EPILOGUE - CASEY
SIX MONTHS LATER…
“Raise your glasses!” announced Zane from the end of the long banquet table. Everyone was here at our favorite French restaurant, celebrating the fully restored events hall of the Sentry after the grueling repairs it had undergone. With the help of an exceptional engineer, the expertise of the fire station, and a team of very well-paid construction workers, the area was good as new. In fact, it actually looked a little glitzier and more glamorous than before.
I was sitting next to Luke, holding his hand under the table. We were all coupled up, cuddling and chatting together happily without a care in the world. There was nothing left to be afraid of, no worries hanging over our heads. Life went on, smoothly and joyously, all of us carried along on the wings of bright, sunny love.
We all raised our champagne flutes in a toast. I caught Luke’s eye, and he grinned, giving my hand a tight squeeze. Zane looked around the table at everyone, smiling as he held his glass aloft. Diego was next to him, gazing up at him with lovesick eyes. Geez, we were one embarrassingly happy bunch.
“I wanted to congratulate every single one of you on a job well done. We have had some seriously tumultuous years here at the Sentry and La Torre. We have met some incredibly stacked odds and taken on enemies from both outside and, regrettably, from within our ranks. But there is no doubt in my mind that the team we have gathered together now is the strongest it’s ever been. As a group, we can take on anything. Guys, we are the dream team,” Zane declared brightly.
“Here, here!” cheered Gage.
“Nobody’s going to take away the glory. Not this time,” Nico chimed in. Bart kissed him on the cheek, making us all groan and laugh.
We were all a little tipsy, admittedly, but what the hell. We deserved it. I wasn’t directly involved with the company, but I had my own reasons to celebrate along with the group. I had come back to work full-time as a firefighter, returning to the job I loved. My leg had healed completely, and with Luke as a workout partner, I was in better shape now than I had ever been before. But now that I had Luke in my life, I didn’t want to work the same brutal hours I used to, so with Chief’s blessing, I was working normal full-time hours rather than constantly taking on overtime and picked-up shifts. Luke knew he couldn’t keep me from doing what I love, and he didn’t dream of taking my career away from me, but he wanted me to himself, too. So, I had recently discovered an all-new meaning to the phrase “work-life balance” and so far, it had been amazing.
Luke and I had moved in together, into a quaint house in the same neighborhood as my mom. It was a bit of a commute for Luke, but he had recently been promoted for the way he handled the arson case so deftly. And now he had more freedom than ever. He could even work from home if he so chose. Which meant a lot of long, lazy days together at the house, making love and dancing around the kitchen to classic rock. I was teaching him how to bake, and he was taking me to weekend salsa classes. Of course, the two of us were still one terrible pair of dancers, but it was still fun.
Lately, I had even reconnected with my father. The two of us had finally talked at length about all the years we had missed out on, and we were closer than ever before. Hell, last weekend he had even taken Luke and me golfing with him. It was a great day, and it warmed my heart to see the two of them getting along so well. And what was more amazing, I had even begun to see the relationship between my parents go from civil and friendly to… well, something more like love. Ma was tight-lipped about it, which was completely out of character for a woman who was usually so keen on gossiping, but that made me think that maybe, this time, it was for real. I didn’t want to push them or jinx it, though, so I was giving them the space they needed while they figured it all out. Still, even from a distance, it was obvious to see how much love still burned between them. It was crazy to think that after a decade of separation, perhaps my parents might actually be getting back together. Who could have seen that coming?
Zane finished up his toast, and we all drank to it happily. I was ready to dig into dessert, but to my surprise, Luke stood up next. I gave him a confused look, and he just winked, making my heart skip a beat. He announced to everyone, “While we’re on the subject of new beginnings… I think this is as good a time as any to do this.”
He turned to me and knelt down, those green eyes locked with mine. The other guys were whispering and murmuring with interest as they craned their necks to watch the scene unfold. I couldn’t believe what was happening. I couldn’t believe this was my real life.
Luke pulled out a little black box and opened it to reveal a sparkling rose-gold ring. He grinned up at me and asked in an unwavering voice, “Casey, will you marry me?”
I got up and threw my arms around him, kissing him deeply. When I pulled back he gasped, “Is that a yes?”
Everyone burst out laughing as I nodded vigorously and replied, “Yes! Of course, it’s a yes!” He kissed me again while the table erupted into cheers and applause. Luke hugged me close and whispered in my ear.
“I love you, Casey Harlowe, and I cannot wait to be your husband.”
“I love you, too, Luke Reynolds,” I replied with a grin. “Now and forever.”
THE END