Epilogue
Boon opened his eyes with the sunrise, and as usual was wide awake the moment he did so. But he lay perfectly still, holding Angelle close, his nose buried in her hair, her scent wrapped around him. He pressed a kiss to her head when he realized he was smiling. He never woke up smiling, though he always got up early and got the day started. But not today. Today he woke up happy, looking forward to whatever was coming his way. Because he wasn’t alone. He was a part of something much bigger than he could ever be alone. And the woman that made it all possible, loved him.
Boon grinned even bigger and kissed her shoulder before he very carefully unwound himself from around her, slipped out of bed and went to the kitchen. Today would be a lazy day. They had no obligations to anyone except each other today. Angelle’s parents, and Tempest, Brandt and Elijah had gone home the day before, and the newness of him and Angelle being in Whispers was wearing off so visits had died down. And that was a good thing, they could finally settle into their routine without having to entertain everyone else.
Enjoying the quiet of the morning and knowing he didn’t have to prepare for anyone coming by uninvited he actually enjoyed preparing breakfast. He got coffee brewing and scrambled a few eggs, then started some bacon in a skillet. Once that was done, he made a quick dough just like his mother had taught him when he was a child, then filled it with eggs, bacon, and cheese, before cutting it into individual pies and dropping them into hot oil to fry them up.
While Boon waited for them to cool, he walked through the house, straightening here and there when he found something out of place, so Angelle wouldn’t have to do it when she woke. Then he sat on the porch for a little while as he ate and had his coffee. As the sun crept higher into the sky, he decided it was a perfect day to do a little fishing, but first he had to see to his mate. He went back inside and put a couple of hand pies on a plate, then took the plate into the bedroom and left it on the nightstand on Angelle’s side of the bed. He tucked her covers around her a little better, then quietly closed the door behind himself when he left the bedroom.
Whistling to himself a little as he went down the hall to his man cave, he assembled what he’d need for a morning of fishing. A tackle box and fishing poles — one for him, and one for Angelle. Then he headed downstairs to the bayou. As he walked, he took the time to look around himself for the first time in a long time, appreciating the beauty of the place he lived. Birds chirped, squirrels chittered, the water gurgled as it went by, and there was in his mind, simply no place better to be. He sat down beside the water, baited the hooks of both poles, used his knife to dig a couple of little holes to stand the poles up in, then leaned back with his face raised to the sky, reveling in the warmth of the sun as he took advantage of a perfect day in what he’d determined was a perfect life.
~~~
The sun shone brightly through the windows, spilling across the bed. Angelle stretched her body before she even opened her eyes. And just that little movement let her know she was alone in bed. She should not have had enough room to stretch all the way across the bed without bumping into Boon. Opening her eyes,blinking against the bright morning light, she saw that she was indeed alone. Throwing back her covers, she reluctantly sat up and looked around the room. That’s when she saw it — a plate with two fried pies sitting in the middle of it.
“Ooh, that looks yummy,” she said, picking up one of the pies and examining it. “Are you sweet, or not?” she asked, sniffing at it. Deciding that either way she was starving, she took a bite, then looked at the interior of the pie as she chewed. She nodded her head in approval as she got out of bed, taking the plate with her as she wandered through the family room in search of her mate. A quick cursory glance told her he wasn’t in the kitchen either. But the moment she looked out over the bayou she found him. He was sitting beside the bayou, two fishing poles already cast as he leaned back on the grassy bank. His face was turned up to the sun and he seemed completely at peace with the world.
Angelle smiled to herself as she slipped her feet in a pair of Boon’s spare boots and headed downstairs to share what was left of the morning with him.
The clomping of his too large boots on her small feet as she navigated the stairs let him know she was awake and on her way to him. He turned and looked at her; messy hair, eyes still heavy with sleep, clutching a fried pie in each hand, and wearing his extra pair of boots. Boon laughed as she dragged her feet across the grass to where he sat.
“Good morning,” Angelle said as she approached him.
“Good morning. You sleep well?” he asked.
“I did. But I do have a formal complaint to lodge.”
“And that would be?” he asked.
“You didn’t warn me that you’re a morning person. How long have you been out here?”
“About an hour, and you should have known when I showed up to take you to breakfast at Maverik’s that I am a morning person. I’ve always been an earlier riser.”
“We’ll have to work on that,” Angelle said, taking another bite of the bacon, egg, and cheese hand pie she’d already started. “Want the other?” she asked, holding out the other pie.
“You don’t?” he asked.
“One is plenty.”
Boon accepted the pie from her and finished it off in two or three bites.
“You make these?” she asked.
“Yep. My mother made sure I could feed myself, and my mate if I was ever lucky enough to find one.”
“I’d say you lucked out,” she teased.
“I’d say you’re right,” Boon said with a chuckle.
Angelle sat down beside him and stretched her legs out in front of her, his boots still adorning her feet and just almost reaching her knees.
“I’m going to have to get you some boots that fit you.”
“I have some. I just decided that yours were right there and easier to slip on at the moment. Do you mind?”
“Not at all. You can wear anything you want.”
“Good. You can wear my stuff, too,” she said.
