26. EPILOGUE

EPILOGUE

DARCY

C ody looks so precious in the snow, with white flakes dusting the brown of his hair and his nose a blushed red. He’s adorable. So intoxicatingly adorable, I can’t believe that he’s mine. He’s too perfect. And he’s mine.

“You’re getting better at this,” he tells me on our walk back to his apartment from my ski lesson. He’s been teaching me on the weekends, even though I think I’m already pretty decent at it. He insisted I could always learn more which, okay, maybe he’s right on that one, but him giving me the beginners course feels a little patronizing.

“Am I getting better, or was I always good?” I mischievously bicker, to which Cody playfully rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

“And above all, humble,” he jokes, and I give a firm nod of agreement. He takes my hand in his, and we share a loving look that only six months of sharing a bed can allow for. He’s my person, through and through. Waking up next to him every morning feels like winning the lottery. He’s my prize. He’s my pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. The sunshine after the storm. He is everything to me.

“Don’t forget that Maya wants us to call her when we get home,” I tell Cody as we trek through several feet of fresh snow. “Her plane takes off in the morning, and she wants a triple confirmation that we can pick her up at the airport.”

Cody groans. “I’ve already told her four times that we will be there! I’m her own brother. She should believe me when I tell her things.”

“She should,” I agree with an amused smile. “But I guess that’s just not how the world works sometimes. So we’re gonna call and pinky promise to be there twenty minutes early just in case she arrives earlier than planned.”

Cody nods, and I can see his adorable grin spreading. “Yes, ma’am.”

I almost let out a girly giggle but manage to stop myself at the last minute. “I thought I told you to stop calling me ‘ma’am.’ At least wait until we’re back at home. Please .”

Cody smirks mischievously, his eye catching mine out of my peripheral vision.

“You like it that much, huh?”

I scoff and shove his shoulder just hard enough to get his attention but still too gently to do any actual damage. “Oh, hush, you attention whore. You keep your hands and your dirty little names to yourself until after you call your sister, then you can call me anything you want as long as I get to take your clothes off.”

Cody looks like a little kid in a candy store when he nods and smiles like a Cheshire cat. There’s something special about seeing that spark in his eyes. I didn’t see it for so long. For either of us. There were so many sleepless nights, so many nightmares, so many arguments out of fear and desperation because neither of us wanted to relive our pasts. It wasn’t easy, but we finally got to a comfortable place. A place where we don’t live in fear anymore. And that’s the kind of relief I didn’t even know existed.

Cody takes my hand in his and lifts it to his mouth, kissing it softly. His eyes gaze into mine, so bright and beautiful, just like the sky. He’s so perfect. I can’t believe that he’s mine.

“I love you,” he whispers, as if he doesn’t want anyone to hear it but me. Not the breeze, not the trees, not even the air. It’s for him and me, and him and me alone.

“I love you,” I mouth back.

The next morning, we're at the airport bright and early, just as promised. My stomach is a knot of nervous excitement. It's been six months since I decided to stay, six months of building a life with Cody, of healing old wounds and creating new memories.

I glance at Cody, noting the tension in his jaw. He's been quiet all morning, and I know he's anxious about seeing his parents. It's been years since they've been face to face, and despite the progress he's made in reconnecting over the phone, this feels monumental.

I squeeze his hand. "Hey," I say softly. "It's going to be okay."

He nods, offering me a tight smile. "I know. It's just... a lot."

Before I can respond, we hear Maya's excited squeal. "Darcy! Cody!"

She's rushing towards us, her blonde hair flying behind her. But it's the couple following her that catches my breath. Cody's parents. I’ve not seen them since I was a kid; they’re older now but still look healthy and happy. Mrs. Banks has Maya's sunny smile, while Mr. Banks has Cody's eyes - kind, but with a hint of mischief.

Maya crashes into me, wrapping me in a tight hug. "I've missed you so much!" she exclaims.

As she releases me to hug her brother, I find myself face to face with Cody's parents. There's a moment of awkward hesitation before Mrs. Banks steps forward, enveloping me in a warm embrace.

"Darcy," she says, her voice thick with emotion. "It's so good to see you again. Thank you for taking care of our boy."

I blink back tears, overwhelmed by the sincerity in her voice. "He takes care of me too," I manage to say.

Mr. Banks shakes my hand, his grip firm and reassuring. “Little Darcy, you’ve grown into a fine young woman,” he says with a warm smile. Then he turns to his son, and I hold my breath.

For a moment, father and son just look at each other. I can see the years of distance between them, the hurt, the regret. But then Mr. Banks opens his arms, and Cody steps into them without hesitation.

“It’s good to see you, son," Mr. Banks says, his voice gruff with emotion.

I feel Maya slip her hand into mine, and when I look at her, I see my own tears reflected in her eyes.

The drive back to our apartment is filled with chatter. Maya regales us with stories from her latest adventures, while Mrs. Banks asks questions about our life here, genuinely interested in every detail. Mr. Banks is quieter, but I catch him watching Cody in the rearview mirror, his eyes filled with a mixture of pride and lingering sadness.

As we settle into our apartment, I'm struck by how natural it feels to have everyone here. Mrs. Banks insists on helping me in the kitchen, while Maya drags her father and brother out onto the balcony to show them the view.

"He seems happy," Mrs. Banks says softly as we prepare dinner. "Cody, I mean. Happier than I've seen him in years."

I nod, feeling a lump form in my throat. "We've both come a long way," I admit. "It hasn't always been easy, but... he's worth it. We're worth it."

She reaches out, squeezing my hand. "Thank you," she says. "For not giving up on him. For helping him find his way back to us."

I want to tell her that Cody did the hard work himself, that he's the bravest person I know. But before I can, we're interrupted by laughter from the balcony. Cody and his father are leaning on the railing, heads close together as they talk, while Maya snaps pictures.

As we gather around the dinner table, I'm struck by how far we've all come. Cody, once so closed off, now jokes easily with his father. Maya and her mother are deep in conversation about future plans. And me? I'm right where I belong, surrounded by the people I love most in the world.

After dinner, as Cody and his dad do the dishes (under strict supervision from Mrs. Banks), Maya pulls me aside.

"I told you it would work out," she says, her eyes twinkling. "You and Cody... you were always meant to find each other again."

I hug her tightly, grateful beyond words for her unwavering support. "Thank you," I whisper. "For everything."

Later that night, after Cody's parents have retired to their hotel and Maya's crashed in the spare room, Cody and I find ourselves on the balcony. The night is clear, the stars twinkling above us like a blanket of diamonds.

"I never thought I could have this again," Cody says softly, his arms around me. "A family. A home. Love."

I turn in his arms, reaching up to cup his face. "You never lost them," I tell him. "You just needed time to find your way back."

He leans down, pressing his forehead to mine. "I couldn't have done it without you," he says. "You gave me the strength to face my past, to let go of my guilt. You showed me that it's okay to be happy again."

I think about the journey we've been on - from childhood friends to estranged acquaintances to lovers. I think about the pain we've overcome, the trust we've rebuilt, the love we've nurtured.

"We found our way back together," I remind him. "And we're just getting started."

As we stand there, wrapped in each other's arms under the starlit sky, I'm filled with a sense of peace and anticipation for the future. We've weathered the storm, faced our demons, and come out stronger on the other side.

I think about the ring hidden in my dresser drawer, the one I found last week when I was putting away laundry. I think about the nervous excitement in Cody's eyes when he catches me looking at wedding magazines. I think about the life we're building, day by day, moment by moment.

"I love you," I whisper, the words feeling both familiar and new. "All of you. The good, the bad, the complicated. I love every part of you."

Cody's arms tighten around me. "And I love you," he says. "More than I ever thought possible. You're my home, Darcy. My past, my present, my future. Everything."

As we seal our words with a kiss, I know that whatever challenges life throws our way, we'll face them together. Because that's what we do. We fall, we get back up, we keep moving forward. Always together, always stronger.

And in this moment, under the vast expanse of the night sky, with the man I love by my side and our family sleeping peacefully nearby, I know that this - this love, this life, this journey - is just the beginning of our forever.

KEEP reading for Chapter 1 of Lola’s best-selling enemies to lovers short reads romance, ‘Reconnected Hearts’…