I’ve had to pinch myself this week, naturally unconvinced this is my life. That this will be my life. If you asked me months ago where I’d be today, I doubt I’d be able to answer with a smile on my face.
Collie has been every bit of a surprise and grand dream in my life.
I’ll spend all of my time left on this earth making sure she knows that, too. Not just for my own sake, but because I know she needs to hear it.
I hope she never forgets that taking a chance on me and the prospect of a life together is never something I’ll take for granted. Especially from a woman who once claimed she was fine on her own.
And I’m the lucky bastard to prove her wrong.
EPILOGUE
COLLIE
6 Months Later
“Canyou believe we’re actually here right now?”
“Honestly? No. It feels surreal,” Easton tells me, eyes scoping out the campground.
We’re back in Yellowstone National Park. Back in Wyoming. Back in the place that started it all for us.
But now, we’re back with both of our families. The Voss family. The Meadows family. And the Archer family. Oh, and Sydney, too.
Surprisingly, Sydney and I have become pretty good friends, despite knowing she fucked my fiancé. That’s a picture I have to block out of my head entirely.
Fiancé.Easton is my fiancé. Never in a million years did I think we would be getting married.
It took less than a month for Easton to get everything sorted back home in Salt Hollow, and before we knew it, hewas moving across the country to live with me. I still can’t get over how lucky I am to have this life.
We’ve been house hunting this past month and just put in an offer on a place right off the ocean, walking distance to some of our favorite spots in Timber Heights. One of them being the little breakfast place my mother and I meet at once a week. I still invite my dad as a buffer because I’m not at all convinced her motives are pure yet.
It’s nothing drastic, but a step in the right direction, I suppose. I’m hopeful for what’s to come between us. Although, mending a thirty-year relationship will take much more work than breakfast once a week. But she’s trying, and for that, I’m thankful.
As for my job, The Beach Burn opens in a couple of weeks. After starting his new job at South Carolina Power, Easton made a routine of meeting me at the fitness studio when he gets off and we spend the majority of our evenings prepping everything for the grand opening.
The only thing left to do now is wait for the inspection report from the fire marshal and hope like hell we can possibly open sooner.
It’s everything I could ever want, and I can’t wait to bring a new taste of fitness to Timber Heights.
It took pulling some strings and calling out the big guns to get our families here, especially to all be staying on the same Yellowstone campsite we did before. When I say calling out the big guns, I mean Dirty Dan and Sheila.
Boy, is it good to see them again.
We did have to confess that we aren’t actually married, something that Dirty Dan fought hard on hating us for. Sheila talked some sense into him, per usual. We hugged it out, and all is forgiven. Thankfully, there were no marriage retreatshappening in June, and it worked out in our favor as the perfect time of year to get married.
Hence, why all our favorite people in the world are in the same place.
“It’s stunning out here,” Capri says, pulling me into a hug as we gather around the outdoor fire between the camper vans.
I’m honestly surprised she and Jones were able to make it.
“Isn’t it incredible? Imagine spending two weeks out here with Jones in complete stillness,” I tell her, memories of Easton and me rushing to the forefront of my mind.
“Oh, trust me. I can imagine it well,” Jones mumbles from behind us, carrying my new baby niece in his arms. Capri places a kiss on his cheek, and I waste no time reaching for my baby girl. “Come see your Auntie Collie,” I coo, smothering her with kisses.
Three months ago, I became an aunt to Magnolia Archer.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could love another human like I love this little beauty. She looks just like her Daddy, and I never let Capri forget it. Except, she’s got dimples like her Auntie.
