Epilogue

Evie

Two weeks later…

Kristen Bell didn’t have a thing on Evie.

She was about to pull off the greatest surprise in the history of surprise parties. And her mom hadn’t a clue what was going down.

Arms slid around her waist from behind and she felt lips nibble her ear. “Beautiful,” was all he said.

Evie took in the yard. “It really is beautiful, isn’t it?”

Evie stared at the rose-lined walkway, the white tents glowing with fairy lights, and the white mesh draped over the entrance like curtains. Then there was the red carpet that connected the pathway to the party, which was held in the backyard. It looked like some elaborate party from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Then there was Jonah’s yard.

He’d worked so hard to make sure it was perfect. And he’d reached perfection. In fact, everything about him was perfect for her. He’d proved to her over the past few weeks what an incredible support system he could be, and what an incredible man he was.

Their lives still resembled a three-ring circus—a ring for each other’s dreams, their respective families, and a ring just for them. And their ring seemed to be growing by the day. Every secret look, every gentle kiss, their romance was blossoming. Because they were each nurturing the love between them.

“I was talking about you.” Another gentle kiss pressed against the column of her throat.

Evie turned in his arms and what she saw shining back at her robbed her of oxygen. She’d never had a man look at her like she was his whole world.

“What?” he whispered.

She went up on her toes and gave him a tender kiss. Against his mouth, she said, “I love you.”

“Remember the rules?” Camila said. “No PDA. If Ryan and I can’t make out then neither can you guys.”

With an amused smile, Jonah gave her one last peck and released her. “PDA is over.”

“Good, because Grandma just texted and said she’s around the corner.”

Evie’s heart raced with pride. She’d done it. She’d out-sneaked the sneak and she couldn’t wait to see the look on her mom’s face.

“Everyone, go inside the tent and hide,” Evie said, looking at the large group that represented every family member, friend, and loved one. “She’s almost here.”

There was a flurry of excitement as a hundred partygoers ducked into one of the two tents and waited. A few moments later a car pulled into the driveway, and she could hear the click of Moira’s kitten heels as they clapped against the stone pathway.

Then she was there, and everyone jumped out. “Surprise!”

Moira put a hand to her chest and gasped as if she were in complete shock. But a tingle of suspicion crept up Evie’s neck. She knew! Evie didn’t know how but her mother knew!

Not only was Moira dressed to the nines, looking like she was going to a movie premiere, she also had Mr. Karlson on her arm dressed in a tux.

Mr. Karlson!

Moira smiled and said with as much faux surprise as she could muster, “This is all for little old me?”

Evie narrowed her eyes at Moira, who gave a delicate shrug of a shoulder. But her grin was 100 percent got ya!

She waited until Moira made her rounds before she approached. “Who told you?” Evie demanded.

Moira cupped her cheek. “Honey, the second those invites hit inboxes people were abuzz. So it wasn’t just any one person. It was everyone. Ducking my calls. Avoiding me in the market. You and Dad sneaking around and whispering behind my back.”

“So it wasn’t Karlson.”

“I kept my mouth shut,” Mr. Karlson said.

“Then why are you in a tux?”

“Well, I couldn’t show up stag to my own party. And my date needed to look the part.”

“He’s in a tux and it’s eighty degrees out,” Evie pointed out.

Mr. Karlson took Moira’s hand and kissed her knuckles. “I’d wear this to the Sahara if it meant another date.”

“I was thinking today’s date would blend into tomorrow,” Moira said, wiggling her brows seductively, and Evie held up a hand.

“Camila’s right. No PDA at the party.”

“If you say so,” Moira said as Karlson wove her arm through his and escorted her into the tent.

Jonah approached with two glasses of champagne and took her hand. He led her up to her bedroom and the balcony that overlooked the yard. From there they had a bird’s-eye view of the party.

“What are we doing?” she asked.

“I wanted you to see what you did. You brought all these people together, sunshine. That’s what you do.”

“It’s just a party,” she said shyly.

“It’s more than that. You’re more than that. You’re like this bright light that seeps into people’s hearts. And you’ve seeped into mine, lighting me up from the inside. I love you, Evie. I am so in love with you.”

“I love you, too,” she whispered.

Jonah didn’t waste any time kissing her. It was slow and tender with an undertone of adoration. The kiss went on for a long moment, so long that her heart felt like it was going to explode with happiness.

Evie had chased happy and finally caught it. And she was never letting go.

The love doesn’t end here…