Epilogue

Epilogue

One Year Later

Six months into their relationship, Nash asked Emma to marry him. She wasted no time in accepting. They then had six months to plan a wedding, sell their condominiums, and buy a home together.

Because the puppies had brought them together, Emma thought it only right that they take part in the wedding. For three months, Nash, Lori, Naomi, and she spent hours teaching the pups to walk side by side, to sit, stay, and stand on command.

Emma and Nash were married on the beach, with most of the Cove’s residents attending. Lisa and Marlena acted as Emma’s bridesmaids, along with Daisy, Rosie, Lily, and Ivy. Each dachshund wore a dress made specifically for her in the flower color she represented. With tiny bonnets on their heads, they received more attention than Emma. She loved them so much that she understood why Nash hadn’t wanted to give them up. Henry and Penny and their girls were part of her family now.

“I can’t believe how well-behaved they were,” Emma Kendrick said to her new mother-in-law. “Perfect little flower girls.”

Lori laughed. “I think you and Nash had a big hand in that.”

“We loved every minute of teaching them.”

Harris showed up at the last minute. He’d been working on a case that was in the headlines, so when Emma saw him at the wedding, her happiness was complete. Lydia had even made the trip, telling her that she wouldn’t have missed Emma’s special day for a million bucks.

That was six weeks ago. With both of their condos now sold, Lori had invited the newlyweds to stay with her while Jack Alan and a construction crew from Miami built Emma and Nash’s dream home.

Emma now had a full-time teaching position at Orange Grove Elementary. She adored her first-grade class. Nash continued to teach high school math.

Emma pondered all of her good fortune while she waited for Nash. He’d started a girls’ baseball team and coached three nights a week. She heard his truck pull up in the long drive that led to Lori’s house. Lori had started working two days a week at the vet clinic again. Emma and Nash knew Dr. Mellow and Lori were an item, but they’d decided to leave them alone to do their own thing. When they were ready, they could tell the folks they loved.

“You’re dusty tonight,” Emma said to Nash when he returned from practice.

“Yeah, I took a few turns batting myself. You’ll never guess who my best pitcher is.”

“Tell me,” Emma said.

“Amanda Morris. Her mom owns the candy store.”

“Yes, I know her. I worried about her for a long time. I’m glad she’s found a sport she’s interested in. She seemed so lost and sad.” Emma remembered the first time she saw Amanda at the candy store. She and Lisa continued to work with the three charities that Amanda’s family unknowingly benefitted from.

“She sure as heck isn’t lost or sad now. Half the guys in my math class have the hots for her.”

Emma laughed. “That’s a surprise. She was so . . . bashful when I met her.”

“She just needed time to grow up a bit. Some kids take a little longer to mature than others. She’s a good girl. Smart too.”

She loved hearing about Nash’s students and their accomplishments. It was so much better than arguing on behalf of multimillion-dollar corporations. Emma had no regrets about leaving her law practice. She would always keep her legal license up to date, just as she had her teaching certificate. That was just her way. She’d spent most of her teenage years in school and college. She wanted to be reminded of all the long, hard days and nights she’d spent earning both degrees. She owed it to herself to keep them current.

“Mom at the clinic tonight?” Nash asked.

“Yes. She took an extra night for some reason. Not sure why,” Emma said.

“Well, Mrs. Kendrick, you know what that means?” Nash teased her.

“No, I don’t. Why don’t you tell me.”

“Nope, I don’t like to tattle. How about I show you?” Nash picked her up and carried her to their temporary bedroom.

* * *

Later, Nash and Emma lay snuggled together. The windows were open and a breeze from the Gulf lifted the gauzy curtains. The moon filled the room with a soft glow.

“I like this. Just you and me, alone. Nothing else seems important. I think this is what my mom was trying to tell me when I asked her how I would know when I was in love,” Nash said.

“Mm,” Emma said, content to let him talk.

“I knew I would marry you the night I took you to dinner. Remember the Cove’s Fish Camp? Our first date?”

She smiled. “A first date I’ll never forget.”

“Any regrets?” Nash asked.

“It’s a little too late for that, don’t you think?” she teased. “And no, I have no regrets. None. Zilch.”

“Good. Because if you did, I’d say tough. You’re stuck with me.”

“Nash, you are such a romantic. I never pegged you for one when I used to spy on you.”

“You spied on me? You’re telling me this now? I married a stalker?” he said in mock horror. She’d told Nash this before, and he’d laughed because he’d been doing the same thing.

“Yes, and don’t forget, a book offender. That was the book I used to hide my face when I spied on you.”

“You’ve got quite the wicked past. It looks good on you. Have I mentioned that before? I saw you from behind. I liked what I saw, though I remember thinking you could be toothless or just plain old ugly up close. That’s why I had to make it my business to see your face.”

Emma leaned up on her elbows. “You’ve never told me that before. Is that true, or are you teasing?”

“True. Scout’s honor.”

“When you saw my face, I guess I passed your inspection?” She didn’t care one way or another. She loved him with all she had to give, and she knew his love for her was true and would last until they were old and feeble.

“Beyond my wildest dreams. You know that. Every morning when I wake up and see you lying next to me, I figure I’m the luckiest guy in the world. I go to sleep with a smile and I wake up with a smile. And I smile in between. So, Em, you’ve passed my inspection beyond the moon and back.”

“That’s nice to know.”

“Seriously, I’m probably the happiest I’ve ever been in my life. I owe you for that.”

“I understand. I feel the same as you. Now, we need to stop talking like we’re two lovesick teenagers. We need to remember we’re adults.”

“I do that all day. It’s fun, but even more fun when we’re acting like a couple of kids. I like you when you’re being silly.”

“I never had much of a sense of humor in my youth. Too much time studying. I’m making up for lost time. Seriously, Nash—are you as happy as you say?”

He rolled onto his side and touched her cheek. “Of course I am. I can’t think of anything that would make me any happier than I am right now.”

“I’m excited about the house. I can’t wait until we make it our own. I’ve already got a few fabric samples from Lisa.”

“Another shoe room?” Nash teased.

“I’ll always have a shoe room, maybe not as large as Lisa’s, not even as large as the room I had converted in the condo. But I do love shoes, so you will have to get used to that.”

“You can have as many rooms of shoes as you want. As long as you’re around to wear them, I’m happy.”

“Nash, what about tiny shoes? For tiny feet? I’m talking tiny, tiny feet. Like newborn baby feet.” Emma couldn’t keep her secret any longer.

“Are you trying to tell me what I think you’re trying to tell me? Emma?” He gazed at her, love shining in his eyes.

“What do you think, Nash?”

“I think you’re trying to tell me that we are going to have a tiny blessing of our own.”

Tears welled up in Emma’s eyes. “And I would say, Mr. Kendrick, you’re absolutely right.”

Nash leaned down and kissed the mother of his child.