Epilogue
On Saturday afternoon, after a long, hot shower at Pulaski’s only hotel, Shanna toweled off to get dressed for the mandatory meeting Nash had texted both her and Kevin to attend. Meeting was a bit of a misnomer, since they were actually going out to Whispering Pines Lodge for a Labor Day benefit concert put on by a military band, but she knew Nash was going to want a report of how things went out in the woods.
How things went in the woods.
Even now, she still had a hard time believing everything they’d done out there, though the happy grin on her face every time she caught her reflection confirmed she and Kevin were indeed together.
With their mutual feelings now out in the open, everything had changed between them during the past six days. She’d discovered she could lean on someone, depend on someone she loved, without it taking away from her own independence or giving up anything of who she was as an individual. Of course, she’d always been able to depend on her grandparents, and freely accepted their support over the years, but with Kevin, it was completely different.
The two of them had forged a team over the past week. Helping each other, offering mutual respect, becoming partners in every sense that boosted her confidence and erased her ingrained need to prove herself with everything she did. It was empowering in a way she could never have imagined.
This morning, she’d turned back to watch as they paddled away from shore and wished they could’ve stayed at the secluded campsite forever. Then she’d shifted her gaze to meet Kevin’s, and his knowing smile set her free to be excited about heading home to begin their life together.
Shanna shimmied her pastel yellow dress up over her hips, and then swept her hair to the side so she could tie the ends of the halter top behind her neck. The material was soft and floaty, and after a week of camping in shorts, tank tops, and hiking boots, she loved how deliciously feminine it made her feel with the hemline of the skirt swirling just past her knees.
She added a couple of silver bangle bracelets and hoop earings, but left her neckline bare. The electronic lock sounded just as she slipped her feet into a pair of white wedge sandals.
Kevin glanced her way as he shut the door, but then did a flattering, wide-eyed double-take. His hazel gaze lit with warm appreciation as it caressed her from head to toe. “Wow. That dress. You look…wow.”
“Thank you.” Grinning at his flattering reaction, she twirled to let him see the full expanse of her bare back, her hair swishing across her shoulder blades.
He was shaking his head by the time she turned back around. “Nope. Uh-uh. You are not wearing that out in public.”
She planted her hands on her hips and arched an eyebrow. “You don’t get to say.”
“I should get to,” he grumbled even as he moved close to grasp her hips and pull her close.
Shanna lifted her hands to skim her palms over his hard biceps. Loving the feel of his muscles, she gave a soft purr of contentment and tilted her face up for his kiss. The possessive exploration of his tongue and the warmth of his splayed palms on her exposed spine set her whole body fizzing with desire in no time.
“I don’t want to share you,” he murmured moments later.
Neither did she, but they had to get going or they’d be late. “I packed my bear spray to fight the women off you, so I don’t know what you’re complaining about, Princess.”
He wore charcoal cargo shorts and an untucked, white, button up shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. His corded, tanned forearms and muscled legs never failed to stir her pulse. Add in artfully mussed hair, his beautiful eyes, and the faint stubble shadow lending a hint of danger, and yeah, the man was going to turn heads like crazy. Like he always did.
He gave a wry chuckle as he released her. “That nickname doesn’t really apply anymore.”
Never did, but that only makes it better.
She gathered her small purse and glanced at him as she reached for the door. “I still like it,” she chirped over her shoulder.
“Of course you do. Can we at least keep it private?”
She shrugged noncommittally, and her grin remained as they made their way out to her rental SUV. He had the keys from his earlier errand to replace his phone after its untimely death in the lake, and she hopped in the passenger side when he held the door open for her.
In the lot at Whispering Pines, Kevin came around to get her door again. She gave him a quick kiss as thanks. As they crossed the blacktop, his hand rested at the small of her back. The tips of his fingers edged under the material of her dress, sending little shivers of awareness throughout her body.
“Hold up a second.” He drew her to a stop between two trucks near the edge of the lot. “I’ve been thinking. Remember the other night when I told you I told Nash about our night together and he still forced us to go camping?”
“Yeah?” They’d had a good laugh about it while snuggled in front of the campfire.
“I’m thinking we should prank him.”
She gave him a questioning frown. “Are you saying thank or prank?”
“We’ll thank him when he’s best man at the wedding. Right now, I want to prank him.”
Her pulse stuttered at his casual quip. Okay, wow. They hadn’t even talked about marriage yet. Him tossing out the word wedding so easily turned her frown upside down. “You said you were fine with him gloating.”
“I am, but, you know, let’s make him work for it a little bit at least.”
She laughed. Knowing Nash, he probably would be unbearable when he found out his mandatory team building assignment had succeeded beyond his wildest dreams. “Okay, I’m in. What’s the plan?”
“I say we—” Kevin glanced past her shoulder and grimaced. “Shit. He and Josie are walking this way, and she already spotted us. You’re going to have to follow my lead.”
“Okay.”
Kevin backed away from her, toward the other couple. “Just promise nothing I say or do will be held against me in the court of our relationship.”
She frowned at the soft yet ominous request, but before she could reply, he threw up his hands as if he’d had it with her.
“I swear to God, I’m done with all this shit.”
Their boss stepped up to halt Kevin’s backward retreat. As he turned around, Shanna slowly walked over to join the two men, and Nash’s wife. Josie gave her a hug, then stepped back and swept her gaze over her airy, yellow sundress. “This is a new style for you, Shanna. It looks great.”
Her cheeks warmed as she remembered Kevin’s heated appreciation back at the hotel. It was hard not to glance at him as she murmured, “Thanks. Love your dress, too.”
The redhead gave her a grin of appreciation as Nash’s cautious gaze shifted from Kevin to Shanna, and back. “You both appear to be in one piece. I don’t see any battle scars. Is it safe to assume the trip was a success?” he asked hopefully.
He’d heard Kevin’s outburst a few moments earlier, so Shanna waited for her partner’s lead, and he jumped right in.
“Only if you wanted me to see just how truly impossible she really is,” Kevin groused. “Longest week of my damn life.”
Good thing she was in on this prank or she might take his words personally. Then again, sparring with him had always given her a little rush of adrenaline. Foreplay. Fighting back her grin, she set her jaw and crossed her arms over her chest as their friend’s dismayed gaze met hers.
“Was it really that bad?” he asked.
“A whole week with this insufferable jackass? Yeah. It was that bad.” So bad she’d never been happier. Feeling a little mean, she fought the urge to confess all at the sight of her friend’s troubled expression.
“Compared to you, I’m a picnic,” Kevin sneered.
“Dream on, Princess,” she shot back.
“Princess?” Nash choked as if he were trying to contain a laugh.
“Stop calling me that.” Hazel eyes pinned her with a very convincing glare. “It sounds ridiculous.”
“You sounded ridiculous when you bitched about a little itty bitty pebble under your sleeping bag.”
Josie snickered as her husband let his humor out in a loud guffaw.
Kevin turned his ire to their boss and his wife. “You know what? I don’t need this shit from her or you guys. I’ve put up with her crap”—he jabbed a finger toward Shanna—“for seven years, and I’m doing it anymore. I quit.”
Nash’s laugh faded to a disbelieving grin as an older couple walked up beside him and Josie. Shanna recognized Butch Walsh and his wife, Judy, but she was distracted by Kevin’s declaration. She knew he was playing a game, but what did he expect her to respond to that?
A week ago, she’d have rejoiced with a good riddance even as her heart broke. Now, she couldn’t wait for their little act to be over so he’d give her the seductive grin that always made her pulse flutter.
“You’re not gonna quit,” their boss scoffed.
“Watch me. I’ll have my resignation on your desk tomorrow.”
Kevin turned away to stalk toward the parking lot. Shanna twisted to see how far he was going to carry things.
“Shanna.”
Nash’s desperate plea brought her back around to see a worried frown on his face.
“He can’t quit. Do something,” he pleaded.
Kevin had said to follow his lead. Not sure where he was going with his prank, she lifted her palms up in genuine confusion. “What do you want me to say?”
“Say yes.”
The two words from directly behind her whirled her around. Her dress swirled around her legs as her stunned gaze dropped to where Kevin had taken a knee facing her, hand extended, a black velvet box in his palm.
Kevin could barely breathe as Shanna’s wide gaze shifted from his face, to the ring, and back.
“What are you doing?” she whispered.
When he’d mentioned a wedding earlier, she hadn’t blinked an eye, so he’d decided to risk it all. Right now though, down on one knee in front of her, the shocked question had him scared shitless.
His heart raced like mad and his hand trembled as he gulped back his fear. “I thought that was obvious. I’m asking you to marry me. If you need it to be a long engagement, I can—”
“Why?”
He blinked at the slight frown that came with her question. “Why am I asking you? Because I—”
“Why would I need it to be a long engagement?”
“Because you haven’t even said yes yet.”
The wry quirk of his lips sent a wash of color over her cheeks. “Yes.”
“Yes?” he echoed, his heart lodged up in his throat.
She nodded as tears filled her eyes.
Relief left him a bit woozy and it was a good thing he was kneeling. His chest swelled with elation as Shanna’s lips curved in a happy grin while she stepped forward to cradle his face between her palms. Distantly he registered the sound of applause, but everything faded when she dipped down and her lips met his, her hair swinging forward to offer a tiny bit of privacy.
Fisting the ring box in his hand, Kevin pulled her down to sit on his knee, bringing them level with each other so he could hug her close.
“Told ya I knew what I was talkin’ about,” a gruff, jolly voice said from the direction of the onlookers.
“That you did.” Nash’s reply was full of gloating satisfaction.
“Told you,” he whispered into Shanna’s hair. She laughed, her warm breath brushing over his ear before her lips brushed his cheek.
“Make sure the ring fits,” Josie piped up.
Shanna suddenly leaned back with a gasp. “Oh, God. I forgot the ring.”
“At least you know she didn’t say yes for the rock.”
Kevin ignored his buddy’s teasing as his newly minted fiancé took the ring box from his hand. She’d already said yes, and yet his pulse skipped as he watched closely to see if she truly liked what Josie had helped him pick out earlier.
She opened the lid again, and her hand rose to cover her mouth when she saw the two-point-five caret, princess cut solitaire nestled in the black velvet. “Wow,” she whispered.
He grinned even as his pulse gave a little surge. That awed tone in her voice matched her response after a particularly…satisfying…round of lovemaking while camping. But even though he was now confident he’d made the right choice, he still offered, “If you want something different, we can go shopping when we get back to Atlanta.”
She shook her head, more tears shining in her eyes. “Absolutely not. It’s perfect.”
He shot Josie a quick glance of gratitude before reaching for the ring so he could slide it on Shanna’s slim finger. His hand trembled, and she reached her right hand up to thread her fingers with his as she held out her left to admire the diamond before leaning in to kiss him again.
“I really do love it. Almost as much as I love you,” she added on a whisper.
His heart swelled in his chest. “I love you, too.”
“It’s going to take me a while to get used to this instead of the bickering. No PDAs at the office, you two,” Nash heckled from the sidelines.
Shanna laughed through her tears and turned to look over her shoulder. Kevin watched her shimmering gaze take in their boss, Josie, Butch and his wife, Judy, and a gathering crowd of onlookers enjoying the show. Apparently, everyone loved a good proposal.
After her unequivocal yes, he did, too.
Shanna’s hair swished past his chin as she suddenly whirled back to face him. Suspicion lit her narrowed eyes. “Wait a second. Who just got pranked?”
He tried for an innocent look, but a smirk tugged at his mouth. “You did.”
“They knew?” She turned again to look at their smiling friends.
“Yep.” He grinned, thrilled that he’d been able to pull it off considering she usually saw right through him.
“Jackass.”
Affection softened her insult, but he gave her a mock frown and slightly smacked her butt. “Oh really? In that case, get up. You’re no lightweight on my knee.”
Josie gasped in outrage for Shanna’s sake, but all she did was give him a sweet smile. “Yes, Princess.”
Nash gave a snort of laughter, and Kevin caught Shanna close before she could stand. “You’re going to pay for that later,” he whispered against her ear.
“I’m looking forward to it,” she whispered back.
Thinking of the hours before he would have her all to himself, he growled under his breath as she stood. The brilliant minx gave him a saucy wink to let him know she’d heard, and he knew right then he was the one who was going to pay—for many years to come.
Gladly.
Thank you for reading!
I know you see that appreciation at the end of every book, but it is said with all sincerity…especially on book 16 of a series! As always, I really hope you enjoyed Kevin and Shanna’s story and would love it if you wrote a short review (or as long as you like) at your retailer of choice.
Please review SUMMER WAGER .
If this is your first book in the Romancing Wisconsin series, I invite you to check out the others. There are 4 books per season (look at that – mini-series!), and while they all have brothers, sisters, cousins, and friends, each book is a complete story within the whole series, so you don’t have to have read previous books to enjoy book 3, or 7, or even 16.
If you’ve made it through all sixteen of them, that is awesome! (Do you see my huge grin? Because I am wearing one.) I have to add another heartfelt Thank You for that! Faithful readers like you keep me writing day after day. Mwah!
Last of all, I believe this is it for Romancing Wisconsin. As much as I love this series, as of right now, I do not have plans to add to it. Santa Butch will continue matchmaking somewhere out there in the universe, but on ‘paper’, he is now retired so I can move on to new ventures. I hope you join me as new characters, families, and worlds emerge.
Best wishes always ~ Stacey
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