Epilogue

The past few months had flown by in a blur, though Daegan couldn’t have felt more grateful. His home, once minimalistic and bare, now carried a warmth and character about it that only a woman like Kinsley could give.

When he walked into the great room, he found Kinsley and her friends huddled over a screen. “Don’t you two have a home?” he joked. Cameron and Brienne had been staying in Kinsley’s house since they’d moved to town.

“Technically, it’s Kinsley’s, but we prefer yours,” Cameron replied with a mouthful of food.

“Way better snacks,” Brienne added, holding up a plate of freshly baked pie.

Daegan laughed and made his way over to his beautiful fiancée, the one who almost got away. Kinsley stood to meet him as he pulled her in for a kiss.

“We’re looking over ideas for the wedding next year,” Kinsley said, feeding Daegan a piece of buttery popcorn. “Though I’m beginning to think my friends are trying to kill us.” She arched an eyebrow.

He smiled. “Well, what sounds good today compared to the other days? Getting married on the Eiffel Tower? In a submarine?”

“Brienne and Cameron think getting married while skydiving would be cool.” Kinsley glared over at her friends.

“If that happened, you would either become a widow within seconds of being married or you would have your groom die at the altar in the sky before he could say ‘I do’,” he laughed, pulling her close to him to feel her heartbeat against his.

“Exactly why I vetoed it,” Kinsley laughed.

“Then what about on a canoe? There is this place that does canoe weddings and then you do a little whitewater rafting to the reception!” Brienne’s suggestion was possibly the most outrageous one yet.

“I got my toe stuck in a canoe once. I’m traumatized for life. Never again,” he laughed.

Kinsley paused. “You never did tell me that story.”

He laughed. “That one involves Aunt Tilly, a rogue paddle, and some very unfortunate timing. Oh, that reminds me,” he paused, brushing a stray hair from Kinsley’s cheek, “of two things, actually. When I spoke to her on the phone, she told me she had been singing ‘The Farmer in the Dell’ for hours and that something felt off about the part where it says ‘the cheese stands alone.’ As she said that to me, she paused and said, ‘Brie Cheese, but it isn’t alone.’”

Brienne snorted, “What does that cryptic stuff mean?”

Daegan smirked. “Sounds to me like you’re the cheese, but you aren’t standing alone anymore.”

Everyone looked at Brienne. She had begun to blush, but quickly turned away.

“And the other thing?” Kinsley asked, trying to steer the conversation back on track.

Daegan smiled. “Aunt Tilly sends her love. She just left to go visit Matteo in Italy.” He caught Kinsley’s eye, his heart swelling with love and gratitude.

“Italy,” Kinsley mused. “That would be a good destination wedding!”

Everything was coming together—their wedding plans, Kinsley’s home renovations, and even Aunt Tilly’s love life. As his fingers tightened around her waist, he couldn’t imagine a more perfect moment.

Thank you for reading!