We climb into the shower. Sawyer washes my hair, fingers kneading my scalp.
I lean into his hands. "You should give up that fancy job of yours and start a scalp massage business."
He turns me around, guiding my head back into the spray. "What would you say if I told you I was thinking of quitting my job?"
"Why? Your dad said he's fine with you working remotely." Sawyer's dad's only request was that he make an in-person appearance at the office once a month.
He adds conditioner to my hair. "I've been thinking about leaving Tower Properties and forming my own one-man show here. This town is booming, and I'd like to give it my full attention."
I rise on tiptoe to kiss him. "You have my support."
We finish showering, somehow managing to stay on task, and get ready to eat brunch with my family.
I'm on my way out our front door when Sawyer stops me in my tracks with a question.
"How old do you want to be when you get married?"
I stare at him. "Why?"
He shrugs. "Just making plans."
Happiness bubbles up in my stomach, but one thought tamps it down a bit. "Twenty-one seems a little young."
"Perhaps." He slides his hands in his pockets. "Then again, you've always done whatever you wanted without much concern for convention."
He's right. I smile at him. "Ask me your question again."
"How old do you want to be when you're married?"
My arms slide around his neck. "However old I am when I'm asked."
Sawyer beams. He takes my hand and I follow him down the stairs.
The past few months have been filled with tremendous loss.
But also astounding gains.
And the most profound of them all is the man holding my hand, leading the way directly into my future.
Epilogue
One Year Later
"Stop, stop,"Tenley says, nudging Dakota out of the way. She selects a different lipstick from the various tubes on the side table. "That color is too warm for her." She uncaps the lipstick and applies it to my lips. "There," she says proudly, turning me toward the floor-to-ceiling trifold mirror.
"It's perfect," I declare, smacking my lips. Jo laughs at me. Like me, Jo thinks a lot of this is unnecessary. As long as I'm at the end of the aisle with Sawyer, everything else is just details.
Tenley and Dakota beg to differ. They want the whole nine yards, and I don't mind. Until them, I never had sisters. If they want to dress me up like a doll, well… have at it.
"He's going to lose his mind," Dakota says, looking at me with her head tilted. She smiles warmly at me.
I wiggle my eyebrows and drink my champagne. "That's the point, right? Honeymoon night, here we come!"
"Oh, please." Tenley bats my upper arm. "You live together. Don't act like that man isn't enjoying the cow whenever he wants." She turns to Dakota. "Is that how it goes?"
Dakota rolls her eyes and laughs."He won't buy the cow if he gets the milk for free."
"Shoot." Tenley shakes a fist. "I tried."
