Page 73 of Sunset Serenade

“I mean you. I like you for you. I’d be with you any day, any time, I don’t need anything from you. I just love you.”

Her breath caught in her throat. “Well, then.” She got up on her tiptoes and kissed him back.

Epilogue

Weddings at The Grand Madrona Hotel would never get old to Claire. The hotel was stunning on a normal day, but when the flowers and presents and guests poured in, it was like something out of a dream.

Today was even more special because it was Marty and Emma’s wedding. Chip had volunteered to help with preparations, and for the week leading up to the wedding, Lucy chased him around, pointing and sending him up ladders.

Under her watchful eye, he decorated the ballroom, stringing thousands of twinkling lights, draping flowing cloths, and hanging fresh greenery from high above.

“Okay, that’s crooked,” Lucy would bark. “You need to fix it!”

Chip never argued, but he did tease. “It doesn’t look crooked to me. Maybe your vision is off. I think you need glasses.”

“You need glasses if you can’t see how twisted that is!” Lucy would yell.

Claire just stood back and laughed. Lucy had a real talent for event planning. After the wedding, she was going to ask her to sign on officially to help people plan their events at the hotel.

Their bookings were up four hundred percent, and Claire needed backup. Lucy could use a change, too – she was getting bored at the farm again, and nothing good came of Lucy being bored.

With the preparations over, it was time to just enjoy. Marty and Emma had opted to keep things small, which was fine with Claire. Her sister Becca had made it, of course, for the wedding, along with Marty’s adoptive parents and Emma’s family. There was a smattering of old friends, and the ceremony had been beautiful and peaceful atop Mt. Constitution, the world unfolding beneath them.

Back at the hotel, the band was playing, the sun was setting, and couples were taking to the dance floor. Lillian and Dustin were already dancing. Rob managed to pull Lucy onto the dance floor, away from nitpicking details, and Rose and Craig were whispering in the corner.

Claire was so happy for her. She’d found herself in the last year and finally seemed comfortable in her own skin. She’d arrived in a stunning floor-length lilac gown with delicate flowers embroidered at the seam – Lucy’s choice, apparently.

Rose blew a kiss before being pulled onto the dance floor herself. Thanks to her, Craig had been able to sell the company to a guy named Phoenix while staying on as an executive. Rose kept her matchmaking going, even training new staff in her art. She had come clean about the case of mistaken identity, and as Claire had hoped, no one cared. All they cared about was what she did for the company, and there she was infallible.

Claire stood back and looked at the ballroom. There was a feeling in her chest she couldn’t name, a warmth coming from her heart. Everyone she loved was in this room. Everyone was, in this moment, happy. She was finally home.

There was a tap on her shoulder, and she turned to see Chip, tall and handsome in his navy blue suit. “Is the beautiful lady available for a dance?”

She put her hand in his. “For you? Always.”