Page 56 of Your Every Wish

Epilogue

(One year and nine months later)

Emma

“Put this on before you get skin cancer.” Kennedy hands me a tube of suntan lotion as we lounge poolside.

Harry is swimming laps and a few of the canasta ladies are lingering at the shallow end, waiting for the water aerobics instructor to show. The water is so clear and clean, you’d never know it was the same Cedar Pines pool as the cesspool Kennedy and I found on our first trip here.

Bent McCourtney went above and beyond, tearing down a lot of the old infrastructure and building brand new.

He dredged the pond, added a whole new aeration system, and stocked it with fish.

He resurfaced the game courts, replaced the leaky toilets, overhauled the locker rooms, and even installed a state-of-the-art kitchen in the revamped clubhouse.

This year’s Halloween potluck is going to be off the hook.

Bent of course drew the line at Kennedy’s threat of a soundstage for live entertainment and lit pickleball courts.

But the place really is like a resort. No beachfront access like the destination trailer parks in Malibu and the Hamptons I once read about.

Even still, yesterday, Liam hung up a N O V ACANCY sign under the W ELCOME sign (Bent had it repainted to include the letter L ).

Yes, Cedar Pines is full—and turning a profit. Not a huge one but enough to employ Liam full-time as head of Cedar Pines’s maintenance crew. And enough for Kennedy, Bent, and me to each draw a small salary.

“Well, how does it feel to be engaged?” Kennedy grabs my ring finger and stares at the diamond winking back at her in the sunlight.

“Excited. I can’t believe I ever doubted him.”

“And Dex? How does he feel?”

“He’s already picked a wedding date.”

“What?”

I laugh at Kennedy’s puzzled expression. “Didn’t I tell you? He’s engaged to a woman he works with at Charles Schwab.”

“Uh, no, you didn’t tell me. Kind of a big thing to forget.”

“I guess it’s because I rarely think about him anymore. And it would seem that he’s over me, too.”

“Because of Misty, you think?”

I shrug. “I guess we’ll never know for sure. But she did find the money.”

“She did indeed find the money.” Kennedy grins. “Misty giveth and Misty taketh away.”

“Ah, come on, it worked out for the best. You got your job back at Caesars. My column went syndicated. Between our jobs and the extra we make from the park, life is good.”

“Life is good.” Kennedy’s mouth curves into a giant grin. “Oh, and I forgot to tell you. Miracle of miracles, Max finally sold his business. Can you believe it? And get this, Madge persuaded him to buy a condo in Summerlin and make her half owner.”

“Seriously? That’s fantastic.” Hopefully, now she’ll stop draining Kennedy’s bank accounts.

“How about you? Have you thought more about relocating?” I nudge my chin in the direction of Bent’s house, otherwise known as the spaceship.

“I know a certain someone would be thrilled. But not half as much as I would. Phone calls and visits aren’t enough.

I want you here, Ken. I want you to help Liam and me plan our wedding.

I want our babies to live next door to each other. ”

“Okay, let’s not get carried away. But yeah, I’m giving it some thought.

A lot of thought, actually. The casino business isn’t doing it for me the way it used to.

And I’d be lying if I didn’t say I wish I were closer to you.

And now that Madge will have a little more security .

. . well, I was thinking about going to school, maybe getting a degree in business administration. ”

“Really?” I clap my hands with excitement. “I know a great double-wide you can live in, rent free.”

“I wouldn’t do that to you and Liam. Two’s company, three’s a crowd.”

“We’re seriously considering buying Liam’s place,” I say. “The owner has decided to retire in a state where the cost of living is cheaper and sell. Which means you’d have Ginger’s old trailer all to yourself.”

“Shag carpet and all.”

“I’ll tell you what, I’ll get Liam to put in new flooring for you if you’ll move here.”

Kennedy drops a kiss on my forehead. “Deal!”

I draw back, surprised. “You really mean it?”

“If you’ll have me as a neighbor.”

I jump up from my lounger, throw myself down on hers, and wrap my arms around her. “You’re the best, you know that?”

“Yep, I kind of do. Want to go to Misty’s and see if she’ll make us lunch and tell our fortunes?”

“Of course I do.”

We put on our coverups and take the newly paved road in Ginger’s old golf cart.

There’s a couple of old dudes fishing in the pond who wave to us.

We stop to say hello to Rondi as she and Snow White take an afternoon stroll.

Hadley Ralston is still shooting flies with his salt gun.

And Azriel Sabag is drinking Turkish coffee on his front porch and reading the paper, which he holds up to us and shouts, “I’m reading your advice column, Emma. ”

“It’s a good place,” I say.

“It’s a good place,” Kennedy echoes.

Like always, Misty opens the door before we even have time to knock and welcomes us inside. “Were you girls at the pool?”

“Yep,” I say and sniff the air. “What’s cooking?”

“You’re just in time for a lovely pasta puttanesca and homemade garlic bread.”

“I’m starved.” Kennedy takes it upon herself to set the table for three. “Have you seen the new gazebo by the pond Bent built?”

“I have and it’s lovely. A perfect place for a wedding.” Misty pokes me in the arm.

“Yeah, maybe. Liam and I were considering the creek for the ceremony. But the pond isn’t a bad idea.”

“And you, my dear?”

“What about me?” Kennedy says.

“I see it clear as day.” Misty puts the spaghetti down on the table. “You’re moving back.”

“Perhaps.” Kennedy winks at me. “What else do you see, Madam Misty, Universal Diviner Soothsayer?”

“I see a tall, handsome man with a cowboy hat in your future.”

Kennedy snorts. “You’re making that up, aren’t you?”

“Time will tell, I guess.”

“Seriously, what do you see?” Kennedy says.

Misty clears her throat. “The last time we did this, you girls weren’t happy with the outcome. I had to go to a lot of trouble to undo the progress we made.” Her expression turns smug. “We’re not going there again.”

“We’re not asking for wishes,” I say. “Just a little peep into the future. Are Kennedy and Bent destined to be together?”

“Eat, before everything gets cold.”

“Come on, Misty. A tiny clue isn’t going to disturb the universe,” I insist.

“You two are the biggest pains in my butt.” She fills a plate with the puttanesca and hands it to Kennedy, then fills another for me.

“All I’ll say is that you girls made the right decision about the money and Dex.

Liam is the right man for you, Emma. And Kennedy .

. . love is just around the corner. Or, my sweet girl, just over the rock wall. ”