Wicked Liar by Faith Summers
Epilogue
Candace
8 Months later…
It’s Friday night and Billie Holiday’s beautiful voice carries through the air.
I’m in Stormy Creek at the D’Agostinos old home, dancing on the porch with my husband.
I’m sure the ghosts of the past who this time and this song belong to are watching us too, the way we did when we watched them.
We do this once a month. We have date night anyway, but once a month we come back here to keep the beautiful memory alive.
Stars speckle the night sky like diamonds splashed over the smooth velvet surface and the moon shines down on the lake.
This is what you call a beautiful night.
Over the hill at the Riccis old house, the place no longer feels haunted. The dark memories will still be there but the girl is no longer trapped by the window wishing someone could help her.
She finally got her prince, after all.
She got him… Dominic D’Agostino and there’s still no day that has passed when she didn’t feel the way she always did about him.
“I could do this with you forever,” Dominic says, twirling me around.
“I’m tempted to make you try.” I giggle.
“I’m going to do it as much as possible before our little one comes,” he says, and we stop dancing so he can crouch down and kiss my stomach.
I’m four months pregnant. Me. I went from Candace the single friend to fitting right in with everyone. Helen will join the club soon, I’m sure because she and Adam are engaged.
Dominic rests his head on my stomach and starts stroking.
“You are so crazy.”
“Making sure I give my son the love he needs from now.”
“What if it’s a girl?” this is how we always argue.
“Then I’m doing the same. Makes no difference.”
I laugh, and he cups my face.
“Candace D’Agostino, I love you. Doesn’t matter if we have a boy or girl, they will be treasure to me. Just like you.”
I slip my arms around him. “You too my angel.”
Sometimes I can’t believe my life. It all worked out in the end. Everything did, and I feel like I found myself when I found him.
He pulls me in for a kiss that speaks of never ending love and I savor him the way I will forever.
Dominic
I walk across the paved surface of Aiden’s terrace and he lifts a glass of wine to greet me.
I came as soon as I found the information. He doesn’t know what I found yet. I wanted to tell him in person. It’s the kind of news you need to share face to face.
I don’t know why it’s always me who finds these things. Maybe I’m supposed to.
A few weeks ago, I found something in Alfonse's files. I just got back confirmation of what I suspected.
When I get up to Aiden, he rises to his feet and holds up a bottle of scotch.
“Now what would bring you to my house on a Saturday morning old friend? I have women coming round so this better be good,” he smirks.
“It is, trust me,” I answer and he can tell from my tone that it’s serious.
“What’s going on?”
“You remember that thing I said I wanted to check out? From the files?” I wasn’t specific on purpose. It was because I wasn’t sure about what I’d found. Now I am.
“Yes, I remember.”
I pull a piece of paper from my pocket and hand it to him. When he looks at it, his eyes go wide and his hand stills. He looks at me in disbelief, then back at the paper.
“I asked Gibbs to verify it,” I state. “It’s your son. He’s alive. We don’t know where he is though.”
"My God... Dominic. What are you saying to me? My son? Are you sure it's him?"
I've never, ever seen Aiden look so emotion struck.
"He's alive, Aiden. He survived."
“My God..." He catches my arm. "Thank you for this old friend. I can't thank you enough."
"No worries. Aiden, I think it's gonna be difficult to track him down."
"I don't care. I will find him. I won't stop until I do. I will search every corner of the earth if I have to.”
I nod. That’s exactly what I thought he would say. “And I’ll help you.”
* * *
Thanks so much for reading. If you loved Dominic and Candace’s story you’ll love Aiden and Olivia’s story next. Coming soon.
