Extended Epilogue

EXTENDED EPILOGUE

ETHAN

Five Years Later

" A re you ready, Elodie?"

I stand to the side of the room watching Elodie take a seat. She's immediately swarmed by makeup artists who touch her up and make sure she's camera-ready. She seems incredibly uncomfortable with all the attention. That's my baby girl, though. She's always uncomfortable with attention of any kind. She does not like the limelight. She always tells me she became a writer because she doesn't like the attention. It's actually kind of cute.

Nicole Jennings, host of The Morning Hour, is one of the most well-known and beloved faces in America. Her television program is responsible for launching many, many careers. When Elodie's latest book was optioned for a movie, she came calling, wanting to interview her. Elodie was in a state of disbelief for a day and was thoroughly convinced she was being pranked for another. It wasn't until Jennings got Elodie on a video call that she was convinced it was for real and spent the entire following day bouncing between being terrified out of her mind and feeling completely unworthy of the attention.

Elodie's agent, Carissa Kipson, arranged for Jennings and her crew to come out to our home to interview her live on The Morning Hour. Initially, Elodie said no. She didn't want a camera crew in our home. I tried to talk her into it, trying to convince her it would be good for her and her career, but she wasn't having it. Over multiple phone calls with Jennings in the course of a week, though, Elodie eventually gave in. I don't know what she said that convinced her to do it, but I'm glad she was able to break through that wall.

I spin the platinum wedding band around my finger as I watch all the prep work being put into my wife. Honestly, there's so much frantic activity all around her, I'm feeling a little nervous and anxious for her. I can see why she's looking a bit like a deer in headlights.

"Beautiful and incredibly talented—Elodie is the whole package. I hope you know what a lucky man you are, Ethan."

I turn to see Jennings standing next to me with a wide, teasing smile on her face. Her red hair is pulled back in a simple ponytail, and her blue eyes are icy and probing, seeming able to see right through a person. I can see now, live and up close, why she's such a good interviewer—she seems able to see right through the bullshit. I return her smile and nod.

"Believe me, I know how lucky I am," I reply seriously. "I wake up every morning and say a word of thanks."

"You seem like the perfect couple."

"We've got our challenges like everybody else," I tell her. "But honestly, I feel like everything is as close to perfect as it can be."

"What do you think about doing a segment with you and the kids?" Jennings asks.

From her chair on the set, Elodie looks over and offers me a shaky smile, looking like she's giving serious consideration to bolting. But she touches the white gold heart on the black choker I'd gotten her all those years ago and smiles, seeming to draw some bit of courage from it.

I shake my head. "No. But thank you. This is Elodie's moment. She worked hard for it, and I'm not going to take that away from her."

She offers me a smile. "You are a good man, Ethan."

"She makes me a better man."

"Maybe another time then," Jennings says.

"Another time."

Knowing today was going to be a zoo, Mam offered to look after the kids to keep them from being underfoot today. Anais, the older of the two and her little brother, Milo, are curious little buggers who have a knack for finding trouble. I thought it best that they weren't here while the interview was going on. Elodie initially objected, not wanting to fob the kids off, but I convinced her of the wisdom of it all. She had enough to worry about without having to split her attention trying to wrangle our two little maniacs.

"Two minutes, people," the producer calls. "Two minutes. Let's get ready."

The buzz of activity increases, and I watch as Jennings sits down and is attended to by her people. The closer to airtime we get, the more nervous Elodie seems to be getting. I walk over quickly and stand behind her, massaging her shoulders and planting a gentle kiss on the top of her head. She grips my hand and looks up at me.

"I'm scared," she whispers.

"You're going to be amazing."

"I'm not so sure about that."

"I am," I tell her.

"I don't know, Ethan."

"You have busted your ass to get to this point. You're at the summit, baby girl," I say quietly. "You deserve this. You deserve all the good things coming your way. Don't let doubt or fear get in the way of that because that's all bullshit. This is your moment, and you earned it."

Her eyes shimmer, but not wanting to ruin her makeup, she fights to keep the tears from falling and offers me a shaky smile.

"How did I get so lucky?" she asks.

"I'm not sure. But you sure did."

She laughs and playfully smacks my hand. "You're awful."

"The worst," I agree.

"I'm the one who should be asking how I got so lucky," I say softly. "Between you and the kids, I never knew this level of happiness existed, let alone that it was something I could attain. You make me happy, Elodie. You and the kids bring me more joy than I can ever tell you. I don't know how I got so lucky, but I'm genuinely grateful for you."

"Stop," she whispers through her shaky smile. "You're going to make me cry."

"I love you, Elodie. With everything in me."

"And I love you with everything in me."

I lean down and gently stroke the heart pendant on her choker and lower my voice so only she can hear. "Your grandmother has the kids all day, so, when you're all done here, you and I have a little catching up to do, baby girl."

She bites her bottom lip as her eyes glitter seductively. "Yes, Daddy."

"Thirty seconds, people," the producer calls. "Thirty seconds."

"Good luck. You got this, baby girl." I kiss her on the cheek and step away.

Elodie gives me another smile, and I can see her confidence returning as her cheeks flush. And as the producer counts down, she gives me a wink and turns to Jennings, preparing herself for the moment she worked so hard for. I honestly don't know why fortune has smiled on me so brightly, but I'm not going to question or complain. I'm just going to hold on to it with both hands as tight as I can. I may not be worthy of it, but this life is now mine, and I'm not going to let it go.

"Welcome to the Morning Hour, I'm Nicole Jennings, and with me today is bestselling author, Elodie Carter…"

The End. Thanks for reading!