AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Epilogue
“Hurry up,Addy. We’re going to be late. Again,” I chide.
As responsible as she’s always been, timeliness has gone out the window since she moved to Fairview. Maybe it’s the slower pace, or the fact that we’re our own bosses, but she hasn’t been on time in two weeks.
“I’m coming,” she hollers down the stairs.
Her house is in shambles. Jones decided that it wasn’t appropriate for them to live in the apartment above the bar, so he bought a piece of shit house that he and Wyatt have been fixing up in their spare time.
They put in a new set of stairs and a railing last week. Before that, they demolished the kitchen and the cabinets and counter tops are being delivered next week. That means they eat “family” dinner with us every night. Addy and I have done some painting, mainly in the bedrooms before they put new carpet in.
Their big issue right now, aside from the lack of a kitchen, is the lack of a shower. The house they bought only had a free-standing tub. Addy’s likes to soak in the tub, but when it comes to washing her hair, she takes twice as long to get it done.
So the house is far from finished. The problem is, spare time is not common these days.
For us, Lola starting preschool and the opening of Old Town have taken up most of our time. We work, eat, sleep, and repeat on a daily basis. On top of that, add in Addy and I opening our own business and there’s even less time for anything else.
For Jones, with Wyatt spending almost all his time at Old Town, he’s been at the bar more. At night, after both of them have worked all day, Wyatt and Jones would rather sit on the porch and drink a beer than swing a hammer. Weekends tend to be the only time things get done.
“Ready,” she announces from the top of the steps.
“Did you want to wear matching shoes today?” I ask, staring at the navy, peep-toe heel on her left foot and the black closed-toe heel on her right foot.
“Damn it. Yes, I’ll be right back.”
Laughing as she hobbles to her bedroom, attempting to remove the navy shoe, I think back on all that’s happened, all that’s changed in the last two months since moving back to Fairview.
That first night, when we went to pick Lola up from Becky’s, was the most exciting. For me, anyway. Not for Becky, and in the beginning, not for Wyatt. He was scared shitless when his mom opened the door and slammed it in my face before I could even say hello.
I sat in the car for ten minutes while Wyatt tried to calm her down.
Once he waved me in, I spent the next hour explaining everything to her over coffee and letting her in on my secret. I wasn’t taking her granddaughter away, and that led to hugs and tears of joy from both of us.
Wyatt walked in on us embracing. When he saw my tears, he rushed over to find out what was wrong. That’s when I called Lola into the room and the four of us sat around Becky’s kitchen table while I explained everything. Becky smiled at me the entire time, happy to hear me repeat the words I had shared with her moments earlier.
Lola bounced up and down in her chair, excited she wasn’t leaving.
Wyatt, well, he scared the crap out of me. His face gave nothing away beyond his shock at my announcement. That’s when he excused himself. Giving Becky a curious glance, she shrugged her shoulder in confusion and started a fresh pot of coffee. Just as she was about to pour me a cup, Wyatt burst back in the room and sank to one knee at my feet.
His actions and words brought tears to my eyes.
“Chloe Grace Warren, this ring was meant for you five years ago. The day you left me was the same day I was planning on asking you to marry me. It’s not much, but until I buy you something else, it’ll have to do. Will you marry me?”
He was going to ask me to marry him that morning? I never showed up and when I did, I left him with nothing more than a note that apologized. Now, here he is, with the ring he bought for that day, for that moment, asking me to marry him again.
“Are you sure?”
Not exactly my finest moment. I should have said yes and jumped into his arms, kissing him like I’d been wanting to do all day.
Nope. Not me. I had to be the dumbass who asked if he was sure if he wanted to marry me still.
“I’ve never been more certain of anything in my life. I wanted to marry you that day and every day since. There’s not a moment, even when I was furious at you, angry beyond belief, that I didn’t want to marry you. When I saw the ring you were wearing in Denver, I freaked out. Jealousy spread through my veins like a disease. So, yes, Chloe I want to marry you. I always have. I always will. You are the only one for me. I’ve known that since the moment I laid eyes on you.”
Coming to my senses, I pounced, pushing Wyatt to the floor and smashing my lips to his.
We’ve been engaged for eight weeks and two days. Since then, he insisted on buying me a different ring, not that I needed one. Lola wears my other ring on a necklace she refuses to take off except to bathe.
Addy and I have been talking wedding details lately, but nothing is set in stone. All I know is that I want to have it at our house. The pond holds more memories than anyone could possibly fathom. It’s a part of our past, our future, and everything in between.
