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Epilogue
Ryan
“This is our life.”
Three months later
“This is anew piece. It’s beautiful. Does it have a name?”
“It’s, uh, well… it’s…”
I try not to blush as I stammer while my dad stands in the middle of my living room, staring at the huge, framed painting that takes up half the wall and hangs above the loveseat, filled with splatters, streaks, and smudges of purple, blue, pink, black, and white paint. Danny immediately steps up next to me and wraps her hand around my elbow, saving me from having to try to explain that the painting my father is currently studying was made while we were naked.
“It’s calledBaiser Sur le Sol,” Danny tells him in perfect French that immediately makes me want to drag her back into our bedroom and rip her clothes off. Then she pushes up on her toes, puts her mouth right by my ear, and whispers, “Loosely translated tofucking on the floor.”
I immediately start choking on the sip of beer I just took, and Danny smirks at me as she pats my back.
“I’d love to have one of these in my home. Maybe with tans and grays to match my color-scheme,” my father muses as he continues to stare at the painting, while I cough even harder. “Can I order one from you?”
“Ahhh, oui-oui.” Danny nods. “I’d love nothing more than to make another one of these.”
Don’t get a boner, Ryan! Now isnotthe time to get a boner!
“I just love the sound of the French language. You’re going to have to give me some lessons at our next Sunday dinner.” My dad smiles at her.
“Just not thatfirstparticular phrase, please,” I warn her quietly with a smile as my dad walks away to join everyone else out in the garage. “You ready to do this?”
I wrap my arm around her shoulders and give her a squeeze as we follow behind him.
We both pause in the doorway that leads out to my garage that is currently filled with all of our friends and family, everyone sitting in front of easels that Danny set up, with drinks in their hands, waiting for her to begin.
“This isn’t a stupid idea, right?”
Turning to look at her, I hold her face in my hands and give her a reassuring kiss.
“It’s an awesome idea, and it’s going to be amazing, just like you. I love you.”
“I love you too.” She smiles at me, and I know I’ll never get tired of hearing her say those words to me and actually believing them.
We both turn back to face the full garage of happy people, and I watch her take a couple of deep, calming breaths, the smile never leaving her face.
Even though Danny told Asher he could have every penny in her trust fund, there’s no way my dad or I would have ever let her do that. This is our home too, and we weren’t about to let her fight for it all on her own. Thankfully, Asher had enough of Summersweet Island after getting punched in the face, and he took the next ferry off the island, never to be heard from again.
Well, except for in the news, as the Brewster Development Company went down in flames when it was leaked that they took bribes from contractors, and Asher went right down with it. Last we heard after Danny gave her statement to the authorities about the things she witnessed while she was employed there, he couldn’t afford a lawyer and is having to use a court-appointed one.
“I still can’t believe she came,” Danny mutters, shaking her head and staring at a woman sitting at an easel next to Tess.
“You’re looking a little uptight.” Tess nods at the woman wearing a dress and an expensive pair of pearls around her neck that probably cost more than this cottage, her blonde hair pulled back into a neat and tidy bun, with an apron covering the front of her just like everyone else. “Want to light something on fire? You can use my shoe lighter, and I’ll use my bra one.”
“Sweetheart, stop trying to make fire happen, and just enjoy our evening sans-baby.” Bodhi leans around the woman to speak to Tess, while said woman looks back over her shoulder at us with wide eyes, making me laugh.
“Your mom’s trying. Give her a chance.”
Corinne Brewster’s nervous look disappears, and she holds up her wrist and taps her watch at her daughter.
“She’s trying to get on my nerves.” Danny huffs, but there’s a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as she rolls her eyes at her mom.
As soon as the news exploded that a secret insider spilled the beans to the authorities about what kind of business the Brewster Development Company does, and Tristan sang like a canary, confirming everything so he could cut a deal and avoid prison, Danny’s mom reached out to her. I’m not saying she was the one who spilled the beans, but Danny and I have both agreed we would put good money on it. Her mom never had the same cruel words for her daughter that her father did while Danny was growing up, but her silence and ignoring the problem did almost as much damage. But they’ve been working on their relationship, and Danny was only mad at me for three hours, twenty-seven minutes, and fourteen seconds when she found out I invited Corinne here today.
