Page 96

“Yes.” Elizabeth circled the nipple a second time and watchedDevyn shift uncomfortably. She did it once more and smiled at the intake ofbreath. Devyn was wet again and turned on from that simple a touch. But she hadto even things out. She shifted and turned until they were facing each other,reached down, and traced a very similar circle between Elizabeth’s legs andwatched as her eyes slammed closed in surrender.

“Not playing fair,” Elizabeth said, though she moved into thetouch.

Devyn accepted the invitation, slid her fingers inside, and smiledas Elizabeth’s hips began to move rhythmically, slow at first, and then faster.When the payoff hit, Elizabeth’s gaze met Devyn’s. This was her forever, thiswonderful woman. She’d never been more sure of anything in her life. She hadfound her spot in this world in the most unexpected of places, Dreamer’s Bay,and she was never leaving again.

When she awoke the next morning, hints of sunlight peeked throughthe window. The room was chilly but the warmth pressed against her remindedDevyn that last night hadn’t just been a magnificent dream. “Good morning,” shewhispered and kissed Elizabeth’s forehead.

She stirred in Devyn’s arms and lifted her face. After blinking afew times, she ran a hand through her hair, lifting it off her face, whichblossomed into a heartfelt smile. “Hi.”

“Hi.” Devyn pulled her face down for a good-morning kiss. “I’mtaking today off. Put me to work.”

“You’re gonna run errands for me? Do my bidding?” Elizabeth askedplayfully and snuggled into Devyn.

“For the rest of my life if you’ll let me.”

“Let’s start with you taking me out for those pancakes youpromised, so I can make eyes at you across the table.”

Devyn laughed, and her heart soared. “We’ll start with pancakes.”

Epilogue

One Year Later

“I’m nervous,” Devyn told Jill as they worked, side by side, inJill’s kitchen. Devyn was on green bean duty and Jill checked on the turkey.Thanksgiving dinner would be a festive one this year, and even though Devyndemanded Jill take it easy now that she’d entered the second trimester of herpregnancy, Jill was having none of it.

“It’s good that you’re nervous. It means today is important.”

Devyn nodded, grateful she’d insisted on coming over in the earlymorning hours in advance of Elizabeth, using the excuse that Elizabeth shouldtake the morning for herself to relax after such a busy workweek. When she’dleft the house at just before eight, she’d kissed Elizabeth goodbye as she reada book on the couch, snuggled up to Scout.

“What if she says no?” Devyn asked, gesturing with thespatula-spoon combo thing. “Will that spoil Thanksgiving for everyone? Thatcould be awkward with her friends here.” KC and her family, along with Dexter,would be joining the four of them for dinner around lunchtime. “I mean, not toovershadow the heartbreak and embarrassment I will feel, but I don’t want toruin everyone’s day.”

Jill held up a hand. “Devyn.”

“Yes?” she asked.

“You and Elizabeth are two of the most in love people I’ve everseen in my life. You’re inseparable, you’re considerate of each other, and morethan once I’ve had to look away out of respect because you blatantly showaffection all the time.”

Devyn relaxed into what felt like a dreamy grin. “We do that,don’t we?”

“She’s not going to say no, and if she does, then something hasgone really wrong with the world.”

Devyn nodded but held on to that last bit, because what ifsomething had gone wrong and she’d missed it? She scrunched her shoulders torelease some of the tension and focused on the seasoning of her green beans.The time would be here soon enough.

* * *

The long table draped in white and covered with a variety ofThanksgiving dishes was a raucous one. With glasses of white wine flowing,everyone at their Thanksgiving dinner was full of smiles and participating inlively conversation. Elizabeth looked from one person’s face to the next,forever grateful for each one, until she settled on the one she never got tiredof staring at. Devyn had her blond hair up today and looked elegant and chic.Elizabeth loved how she vacillated between homebody in jeans to professional inPrada when she needed to. The last year had been the best of her life, and shestill woke up every day amazed that the life she was living was hers.Unassuming Elizabeth Draper had finally found her person.

Devyn Winters had proven to be the true love of her life, and shewanted nothing more than to make her happy every single day. So far, so good.She squeezed Devyn’s leg underneath the table, and they exchanged a privatesmile as Charlie explained that Dreamer’s Bay seemed to be more of a bourbontown than a scotch one.

“Wouldn’t have guessed that,” Dr. Dan said.

KC squinted. “Well, write that down for your future moonshinebusiness. We gotta give the people what they want. Are there more of thosebuttered rolls?”

Jill happily passed the basket.

Just then, Devyn picked up her spoon and touched it to her glassthree times, which was just enough for everyone to look her direction.Elizabeth quirked her head in curiosity.

“First of all, I want to say thank you to Jill for this fantasticmeal.”