Wild Love (The Wilde Brothers #1)

Epilogue

SCARLETT

On the way from the airport to Telluride, I called the director in Tennessee to let him know that I'd decided to stay on as the director of the theater in town. He'd been surprisingly understanding, and the entire time, I felt like I was making the right decision.

My friends and family were in Telluride, not Tennessee. I didn't have the urge to leave anymore. In fact, it was actually painful to go to the airport. I couldn't imagine living in Tennessee when everyone I loved was here in Colorado.

I had no idea what I'd do for work, but I was hopeful I could figure something out. I hadn’t processed that I owned the theater. But I could lead classes at the library or community center. There were numerous possibilities.

I'd just hoped that Eli hadn't truly moved on. The moment I turned to find him crossing the street, my heart leaped into my throat. What if he said he didn't love me anymore? What if it was just a temporary fling after all?

I couldn’t believe my family and friends had worked together to convince me to stay. They helped me realize everything I was leaving behind .

After talking to Eli, he'd insisted on showing me something.

I wasn't sure where he was taking me, but I was looking forward to spending the day with Eli. I no longer had a job or a place to live, but for the first time, I wasn't worried. I'd figure it out.

He drove onto the resort's property, stopping to grab a picnic basket and a bottle of champagne at the lodge, then kept going past where the road ended. It was bumpy, but I trusted that Eli knew what he was doing. He finally parked at the edge of the woods.

"We have to walk from here." He grabbed the basket and held out his hand to me.

I intertwined my fingers with his. "Where are you taking me?"

"I found a special spot for us. It has the perfect view."

I never thought I'd enjoy nature as much as I had since I returned home. Eli's passion for hiking and other outdoor activities had rubbed off on me. Not that I'd ever jump out of a plane. I wasn’t that crazy.

We walked for about thirty minutes before we came to a clearing at the top of the mountain. I was breathing heavily by the time we stopped. I wiped the sweat from my brow and drank from the water Eli had grabbed from the lodge.

He set the basket down on a nearby boulder.

"This is what you wanted to show me?"

He crossed the space to stand in front of me. "You remember those blueprints I had?”

"The ones on your dining room table the other night?" I asked, my stomach dropping. We hadn't discussed our plans outside of telling each other how we felt. I wasn't sure if Eli's ideas for his future included me.

"This is the spot Mac chose for the house. It's private but still close enough to the lodge for me to keep an eye on things."

"This is perfect." I was happy that he'd decided to take the next step in his life to build a home. He'd said something about filling that house with kids though. Did he see me living there eventually?

"When I was looking at the blueprints, I guessed at what you might want in your dream home, but I wasn't sure."

I tipped my head to the side as he pulled out a folded piece of paper. "I thought you were planning the house for yourself."

"I hoped you'd live with me here. Every time I imagined myself coming home, it was always to you."

My heart contracted. "What if I’d moved to Tennessee and didn't come back?"

"I would have followed you and asked you to reconsider, maybe even suggested long-distance, but I never lost hope that you felt the same way about this place that I did." His expression was so earnest; I didn't doubt what he was saying.

"That was quite the gamble." I moved closer to him, needing to touch him.

He lowered his head so that his lips were hovering over mine. "But it all worked out in the end."

I closed the distance between us, kissing him like he was mine because he was. There were no more questions about our future. Whatever we planned, we'd do it together.

When we finally pulled away, I smiled. "Now tell me your plans."

We moved to sit on the boulder with the view of the lodge and resort below. Up here, it was like we were in our own world. Similar to the penthouse but so much better. This is where I'd live. There were no more motels in my future.

"I thought we'd have at least five bedrooms. That way my brothers could stay overnight, or even your parents. And when we're ready to have kids?—"

"We'll have plenty of space." I hadn't thought about kids before, but with Eli it felt like anything was possible.

We talked through our dream list of items: a soaker tub in the master bath, an outdoor grill area for him, a large family room, and open-concept first floor. It felt like we were building a life together.

“I think we should build a makeshift stage too. A small amphitheater just for us. That way if you get the urge to act, you’ll have something here.”

“I love that idea.” And I loved more that he’d thought of me. He wanted to ensure I was happy here too.

When we had kids, I could see our family acting out plays on the stage. I wondered if Marigold would get her wish for a serious relationship soon too. Then we’d have kids at the same time, and they’d grow up together.

"What are your plans? Have you thought about what you want to do now that you're living in Telluride?” Eli pulled out a container of grapes, cheese, and crackers, then opened the lid for us to snack.

I grabbed a few grapes. "Well, I don't have a place to live. So that's first on my list of things to do. Is my condo still available?"

"That’s reserved,” Eli said.

"I suppose that's to be expected." I had checked out of the lodge after all.

Eli smirked. "But I have room in my place."

"Are you asking me to move in with you?" I paused before grabbing another grape, needing to see his face.

"Unless you want to get your own place. I thought it would be nice if we moved in together. We spend most nights together anyway."

Warmth flooded my chest. "I'd love to move in with you. Now that my living arrangements are taken care of, I need to find a job."

"You own a theater."

I shook my head. "I still can't believe you bought me a theater. "

"I’m going to look into the possibility of declaring it a historical site so that it can never be torn down."

"What a great idea."

"But what are your plans for it?"

"I'd like to continue with children's classes, but what if we did some adult ones too? Even if people don't want to be an actor, there are a lot of people who'd love the outlet that only performing can provide. I could lead classes and even host a performance a few times a year. It wouldn't be anything professional. But I think it could be good for the community."

"I do too. Do you think you could be happy here? I don't want to hold you back if you truly want to do something else or travel."

"I'm excited to own a theater." Before I'd come home, it was something I hadn’t imagined being possible for me, and Eli was the one who made my dream come true.

"The owners wanted someone to buy it who was into the theater and would preserve the building. They'd almost given up on finding anyone until I showed up. The only reason they considered my offer was because of you.”

"That's so sweet."

"They trusted that you'd preserve the theater and bring arts back to Telluride."

"It's a tall order, but I'm excited to try it. And we can travel together. I've never been to Europe, and you know how much I adore the beach."

"I actually won the Sanibel beach house vacation from the auction a few weeks ago. I'm wondering if you'd join me?"

"I'd love to." I sat between his legs, leaning against his chest. We had the rest of our lives to plan out, but for now, I was content being with him here like this, imagining our future together .

Marigold

"You have that book for me?" Chance stood in front of the children's counter of the library in his uniform.

His voice zapped through my body like an electric charge. "Chance."

He moved to sit on the counter, and my cheeks heated. Did he know the effect he had on me? I was on high alert anytime he was nearby, hyperaware of his every movement. I breathed in his scent, a combination of leather and the outdoors.

He cocked a brow with an amused expression. "You said you had a book reserved for me? You thought I'd like it."

My face flamed hotter as I fumbled around under the counter for the book I'd reserved for Chance St. Claire, my best friend's older brother. I'd carefully written his name on a Post it and affixed it to the cover of a thriller. I didn't enjoy thrillers, but I'd read it to ensure it would be a good read. "I already checked it out to you so no one would take it."

Chance winked at me as he accepted the book. "This better be good."

"Reading is such a subjective thing. But it got an average of four and a half stars on the review sites," I said, my words running together. As a police officer, he had better know when someone was nervous. If he were anyone else, I would have assumed it was the uniform that had me on high alert. I was a rule follower after all. But I'd crushed on Chance since I turned thirteen, before I even understood what the feels were, swirling in my stomach.

Chance covered my hand with his, and my heart stuttered. "You researched the reviews for me?"

I blinked up at him. "You wanted a book recommendation. That's how I determine if a book is worth reading. The blurb, cover, reviews, and word-of-mouth recommendations."

Thankfully, he removed his hand, because my heart was racing out of control. "You take your job seriously."

"Don't you?" I shot back, knowing some men thought my job wasn't worthy of their respect. I wasn't in academia like my parents or published. I was just a librarian. I'd heard that more times than I could count.

"But there's something hot about a woman who can talk books." Chance stood then, one hand clutching the book to his side, and the other hand ran over the buttons of his shirt. What would it be like to unbutton them one by one, knowing there were still several layers to go through to get to his sculpted chest and chiseled abs? He'd taken his shirt off enough over the years when I was at his house with his sister, Scarlett, that the image was embedded in my brain.

My eyes narrowed on him. "Are you messing with me right now?"

Chance barked out an amused laugh. "Not at all." Then he sobered. "Why? Did someone say something to you?"

"Some of the guys I've dated recently haven't looked too favorably at my job choice."

"They're obviously idiots."

Then I remembered what he'd said about women who about talk books being attractive. "Did Shelle Taylor in high school talk about books when you were together?"

Chance scoffed. "Wow. I haven't heard her name in forever."

"She's married with three kids and lives right here in town." She was the quintessential popular girl in Chance's grade. She was tall and blond, all the boys wanted her, and Chance had dated her all through high school.

"Yeah, but—I haven't thought about her since we broke up. She didn't want to date a police officer. She wanted someone with an office job. Not that I was interested in anything long-term with her. But thinking back on her… No, she didn't like to read. I've only recently gotten into it."

I stood, gathering my things because the library was set to close in a few minutes. "So you've said."

"You don't believe me?"

"I believe you." I carefully stacked the books I wanted to bring home tonight.

Chance glanced at the cover of the book on top. "You're reading children's books?"

"It's for the Battle of the Books competition. I read the books and create practice questions."

Chance smiled. "That's a great program."

"You know about it?" I asked him.

"We organize security for it, and I've spent some time there myself."

I settled the strap of my bag on my shoulder and picked up the books. When I came around the edge of the counter, Chance met me with his hands held out. "I'll get those for you."

"You don't need to do that," I said, a little flustered that he wanted to carry them for me. I loved men who were chivalrous but only read about them in books. No guys I'd dated held doors open or even paid for the entire check. They all expected me to pay half. Not that I wouldn't offer, but I wanted a man to take care of me in that way even if I had money in the bank. Manners were sexy.

"I'm not going to let you carry ten books to your car."

It was sweet that he'd offered, but I routinely hauled books back and forth between my house and the library. It wasn't like he could be here every day to lighten my load. What would it be like if we were dating? Would he stop by every night at close to walk me to my car?

"Are you alone here?" he asked as we walked past the general circulation desk.

"I'm usually the last one to leave." I was the only employee, it seemed, who didn't have a family to rush home to. So I was given the night and weekend shifts. I didn't have an excuse not to work them.

"Do the others lock the door when they leave?" He gestured to the circulation desk.

"I do that when I walk out."

Chance frowned. "But it's after closing."

The clock indicated closing was five minutes ago. "I don't mind."

"I don't think it's safe. Especially if you're tucked into the children's area and can't see the front door."

"You don't have to worry about me," I said just as Chance stepped in front of me to push open the door. There was a homeless man at the corner of the building. He stopped by every evening, probably because I always remembered to carry food for him.

I moved toward him, pulling out the cheese and crackers I'd saved from my lunch and a bottle of water. "Here you go."

Darren held out two hands to accept the package. "I appreciate that, ma'am."

I frowned at his shabbier-than-usual state. "Are you staying in the shelter tonight? It's getting cold already."

"I'll make my way over there eventually."

"The doors close at nine," I reminded him gently.

"Thank you." His eyes darted toward Chance. "I'll do that."

I frowned when he disappeared into the alleyway. "Darren usually sticks around to talk to me. I think you spooked him."

"You always stop to talk to homeless men?" Chance asked as I led the way to my small SUV.

I'd bought one with four-wheel drive. It was practical for the area. "Darren has been hanging around the library for a while. Sandra doesn't like him to come inside, so I take food out to him."

His forehead wrinkled. "Do you know anything about him?"

"His wife left him about ten years ago, after he lost his job. He hasn't been able to find one since. And you know how it is. You have to have an address to apply for one, or at least contact information. The longer you stay on the streets, the harder it is to get out. I told him about the county programs, but he's too proud to accept help. I can only get him into the shelters because it gets dangerously cold here at night."

"It's not safe to be alone with people like that. You don't know what they're capable of. He's hungry and desperate and might need money for drugs or alcohol."

"I guess I'm willing to take the risk." I couldn't walk past someone who was hungry and cold and do nothing.

"Aren't you worried for your safety?" Chance asked when we reached my SUV.

"I'm not worried about Darren. We're friends." I clicked the locks and took the books from him, setting them in the back seat.

When I turned back to him, he was scanning the empty lot. "I don't like you walking out here alone at night."

"There's plenty of light." I made sure the lights were always working in the lot.

"It would be easy for someone to follow your routine, knowing you're the last to leave, and hide in wait for you."

A shiver ran through my body. "This is Telluride. There hasn't been any crime like that?—"

"There's a first time for everything." He opened the front door for me and gestured for me to get inside. "Turn on the car."

He wanted me to be warm and safe. He was always so nice to me and Scarlett growing up. He never acted like we were too young, and he always looked out for us. When I was younger, it made me long for an older brother of my own. Later, it morphed into something different, something more like hero worship. But Chance would never look at me as anyone more than his sister's friend. He had a strict code of rules he lived by. One that apparently didn't permit him to have serious relationships.

I turned on the engine, adjusting the temperature to high.

Chance leaned on the roof of the car so that his head was inside the vehicle. I couldn't breathe; he was so close. "I wanted to thank you for what you did to convince Scarlett to move here."

"I wanted her to stay as much as anyone. But I'm fairly sure Eli was the hook." Scarlett was my best friend and now Eli's girlfriend. She'd traveled with a theater group since graduation. She'd recently returned home when she lost her job, and I convinced her to direct a children's play. When she got another job offer, I worked on an unconventional plan with Chance and Eli to get her to stay.

Chance shook his head. "I still can't believe my best friend is dating my sister when I asked him to protect her."

"Are you really upset? I thought you'd be happy she was staying in town and building a life here."

"I am happy. It just took me by surprise. I didn't realize that Eli wanted to settle down. Then the next thing I knew he was in love with my sister."

Oh, so it wasn't so much that it was his sister, but that he'd moved onto a different stage of his life, and Chance wasn't ready for it. "You could meet someone too. There's nothing stopping you."

Chance chuckled without any humor. "I can't make any kind of commitment because of my job. My parents' relationship was strained when my dad was working long hours. I saw what it did to my mom. Not to mention how much she worried about his safety and hid it from him."

My heart contracted for him. It was obviously something he'd thought about a lot, and it did nothing to crush my attraction to him. It only made me like him more. "We're not getting any younger."

"Scarlett mentioned something about you wanting to date."

"I haven't had much luck with the local men, so I'm throwing a wider net, getting onto an online dating site."

Chance's brows furrowed. "Those aren't exactly safe. How do you know if the men you meet are good guys?"

"I want a family and kids, and I can't wait forever." My parents were never home, and I didn't have an example of a healthy relationship, but I wanted the perfect family: the doting husband, the rambunctious kids filling my home with joy, and even the dog. I couldn't find anyone who wanted the same things I did and was attracted to me.

"Just be careful." Chance turned away as if he was going to leave. Then he snapped his fingers. "I almost forgot. The guys and I want to create a book club."

"I'm sorry. What did you say?" I couldn't' have heard him correctly. The library and the local book store sponsored numerous book clubs, but I couldn't remember any thirty-something men doing it.

"We need a dedicated time to meet and discuss books. Otherwise, we get to talking about work or women, something else. How do we do that?"

"You could schedule a meeting room in the library. There's a nice one with leather couches and a fireplace on the top floor. Then you could advertise for other members or keep it exclusive to you and your friends."

Chance nodded. "I think we'd like to keep it exclusive for now."

I raised a brow. "Are you worried about what people would say?"

He dropped his head slightly. "Maybe. I don't know."

I knew what kind of conclusions people made about those who preferred reading, say, to real life. But I suspected most women would find a men's book club sexy. "Let me know what date and time, and I'll reserve the room for you."

"If you'd help us with recommendations, that would be amazing too. I don't know what's good. I don't want the guys giving me a hard time because the book I pick is awful."

"I can do that." I was excited to have another reason for us to see each other. I worried that after Scarlett decided to stay, we wouldn't have a reason to meet up anymore or talk on the phone.

"You're the best, Marigold." Chance tapped the roof of the car. "You have a good evening."

"Thanks. You too," I said as he closed the door, enclosing me in the warm space that now spelled like him. The way he'd said I was the best told me he only saw me as a friend. He didn't experience the quickening of his heartbeat or find it difficult to breathe when he was in my presence.

I was a librarian. I preferred reading to going out, and I enjoyed devoting my time to various charities. I wasn't exactly someone men were instantly attracted to.

I sighed as I backed up the car and waved at Chance. He'd wait for me to exit the parking lot before heading to his cruiser. It was just the kind of guy he was. Too bad he'd never be mine.