My heart beat faster as I looked at my new space. Mine to use as I saw fit. Suddenly, I had space and time. Space to work and time to try new things. Time to make all the pieces crowding my head. Projects that were bigger. Riskier.
And more than that, time with my boys. Time with Tenn. Time to make the family I knew we could become. It wasn't going to be easy. Nothing good ever is, but my boys and I had proven we could handle the hard stuff.
Tenn was worth it. My boys and I, we deserved Tenn, and he deserved us.
Tenn picked up the bluebird carefully, turning it in the light. "Scarlett, it's amazing. I can't wait to see it when it's finished. When you have some pieces done you should take them around town. We have a few galleries and shops I bet would love to carry your work."
"I'll have to think about that once I get my stuff together," I said, my brain turning over the idea of living in an area known as an artists' haven. Tourists flocked to this part of North Carolina to visit galleries and artists’ workshops. Even in my limited trips around town, I'd seen plenty of places that might want to sell my work. I'd always been so focused on my online shop since our college town up north didn't have the same options. But here I had the opportunity for more. More of everything.
Tenn nudged me to the other side of the big worktable away from the bluebird and my torch. "I'm gonna get out of your hair and let you work. I just want to say this: I love you, Scarlett. And I'm so fucking happy that you love me, too."
"I do. I really, really do." I lifted my hands to cup his face, running my thumbs along his cheeks before my fingers dove into his silky hair and pulled him close.
I could kiss Tenn Sawyer all day. One of these days, I would. I don't know how much time passed with his mouth on mine. I'd given up trying to keep track of anything but him when he was kissing me.
When he pulled back, I was sitting on my work table, legs spread, Tenn between them, his eyes warm with love and lust. "You know, I think that door locks."
I pulled him down for another kiss, whispering against his lips, "Why don't you go find out, and we'll see how sturdy this table really is?"
He did. And we quickly learned it was exactly sturdy enough.
Epilogue
TENN
Life found a new rhythm faster than I expected. Once Scarlett and her boys decided to stay, it was as if it had never been a question in the first place.
Thatcher and August spent the rest of the summer swimming, hiking, and generally hanging out. For two weeks, they were in a day camp Quinn had started out of her guide business, filling her small van with kids and taking them on adventures in the mountains.
I offered to pick them up every day of the camp, partly because the small cottage housing Quinn's guide business and gear shop was only a few blocks from the Inn. And mostly so I could check in on Sterling. She wore a T-shirt and cargo shorts as comfortably as she did a cocktail dress, her golden hair pulled back in a ponytail, her face free of makeup.
I resisted the urge to talk her into coming back to the Inn, not just because Forrest was still working with us. I missed seeing her every day in the office, but at Quinn's, she seemed happy enough and steady in a way she hadn't been before.
I'd worried she'd start drinking again after she'd dumped Forrest, but no one had seen her with more than a glass of wine with dinner after that first night. She was keeping more to herself, but she'd said that was what she needed, and she was doing it sober, so I tried to give her the space she'd asked for. She'd been right—knowing she was coming home to Heartstone Manor every night made it easier.
When I'd asked her how things were working out, she'd said simply, "I like it here. I haven't hiked this much since I was a kid. Quinn makes it seem like we're living in the middle of the best amusement park in the world. I might come back to the Inn one day, but not yet."
She didn't mention Forrest ever. Neither did I.
Royal and I were getting along with him at work well enough, considering. Despite everything else, he hadn't lied about his capacity for the job. He was excellent at it. Sometimes, I thought he loved The Inn at Sawyers Bend as much as I did.
We avoided talking about anything personal, our budding friendship all but dead. The situation wasn’t perfect, but I could live with it for the time being. Especially since having Forrest around meant I could take more time off to spend with Scarlett and the boys.