Epilogue - Same Time Next New Year's

ONE YEAR LATER

Leo: Baby, let’s go!

Joanna: I think you have the wrong number.

Leo: Ha.

I grin as I read his text and then tuck my phone in my pocket to finish bundling myself up. I add a thick hat on my head and fuzzy mittens on my hands. His voice calls now from downstairs, “We’re going to be late! You’re bundled up enough!”

“I’m not making the same mistake I made last year,” I call back. I swear it took me hours to finally get warm again last year. When I finish, I start walking towards him waiting at the door.

Last year, after our long awaited meet-up, Leo took me and Liz to get real New York pizza. As soon as we sat down at the table, Leo asked for my phone and added his contact—and then also added it to Liz’s phone too, “just in case,” he had said. We stayed in the restaurant, talking and laughing until they finally kicked us out at 2:00 a.m.

He had offered to find us a hotel to stay at, not wanting us to be uncomfortable staying at his place, but we insisted it was okay. He even went the extra mile to send a photo of his license to our parents, to show us and them that he wasn’t an actual creep and pervert. So we stayed in his two-bedroom walk-up in Brooklyn. We were surprised at how much space he had. But he told us that he started with a shoebox of an apartment when he graduated college but was able to get this palace after the second restaurant took off last year. My heart swelled with pride for all he had accomplished.

“Relax,” I snicker when I reach him. Then I flutter my eyelashes and say with a smirk. “I know you’ll wait for me no matter how long I take.”

He rolls his eyes before narrowing them on me affectionately, a smile dancing on his lips. “One year is my limit.”

I scoff and playfully shove him. “Okay, I’m ready!”

“Alright, let’s go, stranger,” Leo says fondly before wrapping his arm around my shoulders. We walk out the door of his place—that also just recently became my place. I fell in love with this city the first time I came here a year ago. Liz and I ended up staying for a few days. She was instantly smitten with Leo, and watching them banter back and forth like siblings made me so happy, and it covered me with a peace.

Leaving him that first time was one of the hardest things to do. But when he surprised me by visiting Massachusetts just two weeks later, I knew that we would make the distance work until we figured out a more long term solution. After a few months of long distance, we started having the ‘move in together’ talk. He told me he was ready to move to Massachusetts and start a new life in my home state. We did spend time discussing that possibility, but I told him I would rather start over completely in New York with him. I’ll always love Massachusetts, and being far from my family is tough, but the contagious electric energy of New York was something I knew I would thrive in.

I was able to secure a job at a good hospital right in Brooklyn, just a few blocks away from his first restaurant. He brings me lunch everyday, and meets me in the evenings so we can walk home together.

His family welcomed me with open arms. He and his mom are still trying to teach me how to cook, even though I’m a hopeless case when it comes to all of their very specific yet patient instructions.

My parents fell for Leo just as quickly as Liz and I did. My mom always looks forward to our visits, and we joke with her that it’s mostly for his cooking.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think my life would be as unbelievable and incredible as it is now. All of those dull and difficult years fade away more each day. I barely remember feeling so hopeless and unhappy.

It feels like every step, heartbreak, detour, setback, and change of pace is what I needed to go through to finally reach my destination—Leo.

I smile up at his face that’s already smiling down at me. A face that was once so foreign to me, but is now the face I know better than any other. “Ready?” I ask.

He bends down to pick up our mini goldendoodle, Eve, who is wearing her own coat and little dog booties. “Ready,” he confirms, grinning wide.

We walk hand in hand, Eve still cradled in his arms, towards the train that will take us towards Times Square.

I don’t know if I’ll ever get completely used to the New York smells, but I’ve come a long way since my first train ride last year. The whole trip only takes about twenty minutes, and we talk easily the whole time. Eve has become the perfect city dog, content to just stay indoors or in our arms. I am always telling Leo that he spoils her rotten, but I also love how much he dotes on her.

When the train slows and eventually stops, we follow the crowd of people onto the platform and I let Leo lead us in the right direction. It feels like no time before I see that familiar phone booth coming up ahead of us.

“It’s pretty crazy how easy it is to find this thing when you know where you’re going,” I joke. Leo laughs beside me, letting go of my hand to put his arm around me and hold me close to his side. “If only you had given your other date more instructions, Liz and I would’ve been there earlier so you weren’t freezing to death out there.”

He laughs again and shakes his head. “I’d do it all over again.”

I smile up at him and he leans down to kiss my forehead. Even though it’s dark, the street lights and building lights shine enough to help us navigate the busy sidewalks. The nonstop energy of New York was definitely intimidating to me at first, but it’s become almost comfortable now. I’ve come to love the spirit of excitement—and straight up chaos—drenched in the life around me.

We approach our phone booth, still standing tall even though the rest of the world seems to have forgotten about it. I think about how many people once used this, making calls to people all over the city, country—maybe even the world. The entire purpose of this phone booth was to bring a connection from one person to another. And in a way, that’s exactly what it did for us.

It brought us together.

So we easily decided that it will be our tradition each New Year’s Eve, to come to this exact spot—the spot that technically started it all for us—and celebrate the past year we lived and welcome the new one together.

“Here she is,” Leo says as we stop in front of the silver and glass structure.

“Still lookin’ good,” I remark.

Leo chuckles, removing his arm from around me and adjusting Eve who is straight up snoozing in his arms. “We cut it close again this year.”

“Maybe that can be a part of our tradition too.” I laugh and he joins in.

And then the people around us start that countdown. I look down at my phone, smiling at the background photo—a picture of me smiling with Leo hugging me from behind and kissing my cheek. I smile. “How is it already time?”

“Because you move like a snail,” he comments and I elbow him in his side with a laugh.

“One whole year together,” I tell him.

“I think we should definitely count our first year too,” he points out.

“Even though we didn’t talk that entire time?” I ask, quirking a brow up at him.

“Yeah,” he says seriously, with a soft smile. “Even though we didn’t talk—and had very little details about each other—I was already committed to you.”

I blush. “Yeah?”

He grins, his fingers reaching out to brush the color painted across my cheeks. “Yeah.”

Forty-five… Forty-four… Forty-three…

“I know we had a super unconventional start,” Leo says, “but even on that first day, just texting you, I knew that something profound and special was happening.”

“Me too,” I breathe, feeling the utter truth of those words in my entire heart.

“I love you, Joanna Leigh Miller,” he says with a smile.

I grin. “I love you, Leonardo Joseph Rossi.”

He chuckles as he leans down to kiss me sweetly on my lips before pulling away.

“The only thing there is left to do, in order to tie myself to you in every way humanly possible,” he pauses, reaching into his coat pocket and pulling out a small box before lowering himself down to the ground. Eve starts shifting irritatedly as he puts her on the ground, holding her leash firm. His knee hits the ground as my mouth parts and a breath of surprise leaves my lips.

“Please, Jo,” he says and takes my left hand between his own, his eyes glassy and sparkling with joy and hope. “Will you please marry me? Please continue to make me the happiest man in the entire world?” When he opens the box, he reveals the most stunning diamond ring I’ve ever seen. A single round cut diamond sits in the center, radiant with its facets catching the surrounding lights in a silent dance. The band is a delicate and simple polished white gold. It is a ring that speaks volumes in its silence, no need for flourishes or extravagance—only the quiet beauty of something lasting, something true.

Nineteen… Eighteen… Seventeen…

I let out a small cry, as tears start forming and then quickly falling down my cheeks. “Really?”

“Of course, really,” he chuckles. “Will you marry me, my love?”

I start nodding frantically. “Yes of course I’ll marry you.” My voice cracks from the wave of emotions washing over me.

Eight… Seven… Six…

He smiles the widest smile I’ve seen yet as he picks the ring out of the box, his hands slightly shaking, and slides the ring onto my finger where it will stay for the rest of my life. The cool band wraps around my finger with the gentleness of this promise. He kisses my finger before standing and taking my face between his hands and kissing me deeply, murmuring, “I love you,” between strokes.

Three… Two… One…

“Happy New Year!” starts erupting all around us. We break our kiss and laugh as we look around.

“Happy New Year, fiancée.” He winks at me, and it takes all of my strength not to melt into a puddle on the ground beneath me.

“Happy New Year,” I say back to him, my face hurting from smiling so hard.

“Same time next New Year’s?” he jokes.

“And every one after that.”

And I lean in again, pressing my lips to his and feeling the promise of our love cover us completely.