stands lined the counter—Willa’s idea—and it gave the place a homey, welcoming feel.
A sense of rightness hit him hard. It wasn’t that he hadn’t liked football. He had. He was a physical man. He liked moving his body. He liked pushing the boundaries of what it could do.
But he’d used numbers, stats, and records to tamp down his feelings, and he didn’t need that anymore. Not when loving Willa Holland filled him so completely it left no space for anything else.
Not when being Birdie’s dad mattered more than anything he’d ever done.
Speaking of his daughter…a flash of pink glitter caught his eye. In her sparkly pink dress-up shoes and pink tutu, she stood near the Christmas tree, balancing on her toes, already halfway to shoving a spoon into a chocolate pie.
She’d had enough sweets today, and he’d hoped to put her to bed early so he could propose to Willa, so he crossed the room just in time to catch her with a mouthful of chocolate.
“Taste good?” He lifted her, gently taking the spoon from her hand.
She nodded. “Dis yummy.”
“Good. Let’s have it for breakfast tomorrow.” Setting her down, he handed the pie to a server and then cleared a table of empty plates.
“They were all delicious,” Delilah Bowie said. “But that cherry one? I’m not kidding—it was the best I’ve ever had. Would you be open to supplying these for Wally’s?”
The idea of selling his pies at a high-end restaurant had never entered his mind. “Sure. We can do that.”
“Awesome. We’ll feature them for the holidays.”
As he set the plates in the bin, Willa slid up beside him. “Wally’s, huh? Not bad for a jock.”
This woman would keep a smile on his face the rest of his life. “Just don’t tell her I buy my pies from the grocery store.”
She swiped flour off his long-sleeved T-shirt. “She’d never believe it. They’re too good.”
“You guys,” Finlay called, holding up the tablet.
He headed over. “What is it?”
“One of your guests placed a big order,” Finlay said.
“Cool.” The pie shop was attached to the inn, so they’d take room service orders. This would be their first.
“Fifty of them.”
“All at the same time?” Word must’ve spread.
“No. It’s from one room.” Finlay read the screen. “Mrs. Archer. She’s sending ten to an address here in town and the rest to the homeless shelter.”
“Really?” He didn’t know why he felt so moved by that. His pies were good—he knew it—but this kind of recognition… Maybe it was confirmation he’d made the right career choice.
“Is there anything you can’t do?” Willa teased.
“I’ve done two things in my life. Football and pie. Not that big of an achievement.”
She stepped in front of him, sliding her arms around his neck. “Three things.”
“We’re not talking about sex right now.” But he put his hands on her hips and squeezed. “We’ll do that later, after we get Birdie to bed.” He kissed her on the mouth. “And there won’t be a lot of talking.”
This smile—the one that lit up her whole face—was what he lived for. “I meant the way you love Birdie and me. You do that really well. Elite level love.”
“Table six wants to take a strawberry-rhubarb pie home,” Wyatt said. “But it’s the last one.”
“Give it to them.” Decker pulled away from his almost-fiancée. “On the house.”
“You’re giving it away for free?” Boone asked. “That’s not how business works, meathead.”
“Table six is my high school coach. He can have all the pies he wants.” As he headed to the counter to grab it, Boone caught his arm.
“Hey, what’s that? In your pocket?” His brother looked down at the bulging ring box.
Oh, fuck. He’d said it loud enough to draw the attention of Willa, his brothers, his dad, and Ava.
“Nothing.” Decker quickly turned away, mouthing, Shut up to his brother.
“Looks like something to me,” Boone said.
“Drop it,” Decker said menacingly.
“Or what?” Boone laughed. “What’re you gonna do about it?”
“Or you could both shut up and get back to work,” Wyatt said. “Go bus that table in the corner. It’s almost closing time.”
As Decker headed into the kitchen, looking for a place to hide the ring, he heard his brothers continue to spar.
“You’re not the boss here, Dog Breath,” Boone said.
“Make that Wolf Breath,” Jude said.
“Actually, someone brought a wolf into the clinic the other day,” Wyatt said. “They thought it was a dog. Came in with it wrapped up in a towel and set it right on the counter. People.”
Another sparkle of pink caught his eye, and he found Birdie’s plastic purse on his desk. Perfect. He dropped the ring inside and headed back out.
“Where’s the box?” Boone called the second he saw him.
“I said to let it go.” Decker was getting fired up now. He didn’t want anything to ruin the surprise.
“Why’re you making such a big deal out of it?" Boone asked.
“Why won’t you drop it?” Jude asked.
“Don’t you have a fire to put out?” Finlay teased.
“Hey.” His dad dipped his chin to let them know Birdie was clopping over.
The little girl barely reached her uncles’ knees. She gazed up at them. “You mad?” She held up her hand, the palm full of ceramic pie weights. “You want pezzies?”
“Nobody’s mad, sweetie,” Willa said. “That’s how they play.
They tease each other. But let’s save the presents for Christmas morning, okay?
” Her cheeks were flushed from working all day—dividing herself between running the inn and helping at the pie shop—and she wore her hair loose around her shoulders.
She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen, and he couldn’t wait another second.
“You guys can go,” he said. “I’ll finish up.”
“What?” Boone said. “You’ve got to get out those fifty pies.”
“Not today,” Finlay said. “The order is for Christmas.”
“Well, you’ve got us all here now,” Ava said. “Let us help you clean up.”
“Read the room,” Wyatt muttered.
“Decker wants to get lai—”
“That’s enough, Boone.” Decker got up in his face.
“Boys.” With a meaningful look at Birdie, Ava clapped her hands. “Game on. Find three things that begin with the letter P. You’ve got three minutes.” She paused, looking each brother in the eye. “Go.”
Just like that, the four of them dispersed. Decker couldn’t think of anything but the pink diamond, and he wasn’t about to show it to anyone. Not until Willa said yes.
And that would be done privately.
“Pear,” Boone shouted from the kitchen.
“Pan,” called Wyatt. “And pen.”
“Picture.” Jude lifted a framed photo off the wall. “Plate.”
They all had something, and Decker just stood there, mind blank. Think.
Come on. The letter P.
“Sixty seconds,” Ava called.
Most of the café had cleared out, but the two remaining tables watched avidly. He noticed the woman had a handbag slung over the arm of her chair. “Can I borrow that?”
“Go for it.”
“Purse,” Decker shouted, holding it high. And then, he spotted bright red Christmas décor. “Poinsettia.” Finally, his synapses were firing, and he remembered Birdie’s purse and ran back into the kitchen. He snatched it off the desk. “Pink.”
“Winner!” Willa shouted, pumping a fist.
“Hey, pink’s not a thing,” Boone called.
“It’s a pink purse, helmet head,” Decker said, triumphant in his victory.
“Dat my porse,” Birdie said with accusation in her voice.
Decker had the poinsettia plant snug against his chest, and the plastic bag strap dangling on a finger, so he didn’t have a good enough grasp when she tugged on it.
It crashed to the ground, and all her rocks came tumbling out. She squatted in her little tutu and picked up the blue ring box. “Yook, Daddy. What dis?”
Before he could set the planter down and free his arms, she’d already popped it open to reveal the engagement ring. The pink diamond caught the chandelier and Christmas lights and glittered.
“What is that?” Willa’s eyes went wide.
“Oh,” Ava whispered. “That’s gorgeous.”
“Is…is that…” Willa stammered. “Are you…?” She turned to Finlay, who stood there grinning and bouncing in place.
What other choice did he have but to drop to a knee, gently remove the ring from the box, and gaze up at the woman who made his heart pound?
“I love you,” he said simply. He hadn’t planned on proposing in front of everyone, but there he was.
“Every night, I go to sleep in awe that I get to be with you. And every morning, I wake up and think, ‘My God, I get a whole life with this woman.’ I never knew what happiness was until you came into my life. Willa Holland, I am madly and completely in love with you and want to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
“Oh, my God,” Finlay whispered.
“Yes.” Willa said it softly, earnestly, her hands clasped together over her mouth, her eyes drenched in emotion. “There’s nothing I want more.” Dropping to her knees, she threw herself into his arms. “I love you so much, honey buns. So, so much.”
“Honey buns?” Boone shouted with a laugh.
“Oh, hush,” Ava said.
Decker held her close, filling his senses with her honeysuckle and lemon scent. He couldn’t believe he got to marry this woman. He slid the ring onto her finger.
Birdie tapped the diamond. “Dat my tweasure?”
“No, darlin’. That’s your mom’s.” His dad helped Decker up and gave him a hug. “Congratulations, son. Proud of you.”
“Thanks, Dad.”
His brothers surrounded him, crowding him with their happiness. Everyone loved Willa.
“Where did you find a ring like that?” Ava asked.
“I designed it,” he said.
“Those look like miner’s diamonds,” Willa said.
“They are.” He smiled at Jack, who leaned against the doorway, smiling. “I took those diamonds from your grandmothers’ engagement rings. The gold is from the nuggets in the attic that your family found in the Snake River during the gold rush. And the pink diamond, that’s new. And rare. That’s us.”
“I’ve never seen anything so beautiful.” Willa stared at the ring, her eyes soft and sparkly, her mouth lush and pink.
“I have.” He pulled her into his arms. “And I get to look at you every day for the rest of my life.” He lifted Birdie and held her on his hip. She immediately pressed her small palm flat against his cheek, the way she did when she wanted his full attention.
She already had it. She always would.
The noise of the room faded, the faces of the others blurred out, until it was just them. There was no greater feeling than the three of them connected like this.
He pressed his mouth to the top of his daughter’s head, then to Willa's temple, and held them both tighter. There was a room full of people who loved them. There was a pie shop that smelled like everything good he'd ever made. There was a ring on Willa's finger with her family’s diamonds and gold.
He'd spent most of his life chasing records.
He hadn't known he was looking for this. “You’re my treasures. You’re all I’ll ever need.”
Thank you for reading Until I Found You!