Total pages in book: 23
Estimated words: 21496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 107(@200wpm)___ 86(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21496 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 107(@200wpm)___ 86(@250wpm)___ 72(@300wpm)
Epilogue
Liam–three months later
The Devil’s Brew is alive tonight. The laughter and clinking glasses bounce off the timber walls, the warm hum of chatter filling the air. Strings of white lights dangle from the ceiling beams, casting a soft glow over the crowd. It’s not much by big-city standards, but here in Devil’s Peak, it feels perfect. Intimate, real—just like us.
I stand near the makeshift stage, one hand resting on Callie’s lower back as I scan the room. The bar is packed with friends and neighbors, most of whom have known us since we were kids and now they’ve attended our wedding.
I catch Zane Warner’s eye across the room, and he raises his beer in a silent toast before sauntering toward the mic at the front of the crowd.
“This is going to be trouble,” I mutter, leaning down so only Callie can hear.
She looks up at me, her wide grin enough to undo me. “You’re just mad because Zane has stories. Embarrassing ones.”
“About you, maybe,” I counter, my lips twitching. “I was a saint.”
Callie snorts, the sound pure and joyful. “Sure you were.”
Zane taps the mic, the feedback squealing for a second before he clears his throat. “All right, everyone. Settle down. This won’t take long—I know y’all want to get back to the dance floor and that open bar.”
The crowd laughs, a few hoots and hollers echoing from the back. Callie shifts beside me, her shoulder brushing mine. Even in her simple lace dress, barefoot like she insisted, she’s the most stunning thing I’ve ever seen.
Zane’s voice pulls me back. “Now, I’ve known Liam and Callie since we were all kids. And let me tell you, if you’d asked me back then who would end up together, I wouldn’t have said these two.”
A ripple of laughter moves through the crowd. I glare at Zane, but he just grins. Callie nudges me with her elbow, trying to hide her giggle.
“But,” Zane continues, “life has a funny way of proving us wrong. Because looking at them now, I can’t imagine a better match. Callie, you’ve got a way of turning the grumpiest blacksmith in the world into an actual human being. And Liam, well…” He smirks, dragging out the pause. “You’ve got yourself a woman who’s tougher than you and prettier too. Don’t screw it up.”
The crowd roars with laughter, and even I can’t fight the smile tugging at my lips. Zane raises his beer again. “To Liam and Callie—a love forged in fire, just like the man’s metal. And to the rest of us poor souls still single in Devil’s Peak—watch your backs. There’s something in the water around here, and it’s making even the most stubborn bachelors fall.”
The toast ends with cheers and clinking glasses. I glance at Callie, her cheeks flushed from laughter and the heat of the room. She tilts her head, her eyes sparkling. “Not bad, huh?”
“Better than I expected,” I admit, pulling her closer. “But don’t let it go to Zane’s head.”
The band strikes up a slow country tune, one of those songs you hear on late-night radio drives, all steel guitar and soft harmonies. The crowd parts as the lead singer nods toward us. “Liam and Callie, your first dance.”
“Ready?” I ask, my voice low.
She nods, her smile softening. “With you? Always.”
I lead her to the center of the room, the world fading until it’s just us. My hands find her waist as hers loop around my neck, and we sway to the gentle rhythm. Her touch is everything—steadying, grounding, and somehow still electric.
“You’re beautiful,” I murmur, my voice rougher than I intend. “Every damn day, but tonight especially.”
Her lips twitch. “Even with bare feet?”
“Especially with bare feet.”
She tilts her head back to look at me fully. The room is spinning around us, but all I can see is her. “You know, I used to think I had my life figured out,” she says softly. “The yoga studio, the retreats, everything. But then… this.”
“Is this good?” I ask, my forehead pressing against hers.
She laughs, quiet and breathy. “Better than I ever could’ve imagined.”
The song shifts, the melody swelling, and I tighten my hold on her. “We’re forged in fire, Callie,” I whisper. “Nothing’s breaking us.”
Her breath catches, and for a second, I think I’ve gone too far, gotten too sentimental. But then she leans in, her lips brushing my ear as she says, “I hope you’re ready for our next big adventure.”
My brow furrows. “What do you mean?”
Her smile is secretive, a little mischievous. “I’m pregnant.”
The words hit like a bolt of lightning. I freeze, the rest of the world falling away.
“You’re serious?” I manage, my voice barely audible.
She nods, her eyes shimmering. “You’re going to be a dad.”
A laugh bursts out of me, uncontrollable and full of something raw and overwhelming. I lift her off the ground, spinning her in a circle as the crowd gasps and cheers.