Epilogue

EPILOGUE

ONE YEAR LATER: CANDICE

T iny waves lap against the shore of the oasis. There isn't much of a beach here, but that's what the honeymoon is for — lying in the sun and staring out into gorgeous, clear-blue waves.

Right now, we're enjoying a moment of calm before the wedding tomorrow. Not that it's a big thing, but my mother and Aiden's seem to have become best friends overnight because they've spent all day bickering in that way that would seem combative to anyone else but is friendly really. We've left them arguing over flower arranging.

I don't care about the flowers. I don't care about perfection — because it will be perfect no matter what happens. I have Aiden with me, and our companies are stronger than ever. Our company. I've been allowed to have so much say in Fletcher Tech that I've started to see it as mine too.

Life is already perfect.

"I wish we never had to leave," sighs Aiden, twining his fingers between mine.

"What, even to go to a private island so we can have full run of the sun and the sand?"

He makes a face like he's weighing up a considerable problem. "That does sound good. But it doesn't have the memories of this place."

"Yes," I say, holding in a laugh. "The memories of June forcing us to predict our own futures."

"Hey, now," he scolds teasingly. "She's invited, you know."

"Only because she's doing the ceremony!"

If you'd asked me a year ago if I ever thought I'd return to Desert Cove, I would have said no, not in a million years. I could never have imagined coming back here to marry a man I've pretended to despise for nearly a decade, or it being sealed by a woman who could see the truth this whole time.

I've got a lot to thank her for.

A breeze blows around us, a warm embrace of air that catches my hair and makes me squeeze his hand tighter, draws me in instinctively. He lets go of my hand to wrap his arm around my shoulders, holding me against his body. I loop my hand around his waist with a smile. "I realized I loved you here," I say quietly. "Last time we walked along this path. It was the first time the thought crossed my mind."

"I'm glad you did," he says. "I've loved you for a long time."

We walk a little further, taking in the late-summer afternoon, the warmth of the sun balanced by the perfect temperature in the shade of the trees, the perfume of the last flower blooms, the creaks and cries of the last crickets and frogs. He's right. It's beautiful here, and it's going to be a shame to leave again.

Without warning, he lets me go and grabs my bag, rummaging around in it for something. "Hey!" I exclaim. "What are you doing?"

"I have a present for you," he says in utter non-explanation.

"In my bag?"

"I snuck it in earlier when you weren't looking."

With a huff, I fold my arms, staring at him dumbfounded as he pulls out a small box wrapped in gold paper. "Here," he says, handing it to me.

I take it and blink in confusion. "You know, the guests are meant to give us presents, not us to each other. That's usually how weddings go."

"Please, open it. You'll see."

He looks at me so expectantly that I steel myself to pretend to like whatever it is so I don't hurt him. Slowly, I peel back the tape and reveal the box. It's plain cardboard, like it's holding a candle or something. Carefully, I pull open the lid and gasp when I see what's inside.

I hook my finger through the little string loop and pull out a sparkling mermaid whose face has been painted on slightly wrong. "Oh, Aiden, I forgot all about her."

Her tail catches the light as she spins, and I don't have to pretend to love her.

"You remember when we bought this?" he asks.

"Yes," I nod, staring at him as the memory floods back to me, an overwhelming rush of emotion that makes my heart burst.

I pause for a moment, contemplating my own secret. It's as good a time as any to reveal it, I suppose. "We can give it to our baby when she's born."

"Yeah, that's a sweet ide— wait, what?" He blinks at me, his mouth dropping open. "That's— are you telling me…?"

With a laugh, I nod. "Yes, I'm pregnant. We're going to have a baby."

He whoops in joy and picks me up, spinning me around in his arms before placing me gently back down on the ground, holding me as I regain my footing. He leans in to kiss me, then says, "I love you so much. You're really pregnant?"

"I'm really pregnant," I say, grinning hard at his delight.

"She is going to be so loved," he says, pressing a gentle hand against my belly.

"Yes, she is," I agree, reaching up to pull him into a kiss. This time, the kiss is long and sensual, a conversation without words, a promise that we're making to each other and our unborn child. "You're going to be a great dad," I whisper, taking hold of both of his hands.

He squeezes back. "We're both going to be great. She's going to be spoiled rotten."

"She is not!" I scoff without meaning it.

A flash of disbelief crosses his face before settling into a smile again. "Come on," he says, looking back down the path. "Let's go and get married."

I smile in return, holding his hand tight as we turn back towards the hotel and set off into our perfect future.

The End