“If you hurt her, I’ll fucking murder you.”

I slipped my hands in my pockets. “I know.”

“I’m not even kidding, Cooper.”

“I know.”

He let out a sigh. “Just make her happy.”

I looked over at her, my eyes roaming her rosy cheeks, her bright eyes, the smile that changed my life, and I made him a promise.

“I will.”

EPILOGUE - MAGGIE

Maggie

I PULLED THE BOAT INTO the wind, and when the sails luffed, I locked the wheel and turned on the engine. Cooper was already lowering the jib, the wind blowing his hair, his smile a thousand watts brighter against his deep tan. I moved past him to the mainsail and grabbed the halyard rope, pulling hand over hand until it was lowered completely.

Santorini sat just in the distance — the blue roofs and white walls lining the sheer cliff in the dusk — and I took a moment to appreciate the sight as Cooper headed back to the cockpit and pulled us into the harbor.

It was the end of May, and we’d both taken an extended Memorial Day holiday to go to Greece. We flew into Athens where we spent a few glorious days before renting a sailboat yacht much like Midnight Caller. First, we sailed to Mykonos, a beautiful party island, then Rhodes, full of history. Our last stop before heading back to Athens was Santorini, and I already knew it would be my favorite.

We pulled into the slip and showered, changed for dinner — him in a suit cut to perfection, me in a royal blue dress cut to keep Cooper’s eyes on my neckline. His arms were around me, his lips to my ear as we rode in a taxi up the switchback into town. His hand never left mine as we walked the streets and found the restaurant he wanted to take me to.

It was almost like a patio in that there were no window panes, just open arches that overlooked the ocean and the curve of the cliff. The white walls of the buildings glowed, illuminated by lights along the ground so they shone against the night, the domed blue roofs of each building the same shade as my dress. It was magical. The trip had been magical. My life was magical. And all because of him.

Oh, how things had changed over the course of a few weeks. I’d moved my belongings, which were mostly shoes, into Cooper’s apartment. I’d gotten my own keys and had access to Bobby whenever I needed. We worked most days, and Cooper cooked dinner most nights. We watched a lot of Netflix — most recently a binge session of Star Trek: The Next Generation, since I’d never seen it and Cooper wanted to show me.

He wanted to show me everything.

It was overwhelming, at first. Obviously, the rules were gone, so the first thing he did was take me out to a string of gourmet restaurants, though I made him order for me because I was afraid to see the prices. He’d also made sport of buying me things, to make up for the time the rules were still in place, he’d said.

We went back to Coney Island, and I’m happy to report that this time, he kissed me in the Spook-A-Rama just as a bloody mannequin head popped out of the dark at us. And it was awesome.

But even now, as we sat in Greece after the most brilliant vacation of my life, the thing that made it right was him.

See, when I met Cooper, something in me shifted on an elemental level, as if he changed my chemistry, rearranged me. I needed him, but not in the desperate way. Being with him was a universal truth. It was a quiet fact. Once I found him, the world made sense simply because he was in it and he loved me.

The lamb had been cleared away, and the baba ganoush was very nearly gone, and we drank our wine and talked. We laughed and we smiled. He took my hand, and I followed him through the quiet streets of Santorini.

He pulled me into an alcove on the cliff overlooking the ocean, and we could see the curve of the island, the buildings lit up in the night lining the coast and staggered in tiers below us. There were so many stars, more stars than I’d ever seen, and I tipped up my chin, my eyes on the heavens. Cooper sat on the low wall, watching me for a long moment before pulling me to him.

He looked up at me, my beautiful boy with his eyes full of stars, smiling at me sweetly before he looked down at my right hand, turning it over in his.

My free hand found his cheek, and he leaned into my palm, turning his head to kiss it as I felt him slip the ring onto my finger.

I looked down, and so did he, his fingers spinning the simple silver ring he’d placed on my ring finger. I knew the ring — I’d seen it in Rhodes at the market and admired it before putting it back. I didn’t think he’d even been paying attention. But of course he was.

His voice was thick with emotion when he finally spoke, his eyes still on my hand. “I don’t know how I lived my whole life without you. I don’t know how I survived a single day without hearing your voice. I don’t know how I woke up every morning without your face being the first thing I saw. I don’t ever want to know what that feels like, to not have you.”

He rose slowly, slipped a hand into my hair, searched my face. Stole my breath. Stopped my heart. “One day, I’m going to give you another ring. I’ll ask you to stay with me forever, and I’ll make a promise to you, to love you, to cherish you until I take my last breath. It’ll be the easiest thing I’ll ever do. I love you, Maggie, and I’m yours. Be mine.”

In all my life, it was all I would ever want. He was all I would ever want. “I’m yours,” I whispered, the words of my heart set free.

And the kiss he laid on my lips seared my soul, branding me his forever.

Acknowledgements

To my husband Jeff — We did it. I love you. Without you, I don’t make any sense.

Becca Mysoor — NOFB. Brain Twin. Partner in crime. Thank you. For everything. Tell Vinnie I said thanks by proxy, and that sharing is caring. I hear Tricky calling, so let’s hold hands and get to dancing.

Brooke Cumberland — Stop yelling at me! Just kidding — never stop. Without you lending your ear, shoulder, boot in my ass, cupcakes, and chocolate, I really don’t know how I could have made it through any of this. I love you. Hold my other hand and come dancing too.

To Becca AND Brooke — We’re basically like a three legged stool. I couldn’t do this without the both of you.

Kandi Steiner — I’ll always be the Hype Man to your Polly Pocket. Thank God you haven’t run screaming yet.

Angie McKeon — You, my unicorn riding princess, are an absolute godsend. You’ve supported me, you’ve given invaluable feedback, and you have become a great friend. I am so thankful for you. #Gummybears

Brittainy Cherry — I feel like if we just hang on to each other, we’ll be okay. Thank you for always being there for me. Sharing this whole crazy roller coaster ride with you is kind of everything.

Christine Stanley — You have always believed in me. You’ve always supported me, and without your help, there’s no way I’d be where I am today. I cannot thank you enough for everything you’ve done for me, and I can’t wait to do it again.

Rebecca Slemons — You are a saint for fixing my commas and putting up with my made up words.