Epilogue
NORA
FALL
After we get out of the car, I straighten Cormac’s tie, grinning at him.
“What?” he asks, smiling back. He can’t help himself. I love that he can’t help himself.
“It’s sort of our second wedding together as a couple.”
His smile stretches wider. “I guess it is.”
His gaze swings away from me, panning the parking lot of the B&B that’s base camp for Briar and Liam’s wedding. It’s a gorgeous old Victorian building—a perfect setting for a wedding, especially since the fall leaves are putting on a brilliant display.
He pulls a face. “But I don’t know why they had to have it here.”
Here being Apple Ridge.
Yes, Briar and Liam are getting married in Apple Ridge.
It’s our fault, to be perfectly honest. We told our friends all about our misadventures here, and to our dismay, Liam announced he had to see the place for himself.
So we went on a colossal quadruple date at the bowling alley where Cormac nearly lost an eye—Cormac and me, Briar and Liam, Hannah and Travis, and Sophie and Rob. Afterward, we went for a walk, and Briar fell in love with the park with the hot makeout bench.
They’re getting married at Gallagher Park today, and the reception is being held at this adorable bed and breakfast, Apple Hollow, where our parents stayed for their honeymoon.
Liam and Briar had thought they’d need to wait a full year to book their wedding, but there was a last-minute cancellation.
Given the part she’s played in all of our love lives, it’s no surprise that Dottie Hendrickson will be marrying Liam and Briar today, just like she married my mom and Cormac’s dad this summer.
Most of our friends will be in attendance, including Ann and Nathaniel, who are going strong.
While Nathaniel does, admittedly, talk too much, he doesn’t mind at all when Ann turns off her hearing aid.
I smile up at Cormac. “I like it here. I have some good memories in Apple Ridge.”
“Yes,” he says with a wry grin, “the hospital was definitely a highlight.”
“If you say so, Mr. Nikola.”
He rolls his eyes halfheartedly. “How long are you going to keep calling me that?”
“So long it’s possible I might forget your actual name.”
To the surprise of no one who knows him, Cormac won the Nikola award.
I attended the ceremony with him in Washington, D.C.
Kenji was there, too, so I got to thank him in person for helping me save my favorite face in the world.
He was a bit cold at first, which I understand, but at the end of the evening, he pulled me aside and told me that he could tell I make Cormac happy.
He probably doesn’t understand how much that meant to me.
I kiss Cormac, and he makes a happy humming sound under his breath.
God, he’s such a delight. It’s aggravating.
I take his hand, and we walk toward the entrance. I’m taken aback when a familiar woman bursts out of the door of the B&B with a very handsome, and also very familiar man—tall, with olive-toned skin, heavy stubble, and dark swoopy hair.
Wait a second…
I know what this man’s abs look like. I’ve seen them in dozens upon dozens of videos.
“Nurse Bianca?” Cormac says at the same time as I say, “Holy crap, you’re the Shirtless Chef!”
Giovanni Cafiero swears under his breath and ducks his head, as if that’s going to do anything to hide his chiseled, easily recognizable face. He looks like he wants to slink away, but he casts a brief glance at Bianca and settles for a sigh.
Nurse Bianca brightens as she leans in for a closer look at Cormac’s eye. “Your face looks fantastic! Thank God I got you out of there.”
“Did you get fired?” Cormac asks.
She pretends to swat the words away. “Yeah, but it wasn’t your fault. It was bound to happen. So…are you going to this wedding?”
“Yes, we’re both in it,” Cormac says, giving me a fond look.
“This is my sister’s B&B,” Nurse Bianca—or possibly just Bianca now—says with a smile. “I hope you enjoy yourselves.”
She glances at Giovanni, who forces a smile.
“Have fun,” he says curtly.
“Did you do the catering?” I ask him, thinking of Hannah, who would have an aneurysm if she knew he was here.
He huffs a laugh. “No. I’m here on…vacation.” He glances at the parking lot hopefully, before turning toward Bianca. “I’ll be in the car.” He nods at us and then stalks off.
“Don’t mind him,” Bianca says. “He didn’t want to be unmasked. He thought he could come here and hide away. Like anyone could hide from that kind of attention.”
“Nobody does like being unmasked,” Cormac comments, and I know we’re both thinking of Pansy.
Fucking Pansy.
On the plus side, Bradley Ruche the douche decided to take her to court for fraud, with advice from yours truly—and also to get his grandmother’s ring back. With any luck the legal process will be long, drawn out, and financially and socially painful.
I know I can’t entirely blame Pansy for the loss of my friendship with José, but she definitely played a part. Hopefully, we can eventually regain some of what we lost.
After the sale of the brewery went through, José decided to take an extended vacation. I haven’t seen him since he returned to Asheville. But he says he feels motivated for the first time in a long while. He’s thinking of his next steps. Going to therapy.
So am I.
Going to therapy, that is.
I went through three therapists before I found one that fits. Hannah says I’m the Goldilocks of mental health.
Cormac, of course, has been amazing and supportive, since he knows no other way of being.
He did forget my birthday, however, even though he had it as his phone’s password for months. Which amused me about as much as it horrified him.
“Oh, Giovanni will be fine,” Bianca says, bringing me back to the present moment.
“Is he your boyfriend?” I ask as the pieces click into place. Go former Nurse Bianca!
An amused look crosses her face as her gaze flicks across the parking lot. “Something like that.”
It sounds like there’s a story there, but before I can pursue it any further, the door pops open again, and this time Hannah and Sophie are behind it.
“Nora, you’re late for the makeup,” Sophie says.
“Don’t worry, it’s not that beehive lady,” Hannah adds. “We got someone else this time.”
Hannah and Sophie look curiously at Bianca, who waves at us. “I hope everything goes well,” she says.
“Bye, Bianca,” I reply, giving her a return wave. “I better get going before they start rioting.”
She turns and heads toward the car and Giovanni.
“Don’t look now,” I whisper to Hannah, “but she’s dating The Shirtless Chef…well, maybe dating him, and he’s in that car.”
“What?” she practically barks, leaning to look over my shoulder. “You think he’d be pissed off if I asked for his autograph?”
“Yes,” Cormac says as he takes my hand. “But don’t let that stop you.”
She shrugs, then takes off, Sophie pursuing her.
“What about hair and makeup?” I call after them.
“We’re all naturally beautiful,” Hannah says, trying to lengthen her naturally short strides.
I squeeze Cormac’s hand, and we head inside the B&B and into the living area, where we practically bump into our parents. They drove out earlier, to “make a day of it” with Ann and Nathaniel, with whom they’ve been spending lots of time.
Looking beyond them, I see a big cluster of our friends—Rob talking to Travis, whose son is leafing through a paperback.
Mick leaning against a wall and scrolling away on his phone.
And in the corner, Liam is standing with his father and brother, the three of them laughing as they pass around a flask.
Briar is presumably tucked away somewhere, getting her hair fixed, not that any hairstylist could possibly improve upon that perfection.
“Here we are, back in Apple Ridge,” my mom says, grinning at me.
“Are you going to try to hide this time?” Once she came around to the whole I’m dating my stepbrother thing, Mom became a big fan of the situation.
Especially since Cormac still treats her like she’s his second-grade teacher and does anything she asks.
“No, we’ve realized we’re not very good at that.” Cormac pulls me closer and wraps an arm around me.
“Thank goodness,” his father says with a sniff. “That’s the last thing we need, you kids sneaking around, running off and jumping in each other’s beds in secret. Isn’t it better to have everything out in the open?”
“Yes, exactly, everything should be out in the open,” my mother says. “That’s why I told you we needed to move the sculpture. It looks beautiful in the front window.”
Eugene heaves the defeated sigh of a man who will forever have a dick-shaped crystal in his front window. “Well, I suppose it is best not to hide things.”
Cormac nudges me, just as Dottie approaches and hugs me from behind. “I’m so glad you’ve arrived, my dears. We have a lovely day in store for everyone.”
Ann, who has shifted with Nathaniel to stand beside Dottie, says, “And he remembered to roll up his sleeves. Thank you, Jesus.”
I notice that Nathaniel’s sleeves are rolled up too, and I stifle a laugh. “Yes, thanks, Miss Ann. You’re doing the Lord’s work.”
“Yes, she is,” Nathaniel says with an adoring smile. “This reminds me of that time—”
Ann grins at him as she reaches up and turns off her hearing aid.
The front door of the B&B swings open. Sophie and Hannah come back in, Hannah a bit crestfallen. “He drove away. He’s playing hard to get.”
“Who are you stalking now?” Travis asks with a smile as he ruffles his son’s hair.
His son, Ollie, immediately launches himself at Hannah, who picks him up and swirls him around, nearly clipping Eugene in the leg. Eugene sighs good-naturedly, but he adores Hannah, the way all of us do.
God, it feels nice to be in here, with my family. My whole family. But I need something first, before Cormac and I settle into our roles—him a groomsman, me a bridesmaid.
“Give us just a second, guys,” I say, smiling at everyone. “We’re gonna go see our room.”
We receive a few nods in response, plus a couple of whispered innuendos that make Cormac blush and me roll my eyes. The whole wedding party is staying at the B&B, but whatever. Let them imagine we can’t keep our hands off each other—they won’t be too far off the truth.
“Second room on the right,” Hannah calls out. “But don’t make us come in there and get you.”
“We’re not—” Cormac blushes brighter. “Oh, come on,” he says, taking my hand.
I’m laughing as I walk with him, but when we reach the room, I whisper, “How do you know I don’t want to do dirty things to you?”
“I hope you always want to do dirty things to me. But preferably not down the hall from our parents and everyone we know.”
I raise my eyebrows, smirking at him. “Don’t knock it until you try it.”
We step inside the room, which has cheerful red curtains and a matching bedding set. The door is open to the en suite bathroom, which has a claw-foot tub.
I grin at Cormac. “Is it my turn to try to warn our friends not to get married?”
“I think they should get married,” he says. “They’re suited to each other.”
I feign a gasp. “Wonders never cease. Cormac Peebles conditionally believes in marriage.”
“I’d marry you tomorrow if you’d let me.”
My mouth falls open. “Cormac, I didn’t bring you in here for a proposal. I just thought we could steal a moment of silence together before the storm.”
Today’s going to be a lot of fun, of course, but it will also be loud and busy and chaotic. He’ll need to fill his cup.
“This isn’t coming out of nowhere,” he says, reaching up to cup my cheek. “I’ve been thinking a lot about it.”
I swallow a surge of emotion. “Me too.”
“I meant what I said. Each day I’m going to wake up and choose you, but I want my whole life to be with you, Nora. And if we have kids someday, I want them to see an example of what marriage can mean. Like our parents. And Sophie and Rob. I want everything with you.”
He drops down onto one knee, and a squeal escapes me as he pulls a small jewelry box from his pocket and pops it open, revealing a ruby ring.
“Holy shit, holy shit.”
“Will you marry me, Nora?” he asks, his eyes fixed to mine.
“You can’t propose to me at a wedding, you madman!” I pull him up, feeling a grin stretching my face as I wrap my arms around him.
He kisses my forehead, laughing. “I noticed you still haven’t answered.”
“Yes,” I hiss, pulling the box from him. “Obviously. And this is beautiful. Oh my God, I can’t believe this. I—”
The door opens, mimicking Pansy’s entrance this past summer.
It’s Liam with a smug look on his face, and Briar, her arms wrapped around him.
She’s in her wedding gown, despite all the longstanding traditions and superstitions that suggest he shouldn’t see her that way before the wedding, but since when did any of us care about rules?
“Did she say yes?” Liam asks, grinning. “We’re all wondering.”
I laugh and get on my tiptoes to kiss Cormac, that formerly small kernel of hope in my chest so large now that it encompasses my body. My soul. My everything.
“Yes, I say yes.”
Maybe the glass is fucking half full after all.
Maybe not.
But I’m going to drink every last drop and enjoy it.