Epilogue

EPILOGUE

LAWSON

The Caldwell Inn is full of life again. Guests wander the new restaurant, some chatting over coffee others just ordering a glass of wine. It’s been a year since the reopening and somehow, it feels more like home every day.

I’ve spent the past year traveling with Remi, visiting the other towns where I own properties. We’ve sat in town squares, walked through markets, and listened to locals tell their stories. I used to think business was all about profit, but now I know it’s about people and places—about capturing the heartbeat of a community.

Remi steps out onto the porch now, scanning the courtyard until her gaze lands on me. The sun catches in her hair, and for a second, I forget how to breathe.

“You’re staring again,” she says, smiling as she walks over.

I shrug. “Can’t help it.”

Her laugh is soft, and I swear it settles right in my chest.

We stand in easy silence for a moment, watching the guests around us. I never imagined I’d find something like this—a place where I belong, with someone I can’t imagine leaving behind.

“You ready?” she asks, holding up her notebook.

I take her hand, threading our fingers together. She glances down, startled for a second, then relaxes, her hand soft in mine.

Remi’s eyes search mine, and for a breathless moment, the world seems to stop. Then she smiles, the kind that makes everything else fade away, and rises onto her toes, her lips meeting mine in a kiss that feels like coming home.

When we finally pull apart, she stays close, her forehead resting against mine.

“So?” she whispers.

I smile, pressing a soft kiss to her temple. “I think it’s the start of something beautiful.”

And for the first time, I know I’m exactly where I belong.