Haunt Your Heart Out

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

One Year Later

A Christmas wedding in California not only appeased my parents but meant that our wish for a small ceremony was granted: their backyard only accommodated so many people. After retiring over the summer, my dad had picked up a garden shovel and never looked back. He’d turned the open area into a sprawl of flowering bushes so the wedding was standing room only with a guest list I could count on my fingers. Being a country away from Stowe meant we wouldn’t have wedding crashers popping in on us uninvited.

But a wedding in California didn’t mean we’d get out of a Stowe reception. My parents, Jordan, Isaac, and Levi joined us on the flight back to Vermont. James’s mom and her husband made the trip out for the reception and booked a weeklong stay at the Stillers’ inn, so we got plenty of time to get to know each other. His father sent an expensive marble canister set and congratulatory note in lieu of attending. Julian, Natalie, and the entire crew detoured back to town for our New Year’s Eve shindig, with a few new accolades to brag about. The film hadn’t won the contest, but it was running circles around the competition in the independent film festival networks.

“Your ride awaits,” James said, sweeping a hand toward the sleigh waiting in our backyard—he’d moved into my beloved house and every inch of the place had morphed from “mine” to “ours.” Holly and Jolly shuffled and snorted contentedly while the lanterns turned the backyard to a field of crystals.

I dashed to the sleigh, holding the hem of my skirt high. After climbing aboard and getting Lulu settled on the sleigh’s bench, we set off. Holly and Jolly snorted and pulled, the sleigh gliding through the snow back toward the Stillers’ inn.

Even the inn’s overflow parking lot was filled with cars. Rounded dress shoe footprints and tiny pinprick heel marks dotted the gravel where guests had worn a path through the lingering snow to the inn’s front doors. We slipped inside and ducked behind the reception desk to swap out my boots for event-worthy heels.

Lulu danced beside us, prancing on little canine tiptoes, yipping all the while.

“Lulu, sit,” I said. She plunked into a furry pile, more of a “down” than a “sit,” directly in front of me, waiting politely for me to finish getting ready.

We entered the party together, arm in arm, with Lulu leading the little parade.

Lights, champagne, servers passing delicious food, and cheer. So much cheer. James knew how to waltz, but was also a master at the “Cha-Cha Slide”—and he knew every move to “Thriller,” which pleased the crowd beyond imagination. Lulu had given up after two rounds of “Let’s see how many people will pet me,” and she curled up on the rug beside the fireplace.

“I’ve been thinking,” James said as we took a break from the festivities to eat an extra slice of cake each. After all, we deserved all the wedding cake we wanted. “Lulu’s been an only dog for her whole life, but maybe it’s time to expand the family.”

I leaned over and scrunched her ears with my hands, smooshed her little furry doggy cheeks, and smoothed my hands down the back of her head and neck in gentle pets. She wiggled.

“Expand the family, huh?” I asked. “I could be persuaded.”

“Really? I was worried you’d think it was too soon.” James grinned. “I’ve been thinking about this for a while and was nervous about bringing it up.”

“I am nothing if not open to change,” I joked. James narrowed his eyes in challenge.

“So, here’s the thing. I already talked to the animal shelter. There’s a shaggy terrier who’s been there for almost a year, and I think you’ll love him. They said we can stop in tomorrow to meet him. If you’re open to it, that is.”

“On one condition.” I held up a finger. “We have to name him Hold Me Closer Tiny Dancer.”

James howled, a deep, impressive belly laugh. “Tony Danza for short?”

“What?” I shook my head.

“Like the misheard song lyrics,” he explained.

“Perfect.” I gripped his lapels and tugged him in for a kiss as midnight struck—and everything was perfect.