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“I will spend the rest of my life making this better for you,” he says, getting choked up, and I know by the look on his face he is taking the blame for Jasmine’s infatuation.
“Tanner…” I say, my eyes watering.
“If you don’t want to stay in Whispers, and you want to go back to the city after all this, I won’t blame you.” His shoulders sag, and my chest burns with the feelings I have for him.
“I want to be anywhere you are,” I whisper, and his eyes shoot back to mine. “I want to be in your arms every night. I want to swim in the springs every week together. I want to take care of the animals, go to the bar on Friday nights, cook and cuddle and create a life together. Here in Whispers. I am not going to let someone who has a false grip on her reality try to take anything or anyone away from me,” I tell him, and I watch the tension leave his body. I had already decided not to sign the lease papers for my old apartment. Tanner and Whispers are my home now. Nothing is changing that.
“I love you, baby girl, and I promise to make you happy every single day for the rest of our lives,” he says, and as I smile, the tears finally fall down my cheeks.
“I love you, Tanner,” I whisper, and he leans over, his lips treasuring mine before he kisses each and every tear away.
And in his arms, I’m home.
EPILOGUE - VICTORIA
Ilook up at the ranch, immense pride swelling my chest. We are about to hand it over, and I finally get to meet the owner and give him the one place that has every inch of my heart in it.
“I can’t believe we did it,” I say to Griffin as we admire the finished product. The project got derailed by a few months as I healed and then moved permanently to Whispers. For the past year, I have lived either in Marie’s place or with Tanner at the distillery, but every night, we’ve been together.
“I have to say, it is one of my best projects. The photographer got a lot of great shots, and I am already fielding calls from people who have seen it on your socials,” Griffin shares, and I smile. The two of us have become close over the months. We work well together.
“I had an email from a magazine this morning. They want to do a feature on the ranch and put it in their summer edition,” I say, barely able to contain my giddiness. My portfolio has now grown. Between this andMarie’s place, my content creation has been immense. My social media has exploded, and I am now getting paid deals and sponsorships.
“So we will have a few weeks’ break, and then start on the next one?” Griffin says, and my eyes light up.
“So it is really happening?” I say in disbelief, even though we have talked at length about me joining forces with Griffin full-time to become his interior designer and consultant. My dream job with my dream builder.
Life has really progressed since the incident. As Tanner promised, Marie’s Place was completed while I was in hospital, and when I got home, I had just some finishing touches to complete. I have started hiring it out to help single moms and others who are struggling, my guests all coming from the Rothschild Foundation and the connections I made at the Baltimore gala all those months ago. Yet another thing I had Tanner to thank for.
“It is happening,” he says as we both look back up at this mansion of a ranch.
“It’s a bit sad, though, isn’t it?”
“What is?” he asks, confused.
“Well, I put so much into this ranch. This is really how I would have my dream home. I even added all the personal touches I like, hoping the owner likes them too,” I say, a little melancholy.
“Well, here comes the owner now,” Griffin says, and I spot a big black truck driving up the driveway. I squint in the sun, not able to really see much in its bright rays, but as the truck pulls up, my mouth drops.
“What are you doing here?” I say as Tanner slides outof the truck, and I almost swoon at how good-looking he is. I warm immediately, knowing how lucky I am.
“Hey, baby girl.” He smiles, coming up to me, his hand sliding around my waist as he kisses me quickly.
“Tanner,” I warn, not wanting to be seen as unprofessional. “The owner is going to be here any moment.” I straighten my dress and turn to look at Griffin, but he isn’t there anymore. Glancing around, I can’t see him anywhere.
“We are the owners, baby,” Tanner says, and my head whips up to look at him.
“What?” I just about balk.What the hell is he talking about?
“I purchased this land over a decade ago. I never thought I would develop it until I met you. This ranch you and Griffin have built and designed is ours. All yours and all mine.”
My body is frozen in shock, but my belly flutters as I take in what this means. I can’t talk, so he continues.
“We still have the distillery and Marie’s place, but the ranch will be our home.”
“Tanner…” I say, barely able to get the words out, my chest constricting, disbelief smothering me.
“Victoria,” he says as his knee hits the ground, and I almost faint.
