Shadows of Recovery (Everhart Family #3)

Epilogue

A few months had passed since the harrowing events at Eldon Falls. Sophie and Tristan were slowly but surely healing, both physically and emotionally. The Whitlock men were in jail, facing their trials, and the community was beginning to find its footing again.

"Need any help?" Tristan wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her cheek. Sophie was arranging fruit and cheese on a platter.

She smiled, turning to face him. "I’ve got it, but thank you.” She pressed her lips to his.

Tristan chuckled, sweeping his tongue along her lower lip and taking a nibble. “Mmm.”

Isobel walked in, a bottle of wine in her hand. "I thought I’d bring a little something to toast with.” She placed the bottle on the counter. “I can leave if you two kids want.”

Sophie’s eyes sparkled with gratitude. "You can stay.” She watched Tristan grab a corkscrew and begin to decork the wine. “Thanks, Izzy, for hanging in with me. We wouldn't be here without everyone."

Isobel shook her head. "It was a team effort. And you were incredible, Sophie. You never gave up."

Chris Skylar and James Blackwell entered the room, joining the conversation. Chris looked at Tristan and Sophie, his eyes filled with pride. "You both have come a long way. It’s inspiring to see."

James nodded in agreement. "I’m so glad to see you both healing and moving forward."

Jackson and Olivia walked in with a cheesecake they had shipped from Junior’s in New York.

Ethan and Molly arrived next, their faces bright with smiles. "It’s good to be here," Ethan said. “To happiness.” He raised his glass.

Ruth arrived soon after, two bottles of prosecco in her hands. “The celebration is on.”

The dinner party was in full swing. Sophie was announcing her plans to take a part-time position at the Blackwell Institute as a physician. Tristan, who had recovered enough to return to work part-time, was excited about splitting his time between the ER and the Institute. James was also there, sharing the news that he was officially joining the board at the Blackwell Institute.

The atmosphere was warm and celebratory, but Sophie couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. She glanced at the clock, worried about Brad’s absence. “I’m going to give him a call.”

“I was thinking the same thing,” Isobel said.

Tristan wrapped his arms around her. “You know Brad. He gets wrapped up in things.”

* * *

As Brad stood shaking his head and watching the shoreline, the warm summer night air felt heavy and oppressive. His mind raced with memories of the case from two years ago, each detail of the current scene a haunting replica. The Waverly County Police sergeant stood beside him, watching as the divers removed the bodies of two dead teenagers from the lake. The note wrapped in an evidence bag in his hand felt like a burning weight.

He made a call he hated to make. Isobel Everhart’s name flashed on the screen. He was supposed to be at her sister Sophie's home for a small dinner party. She answered in her usual bubbly voice, "Brad.”

His throat tightened. He could hear laughter and music in the background, the sounds of family and peace. It was the kind of peace that was about to be shattered. He swallowed hard. “I’m sending a patrol car for you,” he said, his voice thick with urgency.

“What’s going on?” she asked, her voice suddenly trembling.

“I’m at Old Mill Lake. There’s been a double murder, Belle. It’s... it’s a reenactment of the Mitchell-Ferguson case—the one with the drowned teens.” He heard her sharp gasp, followed by a heavy silence. It was her first case.

“Belle, actually, stay with your family,” Brad said firmly, pushing aside his own rising fear. "Stay right where you are. Hell, forget the patrol car, I’m coming to get you. Don’t leave the house. I’ll be there as soon as I can."

* * *

Late that night, the soft glow of moonlight filtered through the curtains of Sophie and Tristan's bedroom. The room was quiet, save for the gentle sounds of the summer night outside. They lay in bed together, wrapped in each other's arms, feeling the peace and contentment that had finally settled over their lives.

"Sophie," Tristan whispered tenderly, "I love you so much. You are a shooting star in my night sky."

Sophie looked into his eyes, her heart swelling with love. "Tristan, I love you too."

He took a deep breath and reached over to the nightstand, pulling out a small velvet box. He opened it to reveal an exquisite emerald-cut diamond set in a gold band. The diamond sparkled brilliantly, capturing the light and reflecting it in a thousand tiny prisms.

"Marry me," Tristan said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Sophie's eyes filled with tears of joy. She took his face in her hands, her heart overflowing with love. "Tristan, you are a pea in my pod." She smiled warmly and reached beneath her pillow, pulling out a ring box of her own.

He looked at her, surprised and curious. She opened the box to reveal a beautifully crafted men’s engagement ring. It was a thick, sturdy band made of platinum, with a subtle pattern of interlocking vines etched into the surface. At its center was a small but perfectly cut emerald, symbolizing their journey and the strength of their love.

They both slid the rings onto each other's fingers, their hearts racing with happiness and excitement. The rings fit perfectly, just as they fit perfectly in each other's lives.

"I can’t believe you had this planned," Tristan said, his voice filled with awe.

Sophie’s eyes sparkled with mischief and love. "I’ve been waiting for the right moment. And this feels like it."

Tristan leaned in, capturing her lips in a sweet, passionate kiss. They melted into each other, the world outside fading away as they expressed their love in the most intimate way. Their bodies moved in perfect harmony, each touch and kiss a testament to the deep connection they shared.

As they made love, the night was filled with the sounds of their whispered promises and shared breaths, a symphony of love that would carry them into the future.

When they finally lay in each other's arms, spent and blissfully happy, Tristan pressed a kiss to Sophie’s forehead. "We’re going to have an amazing life together.”

She snuggled closer, her heart filled with a sense of peace and belonging. "Yes, we are," she agreed, knowing that no matter what trials lay ahead, they would face them together.

As they drifted off to sleep, their rings gleaming softly in the moonlight, they knew this was just the beginning of their beautiful journey together.

The End

Isobel and Brad’s book is up next!

books2read. com/ BeneaththeSurface