“You gonna come on the road with me if the publisher sends me on a book tour?”
“I don’t want to step into your spotlight, baby.Ijust want to stand in the shadows and watch you shine.”
Blush painted my cheeks. “It’snot that glamorous.”
“It is to me, because it’s you.It’llalways be you,Aurora.Youand me.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.Iwill always be in your corner, cheering you on.Andwhen you need somewhere to hide,I’llbe here too.BecauseIknow it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.I’llbe your crying shoulder.I’llsit beside you when you’re lonely.I’llcheer you on when you win and be there to tell you it’s bullshit when you don’t.Whateveryou need me to be,I’llbe it.”
“Mine,JackWharton.”Ikissed him. “Ineed you to be mine.Inevery season.Inevery lifetime.Iwant you,Ineed you, andIwill love you.Wildand recklessly like the ocean.Untamedand unending.Youare my summer.You’rethe magic that makes the mundane extraordinary.”Irested my forehead on his. “So, thank you for loving me, and for letting me love you.”
EPILOGUE: WANDERLUST
JACK
November,OneYearLater
“Ican’t believe we had to drive two hours to get to a bookstore,”Aurorasaid asIpulled into the shopping center parking lot. “Maybewe just need to open one likeWhitneydid.”
“I thoughtWhitneyowned a bakery?”
“She does.Abakery filled with books.It’skind of my wet dream.Whenwe meet up inNewYorkforRom-Con,WillowandIare going to drive toRhodeIslandso we can eat there.”
“I’m gonna miss you,”Isaid asIcraned over and kissed her temple.
Aurora snorted. “Missme?YouandDreware going to have a seventy-two-hour bromance.Areyou going to braid each other's hair and watchHowtoLoseaGuyin 10Days?”
“Actually, he’s more of a27Dresseskind of guy,”Ijoked.
Aurora tossed her head back and laughed as she hopped out of the car.Thediamond on her hand glinted in the afternoon sun. “Ineed to finish packing when we get back.”
She slipped her hand into mine and laced our fingers together.Ourwedding rings still had a brand-new shine.Itfelt foreign to wear one some days, butIloved the constant reminder, especially through the long shifts when it felt likeIwould never get home to her.
But whenIfinally made it home, she was there waiting for me with her tender heart and wide arms.
The last year had been packed with chaos, but it was the best kind of mayhem.Aurorasplit her days between becomingCedarIsland’sfavorite waitress and kicking ass in the publishing industry.Insteadof business hours,Erniehad a sign on the door listing the hours thatAurorawould be there every week.Lucia’schaotic phone calls—complete withDumpTrucktheDog—were a weekly staple as they moved to publish theAuroraArchernovel and the final book inAurora’sseries,Aurora.
Having the title match a name she had come to love felt so right.
She couldn't stop smiling as we walked across the parking lot of the bookstore to celebratePublishingDay, whichI'dlearned was her favorite holiday.
“You’re packing for the honeymoon, right?” she asked as we paused and waited for a car to pass. “Youknow you actually have to pack me some clothes.Notjust thongs and flip-flops.”
“I won’t be packing any flip-flops,”Isaid. “Leaveit to me.”
“I don’t thinkIlike the surprise honeymoon thing,” she grumbled.
I grinned. “Ilove it.”
Aurora andIhad said “Ido” over the summer.Butwith our packed schedules, the honeymoon had to wait until the fall.Thatwas fine by me.Itworked perfectly with my plan.
After today, she would fly toNewYorkfor a romance publishing conference withWhitneyandWillow, thenIwould meet her there a few days later to leave for our honeymoon.
“Please,” she whined. “Justa hint.”
“Nope.”
