~ Epilogue ~

“Harper, that’s the most amazing story I’ve ever heard. Maybe someone should turn your life into a movie.”

I smiled at Entertainment Tonight producer Benton Stuart in my living room at the beach house. “I’m just glad you were willing to take a day to come over and hear it.”

Benton set her Pellegrino glass down on the coffee table, next to the lunch plates we still hadn’t cleared. “And roll tape. As much fun as this has been for me, I think our viewers are going to love hearing this interview. Especially since your reviews for Winter Dreams are glowing, and sitting where I am across from you, I have to say you are too.”

I looked down at my growing tummy and sighed.

“It’s been quite a year since our adventure, which brings me to the announcement I told you about. I’ve decided to take the next year off—and maybe the next twenty.”

The doors to the back deck slid open, and Luke stepped inside, bringing with him the sounds of the ocean. Benton turned to look at him.

“Sorry,” Luke said. “I thought you might be done. I’ll come back.”

“You’re fine,” I said. “We’re just finishing up.”

“Harper,” Benton asked, “are you telling me you’re retiring? Rumor has it after the success of Winter Dreams you’re being offered more A-list scripts than you can read. One assumes these are worth a boatload of money. Even your good friend and Apartment 19 co-star, Avril LaCorria, just signed a two-picture deal worth millions. How can you just walk away when you’re being given everything Hollywood has to offer?”

“I don’t think of it as walking away. It’s more like … running away to an island in the South Pacific. There’s an opportunity to help build a hospital on Tarajuro.”

Luke sat next to me on the arm of the sofa, placing his hand on my stomach. I watched how the television lights made his wedding band sparkle. White gold, with the tender words I’d had engraved hidden inside.

“God’s already given me everything,” I told Benton. “There’s no counteroffer Hollywood can make.”

My cell phone chimed on the table in front of me with an incoming message. I saw it was from Avril and opened it.

can’t believe you talked me into a blind date.

In sandy eggo! call me to tlk. i’m weirdly excited.

I smiled.

“You know, this is only going to make you more in demand,” Benton said, raising one perfectly plucked eyebrow.

“They’ll have to find me first.”

Benton cued the cameraman and he turned off the lights, returning the room to normal. It felt good to finally have their heat off me.

“You’re warm,” Luke said. “Let me get you a glass of ice water.”

“No, don’t go.”

The baby kicked, and Luke and I felt it together, his hand still on my belly.

“You see, she doesn’t want you to go either.”

“Oh, it’s a girl. Do you have a name yet?” Benton asked.

“We’re going to name her Bella.”

“That’s beautiful,” Benton said.

“That’s what Bella means, beautiful. It’s from Isabella, meaning ‘God’s promise.’”

Luke leaned in, softly and sweetly planting a kiss on my cheek.

“Kind of sums it all up, don’t you think?”