Sweet and Salty (Marshall My Heart #1)

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

LAURA—THE END OF SEPTEMBER

“ O h my Midwestern gods.” Desiree Brooks, the producer from America Bakes! , stands in my back yard with her hands on her hips, grinning at the floral mural on my wall. “Did you paint this? Jack, get that angle. This is full-on gorgeous. If your bakes are anything like this wall, you’re a shoo-in for the final.”

I blush, and it isn’t just because I’m in proximity to the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen. Desiree Brooks drips elegance, from her tailored sheath dress and the way she trots around my yard in three-inch nude pumps to her perfect dark brown twist-out. “Thanks. I came up with the concept, but my sister, Frannie, and our friend, the artist Katrina Stryke, helped me paint it.”

Desiree gestures to the cameraman with a smooth, dark brown hand and shows him exactly how she wants the shot framed. “Perfect. And where is your sister?”

Heck if I know, but my mom and I talked about this. When the camera turns toward me to film my answer, I grin like I practiced, but it feels like trying to open a rusted gate. I’m going to have to work on that before the show starts filming in a few weeks. “Frannie is a locum tenens nurse, which means she goes wherever her help is needed. And it’s everywhere nowadays.”

“Isn’t that true.” Desiree flashes me what I’ve come to think of as her interview face. “And your brother is Bobby Marshall? He plays defense for the Los Angeles Slingshots. How often do you get to see him?”

“Not too often. He’s so busy playing and traveling. Even during the off season, when he volunteers for homeless outreach programs.” This is a fact that Desiree presented me that I’d not previously known.

Desiree glances down at her tablet and types in a few phrases. “We’ll have to see if we can set up an interview before episode one airs. At least your brother Rory and your mom were here. Your nephew is too fucking cute.”

“He thinks so too,” Mom says, coming up beside me and looping an arm around my shoulders. When they had called to schedule this home interview before filming starts in Chicago next month, she and Jesse had both leapt into helping. I can’t believe this is my life. I finally feel like I’m moving forward, not just treading water.

In typical five-year-old fashion, Davey challenges Desiree and Jack the Camera Guy to Jenga, but they politely decline before Rory whisks him away to his skating lesson.

We stage a few more outside photos, with me in my apron petting Lucretia Borgia, who has finally chilled out now that the acorns and oak leaves are all gone. After Chris was arrested, Rory detained Joel Hostetler, who sang like the proverbial canary. From what my brother says, it hasn’t earned him any fans in prison.

“Where is the fiancé?” Desiree taps a few more times on her tablet.

“Fiancé?” I ask, tilting my head to the side. While Jesse had proposed out of shock a few months ago, he hasn’t repeated his offer since. Not that I’m waiting or anything. Every day with him feels like waking up on Christmas morning, and I can make do with that. “We’re not engaged.”

“Not yet.” Jesse walks out of the barn and toward us, looking so much more like the fake lumberjack I love every single day. Red flannel shirt, jeans snug on his round butt. Yum. His veterinary license has only just gotten approved, but he doesn’t want to stop working for Moe.

“Hi, stranger.” I reach for him, wanting his hand in mine, securing me to the ground. Being interviewed for the baking contest I’ve won a spot in is enough to have me floating off the ground.

Jesse kisses my cheek, and the whole thing feels staged but in the best possible way. My skin lights up. “What’s going on?”

He removes a jewelry box from his pocket and kneels in the grass beside me. “Laura Marshall. You are the rainbow in every day. You are talented and brave and kind, and I know I don’t deserve you, but I’m so grateful for the time you spend with me. I know I’ve messed up. I’ve made a lot of mistakes. You make me want to strive to be better. I want a family with you. I want a life with you. I want to build the rest of our lives with you, if you’ll have me. Will you marry me?”

This doesn’t happen in real life. It can’t. I wipe away the tears from my cheeks, and that’s when I know. This is real. He’s real and he wants me and I want nothing more than to spend my life with him. “Yes. Definitely.”

“Good.” He stands and kisses the tears from my cheeks and squeezes me tightly. “If you don’t like it, well, I can’t give it back because I had it specially made. But I can get you a ring if you’d rather have that.”

“What?” I sniffle and glance down at the box. My heart leaps into my throat.

Inside is a locket, set with diamonds and emeralds in the shape of an infinity knot. He says, “The jewels are from my grandma’s wedding ring and my mom’s. And the locket—”

“It was Ma’s.” How did he…? It is singularly the most thoughtful, wonderful thing that anyone has ever done for me. “Thank you.”

Through my tears, I look up at him, the open earnestness of his expression, then over toward my mom.

“Mom?”

Behind Desiree, who is now watching us and moving Jack around to capture different angles, Mom is on the phone.

Really? The most important and wonderful moment of my life and my mom is on the phone? New Laura can’t allow this to stand.

“Mom! I’m getting engaged over here.”

Mom looks up, tears streaming down her face and worry etched on her brow. “Hon, I’m sorry. I’m so, so happy for you two. Really, I am. It’s just—” She sniffles, and the irritation dies within me.

“What’s wrong?” I ask.

Trust Desiree to capture this entire thing on camera. It will probably garner millions of views.

“Oh, hon,” Mom says, still clutching her phone. “It’s Bobby. He’s hurt. He’s coming home.”

Does Laura’s cooking make your mouth water? You can get a free electronic copy of her cookbook! Buy some extra butter, put on your comfiest apron, and click here .

I know you thought Frannie’s book might be next, but trust me, more groveling needs to happen first. Get ready for the swoon-worthy Win Me Over .

Bobby Marshall, hockey superstar, has just suffered a near career-ending head injury. The only place to go is back home to St. Olaf. Emma Larson, prickly local bookstore owner, has enough demons in her past. She doesn’t need Bobby Frickin’ Marshall swanning in and waving his hockey stick around. But whether it’s arm wrestling or skate offs, these two rivals slowly chip away at the other’s insecurity and find the deep trust within.

Getting to this happily ever after means war.

If you like rivals to lovers, lots of banter, fun and games, matchmaking aunties and two people who are destined for each other, start reading Win Me Over now.