Epilogue

Will’s palms were sweating, and he couldn’t seem to make them stop. He’d be worthless up there if he didn’t get his nerves under control.

Hannah lifted up on her toes and kissed his cheek, then when that didn’t work, she took his face in her hands and kissed him soundly on the mouth. “You got this,” she told him, then held his gaze until he nodded. “I’m going to hustle out of here now so I can get to my seat in time to see everything.”

“I should have told him,” Will said, certain now, after all his hard work to keep his big secret, that it was exactly the wrong thing to do.

“Jake surprised you a year ago, with his fiddle-playing prowess, and his beautiful voice.” Hannah grinned. “I’d say this is a perfect full circle. He will be on the moon.”

Will nodded, nerves seriously trying to eat him alive. “Won’t be much of a surprise if I can’t keep my hands from sweating.”

She took them both and held them in her own. “You’ve been practicing for ages now. Like you even needed to,” she added dryly. “’Have you heard yourself? You’re amazing.”

That got a chuckle out of him. “You might be a little biased.”

Hannah was undeterred. “And Jake is amazing. Where do you think he got those chops? Get out there and show him how it’s done.” She gave him one last deep, soul-searing kiss, then scooted out from behind the curtain they’d put up off to the side to keep Will hidden, and made her way to her seat. Will knew exactly where it was, exactly where to look, in case he found himself in need of a little emotional support.

He paced the small space, wanting time both to speed up and slow the heck down. He wanted to get it over with. He wasn’t ready to go out there. Get a grip, man. The rest of the musicians onstage not only knew what was going on, they’d been rehearsing in private every chance they got. Usually when Jake had been up at Addie’s or out at Lavender Blue with Hannah.

I’m so proud of you I could burst.

Will went stock-still, dipped his chin, then closed his eyes. I’m doing it for Jake, he told her. He deserves me at least trying. He opened his eyes, wiped away the moisture that had gathered at the corners. Then he smiled, and the smile spread to a grin. “I mean, look at what he’s done, Zoe. Our son. I’ve got a lot to live up to.”

I never doubted you would.

Will’s palms still weren’t dry when he heard Pippa take the stage to announce to the festival crowd that they had someone who wanted to join the group onstage. “Why don’t you come on out here and show these boys, and this girl, how it’s really done,” she said, and the crowd roared in delight.

Will picked up his fiddle, the one he’d made for himself, under his grandfather’s tutelage when he’d been barely older than his son was right now. Then he picked up the case holding the one he’d made for that very same son. “Just don’t make a fool out of yourself,” he muttered under his breath.

Then he stepped out from behind the curtain, and the crowd erupted in wild cheers so loud Will almost had to take a step back. His gaze registered the shock on Jake’s face first, then Will shifted it to the third row, dead center, and found her, blinding stage lighting and all. Hannah’s happy, pretty face. He nodded to her, then caught Jake up against him when his son wrapped him in a hug so tight, he thought he might have bruised a rib. He’d take one of those, every single day. “Here,” he said, handing the case to Jake. “Bailey mentioned something about you needing a new instrument. I hope this is a good fit.”

Jake’s mouth fell open and he just stared at the case, then up at Will. “Dad,” he said, clearly at a complete loss as to how to handle the moment.

“Well, open it up and let’s take her out for a spin. Pippa tuned it for you, just like the one you’ve been playing.” He smiled. “You might like the sound this one makes a little bit better though.”

Jake open the case and his eyes went round as saucers. He looked down at the fiddle, which was a beautiful piece of craftsmanship with Jake’s own name worked into the swirl of the wood, then wrapped his father in another tight hug. Will held on just as tightly as the crowd cheered, clapped, and whistled in thundering delight.

Every nerve-wracked moment, every sleepless night spent wondering if he had lost his damn fool mind, thinking he could, or even should, try to pull off something like this after all those years. All of those fears were put to rest in that one priceless hug.

Jake’s eyes were shining wet when he looked up at his dad, his grin so wide Will thought it would split his handsome face in two. Will might have been sporting one to match.

“You might have to take it easy on me,” Will told him. “I’m a little rusty.”

Pippa, who was wiping away a few happy tears of her own, shifted so Will could take the spot next to Jake. Then she nodded to the other players behind them and lifted her own fiddle. The bass player started them off, then Pippa nodded to Will, who looked at Jake. “You ready?”

In answer, Jake put the bow to the strings, grinning like mad, and started right in. Will joined him, while Pippa leaned in and sang into the mic, a song she’d written about fathers and sons, about redemption and love.

Pippa smiled at Hannah, too, including her in the moment.

And Hannah, who was surrounded by Chey, Avery, Vivi, Bailey, and Addie Pearl, led the savvy sextet in a toe-tapping, hand-clapping, and—thanks to Chey—wolf-whistling cheering section as they all rooted on Hannah’s tribe.