Purrfectly Pretend Bonus
This is a bonus epilogue for readers of Purrfectly Pretend. It is best read after you’ve finished the entire novel.
Josie
Juniper Falls, another year later…
“Hold still, dear,” Aunt Hazel murmurs, her fingers deftly weaving tiny white flowers into my upswept hair. “One more… there.” She steps back, satisfaction warming her eyes as she studies her handiwork. “Perfect.”
The woman in the mirror almost doesn’t look like me. Hair elegantly arranged, makeup subtle but enhancing, cheeks flushed with a combination of excitement and nerves. The vintage lace dress we found in an Ashville boutique three months ago fits as if it was made for me, the delicate pattern catching the late afternoon light that streams through Hazel’s bedroom window.
“What do you think?” I ask, smoothing the skirt with suddenly trembling hands.
“I think,” Hazel says, her voice thick with emotion, “that you’re the most beautiful bride this town has ever seen.”
A knock at the door interrupts the moment. Emily pokes her head in, already dressed in her maid of honor gown of soft blue.
“Five minutes until we need to head down,” she announces. “And Josie? You might want to see what’s happening in the garden.”
Curiosity piqued, I move to the window overlooking Hazel’s backyard. What I see takes my breath away.
The transformation is complete. Rows of white chairs line a path strewn with flower petals. White gauzy fabric draped between trees creates the suggestion of walls, shimmering in the golden light of early evening. Fairy lights twinkle from every available surface, ready to illuminate the ceremony as dusk falls. At the end of the aisle stands a simple arch entwined with wildflowers and greenery. The same arch, I realize with a pang of emotion, that stood in Hazel’s garden the night Gray and I had our first real conversation.
But it’s the people that truly make the scene magical. It seems like the entire town has turned out, dressed in their finest, chatting and laughing as they find their seats. Mrs. Peterson directs traffic with authoritative waves, her hat festooned with what appears to be an entire flower garden. Dave helps an elderly couple to their seats while their grandchildren race around, barely contained excitement in their movements.
And there, at the front, stands Gray.
Even from this distance, I can see how handsome he looks in his suit, hands clasped behind his back as he speaks with—
“Is that Dr. Anderson?” I gasp, spotting the familiar silver-haired figure beside my soon-to-be husband.
“Flew in from New Zealand yesterday,” Hazel confirms with a satisfied smile. “Gray wanted it to be a surprise.”
“He came all this way for the wedding?” I blink back unexpected tears.
“He wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” Hazel says, coming to stand beside me at the window. “That young man of yours may have started here temporarily, but he’s made quite the impression.”
“He certainly has,” I agree softly, watching as Gray laughs at something Dr. Anderson says. The sight of him relaxed and joyful, completely at home in this small town that was supposed to be just a stepping stone, fills me with a warmth that reaches to my toes.
Two years ago, I walked into a veterinary clinic with a cardigan full of abandoned kittens and found myself claiming a complete stranger as my boyfriend. Now, I’m about to make that fake relationship gloriously, permanently real.
Life has the strangest way of working out.
“This,” Hazel says, pulling a small velvet box from her pocket, “is for you. Something borrowed.”
Inside rests a delicate silver pin shaped like a cat, its eyes two tiny emerald chips. “It was your grandmother’s,” Hazel explains. “She wore it on her wedding day. I thought it appropriate, given how you and Gray found each other.”
“It’s perfect,” I whisper as she pins it to the satin ribbon at my waist. “Thank you.”
Another knock at the door heralds Emma, my favorite former student, now in third grade. She wears a blue dress that matches Emily’s and holds a basket filled with rose petals. Beside her stands Tyler, solemn in his role as keeper of Blossom, who looks remarkably dignified in her floral collar despite being held perhaps a bit too tightly.
“Ms. Monroe!” Emma exclaims. “You look like a princess!”
“Thank you, Emma.” I bend to stroke Blossom, who purrs in recognition. “And thank you for taking such good care of our flower cat.”
“She tried to eat her flowers twice,” Tyler reports seriously. “But I stopped her.”
“Good job.” I straighten, taking a deep breath. “Is Midnight ready with the rings?”
“Mr. Dave has her by the back door,” Emma confirms. “She keeps trying to hide under the chairs, but the ribbon looks really pretty on her.”
The thought of our formerly tiny rescue kitten, now a sleek adult cat, serving as ring bearer sends a bubble of laughter rising in my chest. Gray had insisted on it. She brought us together, she should be part of making it official.
“It’s time,” Hazel says gently, handing me my bouquet of wildflowers—the same varieties Gray and I had planted in the community garden last spring. “Are you ready?”
Am I ready? To marry the man who appeared in my life when I least expected it? Who helped me save five tiny lives and, in the process, showed me what real partnership feels like? Who chose small-town life and me over the prestigious career he’d been working toward for years?
“More than ready,” I answer, my voice steady with certainty.
The walk from Hazel’s house to the garden takes only moments. At the entrance to the makeshift aisle, my students line up in their assigned order. First the youngest ones who will scatter flower petals, then Emma with Blossom, then Emily. From somewhere, the soft strains of violin music begin to play.
And then, as if in a dream, we’re moving. The faces that turn to watch our procession are all familiar—neighbors, parents of my students, clinic clients, friends. Mrs. Davidson dabs at her eyes with a handkerchief. Mr. Harrison from the hardware store gives me a wink and a thumbs up. Even Mrs. Peterson—whose mistaken assumption started this whole journey—looks genuinely moved.
Tyler walks with careful dignity, occasionally whispering something to Blossom, who surveys the proceedings with feline superiority from her basket. When they reach the front, he places Blossom carefully in her designated spot—a small cushion beside where Midnight waits with Dave, looking distinctly unimpressed with the ribbon and tiny pillow attached to her collar.
And then it’s just me, standing at the beginning of the flower-strewn path, my gaze locked with Gray’s.
The expression on his face steals my breath—a look of such wonder and love that I feel it like a physical touch. Gone is the reserved, serious doctor I first met. In his place stands a man fully present, fully open, watching me as if I’m a miracle he never expected to find.
Each step down the aisle feels both surreal and intensely present. The gentle weight of my dress. The sweet scent of wildflowers. The warmth of the setting sun on my shoulders. The faces of friends and neighbors smiling as I pass. But most of all, Gray’s eyes never leaving mine, as if afraid I might disappear if he looks away.
When I reach him, he takes my hands in his, and I feel the slight tremble in his fingers that matches my own.
“Hi,” he whispers, just for me.
“Hi yourself,” I whisper back.
The ceremony begins, but I’m only half aware of the words. Instead, I’m caught in the gravity of this moment—standing before our community, making real what began as pretend.
When it’s time for our vows, Gray speaks first, his voice clear and steady despite the emotion I can see in his eyes.
“Josie,” he begins, “when I came to Juniper Falls, I had my life mapped out with the precision of a surgical plan. Three months here, then back to Boston for the fellowship I’d worked toward for years. Simple. Orderly. Certain.” His thumb brushes over my knuckles. “Then you walked into my clinic with a cardigan full of kittens and completely derailed my careful plans in the best possible way.”
Ripples of laughter move through the audience.
“Our relationship may have started as an impulsive lie,” he continues, “but it became the most honest thing in my life. You taught me that the best plans are the ones with room for the unexpected. That the most valuable work isn’t always the most prestigious. That home isn’t a place on a map but a feeling you create with the people you love.”
Tears blur my vision, but I blink them back, not wanting to miss a moment of his face as he speaks.
“I promise to build our life together with the same care we gave those five tiny kittens—with patience, with dedication, with a willingness to lose sleep when necessary.” This earns another gentle laugh from the audience. “I promise to choose us, every day, over any other path that might appear. And I promise to never forget how lucky I am that you claimed me as your boyfriend that day, even if it was just to escape your aunt’s matchmaking.”
“Hey!” Hazel’s mock indignant voice calls from the front row, and everyone laughs, including me through my tears.
When it’s my turn, I take a deep breath, centering myself in this perfect moment.
“Gray,” I begin, “I’ve always been the impulsive one. The one who leaps before looking, who follows her heart without consulting her head. It’s gotten me into trouble more than once.” I smile at him. “But the day I claimed you as my boyfriend was the best impulsive decision I’ve ever made.”
His eyes crinkle at the corners, the way they do when he’s truly happy.
“You weren’t part of my plan either,” I continue. “I was content with my classroom, my quiet cottage, my independent life. I didn’t know I was waiting for someone until you. Someone who balances my impulsiveness with thoughtfulness, who challenges me to be better while accepting me exactly as I am.”
I squeeze his hands gently. “I promise to continue leaping with you, even when the path isn’t clear. I promise to create a home where both of us can grow, where we can save as many kittens—or puppies, or turtles, or whatever comes our way—as we can handle. I promise to remind you, on the hard days, why small-town medicine matters just as much as big-city fellowships.”
His eyes shine with unshed tears, and I feel my own threatening again.
“And I promise to love you—the real you, not the temporary placeholder you thought you were when you arrived, but the man who chose to stay, who found his place here, with me and Midnight and Blossom and whatever other strays find their way to our door.”
As if on cue, Midnight chooses this moment to meow loudly, apparently done with her ceremonial duties. The timing is so perfect that laughter ripples through the gathering again, breaking the emotional tension.
Dave steps forward with Midnight, who looks distinctly relieved to have the rings removed from her collar. When Gray slides the band onto my finger, joining it with the vintage sapphire engagement ring that once belonged to his grandmother, I feel the weight of history and future combined—of choices made and paths chosen that led us here, to this moment, to each other.
“By the power vested in me,” the officiant says, “I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
When Gray kisses me, it feels like both an ending and a beginning. The closing of one chapter and the opening of another. Around us, cheers erupt, and I’m vaguely aware of Blossom making a break for freedom from her basket, Emma and Tyler darting after her with delighted squeals.
But all I can really focus on is Gray—my husband—holding me close as if he never intends to let go.
“How does it feel, Mrs. Hayes?” he whispers against my ear, his breath warm on my skin.
“Perfect,” I tell him, meaning it completely. “Absolutely perfect.”
Because what began with five abandoned kittens and one impulsive lie has become the truest thing I’ve ever known.
Not bad for a temporary arrangement.
***
Fairy lights transform Hazel’s garden into an enchanted wonderland as dusk settles over Juniper Falls. Paper lanterns sway gently in the evening breeze, casting a warm glow over tables draped in white linen and decorated with wildflower centerpieces. The air smells of jasmine and honeysuckle, mingling with the mouthwatering aroma of the buffet dinner being served at the edge of the garden.
Gray’s hand rests comfortably at the small of my back as we make our way between tables, stopping to accept congratulations, share laughs, and thank everyone for coming. The simple gold band on his finger catches the light each time he gestures, sending a thrill through me every time I notice it.
My husband. The words still feel surreal, yet perfectly right.
“There you are!” A booming voice cuts through the gentle hum of conversation. Dr. Anderson approaches, his tan from months in New Zealand making his silver hair appear even brighter. “I was beginning to think I wouldn’t get a moment with the bride!”
“Dr. Anderson.” I accept his warm embrace. “I still can’t believe you came all this way.”
“And miss seeing this one—” he claps Gray on the shoulder, “—finally make the smartest decision of his life? Not a chance.” His eyes twinkle with affection. “Though I must say, when I suggested he consider settling in Juniper Falls, I didn’t expect him to take it quite so literally.”
“You suggested he stay?” I glance at Gray, who has the grace to look slightly sheepish.
“Mentioned it might be a good fit,” Dr. Anderson clarifies. “The boy was too stubborn to admit it initially. All ‘Boston this’ and ‘fellowship that.'” He mimics Gray’s more formal tone with startling accuracy, making me laugh.
“I came around eventually,” Gray defends himself, his arm slipping around my waist.
“Yes, well.” Dr. Anderson’s expression softens. “Some lessons take longer to learn than others. The important ones usually do.”
A sharp ping of silverware against glass interrupts us as Dave calls for everyone’s attention. “If you’ll all find your seats, we have a special presentation before dinner.”
Gray looks as puzzled as I feel as we make our way to the head table. On a screen set up near the dance floor, an image appears—a living room we don’t recognize, with a family gathered on a sofa.
“Hello, Dr. Hayes and Ms. Monroe—I mean, Mrs. Hayes!” a familiar voice calls from the speakers. The Wilsons, who adopted Patches, wave enthusiastically from their living room. Curled in their daughter’s lap is a sleek calico cat, now fully grown but unmistakably our adventurous Patches.
“We wanted to wish you congratulations,” Mrs. Wilson continues. “Patches is doing wonderfully, as you can see. She’s the queen of the house!”
The screen changes to another family—the Thompsons with Marmalade and Ginger, both orange tabbies lounging regally on a cat tree.
“Happy wedding day!” the twins chorus, each holding up a cat. “Marmalade and Ginger say meow!”
One by one, each of our original five kittens makes an appearance, their adoptive families sharing updates and well-wishes. When Midnight’s original siblings have all been accounted for, a final image appears—a collage of all five cats alongside photos of them as the tiny, fragile kittens we first rescued.
“From little beginnings…” text appears across the screen, “…to happily ever after.”
Tears blur my vision as the lights come up. Gray’s hand finds mine under the table, squeezing gently.
“Surprise,” Emily says, grinning from her seat beside me. “We’ve been planning this for weeks.”
“It’s perfect,” I manage, dabbing at my eyes with my napkin. “Thank you.”
Dinner passes in a blur of delicious food, flowing champagne, and constant interruptions as guests stop by to offer congratulations. Blossom makes herself the center of attention, prowling from table to table in her floral collar, accepting treats and pets with imperious grace. Midnight, freed from her ring-bearer duties, has claimed a spot under Hazel’s chair, emerging occasionally to investigate interesting smells from plates above.
As coffee and dessert are served, Dr. Anderson rises, tapping his glass for attention. A hush falls over the gathering.
“For those who don’t know me, I’m Robert Anderson, the previous proprietor of what is now Hayes Veterinary Clinic.” His voice carries clearly through the garden. “When I decided to take a sabbatical last year, I needed someone I could trust with my practice and my patients. Gray Hayes came highly recommended—brilliant clinician, impeccable credentials, dedicated work ethic.”
He turns to look at us, his expression warm. “What his references failed to mention was his capacity for growth. For connection. For recognizing when life offers something more valuable than the next impressive credential.”
Gray’s hand tightens around mine beneath the table.
“I’ve practiced medicine for over forty years,” Dr. Anderson continues. “And I’ve learned that the most important skill any doctor can develop isn’t found in textbooks or research journals. It’s the ability to see beyond the symptoms to the whole patient—and beyond the patient to the whole community.”
He raises his glass. “Gray, you’ve become the kind of veterinarian this town deserves. Juniper Falls is lucky to have you. But not nearly as lucky as you are to have found Josie.” His eyes twinkle. “To the happy couple—may your partnership be as successful as the one that saved five very fortunate kittens.”
“To Gray and Josie!” The toast echoes around the garden as glasses clink.
As Dr. Anderson takes his seat, I notice Gray’s parents approaching our table. They arrived this morning, barely making it to the ceremony, and we haven’t had a chance to speak properly yet.
“Mom, Dad.” Gray stands, his expression warm as they reach us. “I’m so glad you could make it.”
“We wouldn’t have missed it,” his mother says, embracing him. Her elegant appearance speaks of the professional Boston world Gray left behind, but her smile is genuine. “The ceremony was lovely.”
“And this must be Josie.” Gray’s father extends his hand to me. “We’ve heard so much about you.”
“All good things, I hope.” I stand to greet them properly.
“Better than good.” Mrs. Hayes studies me with eyes the same shade as Gray’s. “You’re the woman who helped our son find his place in the world.”
“I think he found that himself,” I say, glancing at Gray. “I just happened to be here when he did.”
“With five kittens and a very timely lie,” Gray adds with a smile. “Don’t downplay your role.”
His parents exchange a glance I can’t quite interpret.
“We owe you an apology,” Gray’s father says after a moment. “We weren’t… entirely supportive when Gray told us he was staying in Juniper Falls. Giving up the fellowship seemed—”
“Reckless,” his mother supplies. “We thought he was making an impulsive decision.”
“But seeing him today,” Mr. Hayes continues, “seeing this place, these people… We understand now.”
“There’s more than one path to a fulfilling life,” Mrs. Hayes adds, her gaze softening as she takes in the festive garden, the townspeople dancing and laughing together.
I think of the path that led me here—from an impulsive lie to save face, to bottle-feeding tiny kittens at 2 a.m., to falling in love with a man who was supposed to be temporary—and can’t help but agree.
“Sometimes the unexpected paths are the best ones,” I say.
Gray’s arm slips around my waist. “Definitely the best ones.”
After his parents move on to find their table, Gray leads me away from the crowd, toward a quiet corner of the garden where lantern light barely reaches. In the shadows of blooming lilacs, he draws me close, his forehead resting against mine.
“Happy?” he asks softly.
“Impossibly so.” I smile up at him. “Are you?”
“More than I knew was possible.” His thumb traces the curve of my cheek. “A year ago, I was packing to leave. Now I can’t imagine being anywhere else.”
From the direction of the dance floor, Hazel’s voice rises above the music, calling for the couple’s first dance. But for a moment longer, we stay hidden in our quiet corner, suspended in a private bubble of happiness.
“They waited for us,” Gray says eventually. “I suppose we should go dance.”
“I suppose we should.” But neither of us moves.
“Thank you,” he says suddenly, his voice low and sincere.
“For what?”
“For claiming me as your boyfriend that day. For seeing something in me I couldn’t see in myself.” His eyes hold mine in the dim light. “For making what started as pretend into something real.”
Instead of answering with words, I rise on tiptoe to kiss him—my husband, my partner, the man who chose to stay when leaving would have been easier.
The music changes as we finally make our way to the dance floor, the opening notes of “At Last” drawing appreciative murmurs from the crowd. Gray takes my hand, leading me into a simple waltz that we practiced in my living room for weeks, Midnight and Blossom weaving figure-eights around our legs.
As we move together under the stars, the faces of our friends and neighbors blur into a circle of light and love surrounding us. Hazel watches with undisguised satisfaction, Mrs. Peterson dabs at her eyes with a handkerchief, and Dr. Anderson beams like a proud father.
“By the way,” Gray murmurs as he spins me gently. “I’ve been thinking about the clinic.”
“Oh?” My hand rests comfortably on his shoulder, where it feels like it has always belonged.
“The old storage building out back. It would make a perfect space for a permanent rescue center.”
I pull back slightly to see his face. “Are you serious?”
“Completely.” His smile is soft in the golden light. “I was thinking we could call it ‘Second Chances.'”
“For the animals?” I ask.
“For the animals,” he agrees. “And for the veterinarian who found his home when he least expected it.”
As the music swells around us, I lay my head on his shoulder, breathing in the familiar scent of him—now mingled with the flowers from the garden and the subtle notes of champagne. In my peripheral vision, I catch a glimpse of Blossom perched regally on an empty chair, watching the proceedings with feline dignity, her floral collar askew but still intact.
Five abandoned kittens. One impulsive lie. A love that grew from pretend to real. Not the path either of us planned, but infinitely better than anything we could have imagined.
And as Gray and I dance beneath the stars, surrounded by the town that became our home and the people who became our family, I know with absolute certainty: sometimes the best kind of love is the kind that catches you completely by surprise.
Just like five tiny kittens in a cardigan.
*** The End ***
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading Purrfectly Pretend and this little bonus epilogue. Ready for more? I recommend you check out the Alphabet Sweetheart series that takes place in Juniper Falls. You’ve met a few recurring characters like Hazel already.
And if you’re ready for more sweet, swoony and a little funny, check out my latest series – The Callahans of Elk Ridge.
Happy Reading!