Epilogue
Cali
One Year Later…
“What’s taking you so long?” Mari’s voice is shrill through the phone.
“I’m sorry, I told you I was finishing up the last of the paperwork!”
“And I told you not to worry about it. We have an emergency here at Dirty Hoes. How far away are you?”
“Literally five minutes,” I reply through the hands-free system in my car. “I’ll be right there, geez! What’s the emergency anyway? Did the place burn down?”
“Just get here, Cali!”
“You worry me when you won’t tell me what’s going on!” I cry, but I haven’t finished the sentence when Mari hangs up and the call disconnects. “Shit,” I grumble, shaking my head.
I’m trying not to speed as I make my way to Dirty Hoes, but my foot feels like lead against the gas pedal. Mari is desperate to get me there as soon as possible, but I was determined to get the last few pages of accounting filed at home. All of the paperwork for Dirty Hoes is finally caught up and in order, a huge feat that’s been easier to accomplish since we hired another staff member, Floryn, and I haven’t spent as many hours manning the store.
I pull into the back parking lot and throw my car into park. I don’t even bother to grab my purse as I fly out of the door. I punch my code into the back door and head inside, both worried and frustrated at what’s so urgent that Mari’s called me six times telling me to hurry in.
The shop is dark, something highly unusual for this time of day.
“Hello?” I call out, making my way through the storage room, past the staff room, and into the main shop area.
All the lights flick on and I see everyone standing there—Mari, my mother, my niece and nephew, and all of the Dirty Hoes staff.
“What’s going on? What’s everyone doing here?”
In seconds, it becomes glaringly obvious when I see him step out from one of the aisles.
Quill.
He’s wearing a suit and the smile that made me fall in love with him. He strides toward me with gentlemanly grace, and at this moment he reminds me oh so much of my father. He’s the perfect gentleman I’ve been looking for my whole life, a man who reminds me of my father and the unconditional love he had for my mother.
A man who I’m proud to say I’ve given my heart to.
I choke back tears as he makes his way towards me. He gets down on one knee and pulls a velvet box from his pocket, the room impossibly silent as he looks up at me and smiles.
He opens the box and I see my grandmother’s wedding ring glistening against the dark velvet fabric. My mother must have given it to him to propose with, and my heart aches at how perfect this is all turning out to be.
“Will you marry me, Caleana Marcus?”
My resistance grows futile as hot streams of tears pour down both my cheeks. “Yes! Of course I’ll marry you, Quill Paisley.”
He slides the ring onto my finger, standing up to take my hands in his and pull me close to him. The entire store erupts in a sea of cheers and hollers and whistles as we kiss, and I can’t recall another time in my life where I’ve ever been happier.
Who’d have thought that one year ago when Quill Paisley wandered into Dirty Hoes and blinded me with his phone, it was actually the start of something more beautiful than I could have imagined. Now our love has grown, along with the shop, and life has never been better.
“I’m happy you said yes to my proposal,” he says.
Although the room is full of celebrating people, it feels as if we’re completely alone while he’s staring down at me with intense love in his eyes.
“Did you think I was going to say no?”
He laughs. “No. At least, I really hoped you wouldn’t.”
“How does it feel to be officially part of the Dirty Hoe family?” I tease, and he playfully rolls his eyes.
“I feel a little…dirty but loved.” He kisses me. “And I love you, Cali,” he whispers against my lips.
“Not as much as I love you, Quill.”
Dirty Hoes deserve love.