Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 23316 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 117(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 23316 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 117(@200wpm)___ 93(@250wpm)___ 78(@300wpm)
EPILOGUE
Janelle
One year later.
I have no idea why I thought baking a cake for this occasion would be a smart idea. After all, I’m an excellent cook, but horrible when it comes to ovens. Although I’ve been improving a little bit as of late, this particular cake still looks like it went through a war.
Ugh, how annoying. This discipline is so impossible because it’s really precise (sometimes down to the last gram) and you have to get everything exactly right, like “softened butter” and not “melted butter.” I sigh with exasperation. What’s the difference? Seriously, this exercise is going to kill me.
But it’s too late to try to make another dessert or even redecorate the pastry on hand because I’m out of time. Kurt will be arriving any moment now, and I want to give him his surprise asap, even if this cake looks incredibly amateur.
Quickly, I frost the damned thing, muttering under my breath as the sugary paste gets everywhere. But then I stop and make myself inhale deeply. After all, what is there to worry about? My man adores me, and he’s not going to care if this cake comes out bad. Kurt loves everything that I do, and I’m a lucky girl because of it.
I feel better immediately, and smile. Life was tumultuous for a while, but we stuck together, and things worked out so I know I can count on my man. After the shooting incident, Vinnie was charged with attempted murder as we expected, but for some reason, he pled not guilty. Are you fucking kidding me? I could hardly believe it.
But what it means is that we went through a long, exhausting, and utterly excruciating trial. It was awful, and took an enormous toll on my mental health, but Kurt was with me every step of the way. Fortunately, in the end, Vinnie was found guilty and now that criminal is in prison, hopefully being visited by some big bad jail mates every night. The situation was just so crazy. After all, how many people have exes who try to murder you? Honestly, I should write a book because it would make for a gripping true crime story.
But lucky for me, Kurt kept me steady the whole way. He’s been amazing, and constantly reassured me that things would turn out fine. My man provided comfort and guidance with each new twist and turn of the legal proceedings, and he’s been my rock. Words can’t describe how grateful I am to this wonderful man for being there for me through thick and thin.
Moreover, with Kurt’s help, I’m slowly starting to get my sanity back, and a lot of it’s because of him. We decided it was best for me to move in with the handsome electrician, and it’s been wonderful. Having his big body next to mine on a nightly basis is comforting, not to mention intimate, and it’s been heavenly. Plus, what was once a bachelor’s home has been transformed because I’ve turned the house into a comfortable space for a couple. There’s a lot more color, and plenty of photo albums and unique antiques to make the place feel like ours.
Not to mention that I quit my job at Four Eyes. Of course, they fired Vinnie immediately, but still, working there would probably bring on PTSD. As a result, I’ve been a lady of leisure for the past year or so, and it’s so nice. Kurt’s fully on board, and he makes a ton of money through his business, so finances have never been a problem.
At that moment, my handsome man strolls into the kitchen with a big smile on his face.
“Hey you,” I say, looking up. “You look cheery.”
“I am,” he winks. “Now that I’ve seen you, I’m very cheery, sweetheart.”
I giggle because that’s one of the things I love most about my man. He always makes me laugh, even when just a moment ago, I was ready to throw this cake against a wall.
“Well, I have a surprise for you,” I say. Then, I put down the icing spatula and hold my hands out, gesturing toward the cake.
“Ta-da!” I grin. “Surprise!”
He smiles, his gaze swooping over the white behemoth before coming to rest on me. Then he advances and plants a long kiss on my lips before burying his face into my neck and nibbling there too. Uh oh. I know where this is going to lead.
“Kurt! No funny business!”
“Sorry, sorry,” he mumbles, not sorry at all. “I just missed you, Janelle.”
I titter.
“But we saw each other twenty minutes ago.”
He pretends surprise.
“Was it twenty minutes? Because it felt more like twenty hours.”
I giggle, smacking his shoulder before gesturing to the cake again. “Oh you. Come on, are you ready to celebrate? I almost put a big “K” on it just for fun.”
My boyfriend throws me a funny look.