Epilogue

Emma

Today is Valentine’s Day. In years past, I would have been all, “Ugh. Who cares? It’s a stupid commercial holiday,” and I’d spend the day with as many book boyfriends as I could fit onto my shelf.

But this time, I want to spend every second with my boyfriend. It’s been six months since we reconnected, and life couldn’t be sweeter.

The girls and I have decorated the store window with heart banners and signs, and we’re not the only ones. The entire street is in a romantic mood. From Mrs. Edibam’s flower shop to Deacon’s bar and th e Rise & Grind coffee shop.

The smell of freshly brewed coffee greets me when I enter their store, and I know it’s going to be a great day.

“Hey, girls!”

“Hey, Emz,” Mari says. “I was just about to pour your cup.”

I chuckle. She knows me too well.

“Do you want a heart-shaped cupcake too?” Beth asks, placing them in the small window display.

“Oh, they look tasty. Sure, I’ll take one.”

The front door opens, and Aaron Miles struts inside with a big smile. “Ladies, how are you doing?”

“Hey,” Mari says, her face lighting up. She extends her hand, and he gives her a bright pink cup coated with glitter.

“What’s that?” I chuckle, taking a sip of my coffee.

“Oh, you’ve never seen Aaron’s cup?” Beth says with a sly grin.

I shake my head, and Mari turns the cup to show me the other side. His full name is written in sparkly letters.

He shrugs. “Lost a bet.”

I press my lips together, holding in a laugh.

Mari fills his cup with fresh coffee and hands it back to him. “There you go. See you at home.”

He smiles. “Bye.”

“Wait.” I blink a few times, my eyes shooting to Mari when he leaves. “Home? You guys live together?”

She absently wipes the counter. “Yeah, I thought you knew that.”

I glance at Beth, but she’s busy arranging the cupcakes, not paying attention.

“No, I assumed you lived alone or with your dad.”

“It’s not a big deal,” Mari says, shrugging. “We’ve known each other since middle school, and we’ve been roommates lots of times before. He’s my best friend.”

When she walks to the backroom, I beckon Beth to lean against the counter.

“What is that all about? There’s no way they’re just friends, right?”

She nods. “They are, actually.”

“Heck no.” I snort out an incredulous chuckle. “I see the way they look at each other. That can’t be just friendship.”

She lifts one shoulder. “That’s what I thought too, but I’ve known them both since college, and Marissa has always sworn that’s all it is.”

“Huh. Well, I could have sworn I sensed a vibe. Must be all this Valentine’s Day spirit getting to my head,” I joke. “Thanks for the cupcake!”

With coffee and cupcake in hand, I walk back across the street and slip into the bookstore.

“What’s up?” Hayley asks fr om behind the counter.

Alice turns around, spotting my coffee shop haul. “Is that a cupcake?”

“Oh, yeah. Beth made some. Hey, have you ever noticed how Aaron and Marissa are close?” I ask, unable to let this go.

“Yes,” they both say, nodding furiously.

I heave a sigh. “Thank you! I knew it wasn’t all in my head. Beth says there’s nothing going on.”

Alice shakes her head. “Beth doesn’t read. She doesn’t have that sixth sense like we do.”

“Yup,” Hayley says with perfect nonchalance. “I’ve been following that friends-to-lovers romance for a while now. It’s a thing, I’m sure of it. And I should know—it’s my favorite trope.”

When I step into Auston’s apartment, I immediately feel at ease. It’s warm, cozy, and has a comforting smell that I can only describe as Auston.

“Hey, beautiful,” he says, giving me a peck on the lips. “I missed you.”

He’s been cast in a play, and his schedule is crazier than ever. But we still manage to meet up a few times a week. Looks like he made the right decisio n refusing that role in Brazil, because he found this one just weeks later. The story follows a young teacher who takes a teaching position in a dangerous neighborhood. It’s a project he ended up loving even more.

“I missed you too,” I say, wrapping my arms around his neck. Just like that, I’m back in my love bubble. Yes, I have a love bubble now. It’s called Auston Buckley’s arms.

“I hope you’re hungry. I made dinner.”

I smile. “You did?”

“Absolutely. It is Valentine’s Day, after all. Homemade cannelloni, and for dessert, a KitKat cake.”

“Ohh! Can we just skip to dessert?” I plead.

With a deep chuckle, he kisses me on the forehead. “Sit down. I’ll get everything.”

We enjoy the meal together, and every bite is delicious. I love that, despite his insane schedule, he took the time to make this night special.

I breathe a sigh. “I can’t believe this is only our first Valentine’s Day together. Feels like forever.”

He nods, taking my hand. “I guess that’s because in a way, we always were together?” I squeeze his hand.

“I wanted to wait until after dessert to give you this,” he says. “But I can’t hold on any longer. Plus, I’d hate to be upstaged by the cake.”

“What is it?” I ask, laughing .

He jogs to his room and comes back with a wrapped package that looks suspiciously like a book. “Oh, I’m excited,” I say, clasping my hands.

“You don’t even know what it is yet.”

“I’m a bookish girl. I know a book when I see one,” I say, giving him a pointed look.

He smiles, gesturing for me to open it. I unwrap the package and let out a gasp. It’s a leather-bound special edition of Velvet Kisses . The cover is dark blue with gold lettering, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. “It’s beautiful! I’ve never seen this version before.”

His brown eyes gleam. “I had it custom-made. I thought it was fitting, since that’s the book that brought us together.”

I flip it over to examine the back cover. “Wow. It’s perfect.” Setting it on the table, I stand up to give him a kiss.

“Wait,” he says. “Open it.”

With a confused frown, I pick up the book and open it. A large hole has been carved in the middle of the pages, and inside is the most beautiful ring I’ve ever seen.

My heart quickens as I turn to Auston. He’s down on one knee, and I almost lose my balance. “Auston . . .”

“Emma, I love you so much.” He bows his head, his cheeks reddening. “Gosh, I had a whole speech prepared. You’d think I’d be good at remem bering my lines by now,” he jokes, and I smile, shaking my head. He takes my hand, squeezing it tight. “I have no idea what I was going to say. But what I do know is that we’ve lost enough time as it is. I don’t want to waste a second more. I’ve been wanting to call you my wife since the moment I saw you again. Emma, will you marry me?”

My emotions are overflowing, bringing a flurry of sensations. My heart beats a mile a minute. My mouth goes dry. Warmth spreads through my entire body, tingles prickling my heart. I can’t believe this is happening. While I never imagined I’d be someone’s wife, I realize now that there’s nothing I want more in the world.

“Emma?” He frowns, looking at me expectantly.

“Oh! Yes! Of course I’ll marry you.” I jump into his arms. “I love you so much.”

We pull away slightly, and he kisses me, the feeling of his lips on mine setting my heart aglow until it shines brighter than ever.

This kiss feels like a promise. The promise that no matter what happens, no matter what conflict life throws at us, we’ll get through it. Because we found each other again, and no one can separate us now.

I guess my friends were right. I am the third book in the series. And I’ve never been so happy to get to the last page. Although, I wouldn’t say no to a glimpse at the extended epilogue, because I have a feeling there are more kisses, laughs, and butterflies involved. Oh, and KitKats, of course.

Do you want a glimpse at that extended epilogue? Because Emma was right and there's all those things and more. What could be more perfect than a wedding at the New York Public Library for these two?