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“No.”

“Everyone is looking.”

“Let them.”

I take the stairs two at a time and she laughs the entire way. At the top, I finally set her on her feet. Her back meets the wall. My hands settle at her waist. She looks up at me. “Was the second wedding worth it?”

I kiss her once. “Yeah.”

“Even with seventy people watching you?”

“Barely.”

“The vows?”

“Yeah.”

“The sign?”

I look toward the stairs.

Toward the lodge.

Toward our name carved outside.

Then back at my wife. “Keep that forever.”

Her expression softens. “I plan to.”

I take her hand and lead her toward our room.

This time, there’s no contract between us.

No money.

No bargain.

No one-year deadline.

Just my name beside hers.

My ring on her finger.

And my wife laughing when I lock the bedroom door behind us.

Second Epilogue

Lila

five years later

My husband has survived war, prison, bar fights, blizzards, and five years of marriage to me.

But a two-year-old girl has finally broken him.

“Dane.”

He looks guilty.