EPILOGUE
STOLEN MOMENTS
JULIANA
It’s late afternoon, and I’m sprawled across Camden’s chest, our legs tangled under the sheets in the apartment above The Kitty-Corner. His heartbeat is galloping under my cheek, and mine is still racing from what we’ve been doing the past hour.
If we’ve had any spare moments these past few weeks, we’ve stolen them for ourselves—against the kitchen counter, in his office at Elm & Echo, and all over this apartment we now share more often than not. We spend every night together, but the location still changes between the yellow Victorian and Camden’s basement. We’re busy, pulled in a hundred directions by work and family and the resort, and dreaming about the home we’re going to build together, but I’ve never been more certain of anything. We’re making this work, and life is more beautiful than I ever thought it could be.
My phone buzzes on the nightstand. Camden’s fingers on my back pause when I stretch for it.
Goldie
You and Camden should come to Windhaven. Meet me and Ava at the rooftop bar. The weather’s dreamy and it’s really cozy up here.
I grin and show Camden. “She’s summoning us.”
He peeks at the screen, eyes still heavy-lidded. “Do we want to leave this bed?”
“No, but we probably should get some air.”
He chuckles. “Okay, if you say so.”
I sit up and look back at Camden, tempted to cuddle back up to him. “We won’t stay long.”
He grins and rolls out of bed.
I wash up quickly and throw on some clothes. He puts on jeans and a black tee, which nearly weakens my resolve, but once I’ve put on a soft black dress and touched up my makeup, I’m ready.
We drive over to Windhaven, Camden’s hand on my thigh, and are quiet when we pull up to the resort. Neither one of us has gotten much sleep, but we’re still glowing. When I look in the mirror these days, I can’t believe how happy I look.
Camden threads our fingers together, and we walk inside, saying hello to the few people we pass. It takes a few minutes to get to the rooftop, and the second we step out the door, I think our hearts stop.
“Surprise!” rings out.
I clutch my hand to my chest. The rooftop is packed. Family, friends, employees, and nearly all the residents of Windy Harbor. Everyone’s grinning, holding drinks, and wearing looks of conspiratorial glee.
Camden lets out a sharp, startled laugh.
Goldie bursts out of the crowd with Erin and Ava beside her, the three of them beaming.
“Did you really think we were going to let your engagement slip by without celebrating?” Goldie asks.
My eyes sting immediately. I whirl on Camden. “Did you know about this?”
He shakes his head, looking stunned. “Not a clue.”
Papa Hector appears, pressing a glass of champagne into our hands. “For my sweetheart and her man.”
His eyes are shiny too, and he hugs me tight. My parents follow close behind, and my eyes keep leaking.
The rooftop buzzes with music and laughter. Candles flicker on every high-top table, with trays of hors d’oeuvres from Elm & Echo floating through the crowd.
“This is amazing,” I say. “I can’t believe you managed to fit this in with everything else going on.”
“I had lots of help.” Goldie grins. She holds out her hands when her grandmas walk up. “These two did a ton.”
Grandma Donna hugs me first. “Oh, fer goodness’ sake. It was the least we could do.”
