Page 109 of A Little Bit Uncertain

EPILOGUE

DONOVAN

“Donovan, where are we going?” Audra asked as I parked the car in what looked like a spot I just made for myself on the side of the road. I double-checked the map. Yep. Exactly where I needed to be. It was 9:00 p.m. already, so we had to hustle.

It was our first major trip since I was released from the hospital eight months ago. I had planned a surprise trip to Iceland for her, and it was our first night there. She had no idea what was on our seventeen-day itinerary; hell, she didn’t even know where we were going until we got to the airport. I had Maeve and Cora help me pack for her.

Recovery took as long as I expected, but I had Audra nursing me back to health, so not too many complaints there. In good news, because that level of caregiving was a full-time job, she resigned from her job at the hospital before I was even released. After my home care was cleared, she took on the role of running the medical side of Quest, and loved it. There was still enough happening with patrons to keep her on her toes, but there wasn’t the same kind of emotional investment she had at the hospital. Plus, no night shifts. We also agreed that she would be in charge of our table decorations at the resort. Lead tablescaper was a joke that never got old between us. But she genuinely knocked it out of the park every single time. I loved to watch her shine.

She was happier, and I was happier than I’d ever been, too. Audra pretty much moved in when I was released because of my need for round-the-clock care. Okay, everyone knew I didn’t need it, but it was easier to say that because it made a hell of a lot more logical sense than saying we fell madly in love in two months and moved in together. But things were seamless with us. There was not a single day that either of us had a second thought about it, and that feeling of home between us had been a constant since … well, since that day we laughed together in the flower shop. Neither of us could have ever imagined what fate had in store.

Audra had no idea that I heard her on the day she was in my hospital room. I can recall the sound of her voice and the emotion of it more than I could remember most of the words, but there was one thing that stood out. Hell, I would be on my deathbed and still remember that one.

“This is it. Grab your stuff,” I said, opening the door of the rented SUV.

“Grab my stuff? What do you mean? Like my purse and water? Is this a stop in our detailed itinerary?” She loved giving me shit about my itineraries, but after this trip, I was confident she’d see the benefit of having one.

“Like, grab your luggage, Chaos. We’re here for the night.”

“But we are in the middle of nowhere.”

“Precisely.”

“You’re not going to off me here, are you?” she joked.

“Get you off, if you’re lucky.” A smile spread across her face as she swatted at me and started gathering her things. I loved her so wholly, so completely, but especially in these moments.

We walked about a hundred yards up a bit of a hill, and when we crested it, a little house came into view. It was a small house, but it had a fifteen-by-fifteen glass enclosure that jutted out from the main part of the house like a sunroom. I knew she saw the bed when her eyes got wide as she looked at me.

“You didn’t.” A smile of disbelief bloomed on her face.

“I just thought this might be fun,” I flashed a huge smile at her, and I could see her gears turning. When we walked inside, it took a minute to comprehend how stunningly beautiful it was. The photos online didn’t even come close to doing it justice. The atrium had a 180-degree view of the landscape, and it was like nothing I’d ever seen. Low hills peppered our view, and they led to mountains in the far distance. Snow dusted the entire scene. Like a painting, a river cut through the land out of the left window. There was nothing else around us. Both of our mouths were agape at the scene.

“Donovan, this is … I don’t even have words.”

“I agree. This has to be one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.” And with that, I handed her a wrapped present while she cocked her head at me.

“What’s this?” she questioned.

“Just a little something. You should probably open it now, Chaos.” I should have continued with the sweet sentiments, but I had been dying to give her this package for months, and I couldn’t wait a single second longer. I had almost spilled the secret dozens of times.

She opened the box, and her mouth dropped open as she cackled, “Are you kidding me right now? Holy shit, Donovan.”

Her head fell back as my favorite sound filled our little hut. She pulled out the items one by one. The first was a welcome card.

“Here we are having this moment at the beauty of this place, and you give me this?” Holding up the card as she read it out loud.

“Welcome to the Slut Hut.” She could barely even say the words. “You heard me in the hospital?” she questioned.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I shrugged my shoulders as she continued.

“A selfie stick.”

“I can’t wait for the photo book,” I replied, giving up that I had heard a little of what she said. As if she didn’t know with the slut hut card.

“Very sexy lingerie.” She lifted it into the air. I had added some additional things, of course.

“What Slut Hut would be complete without it?” I asked.