Epilogues

EPILOGUES

Eden

Rays of afternoon light streaked from the sun-kissed sky, the heavens the bluest blue. It wrapped our mountain town in a warmth that chased away the cool breeze that blew through the towering pines and oaks.

Lifting my face to it, I inhaled and drew the crisp air into my lungs. Appreciating it all.

The love.

The joy.

The hope.

I couldn’t believe an entire school year had passed since Gage had sat in the front row at his desk.

The little boy who’d stolen my heart with a glance.

I guessed that was about all it’d taken for his dad to steal mine, too.

The days and months had gone by in a blur that I cherished. So thankful for what we’d been given. For what we’d found.

Even though there’d been so much grief finding our way here.

Most of the money Harmony had taken had been recovered, and the school and my father’s home were safe and secure.

There was a huge amount of peace in that, although my daddy was still struggling to find it.

I prayed that one day he would. That he would find his own happiness. A way for his heart to beat again. To spark to life the way mine had.

Squeals of joy rang out, and I returned my attention to the playground where my kindergarten class ran and played on the last day of school.

Gage was out there, playing with the other children, his hands moving almost as wildly as his mouth as he told some animated story.

I tried to hide my grin when Tessa came sauntering my way. She leaned close to my ear and whispered like it was a horrible secret. “Someone looks like she ate too much cake.”

I choked out a laugh, though I smirked. “I found I like cake. A lot.”

“Hooker.”

I smacked at her arm. “Jerk.”

“You know you love me. Mad, mad love.”

A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth, and I lifted my fingers in a pinch. “Barely.”

“That’s because some obscenely hot guy came and stole all my BFF time…always baking you cake.” She poked out her bottom lip in an exaggerated pout.

“Don’t be jealous.”

“Um…so jealous. Speaking of…” She angled her head in the direction of the white Porsche Panamera that pulled into the parent pick-up line on the other side of the wrought-iron fence.

Memories swarmed me from the first time it’d pulled into the drive. When I’d wondered if I were seeing things.

Hallucinating.

If it was some kind of cruel, sick joke or if I’d just done something really terrible in another life and it was my punishment.

Little had I known, it was the greatest gift. That in it, I’d find a love that I’d believed impossible.

From where he pulled to a stop at the curb, Trent smirked from behind the windshield. The man looked at me like he wanted to eat me alive.

I gave him a stern look back.

Later.

Only he smirked wider and climbed out of his car. Straightened to his full, menacing height.

What was he doing?

He knew better. He needed to wait in his car. Drive home. Meet me there. Because the man was far too much of a distraction.

But no. He climbed to the curb.

Shivers raced. This disordered, chaotic feeling that something was coming.

Something big and beautiful.

“There he is! There he is! Look it, Miss Murphy!” Gage came barreling over from where he’d been by the slide, arms thrown above his head and hands waving in the air. “Hi, Dad, hi! Over here! Are you ready?”

A frown took to my face. “You have two more minutes, Gage. You need to stay on the playground until it’s time to go.”

Yeah, it was hard to correct a child when he was that excited, when I knew firsthand how much he loved his dad.

His dad who was going to be in so much trouble later because he kept coming toward the gate.

Ignoring all those signs to wait in the car.

That seething intensity flashed through the air.

It didn’t matter how much time passed. It still made my head spin and my knees weak.

Trent Lawson strode toward the gate, all dark swagger.

But those eyes were on me.

Warm and wicked.

Dressed in black jeans and a black v-neck tee and black boots that were unlaced. All that exposed, inked flesh that somehow appeared obscene.

He came all the way up to the gate, and I managed to make the words form on my tongue. “Sir, you need to wait in your car.”

Trent smirked. “That so?”

Butterflies scattered when he lifted the latch.

Trent kept coming my way.

My heart hammered and my stomach fisted. It wasn’t until then that I realized everyone was gathering around.

The teachers.

The students.

Jud and Logan came out of nowhere.

Leann and Sage.

Milo and Kult, too.

And my daddy. My daddy who looked at me with so much love and affection that my entire being swayed.

Moisture stung my eyes. I blinked furiously, my sight catching on the man who was watching me like he was seeing his joy break at the horizon.

“Trent, what are you doing?” It left me on a plea.

Pure adoration.

That feeling rising.

The air shifting.

This gorgeous, intimidating man smiling with the kind of love that went on for eternity.

Gage giggled and giggled as he took up his father’s side.

I choked, and my heart raced at an erratic beat.

“What are you doing?” I whispered again.

Heart flying.

Spirit soaring.

“Eden, Kitten, look at me.”

My eyes traced every inch.

Took in the beauty.

The chaos.

My perfection.

He lifted his arms in a show of surrender. Nothing to hide. “Never thought in all my days that I’d be standing in front of a woman like you. A woman who is a treasure. So kind strangers can’t help but smile when she walks into a room, so gorgeous she still nearly drops me to my knees every time I see her. A woman who steals every single one of my breaths. The woman who stole my heart.”

Energy crashed. A shockwave of it. So intense it was me who’d lost air.

Tears blurred my eyes as he continued, “I’m in love with you, Eden. Gone for you. When I first met you, I thought fighting it would be the right thing to do. But I don’t want to fight it. Not ever again. And even if I did, I’m pretty sure I’d still end up standing right here in front of you.”

Love struck with each emphatic word.

“Trent.” I whispered his name.

He dropped to a knee and pulled out a ring. “So, I was hoping that maybe you’d put me out of my misery and marry me. Say you’ll be mine forever because that’s how long I’ll be loving you.”

Gage dropped to a knee, too, dug into his little pocket, and pulled out another blue string.

This one was tiny with a charm tied in the middle of it.

“And I’m gonna love you for all of forever, too, to the highest mountain, so I was hoping you’d be my mom. Will you, Miss Murphy, will you?”

A sob climbed to my throat.

But in it was no sadness.

No shame.

No question.

My men were each on a knee, so I dropped to both of mine. “Yes, yes, forever, yes.”

Trent slid the ring onto my trembling finger, kissed me in a way that probably wasn’t prudent for the audience.

But neither of us could mind right then.

It was passion and a promise.

Everything.

Everything.

The tears kept flooding when he pulled back.

“My turn,” Gage shouted. He scooted forward and worked the ring made of string onto my index finger. “There you go! It’s so the prettiest ring ever. Even prettier than the one my dad got you, right, Mom, right?”

Gage grinned in all that hope, looking up at me for approval.

For commitment.

For everything I’d give him for the rest of my days.

His father grinned at his side.

And I knew I’d never feel greater joy in all my life. And I was going to hold it forever.

Trent

I took Eden’s hand in mine and helped her to stand.

People surrounding us cheered and shouted. Rushed in for hugs and congratulations.

Eden hugged them. Cried and laughed.

The sound of it filled me whole, same way as her spirit had done.

I’d never imagined it. Never thought I’d deserve it. But I’d fight for it, for her, for my son, for this family, for the rest of my life.

My purpose was finally clear.

One reason.

I just had finally figured out what that really meant.

I glanced around at the smiling faces of the people who loved us.

My brothers.

Eden’s dad who’d become like a father to me.

And for a beat, I lifted my gaze to the endless sky, searching that eternity.

In it, I could almost hear my mother’s voice. Singing that song she’d loved so quietly.

I shifted back when I felt the warmest gaze wash over me.

Eden.

Sweet, fucking Eden.

Autumn eyes and the purest soul.

My life.

My hope.

The most beautiful belief.

And I thought maybe…maybe there was forgiveness, after all, for a sinner like me.