Epilogue

epilogue

WILL

Five Months Later

The decorations in the gymnasium were a little over the top. And the pulsing, swirling colors from the light machines were not my thing, but the Kirby Falls High School 2024 prom wasn't the worst place I'd ever been. Plus, it was a big night, so I could suffer through the questionable dance moves of the gathered youth and whatever noises passed for music these days.

I took off my gray suit jacket and hung it on the back of a nearby chair. Rolling up the sleeves of my white dress shirt, I registered a bit of tightness in my right shoulder.

I'd probably overdone it at practice on Thursday. Maybe Becca would be interested in a massage later. Smiling, I thought about returning the favor and running my hands over every inch of her smooth skin.

The boys' baseball season was well underway. Practice started three months ago, back in February, with me as a new assistant coach. Coach Whitaker wouldn't be retiring until next month, so my head coaching duties wouldn't technically start until the fall. However, he was still sleeping in the dugout and content to let me run practices. I'd had very little pushback from the other assistants—mostly players' fathers volunteering their evenings and weekends. And the kids had been eager, for the most part, to have someone in charge who actually cared about their progress and development.

The boys were teenage jackasses, but they were my teenage jackasses. I was working on making them better players and humans. Not to mention, making sure they actually had fun playing baseball. No one should let a sport become their whole life.

But because they were self-absorbed adolescents, I didn't have to worry about that too much. Except for Mason Gentry, the principal's son. That kid would live in the infield if you let him.

I caught sight of the boy in question. He was blushing his way through a slow dance with a girl. Mason was all tall and lumbering in a black tux with a white bow tie, and I fought a smile.

Scanning the area as a designated chaperone, I made sure nobody was up to anything. Then I caught a nod and an eyebrow raise from Jordan across the way.

I bobbed my head in return and made for the deejay booth stationed on the stage at the front of the auditorium.

When that step was completed, I found Seth on the dance floor and gave him the signal. He wriggled his way out of the mass of dancing teen bodies as I skirted the edge of the room looking for Becca.

I spotted her standing near a round table in the back. It looked like she was deep in conversation with a group of her graphic design students from the library. She was the one doing all the talking while the kids—seven boys and two girls—stared adoringly at her.

Shaking my head and not bothering to fight the smile this time, I made my way over to interrupt. "Time for a dance, Country Girl."

Becca turned to me with a grin. "Hey, you." Her blond hair was parted in the middle and twisted into a complicated arrangement at the nape of her neck. Several wavy tendrils hung free and framed her gorgeous face. She wore what she called a "classy, grown-up prom dress."

It was black and silky against her skin. While it had a high neck and the gauzy hem brushed the floor, there wasn't much back of the dress to speak of. I liked being able to guide her to the dance floor with my hand on her bare back. I could feel the pattern of gooseflesh in my wake. And when the opening chords of "It's Your Love" came through the speakers, I put my hands on her waist and pressed a tender kiss to her bare shoulder.

"You having fun?" I asked, spotting Jordan and Chloe and guiding us in that direction.

"I am," Becca said happily. "When you asked me to help chaperone, I'd honestly been nervous. I didn't attend my own prom, and teenagers are pretty intimidating."

I frowned at that.

Becca saw my expression and rushed to add, "But don't worry! Everyone has been so nice and friendly. The girls in the bathroom were so sweet about my dress. And I'm having the best time."

"Good. You deserve it."

Her fingers worked their way to the hair at my nape, and she smiled.

Lowering her voice, Becca asked, "Did you see Grandpappy's Twitter today?"

"No. Why would I? Mac handles that as Manager of Farm Operations and Social Media Director." My cousin had given herself those titles when she'd taken over the majority of my tasks and my office back in January. She'd even had a plaque made up for the door. No one argued with her though, and I was just fine working from home and stopping by the farm every couple of weeks.

Becca made her "yikes" face, blues wide. "Well, then you probably don't want to look. She and the Judd's Orchard account got into it again."

I sighed.

"But people are loving it," Becca said with a shrug. "Probably good publicity. They're as funny as Wendy's and McDonald's roasting each other."

I wouldn't bother talking to Mac about her brand management and public conduct reflecting poorly on the farm. It wasn't my place. Besides, my cousin knew what she was doing. Well, unless Brady Judd was involved. And then all bets were off.

Just then, Jordan and Chloe swayed up next to us as the country song played .

"Hey, y'all," Jordan said.

"Are you two crashing prom?" I accused.

Jordan laughed. "No, man. They always need extra chaperones for this thing. And Chloe and I finally needed our turn at a Kirby Falls prom."

Chloe grinned at my friend, her blue eyes bright with happiness. After a moment, she tilted her head in Becca's direction and told her how much she loved her hair.

I eyed Jordan while the women talked. He looked like he could hardly contain himself. Joy radiated out of every pore. If Chloe didn't suspect something, then I'd eat my favorite ball cap.

Glancing behind me, I saw Seth, ready and waiting.

I nodded to Jordan as Tim McGraw and Faith Hill did their thing in the background.

Jordan took a deep breath and interrupted Chloe and Becca's conversation, "Hey, Chlo, can I ask you something real quick?"

Chloe narrowed her eyes suspiciously but faced my friend. Chloe's red hair was braided like a crown, and she looked happy in a way that said she'd done a lot of healing in the past year from her previous marriage.

I'd known these two since we were kids. We'd gone to elementary, middle, and high school together. Jordan had loved Chloe for a long time. And I knew he couldn't wait for the next stage of their lives.

Just then, Jordan slowly lowered to one knee. I heard Becca gasp and prepare to freak out, but I'd anticipated this. Hell, Jordan had made me practice this whole damn scenario while Chloe had been busy at Becca's book club last week. I didn't want to talk about who'd assumed the role of Chloe in the dry run.

With one arm around her waist and a hand covering her mouth, I lifted Becca off her feet and moved swiftly out of the way.

Seth smoothly took our place, phone out and recording, a huge grin on his face.

A few paces away, I set Becca down gently and removed my hand. She was too busy watching with tears in her eyes and her hands clasped to her chest to even notice .

Then I watched my best friend propose to the girl he'd loved all his life. He spoke soft words for Chloe's ears alone as a tear or two spilled down his cheeks. But Chloe cupped his jaw and pressed her mouth to his. I could see them both smiling into the kiss.

The whole place erupted in cheers, and I joined in with a loud whistle.

Seth and others crowded around to congratulate the happy couple, but we stayed back for a moment.

I looked at Becca who watched the whole thing with so much happiness, it was difficult to look away. And I knew . . . I knew it wouldn't be long before I'd be planning a proposal of my own, figuring out a way to make Becca my wife. But she deserved something perfect, something magical. Becca was the best person I knew, and after a lifetime of disappointment and making herself small, she'd never expect something for herself. But she was going to get it.

This woman was the love of my life. She made me happy in ways I never could have imagined. Through renovating the homestead and building a life together. Sharing an office on the days she didn't spend on the farm. We still went to Trivia Night and empanada evenings at Firefly. I read her book club picks, and we had our own heated discussions. We played rec softball together and had even added adult kickball to our weekly activities this spring. Then there was The Walking Dead marathons on the couch with Carl sandwiched between us. And four-leaf clovers every chance I got, just to make her smile.

Becca deserved the perfect proposal and the perfect life with as much happiness as I could fit into it.

We were finding our way together.

We had family and friends and a town that would always be home.