Epilogue
ZACH
It’s two days before I’m discharged, despite being the worst patient this hospital has probably ever seen.
I’m put through more tests, woken up at all hours of the night to have my vitals taken and – worst of all – after the first day Sadie goes back to Liberty to organize having the bookshop cleaned so it’s ready to open again next weekend.
Though, to be fair, she didn’t want to go. I insisted. I know how much Books by the Sea, and the art shop next door mean to her. They represent her freedom, her independence. Her growth.
I’m so damn proud of her for everything she’s done. And she did it alone.
But she won’t be alone ever again.
“You ready?” Hudson asks as I’m wheeled to the hospital lobby. The south-facing front has glass windows and it’s the first time I’ve seen the sun for days. I blink hard.
“I am.” I grin at him, because I’m so fucking ready.
“Skyler has asked me to beg you to stay with us. And Autumn has asked me to ask you to stay at the lighthouse,” he says, taking the bag on my lap.
The same bag he brought in for me yesterday when the doctor said they’d be discharging me after another day in the step down unit.
“And Eden says she has a hot tub so that should win.”
“I just want to go back to the hotel,” I tell him. Or to Sadie’s. I don’t care which. All I know is that I need to see her.
“That’s what I told them,” he says as we make our way to the exit. I wave goodbye to the nurse pushing my wheelchair as I stand up and make my way outside. “But you’ll join us for breakfast on Saturday, right?”
“Yep.” The light out here is brighter. I slide on my shades, as does Hudson. “We’ll be there.”
He grins at the ‘we’. But wisely, he says nothing.
It takes half an hour to get to the ferry dock. And after another ten minutes wait we’re on board, Jesse waves at me as he throws off the rope and we head toward Liberty. And I’m not gonna lie, just seeing that lush green island waiting for me, surrounded by cobalt blue ocean, makes my heart skip.
“By the way,” Hudson says. “We all did the swab tests. I’ve arranged to get them expedited.”
“That’s good.” We both know this is a long term thing. Nothing happens immediately. But my whole family has rallied around. Eden’s been watching YouTube videos, Autumn is already a big member of a Reddit support forum, and Hudson and Asher have called about ten RP experts for their thoughts.
But it’s Wyatt who always calms me. ‘What will be will be’ is his favorite saying. And even though it makes my brothers call him ‘Doris Day with an emoji fetish’, he’s right.
It’s not a life sentence. It’s just part of life.
And weirdly, with every day that passes I’m becoming okay with that.
As the ferry gets closer to the island, we walk to Hudson’s car. He gets in then looks at me quizzically as I hesitate. “You coming?” he asks.
“You know what, I think I’ll walk once we’re docked,” I tell him. “It’s a beautiful day.”
A smile pulls at his lips. “Yeah, it is.”
He doesn’t comment that it’s a damn long walk from Main Street to the hotel. Because we both know that’s not where I’m going. I’m heading somewhere closer. To a little shop I know, with the most beautiful owner.
And along the way, I’m going to soak in everything that’s beautiful about this world.
The ramp clangs open and a dozen engines start. I wave goodbye to Hudson, then head over to the foot passenger exit, feeling so damn happy that I get to spend time here. With Sadie. With my family.
If it wasn’t for my eyesight, I wouldn’t be here right now. I’d be traveling, or in Chicago, or playing in a poker tournament somewhere in Europe.
Maybe it was meant to be. My diagnosis brought me home. And to Sadie. Somehow that makes my heart feel light.
There’s a ‘closed’ sign on the bookshop, but the door is ajar, so I push it open and step inside. And there, behind the counter, in a pair of short overalls, thick red hair pulled into a bun, tendrils escaping down her neck, is the woman I love.
For a second she doesn’t see me. So I take that moment to look at her, taking her in. The way her lashes sweep down as she writes something on her notepad, the way her lips purse as she reads it back.
The way she’s better than any piece of art I’ve ever seen in my life.
And then she looks up.
“Oh.” Her hand flutters to her chest as our eyes meet. “You’re here.”
I grin. “I am.”
“They let you go?”
“Apparently I’m the most annoying patient they’ve ever had.” I shrug.
Sadie laughs softly. “I can believe that.”
I roll up the sleeves of my shirt. “So what needs doing?” I ask her, looking around the shop. It’s mostly back in order. There are a few piles of books on the floor and some empty shelves, but I have no doubt the place will be ready to open on Saturday.
“Huh?” She frowns, not getting my question.
“I’m here to help. Get this place ready to open again. What can I do?”
She puts down the pencil. Walks around the counter, and gives me a pointed look.
“You can go home,” she tells me. “And rest. Because you’ve had a serious head injury and I don’t want you going back to the hospital any time soon.”
I reach for her hand, my fingers curling around it. And God, it feels good to touch her. “You want me to go to bed?”
“Yes.”
My smile widens. “Only if you come with me.”
“Zach! You were hurt.” She shakes her head but there’s no hiding the smile on her lips.
“Not that hurt,” I say, pulling her closer, until our bodies are touching.
And it feels like coming home. If coming home means touching the woman you can’t live without.
“Come with me. Then tomorrow we can finish up here. And on Saturday we have a breakfast date.” I kiss her softly. “I want you to meet my family.”
Her mouth twitches. “You’re such an idiot.”
“I know. But I’m your idiot. Now are you coming with me, or do I need to count to ten.”
It’s funny how her eyes flare at that. Like she’s remembering me chasing her. It was fun. But not as much fun as catching her was.
Let’s face it, everything with this woman is fun.
She presses her lips together then grabs her phone and purse, before picking up the keys from behind the counter. “I’m coming with you,” she says. “But only to make sure you get some rest.”
I take her purse and kiss her again, because dammit, I like kissing this woman. “Whatever you say,” I murmur against her lips. “As long as I get to be inside of you first.”
SADIE
We’re barely through the door of his apartment before Zach lifts me over his shoulder and carries me to the bedroom. I pound against his back.
“You’re supposed to be resting,” I squeal. “Put me down.”
So he does. On his bed. With a smug grin on his face.
“The nurses were right, you do make a terrible patient,” I tell him as he pulls me toward him and takes off my shoes, then climbs over me, his body caging mine.
“I just needed a little rehab,” he tells me, kissing my neck before he starts to unfasten the straps of my overalls. “Christ, I missed you.”
I run my hands through his thick hair, being careful to avoid the bandage that’s covering his stitches. “I missed you too,” I whisper. “Are you sure this is okay?”
“I was hit on the head,” he says, pulling the denim off me. “I’m not dead.”
He moves his mouth, kissing me hard, lighting a fire inside me. I didn’t realize how much I needed this. How much I needed him.
Strong, virile, breathing. Not necessarily in that order.
We keep kissing, our mouths hungry, our tongues teasing, pausing only to take off the rest of my clothes, followed by his. And then we’re both naked, our skin warm as he moves on top of me, his mouth kissing at my neck, my chest, before he catches my nipple between his teeth.
I arch my back, sighing out his name, as he goes lower still, down my stomach, peppering kisses on my thighs, before giving me a long, lazy lick where I need him most.
“Oh God,”
“Just Zach. But whatever.” He grins up at me, and I swear I fall in love with him all over again.
Before I can give him a snarky response, he licks at me again, sucking my clit, curling his fingers, pushing them inside of me. And I’m breathless, aching, feeling like the luckiest woman in the world.
“Please,” I beg, so close I could shatter at any minute. “I need you inside of me.”
This time his smile is stunning. He climbs over me, brushes the hair from my face. “Any time, beautiful.” He takes his time, settling between my thighs, never once taking his eyes off mine as his thickness moves against me, where I need him most.
Where I’m always going to need him.
And then he thrusts. Just once. And hits the damn bullseye, going so deep I’m on the edge of pain and pleasure.
But pleasure wins out. Big time.
“Zach!” Every nerve ending in my body shudders as I tighten around him, white hot pleasure licking at me. I cling onto him, scratching his back, as he fucks me through my orgasm.
I can tell from his juddering movements that he’s close. I kiss his jaw, his neck, his lips. And when he surges inside of me I know for sure that I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be. With the man I love. On the island I love. With a family who is quickly becoming my own.
“How did I get so lucky?” I whisper, when we finally get our breath back.
“The same way I did,” he says grinning. “We kept on fighting for what we want. And we’re never going to stop.”
ZACH
On Saturday morning we drive to the Captain’s House, where Hudson is hosting the usual weekend breakfast. I pull up behind Asher’s car and walk around to the passenger side to help Sadie out.
She takes my hand and smiles. “You know you could have dropped me off at the shop. That way you could spend more time with your family.”
“And annoy my boss by being late?” I ask. “No way.”
“I’m not your boss,” she says, shaking her head.
“You were pretty bossy yesterday. And anyway, how else are we going to get some good artwork into the shop?” We walk up the steps to the front door. “Right now, it’s all looking a bit…”
“Mediocre?” She arches a brow at me.
“I was going to say in need of attention. But whatever.”
She rolls her eyes. “I swear you’re on the edge of getting fired before you’ve started.”
The truth is, I need something to do. In a few weeks I’ll fly to Chicago and make sure Larry’s ready to take lead on the art gallery. And we’ll interview someone to take my place when travel is needed. Because for most of my time I’ll be living here.
With Sadie. And the shops. And our family.
Ayda swings the door open, her face erupting into a grin when she sees us.
“Uncle Zach!” She hugs me. “What was the hospital like? Was the food as bad as they say it is?” Then she looks at Sadie.
“By the way, I’m on the third babysitter book now.
Romy gave me it. She says we should set up a kids’ book club. ”
“Did she?” Sadie asks. “That sounds like Romy.”
I laugh, because I know Sadie would love that. She loves everything about that store.
When we walk inside my whole family is there. Even Wyatt, who shows no sign of going back to the Carolinas. He’s talking to West, who I know is desperate to convince him to set up a boat charter on the island.
For the first time, I start to think the emoji king might stay here. And the family will all be together.
It’s weird how warm that makes me feel.
“Coffee?” Skyler shouts at us.
“Yes please.” About a dozen voices ring out. I pull out a chair for Sadie, next to Francie who’s apparently told Asher she let the news about their baby slip.
Asher told her he forgives her. Which means somebody’s definitely going to tell Francie he also let it slip.
Because one thing is for sure. The Fitzgerald family is never quiet. It’s loud and it’s boisterous and I think I’ve fallen in love with it all over again.
The same way I’ve fallen for the woman they’ve accepted as part of us. The woman who makes me whisper her name as I come inside of her. Who makes me laugh when she tells me about Romy’s latest plans.
The woman I intend to move in with, just as soon as we find a house we both like, because I intend to spend the rest of my life with her.
However it might turn out.
Like she knows I’m thinking about her, she turns around, her gaze catching mine.
“Okay?” she asks. Because she’s still stupidly concerned about my head.
“I’m more than okay,” I promise her. And it’s the truth. Because life with this woman is always better than okay. It’s perfect.
Thank you for reading YOU MAKE ME FEEL, I hope you loved Zach and Sadie!