Page 102 of Mountain Defender

The woman I’ve waited all my life for.

My first and forever love.

EPILOGUE

3 MONTHS LATER

RORY

I can’t getover how cute the dogs are.

Everywhere I look, there’s another dog in an adorable costume, each one led by one of my friends or shelter volunteers.

Charlie is dressed up as a hot dog, his stubby little legs barely visible as he snuffles along the floor, searching for food.

Daisy is a little princess, complete with a sparkly tiara and frilly dress, prancing proudly at the end of a leash held by Mrs. Adamson, who’s wearing a crown to match.

Enzo and Winter are escorting Comet and Rusty; the two dogs looking absurdly proud to be dressed up as little superheroes.

Dewey is in a little Army costume, which might be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. It was sent by Georgia, who specially made it for the occasion. She also sent matching outfits for Toby and Elmore, who are trotting around as two oversized tacos.

Everywhere I look, there’s a dog here for the celebration. Some of them already adopted, like Mrs. Adamson’s Daisy, and Bandit and Charlie, who now have a permanent home with Max. Then there are the dogs still looking for homes, which, judgingby theawwsand adoring looks from the guests, will hopefully find them soon.

It’s not just the dogs decked out in their Halloween best, but all the people, too. While the flyers said costumes were optional, almost everyone is wearing something. Some costumes are elaborate, like Lark and Knox’s—Lark as a red-headed Cleopatra and Knox gamely dressed as Marc Antony. Others are more low-key, like Ronan as a vampire and Alec a transitioning zombie. When I saw Alec walk into the party wearing normal clothes and no makeup, I had to ask if he was supposed to be something.

He just grinned at me before gesturing to the flecks of red on his shirt and the fake bite-mark on his neck. “I was just bitten,” he explained. “So I’m not a full zombie yet. Maybe tomorrow.”

Honestly, I don’t care what people wear, as long as they’re having a good time. After all, that’s what the first annual Boos and Barks celebration is; a chance to show off the adoptable dogs and raise awareness about the shelter.

As I’m looking around the firehouse—the firefighters generously offered their space for the occasion—an arm slips around my waist. “Hey, baby. How’s it going?”

I’d know it was Gage without him saying anything. All it takes is a whiff of his ubiquitous scent and the strong but gentle way he touches me. And there’s just this frisson of electricity when I’m near him, something that hasn’t gone away even after six months of dating.

More than dating, really. We live together. Love each other. And except for the times Gage has to travel for a job for Green Mountain Guardians, we spend every night cuddled up in bed together.

And I couldn’t be happier. Sometimes I wake up feeling like I should pinch myself to make sure it’s all real.

Me. The woman who thought being on her own was the safest thing, now surrounded by more love than I could have ever imagined.

Gage. Our dogs. Isla and Matt and little Dove, who made the trip to Vermont to be a part of the celebration. Enzo and Winter. Knox and Lark. Alec. Ronan. Alice, who’s become a good friend. Max, who I discovered is really a big softie beneath his tough exterior. Georgia and Leo, with Lily in tow, clutching a stuffed dog and shouting “Doggie. I want doggie!” every time another fuzzy face goes by.

Devin and Mal are here, all the way from Colorado. Nora and Jack came up from Sleepy Hollow, along with Leo and Georgia. Webb and Sam are here, too, and I’ve noticed Sam eyeing Hans, a German Shepherd mix, so I have hopes he’ll end up bringing the dog back to White Plains with him.

And then there are the people here who I thought might not come.

Emily. After weeks of not speaking, she finally arrived at my house in a flood of tears, sobbing as she apologized over and over. She explained how guilty she felt, how she blamed herself for not noticing Wade’s suspicious behavior, finally confessing, “I know I haven’t been the best sister. I let you down. Over and over. And I’m so, so sorry about what Wade did to you. If you could possibly give me a chance, I’d like to try again. If you’ll let me.”

There are some hurts that haven’t healed yet, but after everything, she’s still my sister. And now, she’s the one who needs support. Living in a small apartment in Salem, working her way back up from the bottom at a new accounting firm, and still trying to come to terms with a terrible betrayal.

It’s like I told Gage after Emily left that day. Holding a grudge won’t make anything better. It won’t change the past. And rightnow, Emily’s alone. Hurting. How could I not offer her my support?

Are we best friends? No. We probably never will be. But we’re working on things. We talk on the phone. And today, she pushed past her worries about being judged as the soon-to-be ex wife of Wade to be here. To supportme.

“I think everything is going really well,” I tell Gage. Stretching up, I kiss his chin, bristly with a five-o’clock shadow. “It looks like the food’s a success, thanks to the donations from Breakfast Bliss and Blissful Brews. And the dogs seem to be loving the little biscuits, too.”

Gage looks across the room to the table with the sign announcing,Doggie Dinner, loaded with biscuits shaped like pumpkins and ghosts and witches. Flora, a little poodle newly adopted by the local doctor, Garrett Ryan, and his daughter, Glory, makes a running leap for the table before Garrett intercepts her.

Chuckling, Gage says, “Maybe we should have put a fence around the dog buffet. Just in case.”

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