Epilogue

"Oh my God, I'm exhausted," Gianna exclaimed, sighing heavily as she leaned against the wall once the last of their guests closed the front door behind them. "Who knew throwing a party was so exhausting? We're never doing that again."

"You're the one who wanted a housewarming party," Scarlett laughed. "I just wanted to invite my parents and your sister, serve a nice dinner, and spend some quality time with our families. But someone got a little excited."

Gianna shrugged innocently, crossing her arms casually over her chest, pushing herself back onto her feet.

"What can I say? I want to show off our fancy new house to everyone we know. Sue me," she retorted sarcastically. "Anyway, why don't you go start the jacuzzi and pour some wine, and I'll lock up the downstairs?"

"Anything you say, dear," Scarlett teased back with an affectionate eye roll. "You're the boss, after all."

Gianna winked and blew her a kiss, then sauntered down the stairs. Cocoa trailed behind her, still a little unsure of himself in this new place, but definitely liking his big new backyard. Gianna had lived in apartments all her life. Big, fancy, luxurious apartments, sure, because what was the point of a cardiothoracic surgeon's salary if she wasn't going to live it up a little, but apartments, nonetheless. A two-story house in the suburbs with a garden had always seemed like entirely too much space for one person.

Two years ago, when they'd decided to move in together, they had started looking for a new place. It had taken a while. They had wildly different tastes in many ways, and anyway, there hadn't been any kind of rush. So they took their time, going to dozens of viewings and checking out every option, and none of them had been quite perfect. One of them had always found something about each potential home they visited that they didn't like—not enough natural light, too much traffic noise, too close to airport, too far from work, whatever it was.

This one, though? The second they'd stepped inside, they had looked at each other, and it had just been a completely synchronized realization that this was The One. Three bedrooms upstairs, a walk-in closet in the master bedroom, spacious living room, enormous backyard, close enough that they could walk to work on bright summer days, but not so close to the city center as to be crowded. It was perfect. They'd put down an offer on the spot.

It had taken another six months to actually move in, what with selling their respective places, packing, and finding contractors, and all that nonsense. Still, the wait had been worth it. By the end of it, the place was finally furnished and ready, and it had been about three weeks since they'd moved in. At Gianna's insistence, they invited everyone they knew and threw a huge party to celebrate.

Gianna couldn't stop smiling these days. As she locked all the doors and headed out to the garden to join her beautiful fiancée in the massive stone tub, the stars glittering beautifully overhead, she could scarcely believe how happy she was. After so long, everything in her life had finally fallen into place.

"Did we have any more of that champagne left?" Scarlett called out from the jacuzzi, already lounging comfortably against the edge, pale skin flushed from the warm water and bubbles.

Gianna grinned widely and held up the bottle in response, making the redhead perk up happily.

"Way ahead of you," she chuckled, climbing up onto the deck and over to the jacuzzi.

"Not everything is a competition, you know," Scarlett teased, watching her pour the golden liquid into the sparkling glasses. "We can just agree that we both have fantastic ideas sometimes and call it a tie."

Gianna handed Scarlett a glass of champagne and quickly stripped down to her underwear, settling into the foamy waters next to her partner. She leaned in for a brief, soft peck on the lips, grinning like an idiot at the feeling of the bubbling water around her body and Scarlett's warmth beside her.

"Never," she said with a smirk, "I plan to beat you in all things for as long as we both shall live. You should know me by now."

Scarlett looked at her with an adoring smile, shaking her head in mild exasperation. Gianna responded with an impish grin and another quick kiss on the lips. For a while, they sat there in contented silence, holding hands and enjoying the comfort of having created this quiet, peaceful safe haven of their own.

"Your mom asked for our registry, by the way," Gianna remarked lazily as the warm jets massaged the soreness out of her back. "I thought you sent her that last week?"

"I did," Scarlett groaned. "I swear, it's like she's run out of things to complain about now that I'm no longer hopelessly single. She has to make things up instead."

"She's your mom. That's what they do," Gianna joked playfully, rubbing her thumb along the back of Scarlett's hand. "And she just wants her baby to be happy. Which you are, right?"

A broad grin spread across Scarlett's face, lighting up her whole expression, hazel eyes sparkling in the soft yellow glow of the garden lamps. Gianna felt her heart skip a beat, breath catching at the sight of this incredibly sexy, accomplished, intelligent, compassionate woman that fate and a string of coincidences had led into her orbit.

"Couldn't be happier," Scarlett confirmed. "What about you?"

"Mmm, what can I say? I'm cardiology director at one of the most esteemed hospitals in the country, I live in a beautiful mansion in the suburbs, and I'm engaged to an incredible, smart, gorgeous, talented doctor. I've got no complaints," Gianna purred, trailing a finger along Scarlett's bare arm.

"And you still look like that," Scarlett added admiringly, eying her fiancée up and down. "Forty-one, and looking better every year. What's your secret?"

"Love, light, and great sex," Gianna answered smugly. "Anyway, how's your presentation going? Are you ready to dazzle us all on Monday, Doctor Miller?"

Scarlett shrugged bashfully. "It's a long shot," she said modestly, "but I think I have a solid chance. It's really all in how they receive it, I guess."

"Oh, please," Gianna scoffed, waving a hand dismissively. "You were born to be Queen of Rose Bay Hospital, and everyone knows it. Doctor Thomas wants you to be his successor. All you need is for those committee members to give you their support, which they're going to do because they know damn well they'd be stupid not to."

"You sound really excited about the idea of me being your boss," Scarlett noted suspiciously, glancing at her fiancée over the rim of her glass.

"Eh. You've been answering to me for three years. I can be magnanimous and let you pretend to be in charge," Gianna quipped with a sly wink. "Anyway, I get to tell everyone my wife is the hospital director, you know? If any of the other department heads get on my case, I'll just send them to you to sort them out. Also, I can show up late whenever I want, because what are you going to do, fire me?"

Scarlett sighed theatrically and shook her head, fighting back a smile.

"I feel like you have some questionable priorities there," she pointed out wryly.

"My priority is your happiness," Gianna cooed lovingly, "and mine too, obviously, but you come first."

They leaned in close for a sweet, tender kiss. It felt like they were sealed away from the world, alone, the air crackling around them with sparks of electricity as their lips met in the cool evening air. In a minute, the heat and excitement might grow enough for them to rush upstairs, but for now, it was enough to simply luxuriate in this moment and enjoy the peace and calm.

"I love you, you know that?" Scarlett whispered against her lips.

"Mm, yeah," Gianna agreed happily, "I love you too."

As the sun sank down beneath the tree line and the evening faded into darkness, Gianna and Scarlett snuggled close, wrapped in fluffy towels and exchanging lazy, satisfied kisses. Somehow, after everything, they had ended up exactly where they were always meant to be.

Together.

Forever.