EPILOGUE

NINE MONTHS LATER

SAMUEL

The freedom to not be in charge of everyone had helped me do so much more with myself. My father had always put pressure on me to take over and be the best. I was actually happy with how things had worked out. And while Rebekah was doing what she could, I was exploring the world with Leo, as well as meeting some of our foreign suppliers on the side to do real work for the family.

We were in Chengdu, China, after several planes, trains, and a private car hire. We were ticking off the one thing he'd wanted to do more than anything else in the world. And on his birthday no less.

"What does he feel like?" I asked as I snapped a picture.

He was speechless as the sleepy little panda sat on his lap. He'd been talking non-stop until we arrived at the panda sanctuary, the only place in the world you could have a panda sit on your lap and get a photo to take home as evidence.

"Smile," I said.

Leo smiled with tears in his eyes. It was no less than a miracle we got here. But we did, and I was thankful for every single moment I got to see his face beam with excitement.

He didn't want to let go when it came time to leave the panda since there was always a large queue of people also waiting for their moment with the sleepy little pandas. They were most likely sedated, but I wouldn't tell him that.

He didn't say a single word to me until we were out in their giftshop. "I want one," he said.

Maybe when I told him he could have whatever he wanted, I should've specified that we shouldn't get things that would be difficult to take care of. "I know I have contacts, but I—"

"No, this," he said, tackling the large panda teddy. "I want one. Can I?"

Much better than what I'd been thinking. "Of course, but how will we get it back home?"

"It can take my seat on the plane," he said.

"How about we buy it, and I'll pay someone to ship it over?"

He smacked his fists into the teddy with excitement. "Yes, yes. Ok."

I pulled a piece of paper from my pocket. It was a list Leo had created. We'd agreed that once we completed the list, we would get married. It was my idea, I told him I wanted him to see the world before he agreed to be with me forever.

"Pandas, tick," he said, snatching the list from me.

"Next up?"

"Koala bears!"

I knew that. We had our flights already booked to Australia.

"Let's get a move on then," I told him. "The driver is waiting for us outside. You pay for that first." I fished a hand into my pocket for my wallet, but it wasn't there.

Leo waved my wallet in front of my face, proving once more that he hadn't lost any of his flair. "Already on it."

I watched as he paid for things he wanted, and I enjoyed seeing him spend my money. It was wild to have such a huge bank balance with nearly all the possibilities in the world opened to you. And it was incredible to give some of that to him.

"So," I said, as he came back carrying the panda teddy in a chokehold. "We only have two weeks left until we have to be back in England."

"Why?"

"You know why. Your mum is getting out of rehab. And you promised you'd be there when she did," I said. "Do you remember what we said about promises?"

He lulled his head and nodded. "Promises need to be kept, or it compromises all the other promises you've ever made."

"Exactly." I gave him a kiss on the head before noticing people turn to us and stare. "We can visit the animals in Australia, and then we can head home. I want to see the kangaroos, and—what were those small things you were talking about?"

"Small things?" he asked. "The kangaroo babies?"

"No, you showed me a picture of them."

"Quokkas!"

"Those," I chuckled. "I can't wait to see those."

He never failed to make me smile. And I didn't want there to ever be a day he didn't smile like that for me. Soon, once the list was complete, he'd have a reason to smile every day because that would be my promise to him.

THE END