“You’re going to put your museum here?”
“What do you think?” Darcy asked nervously.
“That it’s as perfect as you are!” Wade kissed her again as friends walked by calling out their hellos. She was home in his arms and home in Shadows Landing.
Epilogue
One month later . . .
* * *
“Are you seriously not going to bid on your very-soon-to-be-groom?” Harper asked her.
“I think it’s great. Make sure he knows he’s lucky to get you.”
“Thank you, Great-Aunt Marcy,” Darcy said with a smile. They all turned and looked up at the stage.
Maggie motioned for Wade to turn around. “Bachelor number eighteen is a rescue swimmer with the Coast Guard and is known for not only saving lives but finding a woman’s treasure. Bidding starts at one hundred dollars.”
Darcy turned bright red. Great-Aunt Marcy snickered. Suze rolled her eyes.
“I’ll bid one hundred.”
“Ellery,” Darcy said, shaking her head. “Do not pity bid my fiancé. He can get his own bids.”
“Five hundred!” a voice called out from the crowd.
“Who’s that?” Darcy asked as Ellery tried to stop from laughing.
“That’s my friend Tibbie. She loves a man in uniform. Don’t worry, that’s her husband of sixty years next to her.
“Oh, I’m not worried. I think it’s great.”
Darcy watched as a bidding war broke out between some of the high society of Charleston, and that was before the younger socialites got into it.
“Now I would worry,” Ellery whispered. “That girl thinks because Daddy has money she owns everything and everyone.”
“Six thousand dollars going once,” Maggie called out.
“Fine,” Darcy said with a roll of her eyes. “Ten thousand dollars,” she called out.
Wade grinned and started unbuttoning his dress uniform shirt.
“Fifteen thousand,” the socialite yelled out.
“Look, I have a bachelorette party to go to, so let’s end this,” Darcy said loudly. “Fifty thousand.”
“Sold!” Maggie said, slamming the gavel down. “And I will accept payment in gold.”
“Good, ‘cause that’s all I’ve got,” Darcy laughed as Wade jumped off the stage and kissed her rather deeply in front of everyone.
“What kind of date do you want me to take you on?” he asked.
“How about one to the church tomorrow at say, six o’clock?”
“You got yourself a date. Have fun with the girls tonight. And watch Aunt Annie and Aunt Paige. Don’t let them shoot anything. And don’t let Cousin Greer talk you into wrestling an alligator.”
“Hey, your Keeneston family doesn’t come to town every day. I can’t deny them the simple pleasures of Shadows Landing. Besides, I’m pretty sure your uncles and cousins have something planned by the way they’re literally all standing by the door. Uncle Cy just opened the door and is standing there waiting.”
“We have to wait for Ridge. He’s up now. Then we’re outta here, and I promise to behave.”
“Don’t promise that because then I’ll have to promise to behave.”
“Ridge Faulkner is the owner of Ridge Builders Company. He’s been featured across the world in architectural magazines for his houses,” Maggie said.
“Fine,” Wade said, drawing attention back to her. “As long as we don’t behave together, we’re good.”
“Deal.”
“Five thousand. Sold!” Maggie called out.
“Hey, who just bought Ridge?” Trent asked as they watched Ridge talk to a redhead dressed to perfection.
“I don’t know,” Wade responded. But then Ridge nodded and shook the redhead’s hand.
“Come on, Ridge!” Gavin called out.
Ridge jogged over to them and kissed Darcy’s cheek. “Have fun. Did Wade warn you not to give Aunt Paige or Aunt Annie a gun?”
“Yes, and no gator wrangling either. So basically no fun at all,” Darcy said sarcastically.
“Who bought you?” Trent asked as they headed to leave.
“Someone named Savannah Ambrose. She bought me to get me to fix things at her house. Apparently, she just moved here permanently,” Ridge said before being swept up by his male relatives.
“I’ll see you at the church tomorrow,” Wade said before kissing her. “I can’t wait to start our forever.”
“Me too. I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Wade stood by his wife’s side the next night as she held a large pair of scissors. “We’ve come a long way since he hauled me from the water thinking I’d murdered someone,” Darcy called out to their wedding guests.
The service had been beautiful. His wife had walked down the aisle, her curly hair loose around her shoulders under a veil secured by a tiara she’d found in Black Law’s treasure.
To avoid any media, the town had been shut down. The roads had been closed and police from Charleston were making sure no one but residents was able to get in that night. The doors to the church were open wide and the fall breeze swept inside as Reverend Winston had held up the chalice for them to drink from—a chalice that was solid gold and encrusted with emeralds. The chalice had been part of the donation made to the church from Darcy. She’d also donated three new daggers, six cutlasses, and a blunderbuss gun.
“You all were by our side through hunting the treasure, finding it, raising it, logging it, and now you will be the first to see it in its new home here in Shadows Landing. Wade and I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done for us. Your friendship and kindness will never be forgotten. And, Miss Winnie, we’re really sorry we shot the statue in your back garden from Suze’s yacht last night. Someone gave my new Aunt Annie a gun, and she thought it was a burglar. But, back to now. My husband and I are proud to welcome you to the new Shadows Landing Delmar-Faulkner Museum.”
His wife turned to him and smiled, and Wade knew pure happiness. He placed his hands over hers on the scissors and together they cut the ribbon in front of the museum. The doors were opened, the music began to play, and they celebrated their life-to-come surrounded by everything that had brought them together.
* * *
Ridge walked around the museum as couples danced. Rubies, emeralds, and diamonds, each worth a fortune on their own, were on display behind bulletproof glass. Ryker had worked with a specialty company to design the security while Darcy had asked Ridge and Trent to help on the inside.
“I read that you built this display with your cousin.”
The soft Southern voice had him turning around. “Yes. You.” Smooth, real smooth, he thought. “You bought me last night. Was our date for tonight?”
“Savannah, and no. I’m just here to see the museum and give my best to the newlyweds. I’m hoping to put in my application to work here.”
“That’s right. You told me you just moved here. Well, would you like this to be our date?” Ridge certainly would. Savannah Ambrose was stunning. She was quiet, composed, and had the smoothest skin that he wanted nothing more than to kiss. Of course, she didn’t look like the type to go for men who worked with their hands for a living. Ridge tucked his callused hands behind his back.
“Oh, I wasn’t joking about our date being a working date at my house. I know nothing about houses, and now I have one of my own and I need help.”
Of course she did. Women like Savannah didn’t look at men like him as anything other than help. It didn’t matter that he was one of the top builders billionaires hired to build their houses. He was still a man with a hammer.
“But a dance would be nice,” she said so softly he almost missed it.
Ridge offered her his arm and escorted her to the dance floor. They didn’t talk as they swayed to the music. When it was over, Ridge reluctantly let her go. “How’s Monday morning?” Savannah asked, pulling out a card with her address on it.
“I’ll see you then.”
Ridge watched h
er head over to introduce herself to Darcy and Wade and almost jumped when Gavin’s hand came down onto his shoulder. Ridge turned and saw his Shadows Landing and Keeneston cousins as well as his uncles all grinning at him.
“What?” Ridge asked.
“Well, since we did so well betting on Wade getting married, I’m willing to try it again,” Ryker said, pulling out a twenty-dollar bill. “Ridge is next.”
“You have to be more specific than that,” Walker Greene, Edie’s brother who was married to Layne Davies, one of Ridge’s Keeneston cousins, said.
“Well, how specific?” Trent asked, pulling out his own twenty.
“To the day gets the biggest payout,” Uncle Miles told them.
“Like, I won a bet last night that my wife would shoot something,” Uncle Cade said. “But I would have lost if someone else said a statue. So, the more specific the bet, the better the payout.”
“Hmm,” Ryker said as he crossed his arms and stared at Ridge. “Gavin surprised us by moving so fast. Wade was more in line with what I thought. You’re way more like Wade. However, you are Tinsley’s brother.”
“What does that have to do with it?” Ridge asked, getting annoyed they were all betting on him to be married. Now he knew what it felt like and felt bad for placing a bet against Wade. However, he’d won a hundred dollars off it so he didn’t feel too bad about it.
“She’s an artist,” Uncle Cy said. “Good call on thinking about that.”
“And he is artsy himself. After all, what is designing but art?” Cousin Ryan Parker said knowingly.
“Again, what does that have to do with anything?” Ridge asked.
“Artists can be more . . . unconventional,” Cousin Dylan told him. “Which could mean a shorter courtship.”
There were several more discussions, but Ridge just shook his head. “Why do you think it’s me next? After all, Edie is . . .”
“Edie is not whatever it is you’re about to say,” Walker cut in. “She’s still mourning her husband’s death, and I won’t have anyone hurting her heart again. It’s already been broken.”
“Who’s to say love won’t heal it?” a new voice asked.
“Seriously, Nash? You kill people for a living, and you’re talking about love healing a broken heart,” Walker said with a roll of his eyes.
“Whatever, I think it is. Did you see the way that hot redhead looked at Ridge?” Trent jumped in, cutting off the argument over Edie’s future love life.
“Twenty on two months,” Ryker finally said.
Ridge had enough. He wasn’t going to get married, especially to someone who only wanted him for his hammer. And unfortunately that wasn’t meant figuratively, but literally.
* * *
Wade looked at his wife’s face as they danced. They were surrounded by friends and family and couldn’t be happier.
“I’m sorry to interrupt. I’m heading home, but I wanted to introduce myself.”
Wade and Darcy looked over at the redhead who had won Ridge in the auction the night before.
“I’m Savannah Ambrose. I’m going to submit my application on Monday morning to work here and just wanted to introduce myself first.”
Darcy held out her hand. “Darcy Del—Faulkner,” she looked at him and smiled. “I like saying that, it’s just so strange to say it, though.”
“I like hearing you call me husband,” he whispered to her.
Savannah blushed and Wade smiled at her as he shook her hand. “Wade.”
“Nice to meet you both. Anyway, congratulations. You’re such a cute couple.”
“I’ll look over your application when we get back from the honeymoon in ten days. It’s very nice meeting you and thank you for coming,” Darcy told her.
“It’s such a beautiful exhibit, I’m in awe. Anyway, I won’t bother you any longer.”
Savannah turned to leave and Wade called out to her. “Savannah, welcome to Shadows Landing.”
“As much as I love it here, I’m ready to leave,” Darcy told him. “How do you feel about starting our honeymoon?”
“You read my mind. I love you, wife.”
“And I love you, husband.”
Wade didn’t wait to get home before he kissed his wife among cheers from their friends and family. For in his arms he held his present, his future, and his very own happily-ever-after.
* * *
THE END
Bluegrass Series
Bluegrass State of Mind
Risky Shot
Dead Heat
* * *
Bluegrass Brothers
Bluegrass Undercover
Rising Storm
Secret Santa: A Bluegrass Series Novella
Acquiring Trouble
Relentless Pursuit
Secrets Collide
Final Vow
* * *
Bluegrass Singles
All Hung Up
Bluegrass Dawn
The Perfect Gift
The Keeneston Roses
* * *
Forever Bluegrass Series
Forever Entangled
Forever Hidden
Forever Betrayed
Forever Driven
Forever Secret
Forever Surprised
Forever Concealed
Forever Devoted
Forever Hunted
Forever Guarded
Forever Notorious
Forever Ventured (coming later in 2019)
* * *
Shadows Landing Series
Saving Shadows
Sunken Shadows
Lasting Shadows (coming later in 2019)
* * *
Women of Power Series
Chosen for Power
Built for Power
Fashioned for Power
Destined for Power
* * *
Web of Lies Series
Whispered Lies
Rogue Lies
Shattered Lies
* * *
Moonshine Hollow Series
Moonshine & Murder
Moonshine & Malice
Moonshine & Mayhem
About the Author
Kathleen Brooks is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author. Kathleen’s stories are romantic suspense featuring strong female heroines, humor, and happily-ever-afters. Her Bluegrass Series and follow-up Bluegrass Brothers Series feature small town charm with quirky characters that have captured the hearts of readers around the world.
* * *
Kathleen is an animal lover who supports rescue organizations and other non-profit organizations such as Friends and Vets Helping Pets whose goals are to protect and save our four-legged family members.
* * *
Email Notice of New Releases
https://kathleen-brooks.com/new-release-notifications
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