In The Still Of The Night

Epilogue

12 months later...

Louis drags the last two chairs out onto the deck, arranging them around the long wooden table Harry had brought over from the staff quarters to his cabin earlier that morning. It easily fits the eight chairs needed for their dinner party this evening, and Louis is so relieved the inclement weather from the past few days has eased so they'll be able to take advantage of the warm summer evening.

He heads back inside to grab the tablecloth and napkins that they've borrowed from the main house, a bubble of nervous excitement forming in his stomach as he thinks about having everyone here for their anniversary celebrations. In addition to him and Harry, they'll be joined by Liam and Zayn, Eric and Niall, and Louis' aunt and uncle, a happy little group, and Louis' favorite people in the world.

Maryanne and Lionel are driving up to stay at Flanagan's for the weekend in one of the suites at the main house, just like they've done numerous times over the last year, but instead of eating in the main dining room, Louis and Harry had decided they wanted to have a more intimate setting for such a big occasion. The small kitchenette in the cabin isn't really suited to preparing lavish meals, so they've opted to have a few picnic hampers prepared instead, along with a dessert platter that Niall and Eric will bring with them.

He sets outs the plates and cutlery as well as the tea candles in their small glass bowls. Liam is out foraging in the forest for some flowers and foliage to lay out on the table, so he should be here soon to help with the final touches before Harry and Zayn return from work with the food.

A bird's call catches Louis' attention and he glances up to watch a pair of cardinals in flight, red plumage bright against the blue of the sky. His gaze travels out across the valley, so beautiful and peaceful, from his vantage point high atop the forest below. He smiles as he thinks back to the first time he saw this view, the morning after he and Harry had spent their first night together, rugged up in blankets and sipping coffee as the sun had kissed the tree tops and awakened the earth from its slumber. If future-Louis had been able to travel back in time to tell past-Louis all that would transpire, he'd likely not have believed himself.

He remembers arriving at Flanagan's the previous summer, so excited for his adventure, thinking it would be no more than a blip on the timeline of his life, an anomaly, a two week vacation before he returned to reality. How wrong he'd been: those two weeks were only the beginning.

After the Talent Show Extravaganza, things at Flanagan's had changed rapidly. Whilst Eric's hiring of Niall to a full-time position had been met with a few raised eyebrows, given their new relationship status, it was Eric's bold decision to hire Harry and, in particular, Zayn that had really sent shockwaves through the staff. Arthur's strict policy of not allowing omegas to work at the resort had been blown out of the water with that single action, and it was the catalyst for a small, but vocal, minority to decide that perhaps Flanagan's wasn't the place for them anymore. Thankfully, this included Henderson, who made his views crystal clear, loudly pronouncing the destruction of an institution and predicting its speedy demise. Of course, he couldn't have been more off the mark.

Now, almost a full year later, Flanagan's is thriving and achieving a difficult balancing act, almost instantly drawing in new clientele looking for old world charm with a new world approach.

Eric's management style and his openness to fresh ideas has also meant that he's been able to attract talented and skilled omegas, a resource pool that was previously inaccessible, and one largely untouched in the hospitality industry. In particular, this meant a new head chef who crafts exciting seasonal menus, and had earned the restaurant its first Michelin star just a few months ago.

The day after Arthur's announcement, Louis and Liam had begrudgingly returned home, but Harry and Zayn weren't far behind. That weekend had been filled with laughter and love and Maryanne's meticulously planned welcome barbecue had been a resounding success. Friends and neighbors were initially shocked at the news, and at the sight of two very tattooed new men. Luckily, their surprise had been short-lived and had quickly turned into joy that the boys had found their mates and, once Harry and Zayn turned on their natural charms, they were embraced wholeheartedly into the community.