“He got into the house?” Evie choked. “Oh my God, that’s terrifying.”
“And now that whole electrician thing makes sense,” Max added. “Penny walked in on the guy poking around the museum room and read him the riot act. She got him out of there, but she was upset. She must have caught him before he found his lighter.”
“So his offer to buy was a hoax?” Declan asked. “Just a ruse to get inside?”
“Actually, no.” Deputy Hanson flipped a page. “His grandmother passed away and left a large amount of money.”
“And he decided to use it to buy the house?” Evie asked. “Just to find the lighter?”
“A man’ll go to great lengths to get away with a crime,” Kirby said.
“He kept his eye on the place by blending in with the tourists out front,” Deputy Hanson added. “He confessed that when he spotted Declan coming out of Gloriana House, he renewed his efforts to get inside.”
“Well, he won’t need that money in jail,” Max said.
“Especially because a whole bunch of it could be yours,” Shane, Declan’s cousin, interjected. “Speaking as a former attorney, you have a rock solid civil suit, if you’re interested in pursuing it.”
“Hell, yes,” Max said. “Just the idea of that gives me a new reason for living.”
Evie beamed at Declan then, giving his hand a squeeze.
An hour later, the room was a little emptier, and Declan could swear he heard a collective sigh and unloading of a few decades of emotions, especially from the Mahoneys.
“Thanks, bro.” Connor looked hard at Declan, his eyes suspiciously damp. “You did this for us.”
He shook his head, not wanting any credit.
“Seriously.” Next to Connor, Braden’s look matched his brother’s. “This has always bugged me. I couldn’t find the missing piece, so I figured it wasn’t there.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t put two and two together sooner,” Max said. “I never gave that lighter a moment’s consideration until Declan asked about the collection in light of the fire. He deserves the credit.”
“Dad would be proud of you.” Ella put her arm around Declan’s waist, wiping tears from her eyes. “We all are so happy to know this. You realize that, don’t you? Somehow it changes everything to know he gave his life to save someone else, no matter how awful that someone else turned out to be.”
“It was so like Joe,” his mother said on a sigh. “I should have always known it.”
Declan reached for her. “You feel better, Mom.” It wasn’t a question.
“I feel light and free,” she whispered. “I don’t know how to explain it.”
“You don’t have to,” he replied. “I already know.”
Uncle Daniel leaned forward from his seat on the sofa. “Dec, he used to tell me that you were the finest firefighter he knew. He said you’d be chief one day. He had no doubt.”
Declan just smiled, but Evie looked up at him. “One day soon,” she added. “Very soon.” At his look, she shrugged. “What? You said there are no secrets in this family.”
“True.” As they all stared at him, he laughed. “I’ll be named chief early next year,” he announced.
A cheer went up, taking the whole room from somber to celebratory as they congratulated him on the promotion.
As that quieted down, Max slowly pushed himself to a stand and glanced at Evie. “Can we make this announcement now?”
At the question, a new hush fell over the room, except for Ella’s little squeak of excitement and Gramma Finnie’s gasp.
“An announcement, you say?” she asked, adjusting her glasses to look at Declan and Evie. “’Tis about time.”
“’Tis about something else,” he teased her. “You tell them, Evie.”
Still holding Declan’s hand, she reached for her grandfather’s with the other. “We, the three of us, have made a big decision. And my parents are in one hundred percent agreement with this plan.”
After a chorus of interest, she continued, “The work being done on Gloriana House is going to be a little more extensive than you might realize. With Granddaddy’s approval and support, we are completely restoring Gloriana House to a perfect replica of the Victorian era. And…” She glowed as she took a breath to announce the rest. “We’ll be working side by side with the Bitter Bark Historical Society to transform the mansion into the Gloriana House Museum, which will not only display our family’s treasures, but the whole history of Bitter Bark. It’ll be open to the public, with all proceeds going to the first responders’ charities of choice.”
This time, the whole room gasped, and another cascade of questions and cheers rained down. As the family celebrated, Declan pulled Evie and Max in for an embrace, almost overwhelmed by how great Evie’s idea was and how enthusiastically Max had agreed to it.
Gloriana House was meant to be appreciated…by everyone.
“Nellie Shaker is going to run the day-to-day operations of the museum,” Evie added as the chatter died down. “She’s also planning to open the first floor for special events like fundraisers, parties, and weddings.”
“Did someone say weddings?” Yiayia interjected.
Declan shot her a look. “Would you calm down?”
“But where will you live, Max?” Colleen asked. “I think it might get crowded in Declan’s house.”
“It better get crowded,” Max said. “If these two could get on with their real purpose in life and add to the line.”
Declan rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help laughing. “Tell them the rest, E.”
“There’s more?” Gramma asked with unabashed hope.
“Declan and I are building a new house, with a view of our favorite lake in the foothills, on land I had no idea that the Hewitt family owned, but…”
“I was going to leave it to her anyway,” Max said with a shrug. “But I can’t seem to die.”
“You better not.” She gave Max a kiss on the cheek. “Because we’re going to build a beautiful house and start a whole new family history there, all of us, together. With Judah, of course.”
From the sofa, where he’d jumped up when Max stood, Judah swished a tail at the sound of his name.
“You’re staying here?” Molly’s voice rose with excitement as she reached excitedly for Evie. “Please work with me. Please.”
Evie laughed. “Bitter Bark needs a vet neurologist, and I’ll need an office, so yes. And I might teach some classes at the college, too.”
That got a huge reaction, but Gramma Finnie narrowed her gaze at Declan. “Live together?” she asked in a harsh whisper. “I mean, I know that’s fine nowadays, but, lad, not what I expected.”
“Can I please do this my way, Gramma?”
She relaxed a little. “Of course.” She turned to Yiayia. “Don’chya be worryin’, Agnes. He’s doing it his way, so our work is essentially done.”
“It’s not done,” Yiayia said. “We have three more grandchildren.”
“Uh-oh,” Ella said, lifting her hands and pretending to back up. “I feel a sudden long trip coming up. Madagascar? Maybe New Zealand…”
“Don’t run off, Smella,” Yiayia said, cracking everyone up with the name only Mahoneys used. “It’s time for a Santorini next.”
“But Theo’s in San Diego, and Nick’s in Africa,” Daniel reminded them.
“No matter,” Yiayia said. “The Dogmothers are unstoppable.”
As everyone laughed about that and Colleen announced that Santorini’s Deli had a lunch all set up in the dining room for them, Declan wrapped Evie in a hug and whispered, “Let’s sneak out.”
“And leave Granddaddy?”
He tipped his head to where the octogenarians were already in a tight group, and holy hell, Gramma Finnie had a flask out. “I don’t think he’ll miss us. And I want to finish this morning by going full circle, E.” He put his lips to her ear. “Let’s go up to the mountains. To our campsite. I can’t wait any longer.”
“You want to start t
onight’s party early?”
“I want to make good on a promise I made a long time ago. Bring Judah. This might not have happened if he hadn’t done the talking for me that day in the bakery.”
* * *
Evie hadn’t been to the lakeside campsite in more than twenty years, but that feeling of déjà vu swamped her again. In the first week of November, it was deserted, with the blue autumn sky turning the water near navy and plenty of trees still showing off shades of crimson and fiery orange.
Judah had fallen asleep on the way up, but he barked happily as soon as Declan stopped the truck, eager to jump out and explore.
“When was the last time you were here?” Evie asked as Declan helped Judah out.
“I spent the night of the Living Museum party here.”
“Really?” She blinked in surprise. “You never told me that.”
“I forgot.” He reached into the back and gathered up a blanket. “Slept under this, not that I slept much.”
Judah bounded off, then suddenly slowed, as if he remembered he didn’t like to be alone. Turning, he came back to walk between them down to the dock.
“What did you do, if you didn’t sleep?”
“Talked to my dad.”
“Aww. About?”
“You, of course. And I planned…this. Today. Coming back here.”
She slid her arm around him. “Do you think we can come back on our birthday?”
“Every year. And bring…Judah.” He inched closer. “And whoever else happens to tag along in a stroller.”
She bit her lip and wrapped her arms around him. “So is that why you brought me here? Thought the mountain air might make those swimmers even more eager to get egged?”
“Nope.” He took a step away and reached into his pocket. “I wanted to give you this.”
For a moment, her heart leaped, expecting…the little black box. But that wasn’t what Declan held out to her, and he certainly didn’t get down on one knee.
He flipped open a small index card that had handwriting on it, making her gasp and press her hand to her chest when she realized what it was.
“You found it?”
“It was never lost.” He put the card in her hand. “Gramma Finnie had it for twenty years.”
“So she really was our matchmaker.” She sighed softly, reading the words that she remembered so well.
DECLAN’S PROMISE
“Oh.” A shiver ran over her entire body. “Declan.”
He put his hands on her shoulders. “I know I said I’d wait twenty years, which I think technically gives me until our next birthday, so…”
“How did Gramma get it?”
“She picked it up from the grass that morning. It fell out of my backpack. She kept it, and the grannies planted it in your piano. For you to find, actually, but I beat you to it.”
“Why…oh wait. That’s what Yiayia was doing that day in the museum room. She called it subterfuge. I call it…” She lifted the card to her lips. “Magic.”
“I finally finished writing out my last promise,” he said. “Go ahead and read.”
She skimmed the words, the promises, all the roles Declan wanted to have in her life.
“Friend, lover, husband, confidant, partner,” she read in a whisper.
“Chef, traveling partner, fellow camper, handyman,” he added. “See how I’m already working on some of these?”
She laughed and read the last line. “And father to our…” One more word was written, in a different-colored ink. “Children.”
“That’s what I wanted to say, but you made me sign it, and I never wrote the word.”
“Children? I’d be happy with one.”
“Who knows, E? We can adopt or foster and have as many as you want.”
“You know, Dec.” She folded the card. “Somewhere deep in my heart, I always knew you’d keep these promises. I knew that morning that you made them that I would marry you. I just didn’t know it would take all these years.”
“And speaking of that…” For a long moment, he just looked at her, then he took one step back and then lowered himself to one knee.
“Oh, Dec.”
“Oh, E.”
She laughed, her eyes filling as he reached into his pocket, and…there it was. The little black box. “Really? Now? You don’t want to wait for…”
“I don’t want to wait another minute. I don’t want to wait until Christmas. I’d marry you this afternoon, but let me ask first.” He took a deep breath and reached for her hand. “Evangeline May Hewitt, my best friend, my sweet lover, and my favorite person on earth. Will you marry me?” He opened the box, letting the sun glint on a gorgeous solitaire.
But she really only had eyes for the man on one knee in front of her, the love in his eyes taking her breath away more than any diamond ring. “Yes,” she managed to say, spreading her fingers so he could slide it on. “I will marry you and love you and cherish you and never, ever leave you for the rest of my life.”
As her voice rose with the pronouncement, Judah came closer, got right between them, and howled as they kissed.
“What’s he trying to tell us?” Declan asked.
“This mutt be love?”
He laughed. “Yep. He’s our dog fur sure.”
Epilogue
Six Weeks Later
When Evie reached the top of the Gloriana House stairs wearing her great-great-grandmother’s wedding gown, carrying red roses that matched the holiday decorations around the house, and stood with her arm linked with her father’s, Declan decided that he couldn’t get any happier.
But then he remembered yesterday’s news, and yeah, he got happier. They’d kept it a secret, even from her parents, who’d arrived last night for the rehearsal dinner. But knowing what he knew and looking at the woman he was about to spend the rest of his life with…wow. He couldn’t get much happier.
“I hope someone just got a picture of that,” Connor muttered from right next to him.
“Of Evie?” he whispered.
“Of your face.” Connor put a hand on Declan’s shoulder. “Man, this is the stuff, huh?”
“You have no idea, Connor.”
His brother just laughed. “Uh, yeah, I do. You beat me to the altar, but not to love.”
Declan relaxed into another grin. “Thanks.” Then he caught Braden’s eye, his youngest brother standing next to Connor.
He never dreamed the day would come that he’d stand next to his two brothers…as the groom. He sure never dreamed it would happen in Gloriana House. And then he looked at the little old man on his other side. He’d also never dreamed he’d have a ninety-two-year-old best man.
Max winked. “She’s a beauty, eh? Just like my Penny.”
“She is a beauty, Max,” he agreed. “And I hope we’re as happy as you and your wife.”
“Oh, you will be,” he proclaimed.
The musicians played the first few notes of a familiar song, not a wedding march but…Beethoven. The Ninth Symphony. Ode to Joy.
The song he’d heard Evie play on an antique piano for a childhood recital, and a lifetime of love, came rushing over him. From that glitter-frosted cake to the spelling bee to the camping trips…to this moment, right now. When his best friend would become his wife.
He took a deep breath as MJ Hewitt, Evie’s father, glided his daughter to the bottom of the grand staircase, where Declan stood in front of the small gathering of family and friends who’d come to Gloriana House for its first official wedding.
“Declan,” MJ said. “Take good care of her.”
Declan gave him a hug and assured him that he would.
And then she was by his side, her eyes glinting with love, her color high. She gave a nervous touch to the gold locket that hung around her neck, the family heirloom of Amelia Bushrod’s that she’d chosen as her something old.
“You look beautiful,” he whispered.
She gave a shaky smile, and then he could see that the color in her cheeks w
as makeup, and she was shockingly pale underneath it. He reached for her hand and gave her a reassuring squeeze before guiding her toward the pastor. That man nodded to them and opened a Bible that Declan knew had come from Ireland and once belonged to his grandfather, Seamus Kilcannon.
Declan barely heard the words, though he tried to concentrate, tried to hold on to the moment. He remembered the vows, though. Was there a way to say he’d more than love, intensely cherish, honor her every feeling, and give this woman his heart and soul until he breathed his last breath? Because that was the vow he wanted to give.
When it was Evie’s turn, she stumbled over a word or two, and her hands were damp and trembling when he slid the wedding ring on.
He searched her eyes, silently asking the question, Are you okay?
She silently answered, Barely.
Poor thing. He rubbed the knuckles of her hand, listened to the last prayer, and they finally got pronounced husband and wife.
As he pulled her close for a kiss to seal the deal, she let out the softest moan. “Outside?” she whispered. “I need air.”
“Can you make it through the crowd and out the door?” he whispered.
“Hold me and I will.”
He gave her the support of his arm as they turned, and dozens of overjoyed faces greeted them, cheering, clapping, looking as satisfied and happy as he felt.
But not Evie. She looked…like she might collapse any second. Maybe this no-wait wedding hadn’t been a good idea. The Gloriana House transformation wasn’t done yet, but they’d wanted to get married before Christmas. Before…it was obvious that more than two people stood before that pastor and vowed to become a family.
As they crossed the entry and stepped out into the late afternoon sunshine, Evie sucked in some air and held on to his arm with both hands. “That was rough.”
He laughed. “Not what you expect to hear from your brand-new wife after exchanging vows.”
“Sorry.” She put her hand on her stomach. “I’m better now.”
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