“You don’t have to sell any, but you could still show them.”
“I can’t believe youfoundthem.” I walk over to the paintings, which are displayed thoughtfully in brand new, expensive frames. I run my fingers along them. Each one of these piecesbrings back so many memories, both good ones and bad. I don’t even realize I have tears streaming down my face.
Of all the many gifts Dallas has given me, this one might mean the most. These paintings are so much a part of me, when I lost them it felt like I lost big pieces of myself. So many, in fact, that I haven’t been the same person since. And I haven’t been able to paint at all.
“Thank you, Dallas. Thank you so much.”
“You’re welcome. Everything else from the estate sale will be waiting for you at the hotel.”
“Everything?”
“Every last thing.”
As I watch him, this man who somehow stormed into my life and transformed it into my wildest dreams, I marvel all over again at his impressiveness, his outrageous masculine beauty. I remember appreciating it that very first time I saw him and thinking that, if he offered, I might run away with him that very night. I wasn’t ready to do that then. But I’m ready now.
He pulls something out of his pocket. And he gets down on one knee.
It’s the ring.
“Amelie Thibodeaux, I love you. I’ve loved you from the minute I saw you behind that bar, fiercely and with everything I have. Please marry me and let me spend the rest of my life making you happy, keeping you safe and giving you six babies to fill up our quaintest little five-star, Michelin-rated hotel on Bourbon Street.”
This time it comes easily. He’s everything I want. Forever.Always. “Yes.” I’m still crying but I’m laughing now too because I love him so much.
Dallas slides the ring onto my finger.
He stands, lifting me into his arms and kissing me. “Once you’ve got the all-clear from the doctor, we’re leaving for Paris. I’m going to fly Sadie and my brothers over and we’re going to stay in the best hotel in Paris and have our shotgun wedding and exchange our vows right there at the top of the Eiffel Tower. We’ll have a two-week honeymoon eating good food to feed my baby, seeing the sights and buying more of what we’ll need for the hotel. Then we’ll head to New Orleans and start making plans to renovate. How does that work for you, Amelie Thibodeaux?”
“It works for me just fine, Dallas Wilder.”
EPILOGUE
One year later
“Thankyou so much for being here tonight.” I kiss Lila on both cheeks and Dallas gives Colton a man-hug. “It means so much to have you here.”
They’ve become close friends, along with all the Maddox family, who seem to be multiplying by the day. Because of various births and other commitments, Colton, Lila and their two children are the only Maddoxes who could make it to our grand re-opening tonight.
“We’re so happy for you, Amelie,” Lila says. “Everything looks absolutely stunning.”
“Thank you so much. We’re thrilled with the way it turned out.”
Lila is dazzling in her gold sequin maternity dress, one of her own designs. I remember watching her on the runway afterher fashion show and thinking that she looked like a person who was fully realizing every single one of her wildest dreams. That was just over a year ago. It seems amazing that I’m now doing the same.
She’s six months pregnant with twin girls and her belly is already huge. “We’ve decided on names for the girls.” Her smile is elated. “Ava and Amelie. If you don’t mind.”
“Of course I don’t mind.” We’ve laughed about the coincidences before, that Lila and Colton’s oldest child is named Sadie, and that their little boy is also named Jack. “I’m glad we’re continuing the name tradition. I’d be honored to share with one of your gorgeous babies. I’ve never known another Amelie. Except for Sabine Amelie, of course.”
Lila leans down to kiss Sabine’s head. She’s wrapped in a blanket, asleep in my arms. Dallas is holding a very sleepy Jack.
The day we found out we were having twins was one of the happiest of my life. It just felt like one of those cosmic miracles that make you believe magic really can happen.
We wave as Colton, Lila, little Sadie and “Big” Jack (as a two-year old, he absolutely loves that this is his new title) make their way up the grand staircase of the hotel to their room. I gave them Room 27, which is now a three-bedroom luxury suite.
We say goodnight to a few more guests, then Dallas wraps his arm around me and we take the back entrance into the private courtyard of our new dream home.
Jack Dallas Theodore Thibodeaux Wilder was born at 11:55 p.m. on the last day of November. His twin sister Sabine Amelie Hattie Thibodeaux Wilder was born twelve minutes later, at 12:07 a.m. on the first day of December.
After they were born, they spent a week with me in the hospital, not because they needed to but because Dallas wasn’t taking any chances and wanted us watched around the clock until the specialists gave all three of us the all-clear. Which seemed a little overzealous, since my pregnancy went without a hitch and the birth was as straightforward as it could have been. But my husband is nothing if not thorough. He promised to take care of me, and us, and he makes sure he does.
