Epilogue

Six Months Later

I'd convinced Aiden to hold a Christmas in July theme at the inn. I'd researched different marketing plans with Marley over the past few months, and this one was supposed to be effective. It was ninety degrees outside, but the columns were wrapped in twinkling white lights and the gardens were too.

"I think we should keep the lights on the trees year-round," I said to Aiden as we walked the property, holding hands. He held a picnic basket in his other hand.

We spent a few lunches a week exploring the Matthews' property, getting to know the land and enjoying nature. It was so different from my life in Chicago where I spent my time either in my office or traveling from one hotel to another. But I loved it.

This felt more sustainable. I could enjoy life and work. The best part was that I spent most days with Aiden. With me and Charlotte helping at the inn, Aiden had been taking on more projects with Heath's contracting business.

The three of them—Heath, Cole, and Aiden—had discussed a partnership. Aiden was excited about it, and I wanted him to be happy.

He loved the inn, but he enjoyed working with his hands and creating something too.

We stopped at a clearing in the woods where I could hear the rush of moving water.

Aiden carefully placed the blanket on the ground, resting the picnic basket on top. "What do you think?"

"It's pretty," I said looking around at the tall trees and the light coming through the breaks in the branches to form a pattern on the floor of the woods.

Aiden shook his head. "Come here."

When I reached him, he grabbed my hands and pulled me close. "Let's try that again. What do you think about building our home here?"

My eyes widened. "I thought you wanted to be close to the inn."

"Eventually, we might want some privacy from the guests. Maybe we could hire Charlotte to be the manager and let her move in."

"She needs a place to live now though."

"I can't figure that part out because if we decide to build a house, it will take some time. We'll work on this project along with our other jobs. But if you're on board, I want to break ground while it's warm."

I looked around, trying to imagine living here.

Aiden took my hand. "The lane will continue from the inn to here. The house will go here. It will have an attached garage and maybe even a workshop for me to work on my side projects."

Aiden worked on custom jobs, like cabinetry, shelving, and breakfast nooks. He preferred to build them off-site and then install them when they were completed. Building a separate workspace would allow him to do that.

"I love it."

Aiden cupped my jaw. "But if this isn't what you want, let's talk about that. I want you to be happy."

Warmth flooded my body. Aiden was always in tune with what I wanted. He never assumed the inn would be our focus forever. He was cognizant that our wants and desires could change as we grew together. "This is more than I ever imagined."

I'd assumed we'd live in the apartment at the inn until we decided to expand our family. Aiden was reluctant to have children because he was worried he'd be like his parents. But I knew he wanted them. He adored Izzy. Several times, I'd caught him watching her with longing.

"I can build a deck so that we have space to enjoy the view. Lots of windows to let in the light. It would be private. The guests won't be able to see it, and we can put a gate on the lane so they don't wander."

Aiden looked so unsure it made my heart ache.

I stepped into his body, so that we were touching from our knees to our chests. "I love the idea of building our own place. It's more than I thought we'd do. But now that you brought it up, it's all I can think about. We can build whatever we want. Make it to our specifications."

"I want you to be involved in that process. Let's build our dream house. And if those plans change, we can easily add an addition later."

"I kind of want it now."

Aiden chuckled. "It's a long process, and I want you to enjoy it. Take your time to pick what you want."

"As long as we're together, that's all that matters."

A warm breeze filtered through the leaves on the trees, keeping us cool. Aiden pulled away to unroll the blanket on the ground. Then he was tugging me to the ground next to him so he could kiss me.

I loved being here with him like this. We worked, but we had plenty of time to tend to us. It was the perfect blend of work and love, and I couldn't get enough.

Aiden slowly removed my clothes, the warm air sending tingles across my skin. His forearms were braced on the ground on either side of me as he slowly entered me. It felt like heaven making love in the place where our dream house would be built.

I couldn't think of a more perfect moment. As he moved inside me, I lost track of the rest of the world, our responsibilities, what we were doing later that day. The only thing that mattered was him filling me with an expression of love on his face.

I cupped his jaw. "I love you."

"I've always loved you, Fiona."

Then he kissed me as the orgasm rushed through my body, hot and fierce. When we finally came down from the high, he rolled me so that I was cradled in his arms, my head on his shoulder. My fingers played with the hair on his chest.

"When do you want to get married?"

We'd been so busy with the renovation of the rest of the basement, we hadn't had time to discuss a date. And I was content being engaged.

"I want to get married around Christmas."

Aiden touched my hip. "Should the holiday party be a wedding this year?"

My lips tipped up. "I think so. Is that what you want?"

"I would have married you at the courthouse. I don't care about the food or the music. I just want to be with you. But I love the idea of a Christmas wedding."

"I thought it was fitting since everything started when I came home from the holidays last year."

"You know, your boss passing you over for that promotion was the best thing that could have happened. It brought you to me."

"I feel like I'm living my best life. I have time to drink my coffee slowly and enjoy nature on my lunch break."

Aiden's chest shook under my hand. He was laughing at me. "If you think this is enjoying nature."

I smiled. "Isn't it?"

"It's my favorite way to enjoy nature."

"I love working at the inn. You and Marley listen to my ideas." I never thought this would be my life.

He stroked my hair. "That's because you're brilliant."

I was so grateful that everything happened the way it did. I liked to think it was fate. "You know that pinky promise we did when we were teens?"

"The one where I said I'd wait for you."

I blinked back the sudden sting of tears. "You didn't break your promise. You were still waiting for me."

Aiden's arm tightened around my back, holding me tight to him. "I think you're right. I never stopped loving you."

I preferred to think that our timing wasn't right at nineteen. We both had some growing up to do, and priorities to make before we could be together.

He moved so that he was on top of me. "Want to stay here a little longer?"

I smiled. "I'm fine with that."

Then he kissed me, and I got lost in him and the promise of our future.

* * *

Three Months Later

It was the grand opening of the basement area of the inn, a night we'd been planning for months. So far, the movie theater had been a hit. We'd gotten more bookings for families and couples wanting to enjoy what we had to offer.

We were playing around with the idea of opening the theater and the basement area to the public on Friday and Saturday nights.

Tonight was a test to see if people would enjoy the expansion.

I stood next to Aiden, greeting guests as they came inside. When most had arrived, we followed them downstairs where everything had been either replaced or restored to keep with the original look of the space.

The wood in the billiard room and bar was dark and masculine, keeping with the old gentlemen's club feel. Yet we added a few games in the billiards room that appealed to kids, including basketball hoops, foosball, and Skee-Ball.

There was a large cluster of people at the bar, and others were in the billiard room, drinking and having a good time.

Even the bowling alley was open. The Monroe family—including Daphne, Izzy, and Cole—were in the first two lanes.

We stopped to talk to Heath and Marley who held drinks in their hands.

"I think the night is a success," I said to Marley.

"The Calloways and the Monroes are in the same place, and so far no one seems to be fighting." Cole nodded toward lanes three and four where the Calloways were playing.

It was probably too much to ask that they play each other when they were bowling.

"But this is the grand opening. Can we keep people coming back for more?" I asked.

Aiden rested his hand on the small of my back. "Only time will tell."

For a while, we mingled with the Monroes and the Calloways. After bowling, we moved to the billiards room so the kids could play games.

At some point, Cole pulled Daphne into his side. "We have an announcement to make."

Both families were gathered around the bar, the kids not paying any attention to us.

I knew from looking at Daphne's glowing face and the possessive way Cole held her that she was pregnant. They'd gotten married on the Calloway farm in the spring, and I wondered when they'd make this next step.

"We're expecting a baby."

Cheers erupted around us, and I made my way to my sister and hugged her tight. "Congratulations."

"We didn't want to wait too long. Izzy wants a sister or a brother." Daphne exchanged a loving look with Cole.

"You make me want to take the next step," I admitted.

"We have to get married first," Aiden said from my side. Then he shook Cole's hand. "Congratulations. We're happy for you."

We moved aside for the rest of the family to congratulate the happy couple. Then Jameson arrived. His hair was damp, so he must have had time to shower after his shift at the firehouse.

He searched the room, then walked over to me. "I made it."

"Would you like something to drink?"

He waved a hand at me. "Just water."

"Hard night?" Aiden asked him.

"You could say that. We had a call for a fire. Everyone got out." Jameson didn't add any details but I could tell that it had shaken him.

"You need to distance yourself from the worst calls so you can keep doing your job," Teddy said.

Jameson ran a hand through his hair. "I can't do that. Not easily."

My heart swelled because Jameson felt so much. Way more than anyone gave him credit for. He wasn't just a good time guy. "It's hard not to get involved."

"I meet with the homeowners afterward to ensure they have working fire alarms and fire extinguishers, make sure they know how to use them. I prefer the teaching side."

"You think any more about getting a teaching degree?" I asked him.

Jameson gave me a look, then thanked Aiden for the glass of water. "I'm fine doing what I am."

Not for the first time, I wondered if he was a firefighter due to some pressure from our family when his natural talents rested somewhere else.

Cole and Daphne joined us. "You missed the big announcement. We're pregnant."

Something passed over Jameson's face before he grinned his usual charming smile. "I can't wait to be the favorite uncle of another niece or nephew. It's a tough job, but someone's got to do it."

Daphne laughed. "You're impossible."

"But you love me, and this one will too." Jameson lightly touched her stomach.

The jukebox had been playing all night, and a few people had started dancing in the middle of the room.

Aiden wrapped his arms around me. "I need you to myself for a few minutes."

"I'm on board with that," I said as he led me to the dance floor.

When he pulled me into his arms, he asked, "Are you upset that Daphne's pregnant?"

I frowned. "Not at all. I'm happy for them. I know they want Izzy to be close to any children they have."

"Then what is it?" Aiden held me tighter when the music slowed.

I sighed. "I'm worried about Jameson. I don't think he's happy as a firefighter."

"He's not your responsibility."

I sighed. "He has such a huge heart. I want him to be happy too."

"It seems like he's doing okay from where I'm standing."

Jameson was at the center of our family's circle at the bar, laughing and talking. No matter what things he'd seen at work, he could easily brush it off and be the charming guy everyone loved. "I wonder if he's hiding what he's going through."

"Or you're imagining problems where there aren't any." Aiden's voice was soft and reasonable.

I relaxed in his arms. "Is it wrong that I want all my siblings to be happy like I am?"

Aiden pulled back slightly to look at me. "Your brothers might be a lost cause, but Daphne is settled."

I laughed. "You're probably right. My brothers don't have any interest in what we have."

Aiden fell silent for a few seconds while we swayed to the music. Then he said hesitantly, "I wanted to let you know that I've thought about expanding our family. We have our wedding in December, and we're not getting any younger."

My heart rate picked up. "Are you serious?"

"Our house will be finished in the spring or summer, and we'll be moving. It's the perfect time."

"I wasn't sure if you were ready."

He'd been talking to a therapist about his parents, and Marley attended with him from time to time. But I didn't ask what they discussed. I just knew he felt more confident about himself and the boundary he'd set with his parents.

His gaze rested on mine. "I'm not my parents. I'm going to be a good dad."

"You're going to be great. Should we practice in the meantime?"

"How much longer do we have to stick around?" His hand gripped my hip tighter, and I knew he was anxious to be alone."

"It's our party."

His head dipped, and his lips hovered over my temple. "So not much longer?"

I tipped my head to the side, enjoying teasing him. "The anticipation makes everything so much better."

Aiden's gaze was intent. "I've waited for you since we were eighteen. I can wait a little longer."

I wrapped my arms around his neck, bringing my body flush against his. "That's what I was hoping for."

Then he kissed me, and I didn't care who saw. I was happiest here in his arms, in the inn we were renovating. We were building a future together, and I couldn't be more excited for it.

I hope you loved Fiona and Aiden's story! Read more about their happily ever after in their bonus epilogue. Jameson and Claire's story is next in Every Beat of My Heart, an opposites attract single mom romance.