Epilogue
EMERY PULLED HER legs up to her chest, her fingers tucked inside the sleeves of her sweatshirt. The temperature had dipped with the mid-September sun as all their friends gathered around the table in Desiree’s yard for a late dinner. She couldn’t believe she’d been at the Cape for four months already. Her brothers had come up to visit in August, and after a brief banging of chests with Dean, they realized he was just as alpha as they were, and they could trust him to take care of her. Austin continued to call Dean Viking. And when they were out dancing at Undercover, one look at all the cute girls and her brothers threatened to never leave. She missed them, but she was enjoying what she and Desiree had deemed as their grown-up lives. She knew her brothers were only a phone call away and nothing would ever come between them.
Cosmos pawed at her leg, and she lifted him into her lap. “I’m still convinced you had something to do with Tango and Cash’s thievery, in some sort of animalistic matchmaking scheme.” The pup cocked his head and licked her chin. She leaned down and whispered, “Thank you.” The kitties had continued stealing Emery’s things. Since she’d moved in with him, she and Dean had discovered another stash of items under Dean’s bed that they hadn’t noticed had gone missing—pens, hair clips, underwear…
Dean’s laughter drew her attention like music to her ears. He still wore her necklace around his wrist, and they’d added his elemental sign to the mix. Her strong, stable man was an earth sign. Their love even made astrological sense. While she lifted him from the confines of reality, nourishing his sillier side and showing him the intangible, magical side of things, he kept her grounded. And like the banks to a flowing creek, he supported her creativity and ideas so her dreams could flourish, while she continued believing in miracles.
And one miracle seemed to be coming true.
Things between Dean and his father weren’t great yet, but they were working on it. They were talking more, and his parents had come for dinner twice since she’d moved in. His father was so blown away with Rose’s progress now that she was out of her wheelchair, he’d even relented about the value of yoga back-care. Just last week, after observing one of Emery’s yoga classes at LOCAL, he had proposed that his practice refer patients to her. She considered that a major milestone. But everything wasn’t coming up roses on all Douglas Masters Sr. fronts. Jett wasn’t as accepting of his father’s apologies as Dean had been, though Emery hoped one day he would be. No man could have raised three sons as loving and remarkable as Dean, as affable as Jett, and as kind as Doug—whom she’d had the pleasure of meeting via Skype the week after she’d moved in with Dean—without possessing a large amount of kindness, patience, and tact. Their father simply needed to dig out from under years of mistakes to find and nurture those sides of himself again. But he was making strides in the right direction, and for that she was grateful. They all had a long road ahead of them, but she knew it would be worth it.
Emery snuck a piece of a corn muffin from Dean’s plate, but he was too busy giving Drake and Jett a hard time about not having steady girlfriends to notice, as if he’d become the authority on the subject. Jett was down for a visit, but Dean was doing his best to convince him to stay for a few weeks.
Desiree leaned closer and said, “Rick found a plate big enough for two in one of the wedding catalogs that says HIS and HERS on opposite sides. We should get you guys a few of those.”
“Why bother?” Dean said as Emery snagged another piece of muffin from his plate. “She’d eat only from my side anyway.” He pressed his lips to hers. “Right, doll?”
“I didn’t think you were paying attention.”
“I’m always paying attention to you.” He kissed her again.
“We need to get going if we’re going to make it to the drive-in,” she reminded him.
She’d recently enjoyed a girls’ night with Rose, Magdeline, and Arlin, and they’d watched Dirty Dancing. Afterward, as they were discussing movies, Rose told her all about how much Dean had loved the drive-in theater as a boy, and how his mother used to make popcorn sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon for him and his brothers to eat during the movie. Emery had gone one better. With all of the hullabaloo around the benefit dinner, she’d forgotten to show Dean what she’d bought for them in the back room of Devi’s Discoveries. Tonight, that edible lingerie would come in handy—and it just happened to be cinnamon flavored. After all, her man did like her hot. A little thrill darted through her with the thought.
“You guys are going to the drive-in?” Jett asked.
Dean nodded. “Yeah, why?”
“Because I called Mom to see if I could swing by and pick up something from the attic, and she said she and Dad were going to the drive-in.”
“I guess old dogs can learn new tricks.” Dean glanced at Jett and said, “You know that land you have overlooking the bay?”
“Yeah, what about it?”
“Now that things are getting better with Dad, maybe you should consider moving back here. Build yourself a place. Get a real life again instead of living out of suitcases,” Dean suggested.
Jett scoffed. “Getting better is not exactly good.”
The sound of a car door brought Serena to her feet. “Oh good. Harper’s here.”
Drake pulled her down by the back of her shirt. “Why is she here?”
“I told you she was coming by to talk with me about taking over part-time while I get back into interior design.” Serena swatted his hand away from her shirt and ran toward the fence, waving.
Violet came outside carrying a tray of desserts. She took one look at Drake as she handed out the bowls and said, “Careful, boy. You’ll crack your jaw.”
“Hey, Harp!” Serena yelled. “Over here!”
Jett whistled. “I’d like to harp on her for a while.”
Dean glared at him.
All the girls got up to hug Harper, and Jett got in on the game, pushing between the women and embracing her.
“Jett Masters, at your service.” He pulled out a chair and said, “You can sit right here, pretty lady.”
“Put your tongue back in your mouth,” Serena said. “She’s here to talk business.”
“Who says I’m not talking business?” Jett arched a brow at Harper and said, “I’m especially good at risky business.”
“I need to give you guys a lesson in pickup lines,” Violet said. “Don’t use them.”
Harper giggled.
Emery glanced in the bowl Violet set before her and gasped with delight. “Karamel Sutra!”
She looked at Desiree and in unison they said, “Who needs men when we have Ben?”
The girls all laughed, and the guys groaned.
“Come on, doll.” Dean handed her a spoon. “Let’s finish this who-needs-men nonsense, because I’m pretty sure you need me.”
She gave him a chaste kiss. “You know it.”
They all dug into their ice cream.
“I want that delicious core.” Emery stuck her spoon right into the middle of the bowl, and it clinked against something hard. “Hey, what the…?” She dug around and uncovered a clear plastic bubble, the type toys in gum ball machines came in. She picked it out and wiped it off with a napkin. Her eyes caught on a sparkling ring inside at the same time Dean sank to the ground on one knee. Her heart skidded.
“Dean? You’re not…?”
“I most definitely am,” he said with a serious expression.
There was a collective gasp from everyone except Violet, who was taking pictures, and obviously in on the plan. Emery was shaking as he took the plastic container from her.
She. Couldn’t. Breathe.
“Emery Andrews,” he said with a slightly shaky voice, which made her heart tumble even more. “Ever since the first day I set eyes on you, you have consumed me. And every day since, you have filled me with happiness, frustration, horniness, and so much love. I’m not sure how I can ever love you more than I do right this second. But I know that in the next second, and the next, and for years to come, my love will continue to grow. Because you are my perfect. You are smart and beautiful. You’re fun and inspiring. You make me think and feel and hope…”
He opened the plastic bubble with shaky hands, which made her heart swell even more. He put his large fingers into the little bubble and withdrew the most gorgeous ring she’d ever seen. Tears sprang from her eyes as she took in the adoring look in Dean’s eyes, and the beautiful ring he held in his palm. There must have been a dozen intricately designed yellow- and rose-gold leaves, intertwined with three thin gold vines. In that ring, she saw life. It was perfectly Dean, simple and elegant, strong and bound in nature. And she couldn’t love it more.
He took her hand in his and said, “My beautiful doll, will you do me the honor of allowing me to love, honor, cherish, and ravish you for the rest of our lives? To father your children and grow your lemons? To be your yoga partner and learn to meditate beside you on the patio we built together overlooking the bay? Sweetheart, will you marry me and let me spend the rest of my life trying to find your inner bliss?”
Tears slid down her cheeks as she nodded vehemently. “Yes. Of course, yes!” She launched herself into his arms and he tumbled to the ground, both of them laughing and kissing as everyone cheered.
“I love you so much,” she said between kisses. “I can’t believe you love me, but I’m so glad you do!”
He smiled and kissed her again. “Don’t you ever doubt it, baby. I am yours, and you are mine.”
“Forever,” she said through her tears. “I was never like those little girls who dreamed of white weddings and forevers. And now I can’t imagine not having forever with you.”
“Aw,” Desiree and Serena said in unison as Dean lifted Emery onto his lap, his strong arms and broad chest cradling her against him.
“You’ve been my forever since the day I first saw you. Now,” he said proudly, “for your ring.”
“The ring!” Desiree exclaimed. She and Serena plopped down on either side of them. Harper peered over Emery’s shoulder, and the guys watched, while Violet circled them, taking more pictures.
Dean opened his hand and pointed at the leaves on the ring. “These are oak leaves. They symbolize longevity, patience, faith, power, and endurance. They also symbolize humble beginnings, which is how I feel we started out together.”
He kissed her cheek, and she couldn’t do more than nod.
“It’s incredible how many things they stand for,” he said. “Just like you, baby. You are the embodiment of everything good and everything possible. Thank you for loving me.”
More tears streaked down her cheeks as a disbelieving laugh fell from her lips. “Thank me? Thank you.”
He slipped the ring on her finger, and with a smirk on his handsome face, he held up a sparkling gold chain she hadn’t noticed was attached to the ring. “Because my girl often loses things…”
Emery couldn’t stop smiling as he laid the glimmering chain over the back of her hand, wrapped it around her wrist like a bracelet, and secured it to a tiny gold hoop, creating a gold leash that ran from her ring to her wrist.
“Oh my gosh,” she said just above a whisper. “You really do know me.”
“Know and adore you, doll. And my feelings will only get stronger with every passing minute.”
As he pulled her into another kiss, their friends converged on them in mass, sharing congratulations and well wishes as they passed them from one warm hug to the next. When she finally landed back in Dean’s arms, she felt like she was walking on air.
“I hate to spoil the fun,” Desiree said, “but you guys are going to be late for the movie.”
“I had wanted to get to the drive-in early,” Emery said, debating forgoing the movie so they could celebrate, but she’d finally planned the perfect date. She knew they’d be celebrating for the rest of their lives, and tonight was the last night the drive-in theater was open for the season.
“Why early, doll?”
“Because I don’t want anyone to take our spot.” She went up on her toes and whispered, “Rose and the girls clued me in to the best make-out spot. And I might have worn edible lingerie.”
His eyes flamed. “Sorry, guys. We’re taking off. We’ll catch up tomorrow!” He took her by the hand and ran through the gate.
They laughed and kissed the whole way to his truck, and when they finally tumbled into the front seat, he came down over her, taking her in a long, sensual kiss. She came away breathless.
“Who needs the drive-in theater?” he said seductively.
“You mean you don’t want to pop my drive-in-theater cherry?”
She’d never seen a man scramble into the driver’s seat faster. He might be calm, and she might be chaos, but they were each other’s perfect match.
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Bestselling author Kurt Remington lives to write. He spends twelve hours a day in front of his computer, rarely leaving the seclusion of his beach-front property, where he’s come to finish his latest thriller—that is, until free-spirited Leanna Bray nearly drowns in the ocean trying to save her dog. Kurt’s best-laid plans are shot to hell when he comes to their rescue. Kurt’s as irritated as he is intrigued by the sexy, hot mess of a woman who lives life on a whim, forgets everything, and doesn’t even know the definition of the word organized.
Leanna’s come to the Cape hoping to find a fulfilling career in the jam-making business, and until she figures out her own life, a man is not on the menu. But Leanna can’t get the six-two, deliciously muscled and tragically neat Kurt out of her mind. She tells herself she’s just stopping by to say thank you, but the heart-warming afternoon sparks an emotional and unexpectedly sweet ride as Kurt and Leanna test the powers of Chemistry 101: Opposites Attract.
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