The Firefighter Who Loved Them Both Bonus
This is a bonus epilogue for readers of The Firefighter Who Loved Them Both. It is best read after you’ve finished the entire novel.
The Firefighter Who Loved Them Both Bonus Epilogue
Owen
I’m wearing a suit.
A real suit, with a jacket and everything, and Mom made me wear dress shoes that are kind of tight. The tie feels weird around my neck, like it’s trying to strangle me, but Mateo showed me how to loosen it a little without Mom noticing.
“You look sharp, buddy,” Mateo says, adjusting his own tie in the mirror. We’re in one of the rooms at Mountain Laurel Lodge, the fancy one with the big windows that look out at the mountains. Mateo’s wearing a suit too, but his is dark gray and looks way more comfortable than mine.
He’s nervous. I can tell because he keeps messing with his tie even though it’s already straight, and he’s checked his pocket like five times to make sure he has his vows.
“You okay?” I ask.
He looks down at me, and his face does that soft thing it does sometimes when he’s being serious. “Yeah. Just want everything to be perfect for your mom.”
“It will be.” I know this because Mom has been planning for like a million years. She has lists for her lists. “She’s been organizing everything forever.”
“That’s true.” He smiles, then crouches down so we’re eye level. “Hey, Owen. I want to ask you something important.”
My stomach does a little flip. Good nervous, not bad nervous. “Okay.”
“After today, I’m going to be your stepdad. Officially.” He puts his hand on my shoulder. “But I want you to know that to me, you’re not my stepson. You’re my son. If that’s okay with you.”
My throat feels tight, but in a good way. “Yeah. That’s okay.”
“Good.” His eyes look kind of wet, which is weird because grown-ups don’t usually cry except when they’re really sad or really happy. I think maybe he’s the happy kind. “I’m really proud to be your dad, Owen. And I’m going to keep showing up for you every single day. I promise.”
“I know.” And I do know. Mateo always shows up. For soccer games and homework help and when I’m scared of thunderstorms. He’s been showing up since before he and Mom got engaged.
There’s a knock on the door, and Johnson sticks his head in. “Ready? Evie says we’re starting in five.”
“Ready,” Mateo says, standing up. He takes a deep breath, then looks at me. “You’ve got the rings?”
I pat my pocket, feeling the little box inside. “Right here.”
“Perfect.” He opens the door wider, and I follow him out into the hallway.
The other firefighters are waiting. Jones and Johnnson and Captain Reynolds and some other guys from the station. They’re all wearing suits too, and they look different without their uniforms. More regular, I guess, but still like firefighters somehow.
“Looking good, Owen,” Jones says, giving me a fist bump.
“Thanks.”
“You ready for the big job?” Johnson asks, grinning. “Walking your mom down the aisle is a pretty important responsibility.”
“I know.” Mom asked me if I wanted to do it, and I said yes right away. She said traditionally the bride’s dad walks her down the aisle, but since Grandpa isn’t here anymore, she’d be honored if I did it. That’s what she said. Honored. Like it was something special that I would be doing her a favor.
“You’re going to do great,” Captain Reynolds says. He’s being extra nice today, which is cool. He even smiled at me earlier, and Captain Reynolds doesn’t smile a lot.
We walk through the lodge, past all the rooms where people stay when they visit, and out toward the back where the ceremony is happening. I can hear music playing. The soft kind that Mom likes, with violins and stuff.
The gazebo is at the end of a path, and there are white chairs set up on both sides with an aisle down the middle. Flowers are everywhere. On the chairs and the gazebo and these big tall things that I don’t know the name for. Everything looks fancy and pretty, like something from one of those movies Mom watches sometimes.
People are already sitting down. Lots of people. I see Toby and his parents in the third row, and he waves at me. I wave back, then remember I’m supposed to be acting grown-up today.
“Okay,” Mateo says quietly, stopping near the gazebo. “This is where I go. You’ll wait with your mom, and when the music changes, that’s when you walk with her. Remember?”
“I remember.” We practiced it yesterday. Twice.
“And then you’ll come stand with me up front, and when it’s time for the rings, you’ll hand them to Captain Reynolds. He’s the best man.”
I nod. I know all this. But Mateo looks like he needs to tell me anyway, so I let him.
“You’re going to be amazing,” he says, then ruffles my hair before walking toward the gazebo.
Johnes gives me a thumbs up as they all head to the front, taking their places. Mateo stands right in the middle, his hands clasped in front of him, and even from here I can tell he’s nervous-excited. The good kind of nervous, like before a soccer game.
“Owen?”
I turn around and almost don’t recognize my mom.
She’s wearing a white dress. It’s not super poofy like princess dresses, but flowy and pretty with lace on the top part. Her hair is done all fancy, with flowers tucked into it, and she’s wearing makeup that makes her look extra pretty but still like Mom.
“Wow,” I say, because I don’t know what else to say.
She laughs, but it sounds kind of shaky. “Is that a good wow or a bad wow?”
“Good. You look really pretty.”
“Thank you, sweetheart.” She crouches down, careful with her dress, and takes both my hands. “Are you ready for this?”
“Are you?”
“I am.” Her eyes are shiny, like she might cry but is trying not to. “I’m about to marry the best man I’ve ever known, and I get to have my favorite person walk me down the aisle. I’d say I’m pretty ready.”
“I’m your favorite person?” I already knew that, but it’s still nice to hear.
“Always.” She kisses my forehead, then stands up. “Okay. When the music changes, we go. Remember, slow steps, and don’t worry if people are looking at us. Just focus on getting to Mateo.”
The music does change, getting louder and more important-sounding. Mom takes a deep breath, then holds out her arm.
“Ready?” she asks.
I hook my arm through hers like we practiced. “Ready.”
We step onto the path, and everyone stands up and turns to look at us. There are so many people. Firefighters and Mom’s friends and people from town and the Callahans who own the lodge. Mrs. Peterson is in the front row, already crying into a tissue.
But I do what Mom said and focus on Mateo.
He’s staring at Mom like she’s the most important thing in the whole world. His eyes are definitely wet now, and he’s got this smile that makes him look happier than I’ve ever seen him. And Mateo is a pretty happy guy.
We walk slowly, and I try not to step on Mom’s dress. The path isn’t that long, but it feels like forever because everyone is watching and the music is so loud and Mom’s hand is shaking a little bit where it’s resting on my arm.
“You okay?” I whisper.
“Perfect,” she whispers back. “Just happy.”
When we finally get to the front, Mateo steps down from the gazebo to meet us. He looks at Mom for a long second, then looks at me.
“Thank you for bringing her to me,” he says quietly, and I can tell he really means it.
“You’re welcome.” I let go of Mom’s arm, and she takes Mateo’s hand instead.
I climb the steps and stand next to Mateo, right where we practiced. Captain Reynolds is on his other side, and all the other firefighters are lined up behind him. On Mom’s side, there’s Sarah and some of her other friends, all wearing matching purple dresses.
The officiant—a lady named Carol who Mom knows from somewhere—starts talking about love and marriage and commitment. Some of it I understand, and some of it uses big words I don’t know. But I can tell it’s important by the way everyone is listening so carefully.
Then she asks Mateo to say his vows.
He pulls a piece of paper from his pocket, and his hands shake a little as he unfolds it. He clears his throat, then starts reading.
“Lila, from the moment I met you, I knew you were different. You were kind and strong and so beautiful it hurt to look at you.” He glances up from the paper, looking right at Mom. “But it was watching you with Owen that made me fall in love with you. The way you loved him, protected him, built a life for him… That’s when I knew you were everything I’d been looking for.”
Mom’s definitely crying now, quiet tears running down her face.
“I promise to love you every day, in the big moments and the small ones,” Mateo continues. “I promise to be your partner, your friend, your safe place. And I promise to love Owen like he’s mine, because he is mine. You both are.” His voice cracks a little. “You’re my family, and I’m never letting that go.”
He folds up the paper, and I can see his hands are still shaking.
Now it’s Mom’s turn. She doesn’t have paper. She memorized hers, which I think is really brave because what if she forgets?
But she doesn’t forget.
“Mateo, I spent a long time thinking I had to do everything alone,” she says, her voice steady even though she’s still crying. “That asking for help meant I was failing. And then you showed up and proved me wrong about everything.”
She squeezes his hands tighter.
“You showed up for Owen. You showed up for me. You kept showing up even when I tried to push you away. You taught me that letting someone in isn’t weakness. It’s the bravest thing I could do.” She takes a shaky breath. “I promise to let you in, every day, even when it’s hard. I promise to build a life with you that’s full of love and laughter and really good food, because you’re an amazing cook.”
People laugh at that, and even Mateo smiles through his tears.
“And I promise to love you exactly as you are,” Mom finishes. “Because you’re exactly who we need. You’re exactly who I need. And I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Carol smiles and says something about rings, and that’s my cue.
I reach into my pocket, pulling out the little box. My hands are sweaty, and for a second I’m scared I’m going to drop it, but I manage to get it open and hand it to Captain Reynolds.
He winks at me, then gives Mateo one of the rings.
Mateo takes Mom’s hand, sliding the ring onto her finger. “With this ring, I marry you.”
Then Mom takes the other ring and does the same thing to Mateo. “With this ring, I marry you.”
“By the power vested in me,” Carol says, smiling big, “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”
Mateo cups Mom’s face with both hands, and they kiss. It’s not gross-gross like when couples kiss in movies with all the slobbery sounds. It’s actually kind of nice, the way they’re smiling against each other’s lips and how Mateo’s so gentle with her.
Everyone starts clapping and cheering, and Mom and Mateo break apart, both of them laughing and crying at the same time.
But then Mateo does something I wasn’t expecting.
He turns to me, holding out his hand. “Come here, buddy.”
I step forward, and he pulls me into a hug. The three of us together. Mom’s on one side, Mateo’s on the other, and I’m in the middle, squished between them in the best way.
“We’re a family now,” Mateo says quietly, just for us. “The three of us. Forever.”
“Forever,” Mom agrees, kissing the top of my head.
And standing there in the middle of my mom and my new dad, with everyone clapping and the sun shining and flowers everywhere, I think this might be the best day ever.
Even if my shoes are still too tight.
After the ceremony, there’s a bunch of standing around while people congratulate Mom and Mateo. Everyone wants to hug them and shake hands and say things like “beautiful ceremony” and “so happy for you.”
I’m standing off to the side with Toby, who snuck over as soon as the official stuff was done.
“That was cool,” Toby says. “Your mom looked really pretty.”
“Yeah.” I loosen my tie a little more. “How much longer until we can eat?”
“I don’t know. My mom said there’s a cocktail hour first, whatever that means.”
“I think it means snacks but not real food.”
“That’s dumb.”
“Yeah.”
We’re debating whether we can sneak inside to find the kitchen when a lady with a big camera approaches us.
“Owen?” She smiles down at me. “I’m Rebecca, the photographer. Your mom said you’d be in the portraits.”
“Okay.” I follow her back toward the gazebo, where Mom and Mateo are already standing.
Rebecca starts positioning people, telling them where to stand and how to smile. She takes pictures of just Mom and Mateo first, and then with the firefighters, and then with Mom’s friends.
“Alright, now let’s do family portraits,” Rebecca says, gesturing for everyone else to step aside.
Mateo immediately reaches for me. “Owen, come here.”
I climb up into the gazebo, standing between Mom and Mateo. Rebecca takes a bunch of pictures. Some where we’re all looking at the camera, some where Mom and Mateo are looking at each other, some where Mateo’s hand is on my shoulder.
“Beautiful,” Rebecca says, checking her camera. “Okay, now just the newlyweds—”
“Owen stays,” Mateo interrupts.
Rebecca blinks. “Oh, I just meant for a few shots of just the two of you. Then we’ll bring him back for more family photos.”
“He stays,” Mateo says firmly. “He’s in all of them.”
Something warm spreads through my chest. Mom’s smiling at Mateo with that look she gets sometimes, the one that means she loves him even more than usual.
“Of course,” Rebecca says quickly, her expression softening. “You’re absolutely right.”
She keeps taking pictures, and I try not to blink too much or look weird. At one point, Mateo lifts me up so I’m sitting on his hip, even though I’m probably too old for that. But I don’t mind. It makes me feel special, being in every single picture.
“These are going to be gorgeous,” Rebecca says finally, lowering her camera. “You three are a beautiful family.”
***
The terrace at Mountain Laurel Lodge is even prettier than the gazebo.
There are lights strung up everywhere, the kind that make everything look warm and golden. Round tables are set up with white tablecloths and flowers in the middle, and there’s a big open space in the center that I think is for dancing later. On one side, there’s a long table with appetizers. There are fancy cheese and crackers and little sandwiches cut into triangles. And on the other side is the cake.
The cake is huge. Three layers with white frosting and flowers that look real but Mom said aren’t because “we’re not eating actual flowers, Owen.” And of course there’s a tiny bride and groom on top.
“Pretty cool, huh?” Toby appears next to me, his eyes wide as he stares at the cake.
“So cool. Do you think they’ll let us have two pieces?”
“Maybe if we’re sneaky about it.”
“Owen!” Sarah waves me over to where she’s sitting with her husband Connor. “Come get some appetizers before dinner starts.”
I grab a plate and load it up with cheese cubes and crackers and some little meatballs on toothpicks. Toby does the same, and we find seats at a table near Sarah and Connor.
Mom and Mateo are making the rounds, talking to people at different tables. Mom looks happy and can’t stop smiling. Mateo hasn’t let go of her hand once since the ceremony ended.
A guy in a fancy vest—one of the lodge staff, I think—starts clinking a glass with a spoon, and everyone gets quiet.
“Ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention please. We’re going to start with a few toasts before dinner is served.”
Captain Reynolds stands up first, his glass of champagne in hand. He looks uncomfortable, like he’d rather be anywhere else, but his voice is steady when he speaks.
“I’m not great with speeches,” he starts, which makes a few people laugh. “But I’ve known Mateo Martinez for a long time, and I can honestly say he’s one of the best firefighters I’ve ever worked with. He’s brave, dedicated, and he never backs down from a challenge.”
He pauses, looking at Mateo and Mom.
“But even more than that, he’s a good man. The kind of man who shows up when he says he will. The kind of man who loves with his whole heart. Lila, Owen, you got one of the best.” He raises his glass higher. “To Mateo and Lila. May your marriage be filled with love, laughter, and many years of happiness.”
“To Mateo and Lila!” everyone echoes, clinking glasses.
I clink my glass of lemonade against Toby’s, feeling very grown-up.
Johnson goes next, telling some funny story about Mateo getting stuck in a chimney during a rescue that makes everyone laugh. Then Sarah talks about how she’s watched Lila transform over the past year, how love brought out a side of her friend she’d always known was there.
“And Owen,” Sarah adds, smiling at me, “you’re getting the best stepdad in the world. Mateo’s lucky to have you, too.”
My cheeks feel hot, but I smile back.
After a few more toasts, Mateo stands up. He looks nervous, his hand gripping his champagne glass tight.
“I’m going to keep this short,” he says, his voice carrying across the terrace. “Because I’m not great at talking in front of crowds, and because I’d rather be celebrating with all of you than listening to myself talk.”
People laugh at that.
“But I do want to say thank you. To everyone who came tonight. To my crew for being my family when I didn’t have one. To the Callahans for making this place so beautiful. And to Sarah and all of Lila’s friends for welcoming me into her life.”
He turns to look at Mom, who’s sitting right next to him.
“Lila, you changed my life. You and Owen both. You showed me what it means to be part of a family, and I’m going to spend every day proving that I deserve that gift.” His voice gets a little rough. “I love you. So much it scares me sometimes. But it’s the best kind of scared.”
Mom stands up and kisses him, and everyone claps and cheers.
When they sit back down, I notice Naomi from the clinic standing near Captain Reynolds’s table. She’s clapping too, smiling at Mom and Mateo, and she keeps glancing at Captain Reynolds,
I watch them for another second, but then the servers start bringing out dinner, and I forget about it because I’m starving.
Dinner is really, really good. There’s chicken that’s so tender it falls apart with my fork, and mashed potatoes that are creamy and buttery, and green beans that actually taste good because they’re cooked with bacon. Toby and I eat fast, racing to see who can finish first, but then we have to wait while the adults eat slowly and talk and talk and talk.
I’m debating whether I can sneak a roll from the bread basket when Mateo appears next to my chair.
“Owen, can I borrow you for a minute?”
“Um. Okay.”
I follow him away from the tables, toward a quieter corner of the terrace. Mom’s already there, waiting with that soft smile she gets when she’s really happy.
“What’s going on?” I ask.
Mateo crouches down so we’re eye level. “I have something for you.”
He pulls a small box from his pocket. It’s not like the ring box from earlier. This one is flat and rectangular, wrapped in blue paper.
“What is it?”
“Open it and see.”
I tear off the paper carefully, because Mom always says not to just rip into presents. Inside is a box, and inside the box is a watch. A real one, with a brown leather band and a face that has numbers and smaller dials.
“Whoa,” I breathe.
“It was my dad’s,” Mateo says quietly. “My grandfather gave it to him when he turned eighteen, and my dad gave it to me when I graduated from the fire academy.” He helps me take it out of the box. “And now I’m giving it to you.”
“But—” I look up at him. “I’m only eight.”
“I know. And you’re going to have to grow into it a little bit. But I wanted you to have it today, on the day we became a family.” He fastens it around my wrist, and it’s way too big, sliding around loosely. “It’s a promise, Owen. I’m promising that I’m going to be here to see you grow into it. To see you grow up. And when you’re old enough, maybe you’ll pass it on to your own kid someday.”
My throat feels tight. “Really?”
“Really.” He rests his hand on my shoulder. “You’re my son now. And this watch is proof that you’re part of my family. Part of our family. Forever.”
I throw my arms around his neck, hugging him hard. The watch slides down my arm, bumping against my elbow, but I don’t care.
“Thank you, Dad” I mumble into his shoulder.
“You’re welcome, buddy.” He hugs me back just as tight, and when I pull away, Mom is wiping her eyes.
“Come here, sweetheart.” She pulls me into a hug too, kissing the top of my head. “I love you so much.”
“Love you too, Mom.”
“Now,” Mateo says, standing up and offering Mom his hand, “I believe I owe my wife a dance.”
The DJ announces the first dance, and everyone clears space in the middle of the terrace. Mateo leads Mom onto the floor, and the music starts. Something slow and pretty that I don’t know the name of.
They sway together, and even though I know they’re just dancing, it looks like something more. Like they’re having their own private conversation without words. Mateo spins Mom under his arm, and she laughs, the sound carrying across the terrace. When he pulls her back in, he says something I can’t hear, and Mom’s eyes go all soft.
“That’s sweet,” Sarah murmurs from somewhere behind me.
“That’s gross,” Toby whispers, and I try not to laugh.
But actually, it’s not that gross. It’s kind of nice, seeing Mom so happy. Seeing Mateo look at her like she’s the most important person in the world.
The song ends, and everyone claps. The DJ says something about everyone joining them on the dance floor, but first there’s cake.
Finally.
The cake gets wheeled to the center of the terrace on a special cart, and everyone gathers around to watch Mom and Mateo cut it. They pose for pictures with the knife, and then Mateo feeds Mom a bite of cake while everyone claps.
Mom feeds Mateo a bite too, and I’m worried she’s going to smash it in his face like in those videos online, but she doesn’t. She’s nice about it, and Mateo kisses her after, probably because the cake tastes good.
Then the cake gets cut up for real, and servers start bringing slices to all the tables.
When mine arrives, I just stare at it for a second. It’s even better up close—white cake with some kind of cream filling and buttercream frosting. There are tiny sugar flowers on top of my slice.
“This is the best cake I’ve ever seen,” Toby says reverently.
We dig in at the same time, and he’s right. It’s amazing. Sweet but not too sweet, and the filling tastes like vanilla and something else I can’t name.
“Good, right?” Mateo appears behind me, his own plate of cake in hand. He slides into the empty chair next to mine.
“So good,” I manage around a mouthful.
“Your mom picked it out. She has excellent taste.” He takes a bite, nodding appreciatively. “In cake and in husbands.”
I roll my eyes, but I’m smiling. “That was a bad joke.”
“It was a great joke.” He ruffles my hair. “Just wait until you’re older. You’ll appreciate my humor more.”
“I doubt it.”
He laughs, and we eat our cake in comfortable silence.
When I finish my first slice, I look hopefully at the cake table. There’s still so much left.
“Go ahead,” Mateo says, reading my mind. “But that’s your limit. Two pieces.”
“Thanks!” I’m already heading back for seconds, Toby right behind me.
***
After cake, the real dancing starts.
The music gets louder and faster, and suddenly everyone is on the dance floor. Archer is doing some kind of weird move that makes Ivy laugh, and Jones is spinning his girlfriend around in circles. Even Captain Reynolds is dancing. Sort of. He’s swaying back and forth near the edge of the floor, and Naomi is next to him, doing the same thing.
“Come on!” Toby grabs my arm, pulling me toward the crowd.
We dance to fast songs and slow songs and songs I’ve heard on the radio. My feet hurt from the tight dress shoes, and my suit jacket got abandoned on a chair somewhere, but I don’t care.
This is the best party I’ve ever been to.
At some point, the chicken dance starts playing, and suddenly everyone is flapping their arms and wiggling their hips. It’s supposed to be for little kids, but even the adults are doing it. Johnson is doing it wrong on purpose, making everyone laugh. Mom pulls me into the dance, her dress swishing around both of us. And when Mateo joins in, flapping his arms like an actual chicken while I crack up, I think this might be my favorite moment of the whole day.
We dance for what feels like hours. The sun sets completely, and the string lights make everything look magical. Mom and Mateo dance together a lot, but they also dance with other people. Mom with Johnson, Mateo with Sarah, both of them taking turns spinning me around until I’m dizzy.
I see Captain Reynolds and Naomi again during a slow song. They’re not quite dancing together, but they’re standing close, talking quietly. Something about the way they look at each other reminds me of how Mom and Mateo looked at the beginning, before they got together. Like they want something but aren’t sure if they’re allowed to have it.
“They should just dance,” I say to no one in particular.
“Who?” Mom appears next to me, slightly out of breath from dancing.
“Captain Reynolds and that lady. Naomi.”
Mom follows my gaze, and a small smile crosses her face. “Maybe they will. Sometimes people need time to figure things out.”
“Like you and Mateo?”
“Exactly like me and Mateo.” She smooths down my hair, which is sticking up from all the dancing. “You doing okay, sweetheart? You look tired.”
“I’m fine,” I say, but I yawn right after, which kind of ruins it.
“Come on. Let’s find somewhere quiet to sit for a minute.”
She leads me to a table at the edge of the terrace, away from the music and the dancing. I slump into a chair, and she sits next to me, her hand rubbing gentle circles on my back.
“It was a good day, wasn’t it?” she asks softly.
“The best day.” I look up at her. “Are you happy, Mom?”
“Happier than I’ve ever been.” Her eyes are shiny again, but in a good way. “I have you, I have Mateo, I have a life that feels full and right. That’s everything I ever wanted.”
“Good.” I lean against her side, and she wraps her arm around me. “Because Mateo’s really nice. And he makes really good pancakes.”
She laughs, the sound warm and bright. “Those are excellent reasons to marry someone.”
We sit there for a while, watching everyone else dance. The music is still loud, but it feels distant somehow, like we’re in our own little bubble.
Mateo finds us eventually, his tie loosened and his hair messy.
“There you are.” He crouches in front of us, taking Mom’s free hand. “Everything okay?”
“Everything’s perfect,” Mom says. “Owen’s just a little tired.”
“It’s been a big day.” He looks at me, his expression soft. “Want me to carry you inside? You could lie down for a bit.”
“No.” I sit up straighter, even though my eyes feel heavy. “I want to stay. It’s your wedding.”
“Our wedding,” he corrects gently. “All three of us. And if you need to rest, that’s okay.”
“I’m fine,” I insist, but another yawn escapes.
Mateo and Mom exchange a look, one of those silent parent conversations that I’m getting used to.
“How about this,” Mateo says. “We’ll stay out here, but you can rest your head in your mom’s lap. That way you’re still part of the party, but you can close your eyes for a bit.”
That actually sounds pretty good.
I shift so my head is in Mom’s lap, and she immediately starts running her fingers through my hair, the same way she does when I’m sick or can’t sleep. Mateo sits on my other side, his hand resting on my shoulder.
“Better?” Mom asks.
“Yeah.”
The music continues, and I can hear people laughing and talking. But here, surrounded by Mom and Mateo, everything feels quiet and safe.
“Thank you for today,” I mumble, not sure if they can hear me.
“Thank you,” Mateo says quietly. “For being part of this. For letting me be part of your family.”
“You’re not part of it,” I say, my words starting to slur with sleep. “You are it. You and Mom and me. We’re the family.”
Mom makes a soft sound, like a laugh and a sob mixed together. “Yes, we are.”
Mateo’s hand tightens on my shoulder. “Best family in the world.”
I want to say something else, something that shows them how much this all means to me. How happy I am that Mateo showed up and didn’t leave. How much I love that he chose us, that he wanted to be my dad.
But I’m so tired, and Mom’s fingers in my hair feel so nice, and Mateo’s presence is so solid and reassuring.
“Love you both,” I manage to whisper.
“Love you too, sweetheart,” Mom says, her voice thick.
“Love you, buddy,” Mateo adds. “Always.”
And as I drift off to sleep, the watch heavy on my wrist and my family surrounding me, I think about how lucky I am.
I have a mom who loves me more than anything.
I have a dad who chose me, who shows up every day, who gave me his most important possession.
I have a family.
And that’s everything.
*** The End ***
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading The Firefighter Who Found Her and this bonus epilogue. Ready for more? I recommend you check out The Callahans of Elk Ridge. The series is all about the family who owns and runs Mountain Laurel Lodge, the place of Carys and Holden’s wedding.
And if you’re ready to read your way through the alphabet or enjoy short and sweet romances in the neighboring town of Juniper Falls, check out this 26-book series:
Happy Reading!