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EPILOGUE
ONE MONTH LATER
Mia stood on the lawn of what was about to be her former house, watching Emilia and Annie cart boxes to the moving truck. While she didn’t have much furniture—Jack had everything they needed—she’d hired removalists anyway, to carry the big things like her bed and closet. And to help their friend, Hannah, move in.
And also, to make the move as quick and painless as possible. It felt weird, even though she hadn’t been in the house long, to be moving out already. It had been a crazy month. Jack had given his two weeks’ notice, started his new job straight away, and they’d spent every day and night together ever since.
Rebecca had been fired after she had deliberately knocked one of Jack’s screens onto the floor, and her daughter had taken her place. Mia found Brianna to be friendly and helpful and nothing at all like her mother. She’d admitted to having never really wanted the sales job. She was more about numbers, and she was happy where she was now. She’d been trying to please Rebecca when she’d applied for Mia’s job.
“Ow! Fuck!” Emilia stood on the street at the truck, shaking her hand.
“You okay?” Mia called.
“Yeah, just jammed my finger. I’ll ice it and it’ll be fine.”
Emilia was currently a puzzle Mia couldn’t solve. She’d been “in a funk” for over a month now, and every time Mia broached the subject, Emilia waved her off. She wasn’t always stroppy, or always grumpy, but there had been a definite change in her.
Before she could think more about it, Jack came up to her from behind, wrapping his arms around her waist and bending to place his cheek against hers. “I can’t believe you’ll be moved in tonight.”
“I know. Me either. I can’t believe it’s only been a month.”
“I feel like I’ve known you my whole life.”
“Mmm. Same. We should probably carry more boxes.”
“We will in just a bit. I want to ask you something?”
Mia was distracted by Emilia coming back out of the house, followed by one of the guys from the removal company. They were chatting amicably, and Mia was happy to see Emilia throw her head back and laugh at something he said.
“Mmm?” she replied, still keeping her eyes on her cousin.
“Mia?” Jack chuckled.
“Sorry,” she turned to look at him. “What did you want to ask me?”
“I know it’s sudden, and it’s not really what I had planned. But then all of this started happening, and I’m watching your friends help you move and it feels like a new beginning, you know?”
“I know, it does for me too.”
“Right.” Jack took a deep breath. The sun was shining brightly on them, and the hustle and bustle around them seemed to melt away as Mia looked up into his face, his eyes suddenly serious. “So, new beginnings. You really mean the world to me, Mia. When I look back at my life before you, it’s just less in a way I can’t explain. With you, standing by my side, my life is just more. So, I wanted to ask you…”
Mia sucked in a breath as he went down on one knee and pulled a small box from his pocket. Opening it, it showed a small, filigree band with a single amethyst in its center. Tears welled in her eyes and her hands flew to her mouth.
“Mia Grace Emerson, will you marry me?”
There was no hesitation, no weighing up the pros and cons, no niggling insecurities.
“Yes! Yes, Jack! I will!” There was just the two of them, and their bright, bright future. Jack stood and placed the ring on her finger—a perfect fit—and gave her a long, lingering kiss.
“Hey!” Annie called on her way back into the house. “Some of us are working here!”
“And some of us,” Mia said, “Are getting married!” She held up her left hand and wiggled her fingers.
“No way!” Grinning, Annie jogged towards her and wrapped them both in a big hug. “Oh my God, I’m so happy for you!”
And suddenly, Emilia was on them too, hugging Mia and Jack from behind. “Oh em gee! I can’t believe it. Congratulations! Dibs on maid of honor duties!” She said, looking at Annie. “When’s the wedding? When are you going to tell the rest of the girls? Omg we should do a mini engagement party tonight at yours!”
“Emilia,” Mia said warningly, but she just couldn’t wipe the smile off her face. “It literally just happened. Come on.” But she wrapped her cousin in a hug.
“Seriously,” Emilia said, close to her ear. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Thanks. Who’s the hot removalist?”
“Oh my God, Mia, can we just make this about you for one second?”
And both women laughed as they pulled away from each other. But Mia didn’t miss the way Emilia smiled across the lawn at the Hot Removalist, or the way he smiled back and tipped his cap in a kind of salute.
She looked towards Jack, her fiancé, and smiled before they both moved back inside the house to gather up the last of her things. Today marked the first day of the rest of their lives, and Mia couldn’t wait to see what their future would bring.
