Epilogue

Epilogue

One Year Later

B

ob sat at a table covered with white linen and stabbed a fork into his cheesecake as laughter bubbled around him.

Weddings. Ugh.

But he had promised Sam he’d be there, so here he was. Something about supporting those he worked with, or some nonsense like that.

Stephen posed for a picture with Zoe, both of their smiles outshining the lights that were strung above them at the town park.

Bob shook his head with a frown. It wasn’t right. Stephen had waltzed into town, intent on buying out local businesses, and he still got the girl.

But not Bob. Never Bob.

He always followed the rules, did everything asked of him, but that wasn’t what a woman wanted. She wanted excitement—someone who threw caution to the wind.

He released a long sigh, watching Debbie out of the corner of his eye. Her hair was now pink and shoulder length. She was beautiful, as ever.

Whenever he saw her, which wasn’t as often now that she had built a new salon at the other end of town, he was reminded of the last time they had spoken.

It had been in his office, and he had been watching her sign a contract of sale. That was one of the perks of being a notary; he knew pretty much everything that went on in the town. All of the important stuff, anyway.

But watching her work her way through the paperwork that would mean the demolition of her salon—it had been too much for him.

He had been sitting in one of her salon chairs when Debbie kissed him for the first time. And the second.

It had been in her salon that he had told her he loved her for the first time.

Debbie always insisted that it had been him who broke off their relationship. Just because he hadn’t been ready to go public with things didn’t mean he didn’t want to date at all.

When she had decided that she needed space, well, that hadn’t been in the salon. Which was why he couldn’t stand to see it torn down. It had been a place of hope. And now that hope was gone—a pile of rubble.

Bob had snatched the paperwork from her, trying to stop it. Apparently that had been the wrong thing to do. Their first time speaking in several months, and it had turned into the biggest fight they’d ever had.

He watched Debbie move among the guests, holding a glass in one hand and laughing as if she was the happiest woman alive. Maybe she was.

But then she caught Bob staring. Debbie paused mid-step. She seemed conflicted, like she wasn’t sure if she should approach him or move in another direction.

He gave her a tentative smile, but that only seemed to solidify Debbie’s opinion that Bob was not someone she wished to speak to. She turned away, but then surprised him by looking back over her shoulder. Her lips pulled into a half-smile, and then she was gone again, mingling with others who had showed up for the wedding.

It wasn’t much, but it had been enough.

A small flame kindled in Bob’s chest, warming it.

Maybe one day he too could have his happily-ever-after.

Maybe.