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EPILOGUE: TRIXIE
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND
Opening day for Feather Your Nest is finally here.
After several months of sweat and hard work, the reno is done. Thanks to Colt and a few other contractors, the shop is gorgeous and ready to open for business.
“I feel like you should have a ribbon cutting ceremony or something.” Colt throws his long arm over my shoulder, pulling me in close to his muscular body. His fingers brush over my skin and I relax into him as we survey the finished space.
“I don’t think I can handle another big event. The dedication was plenty for me.”
“What? Why? Everyone loved you. All my brothers, even your brother was cool. We’re all good.” He cups my face in his hands, pressing his lips to mine, and butterflies wing around my stomach.
Even though we’ve been together for a couple months now, sometimes it still feels surreal kissing Colt. I do consider myself the luckiest girl in Peach Springs to have locked down the wildest Wild.
Something my brother teases Colt about on the daily.
“Yoo-hoo, Trixie! Colt! Are you open for business yet?” Ana, Danny, and my nephews tap on the glass before letting themselves into the shop.
“Wow—Trix. This place looks great.” Danny spins in a circle, taking everything in. The glittery chandeliers highlight the sunburst tiles, the dark walnut beams a perfect contrast to the dove-grey walls. Long, wooden open-air shelves run along the back wall, displaying some of the restored household goods I’ve found and polished to a shine. The front of the shop’s a showroom, with larger furniture items on display, then the back houses a mini workshop where I sand, paint, and rebuild my thrift finds. So far, Colt and I have thrifted every weekend except for the dedication, and we’ve found several great pieces. My favorite is a four-post bed with a canopy. If it doesn’t sell in a month, I’m hauling it upstairs and keeping it.
“Thanks, Danny. It was a lot of work, but I think it turned out great.”
“I bet Colt helped a lot.” Ana flutters her eyelashes at Colt and I hold in a groan.
“No one worked harder than Trix,” Colt says, rubbing my arm. “The entire place was her vision, her dream. She made it happen.”
He gazes at me with those sea glass eyes and my heart stutters, pure happiness blooming inside me.
“That’s great,” Ana says, her voice less than enthusiastic. “William, don’t climb on the chair!” She scurries off to get my nephew down from the chair and Colt slides his hand down my back, cupping my ass.
“Well, I’m impressed, Trix. I think you did a great job—I’m sure you’re going to kill it!” Danny gives me a quick hug and I’m genuinely touched.
“Thanks, Danny.”
“Colt—thanks for helping her out. She’s lucky to have you around.” Danny nods at Colt, an understanding passing between them.
After Colt came back from L.A., the two of them went for drinks and Colt came clean about his feelings for me. He asked for his blessing on the relationship and Danny put him through the wringer, but eventually Colt convinced him his intentions were good. They’ve been fine ever since, and a huge weight’s lifted from my shoulders. I never wanted to come between my brother and his best friend, and now we’re all good.
“We’ve got to get going. Plus, we don’t want to scare the paying customers away. Good luck, you two.” Danny scoops Lucas into his arms and carries him out of the shop. Ana wiggles her fingers at me in a wave—more likely aiming it at Colt, but I’m gonna let it slide—then she and William are gone too.
“Do you want to have the honors?” I cut my eyes at Colt and he shakes his head.
“No way, babe. This is your shop. I’m just the never-hired help. You do it.” With a firm hand at the small of my back, he pushes me toward the door.
Taking a deep breath, I run my fingers over the wooden sign.
This is it. My lifelong dream.
Flipping the sign from Closed to Open, a lightness fills my chest, tears springing to my eyes.
“You did it,” Colt whispers in my ear from behind, his nose nuzzling the tender skin of my neck.
I shake my head. “No. We did it. Together. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
“You could have. But it wouldn’t have been nearly as fun.” His cheeks turn up in a grin as he wraps his arms around me, pressing his broad chest to my back.
I tip my head to look up at him, smacking his arm. “You’re ridiculous, Colt Wild.”
