Epilogue
JT
I knock on Lila’s door before pushing it open, biting back the urge to remind her to lock it when she’s home alone again. She simply refuses to believe anything bad can happen in Wild Bluffs—she may be right, but it’s not a risk I’m willing to take. Jameo and I golfed eighteen holes today out at WBCC before showering quickly at the house I’m currently sharing with him and Bryn before heading into town. It’s Halloween, and apparently, Kelsey Harper throws a party that’s not to be missed. I’m not going to lie; I’m somewhat terrified that Kelsey’s favorite holiday is Halloween. I truly don’t know if I should expect pumpkin carving or literal axe murderers trying to hunt me down. And I say that as someone who has spent a lot of time with Kelsey over the last few months—I’d go as far as to call us good friends, in fact. The real kicker is that she might even agree.
“Lila!” I call out, wondering how much longer it will be until it makes sense for me to move in. When I decided to move out to Wild Bluffs, I truly considered just moving in with Lila, but Doctor Burbanks suggested I consider a different location—one that would give me the space to work through my issues without relying on her as a crutch. I quickly realized how right he was. It would’ve been so easy to go from feeling guilty about my parents’ sacrifices to feeling guilty about how I left Lila. I still occasionally find myself apologizing to Jameson and Lila, but Dr. Burbanks assures me it’s normal to feel guilt when you make mistakes—what matters is being able to distinguish between what you should and should not feel guilty for. It’s a slow process, but I’m starting to see the difference between feeling empathy that something doesn’t work out the way someone wants it to, and feeling guilty about it turning out that way.
“In here!” Lila calls from her bathroom. I stride down the hall to find her at her vanity, putting on the final touches of her makeup. I take in her sin-red dress paired with the damn knee-high black boots that almost killed me last Thanksgiving. It’s hard to believe how much has happened in one year.
I slide into the room behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist and planting a kiss on the side of her neck. “I didn’t realize Lucifer gives his demons the day off for Halloween parties.”
A wicked grin spreads across her lips as she unashamedly checks me out in the mirror. “Only the ones he’s sleeping with,” she teases, her eyes catching on the horns I have on top of my head. In an expensive, all-black suit, I’m channeling some Lucifer vibes. Maybe if the night goes well, I’ll consider opening up a nightclub and lending a hand to the Wild Bluffs PD.
While a devil and an angel are the more common couples costume, it didn’t feel quite right. Lila Walker has always been the woman who didn’t try to light up the darkest parts of me. Instead, she happily snuggled into them, curled up in a blanket, and stared directly into the dark parts of my life, stargazing. Because sometimes the darkest skies aren’t the ones we should fear—they’re the ones where profound beauty lies.
Her eyes sparkle mischievously. “You clean up nicely, Lucifer,” she says, turning in my arms to face me. “Let’s just hope we don’t run into any demon hunters tonight.” She reaches up to adjust the devil horns on my head before leaning in for a quick kiss. I can’t help but smile at her, grateful I was able to make it to the party tonight with her.
Five minutes later, Lila links her arm with mine as we step into the cool night air. The streets are filled with parents out trick-or-treating with their children, though they mostly just stand in the middle of the block as the kids scurry from house to house. Kelsey doesn’t live too far away, so we’re going to walk rather than figure out who will drive us home. The lack of rideshare in Wild Bluffs is a definite downside to small-town living, though I have to admit the town of Wild Bluffs has grown on me.
The party is in full swing when we arrive, with eerie decorations and costumed guests filling the spacious living room. We don’t bother to knock, used to welcoming ourselves into the Harpers’ homes uninvited at this point. With Bryn and Jameson getting more serious, the Harper family has essentially embraced Lila as their own and, by extension, me too. I’m not surprised Lila has enjoyed having the women in her life as pseudo-sisters, and I’d never admit it to them, but I’ve enjoyed having them meddle in my life too.
I spot Ken and Jen Harper in the kitchen, dressed as Bonnie and Clyde, looking every bit the part of the infamous duo. Ken, with his suspenders and fedora, leans casually against the counter, embodying that old-time gangster charm, while Jen, in a sleek, fitted dress and beret, clutches a bank bag with a mischievous glint in her eye. They share a conspiratorial smile, and it’s hard not to laugh seeing this sweet, long-married couple transform into notorious outlaws. Kelsey maneuvers around the large island, two drinks in her hands for her parents.
“Oh my gosh. Kelsey came as Wednesday Addams. I love that,” Lila says, following my eyes. “It’s the perfect costume for her. Do you think she knows the dance from the new show?”
We both burst out laughing, the image of Kelsey performing the creepy dance painting a hilarious picture.
“Kels! We need more dry ice for one of the cauldrons in the living room!” Izzy says, rolling into the kitchen on a pair of lime green rollerblades. Her pink spandex workout outfit and lime green knee pads complete the Barbie outfit. She gracefully turns the corner but runs directly into Wilma Flintstone as she exits the bathroom. “Oh, hey, Janice! Didn’t see ya there.”
“Tennis shoes. Now,” Kelsey demands from the kitchen. Izzy rolls her eyes but lowers herself into a dining chair to take off her skates.
Lila hands me a drink from one of the many black cauldrons positioned around the house, and I give her a quick kiss on the cheek in thanks. Matthew and his friends are the next to arrive, and even though I still feel a slight pang of jealousy when I think about Lila considering dating these men, I have to admit it’s been fun having a group of guy friends to watch football games with when I’m in town. As I chat amicably with Matt and the guys, the party seems to be getting livelier by the minute.
The music reverberates through the house, mingling with the sound of laughter and conversation. The atmosphere is festive, with orange and purple lights casting an eerie glow over the room, the dry ice creating shadows that dance along the walls. Lila and I find ourselves caught up in conversations with various people from Wild Bluffs, many of whom I know from my frequent trips to the coffee shop. Kelsey, in her Wednesday Addams costume, maneuvers around the party with effortless grace, ensuring everyone is having a good time and keeping the drinks flowing.
As the night wears on, I find myself with Lila sitting on my lap, sharing a chair as we sit around the firepit with Bryn, Jameson, Izzy, Becca, and Kelsey. Bryn and Jameson showed up a while ago dressed as Ross and Rachel from Friends . Jameson has cat whiskers drawn on his face, and Lila has said, “Hello, Mr. Rachel” to him about twelve times tonight. While I know it’s annoying the shit out of Jameo, Lila thinks it’s so funny, I can’t help but smile each time she does it. Lila tried to explain to me why it’s funny, and I followed her explanation long enough to understand it has something to do with the episode where they get married in Vegas, but as I’ve never really been a big TV watcher, it was all kind of lost on me. I love that she loves it, though.
“So, JT, are you coming to Thanksgiving at our parents’ this year?” Kelsey asks.
“I am,” I say.
With Jameson and Lila both in Colorado, their parents are planning to come this way rather than Lila and Jameo flying to see them. The Harpers were kind enough to invite us all to Thanksgiving at their house, making it so Bryn and Jameo didn’t have to decide which family to spend the holiday with. When Bryn texted out the invite, she included me in the group, informing me Ken would be particularly insulted if I didn’t come. I’ve mostly remained out of contact with my parents now that their financial situation is sorted, but Ken has low-key stepped into a father-figure role in my life. When I’m in town and Lila is working, I often go to his men’s coffee group with him—it’s how I stay on top of the local gossip.
“I’m excited to meet Lori and Steve,” Izzy says. “How do they feel about you dating their daughter?” she asks me.
Lila’s parents have been great about me dating their daughter, with Lori going as far as to suggest it was “about damn time.” Steve just joked it would be nice to finally have some peace during dinner.
“They’re just proud both of their kids are dating up,” I tease.
“Damn straight,” Bryn agrees, offering me a fist bump that Lila bats away.
The group laughs, and as the night goes on and the party winds down, I can’t help but realize just how lucky I am to be in this amazing town with a group of good friends. As the night gets late, I feel Lila start to shiver from her place on my lap. I nudge her, silently asking if she’s ready to go, and she responds with a dip of her chin.
“Well, all,”—I lift Lila off my lap and stand up—“we’re going to call it a night. Jameo, I’ll see you in the morning for eighteen?”
Jameo sends me a nod while the rest of the circle waves and says their goodbyes. I grab Lila’s hand and walk with her toward the door, looking forward to our night together. Unable to wait, I lean over, pressing my lips to her warm mouth, and when her lips open for me, I deepen the kiss.
“Ugh! You guys!” I hear Jameson yell. “That’s wildly inappropriate!”