Epilogue

Epilogue

Kara's face hurt from laughing, but she couldn't seem to stop. She snuggled closer to Lucas in the huge cushioned swing where they sat in Isabelle's garden, surrounded by family.
"You haven't stopped blushing since we got home, Lucas!" Isabelle teased with a side eye, making Celeste chuckle.
Luc ignored them, holding Kara tighter as he swung them to and fro.
"You two are just jealous. Aren't they, Kara?" Luc said, kissing the top of her head.
"Jealous, they may be, but seriously," François commented, rocking Luna to sleep. "I don't think any of us have ever seen you so pink cheeked."
"No, we haven't," Raphaël agreed before they both roared with laughter.
Kara covered her mouth to hide her grin and Lucas gave her a look.
"Don't you laugh! This is all your doing, this pink cheek business."
That made her laugh with a shake of her head. "It's not."
"It is too!"
Celeste hummed happily as she handed Zavier his bowl of fruit salad as he darted through the garden, certain that he would just empty it somewhere and bury the evidence.
"Did you see your painting, Kara?"
Kara nodded. "Mm-hm. Lucas took me home and I accidentally found his stash."
She turned to him, giving him an accusatory eye and Lucas turned away, sipping on his wine.
"I don't know what she's talking about."
Kara laughed. "What? Are you denying, Lucas Cartier, that you have a room full of stolen paintings in your home? My paintings that you stole?"
Lucas grinned and shrugged. "Kara... my darling, the paintings are of me, I'm entitled to them."
Raphaël and François hummed and nodded their agreement, while Isabelle and Celeste shook their heads in disapproval.
"But it was my hard work," Kara retorted with a grin and Lucas nodded.
"Yes, and now I'm admiring it by hanging your work all over our house. Our personal gallery, no?"
Kara bit her lip. "You're emotionally blackmailing me."
Luc nodded, making her punch his arm playfully.
Kara remembered how embarrassed she had been at first when she'd found out that Luc had seen all the art she'd done of him. The first thought in her head was "Aw, jeez! He knows I'm obsessed with him and a potential danger to his life."
Luc had studied the horrified expression on her face and kissed her gently, telling him that he was so glad he wasn't the only one obsessed.
Kara smiled then. It was alright if they were both obsessed then, wasn't it?
"So you're ready for the new gallery in Lyon?" Isabelle asked.
Kara nodded excitedly. "Oh, my goodness, yes. I'm nervous though. I mean, a whole gallery of my works only? What if nobody comes because, I mean... they don't know me."
She chuckled nervously and Luc squeezed her shoulder.
"Oh, they'll come," he said. "And after they do, they'll definitely know Kara Kingsley."
She smiled up at him, certain that it was now her face that was pink.
"Thank you..."
Luc nodded. "And nothing will go wrong. We'll make everything perfect for you."
Kara gulped, before looking at them all.
"I wish you had all been there when I was growing up... life would have been glorious."
"We're here now," Celeste said and the others nodded.
"And we're not going anywhere," Lucas added.
Kara nodded and squeezed his hand.
A comfortable silence settled over them.
"So..." Kara began with a tiny smile. "Anybody actually going to tell me how much time Vilmont got?"
Lucas coughed. "Who told you about that?"
She raised a brow up at him. "Not you."
"I was going to. Today, actually. Didn't want to spoil the mood."
She waved it away. "Vilmont can't spoil my mood ever again. So... how long?"
"Twenty!" Celeste exclaimed, sounding far too cheerful about it. She shrunk back, trying to hide her happiness over it. "Sorry."
Kara laughed and nodded. "I share the sentiment, Celeste, ma cherie."
"He deserved longer," François said then. "He deserved much longer."
Luc's jaw was clenched so he only nodded in agreement with his brother.
Kara patted Luc's knee and waved the matter away.
"Come on, now, don't let it be a downer! Oh! François, Lucas has something he wants to tell you." She bounced excitedly in her seat before turning to Lucas with a grin, while he gave her a blank stare back.
"You don't throw your future husband under the bus, Kara," he murmured and she rolled her eyes.
"Future husband's taking too long to spill the goods."
"What's the news?" François asked cautiously.
Luc glanced away uncomfortably for a second and Kara resisted the urge to pinch him.
"Uhm, just that..." Luc began. "Well, Kara really loves the ranch, you know. The horses and everything, so I was thinking... if it's okay with you... if we could become more involved in the ranch."
François was staring at him silently and Luc was a few seconds away from taking everything he'd said back when his brother leaned forward.
"Involved how?"
Luc glanced at Celeste and she nodded excitedly, giving him thumbs up. He nearly cracked a grin at that.
"Well, invest, for one...and just... spending time on the ranch, you know. Nothing major." He shrugged and sipped on his wine, his heart beating faster than he was letting on.
Everyone was silent and Luc stared into his wine. This was the one thing that he and François had always argued about and he couldn't possibly guess what his brother would say.
When Luc looked up, Franç was smiling. Not in an arrogant manner, just smiling. He looked happy. Ten years younger even and Luc felt the tightness in his chest ease.
"I'd appreciate that, Lucas," said François. "Getting a bit old, cannot really handle all the ranch affairs alone any longer."
Kara saw Celeste sigh in relief and smile.
Lucas nodded. "Well, I'm here now."
There was a beat of silence and Isabelle raised her wrist, studying her watch.
"Aaaaand that took fifteen years, seven months and two hours for peace to reign."
Raphaël nudged her in the shoulder but Celeste laughed out loud.
Luc rolled his eyes and stood up stiffly.
"Okay, I've reached my daily tolerance for Isabelle, I'm taking Kara home now."
Isabelle gave him a look. "No, don't take Kara."
Lucas stretched his arms with a grin. "Am I to leave her here for you to corrupt?"
"Let's stay for a bit." Kara said, batting her lashes as she pulled Luc back down beside her. He tugged her into his side contentedly.
Celeste clapped her hands happily and got up from her garden chair.
"I feel like baking something," she murmured eyeing Isabelle's kitchen windows.
"Yes," said François in agreement. "Yes, please!"
His wife grinned and began skipping toward Bella's kitchen doors.
"Ooo, cake?" Isabelle asked hopefully.
"No, muffins!" François countered.
"Cake!"
"Muffins!"
"Cake!"
"Isabelle, I'm holding your baby," said François. "Muffins, or Luna is going on the rose bush."
Isabelle gasped, trying not to laugh. 'Don't you dare!"
"Step away from my baby, Olivier," warned Raphaël with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh, two on one, eh?" François said.
Kara chuckled in utter amusement. God, she loved these people.
Leaning back, she rested her head against Luc's bicep and he kissed her temple, making her shiver in delight.
"I can't wait," he murmured.
She turned to look into his eyes. "Can't wait for what?"
Luc grinned. "Can't wait to make your Mrs Kara Kingsley Cartier."
The words made her smile so hard and Kara kissed him.
"Neither can I."

The End