Epilogue

A ndrea hadn't laughed this hard in months. Watching a group of her favorite people cut loose was magic. It wasn't often that every single employee at the camp had the day off. After what they'd gone through the month before, the Wildflowers had asked Beth to work her magic and she'd arranged guests' schedules so that for one entire day, the fall solstice, the camp was completely free of guests. Well, paid guests, at any rate.

That day was the first River Camps employee appreciation day. Which meant employees and their guests got to fully enjoy everything that the camp had to offer.

Horseback rides, swimming, golf, zip lines, volleyball, and, her favorite, massages. They had brought in outside massage therapists from Destin just for the day.

Even Isaac, the head chef, had the day off. One of his chef friends was flown in from New York with his entire staff to oversee the day's meals.

There were even a handful of children running around the grounds, something the camp hadn't allowed since reopening the doors as an adult camp.

Needless to say, Andrea hadn't asked her mother or sister to come. Dean, however, did invite his mother and sister.

Sophia had been a delight to have around in the past few weeks. She had soaked up all the tricks of the trade that Andrea had been teaching her. She was on track to complete the required training programs as well as finish the required five hundred hours of training. Then she would have to pass all her exams. The hope was they'd be up one more therapist by the start of the next season.

Dean had taken the manager job and was directly overseeing the entire waitstaff now that Brent had decided to retire. He and his husband wanted to travel more in the coming years.

Kyle had returned to work a few days before and was the king of the campgrounds for saving Dean. No one let him forget his sacrifice, and anything he asked for, he got. At least from Dean.

After a full day of entertainment and relaxation, everyone gathered on the camp's private beach on the Gulf of Mexico.

The sun was just starting to dip lower in the sky, casting a warm, golden hue over the entire camp. The smell of grilled food filled the air as everyone gathered for a final meal together, a real live Hawaiian luau. They had grilled meat and colorful foods. There was a circle of tiki torches and several fire pits that lit up the area.

They had even hired an authentic Hawaiian hula dance team, thanks to Julie's aunt, who had recently moved to the area and had started her own dance studio.

The camp had hired them a few times now and, after tonight's impressive performance, Andrea was pretty sure they were going to be a regular addition. There were even several fire twirlers, who had put on a very impressive show. You could get your picture taken with several of them, and she and Dean had several great photos and mementos of the day's events.

The sound of laughter and playful banter echoed across the white sand as several people joined in the lessons on hula dancing. Everyone was given grass skirts and flowered leis when they entered the beach area.

Dean, holding a plate stacked with food, plopped down next to Andrea on one of the large blankets that were spread out on the beach.

"You've gotta try the ribs," he said, handing her a plate. "Isaac's friend really knows his stuff."

Andrea took a bite and closed her eyes in pure bliss. "Oh my god, this is amazing. I might need to convince Elle to have Isaac bring his friend back next summer."

"Good luck with that," Dean laughed. "I hear that he's already trying to poach Isaac for his restaurant back in New York."

Andrea chuckled and then leaned closer to Dean as she watched Aaron, Beth, Elle, Zoey, and Dylan attempt to beat Scarlett, Aubrey, Hannah, and Liam in beach volleyball with little success.

"I think Beth has been hit in the face more times than she's actually hit the ball," she pointed out.

Dean grinned, watching the game unfold. "Aaron is trying to impress her. Too bad he's terrible at volleyball."

"You know," Andrea said thoughtfully, "we should start a betting pool on how long it takes for those two to finally admit they like each other."

"I'm in. My money's on next week." Dean's eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Next week? That soon?" Andrea raised an eyebrow.

"Have you seen how Aaron looks at her? He's practically a walking heart-eyes emoji." He laughed.

"You're probably right. No one likes to fall in love in winter. I always thought that summer affairs were best." She winked up at him as his arms wrapped around her more tightly.

"They are, especially when they turn into the forever kind of affair." He leaned down and kissed her lips softly.

As the night deepened, the group moved closer to the fire pit that had been set up near the water's edge. The fire crackled as the wood popped, sending sparks into the air while everyone gathered around, roasting marshmallows and telling stories.

"All right, who's got a scary story?" Brett asked, wiggling his fingers ominously. "We can't have a campfire without one."

"I've got one," Aaron said, smirking as he glanced at Beth. "It's about a volleyball that kept coming back to haunt the people who played with it."

Beth rolled her eyes but laughed. "Oh, please. The only thing haunting you is your lack of coordination."

Dean leaned in close to Andrea, his voice low and teasing. "Think we should tell them about the real ghost story? You know, the one with the phantom raccoon that keeps raiding the kitchens at night?"

Andrea giggled, remembering the excuses he had given her a few times when she'd caught him sneaking a midnight snack.

He had officially moved in with her after that scary day at the camp. The day they had almost lost one another. Even though having a roommate took some getting used, she couldn't imagine not having him in her bed each night.

"You mean the one you keep swearing exists, even though we all know it's just you, sneaking in the kitchen for midnight snacks?" she teased back.

"How dare you accuse me of such a thing! I am a model of self-restraint." Dean feigned shock.

"You're a model of something, all right," she teased, poking him in the ribs.

When the fire burned low and the stars started to twinkle in the sky, the group began to drift away. Some headed back to their homes, others opting to lie on the sand and gaze up at the stars.

Dean and Andrea stayed by the fire, the warmth of the flames warding off the slight chill in the fall air.

His hand found hers, and he gave it a gentle squeeze. "Walk with me?" he asked softly.

"Of course," Andrea replied, standing and following him as he led her down the beach, away from the others. The sound of the waves lapping at the shore was soothing, and the moonlight cast a silvery glow on the water.

The tiki torches lit the pathway down the beach. They walked in comfortable silence for a while, the sand cool beneath their feet. Dean finally stopped, turning to face her.

"Andrea, there's something I've been wanting to say…something I've been thinking about for a long time."

Her heart skipped a beat, her breath catching in her throat. The serious tone in his voice, combined with the way he was looking at her, made her pulse quicken. "What is it?" she asked softly.

Dean took a deep breath and reached into his pocket to pull out a small, velvet box. Andrea's eyes widened as he got down on one knee, the waves gently crashing behind him.

"After everything we've been through—after everything you've done for me, for us—I know without a doubt that I want to spend the rest of my life with you," he said, his voice steady but filled with emotion. "You are the most incredible person I've ever met. You're strong and compassionate and you make me want to be a better man. I love you more than words can say, and I don't want to wait any longer to start our future together."

He opened the box, revealing a stunning engagement ring that sparkled even in the dim light. "Andrea Bergman, will you marry me?"

Tears welled up in her eyes, and her heart filled with love and joy for what seemed like the millionth time, all thanks to him. For a moment, she was speechless, her emotions too overwhelming to put into words. But then a smile spread across her face and she nodded, her voice trembling as she finally managed to speak.

"Yes, Dean. Yes, I will marry you," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

Dean's face lit up with the brightest smile she'd ever seen. He stood, slipped the ring onto her finger, and pulled her into his arms. Their kiss was tender, sweet, and full of all the love they'd shared and the promise of what was to come.

As they stood there, wrapped in each other's embrace, the world seemed to fade away, leaving only the two of them on that moonlit beach. The future was theirs, and it was filled with endless possibilities.

When they finally pulled back, Andrea couldn't help but laugh, her heart so full it felt like it might burst. "I can't believe you just proposed to me on a beach. It's like something out of a movie."

Dean grinned, his forehead resting against hers. "Well, I wanted it to be special. And besides, what could be more romantic than a proposal under the stars?"

Andrea's laughter bubbled up again, and she pulled him in for another kiss. "I love you, Dean Wallis. You and your movie-worthy proposals."

"And I love you, Andrea," Dean whispered against her lips. "And I can't wait to spend the rest of my life making you laugh."

As they stood there, hand in hand, the firelight flickering in the distance, and the sound of the waves surrounding them, Andrea knew that this was just the beginning of their lifelong affair.