Epilogue
Ryan
Just Over a Year Later
My dad’s condo was buzzing with activity. Court and I were heading to the Surrender concert with Morgan, Faye, Fallon, and Rhett, and since Dad and Declan were watching my nephew Remi, we all decided to meet at my father’s place.
Morgan had given birth to Remi Sean Ashford six months ago, and tonight would be her first night away from him. She was busy going over everything with Dad and Declan while Faye bounced Remi on her hip.
“Seriously, Morgan.” Dad chuckled. “This isn’t my first time caring for a baby. Remi will be just fine with me and Declan. You need to go out and have a good time.”
Morgan kissed Remi on the top of his head, then brushed her fingers through his soft hair. “I know, but if anything happens?—”
“We’ll call,” Dad interrupted with a knowing smile. “You’ll be back before he even realizes you’re gone.”
“Plus, Grandpa Declan is here to help.” Fallon let out a laugh as he nudged Declan with his elbow.
Declan rolled his eyes playfully. “Watch it, Fallon. I’m the same age as you.”
Fallon grinned but didn’t miss a beat. “And yet, you’re spending the night babysitting your partner’s grandchild. Just saying.”
Court and Rhett laughed at their banter, and I found myself taking a moment to soak it all in. It wasn’t often we were all together, and it hit me how much these people meant to me.
Morgan took Remi back from Faye. “Let’s go change your diaper before Mommy leaves.”
“Hey, can I talk to you for a second?” I asked, following her to the guest bedroom.
Morgan’s smile faltered slightly as she laid Remi on the bed. “Of course.”
I sat beside him to keep him entertained while Morgan handled the diaper change. “Are you going to be okay tonight? I wasn’t sure if it might stir up some memories for you since the last Surrender concert was where you met …”
Her expression grew somber momentarily before giving me a reassuring smile. “I’m not completely over what happened with Donnie,” she admitted. “But I wouldn’t change it for anything. Remi’s the best thing to ever happen to me. Besides, I’m going to the concert to see Surrender. I’ll be fine.”
I studied her for a moment before nodding. “Okay. If anything changes, just say the word.”
She squeezed my hand. “Thanks, Ryan, but tonight is all about fun. This mama is looking forward to a night out.”
She buttoned up Remi’s onesie before Faye peeked into the room. “Our ride is here.”
After a round of goodbyes that included my dad giving Morgan a dozen more reassurances that Remi would be fine for a few hours, we finally made our way outside.
After the six of us piled into the oversized SUV, Morgan turned toward me, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “So, Ryan, seeing two of your former hook ups in one night …” She trailed off, her eyes widening as she glanced at Court.
In addition to teasing me about my past with Declan, Morgan found it hilarious that our father had walked in on me and Jasper once when we were hooking up. However, she had no idea if I’d told Court. She’d matured a lot over the last year, and it seemed making me the butt of a joke when she wasn’t sure if it would cause problems wasn’t as appealing to her as it once was.
I chuckled, reaching over to squeeze Court’s hand. “It’s fine. Court knows about me and Jasper.” When we were talking about seeing Surrender in concert, I confessed to Court about my past with Jasper because I was certain we’d run into him.
Court smirked. “Yup. Full disclosure. I’m good.”
Rhett, who had been quietly observing from the backseat, grinned. “You know, with this group, we’re going to need one of those suspect boards to keep track of who has hooked up with whom.”
The car erupted in laughter, and we continued to tease each other as we rode to the venue. It was true. We were like some reality show where the servers were all friends but also all hooked up with each other.
Inside the arena, the crowd’s energy was electric. Surrender had always put on an incredible show, and I had every reason to believe the shows on their new world tour would be no different. The roar of the audience vibrated through my entire body as the band took the stage. The lights dimmed as Jesse, their guitarist, played the intro to “Crimson Sky” before the stage exploded in color and Malachi launched into their opening song.
Morgan and Faye immediately started singing along, their voices blending with the fans around us. Fallon grabbed Rhett and pulled him into a ridiculous dance that had us all laughing. Court’s hands rested low on my hips, guiding me as we swayed together. His lips brushed my ear as he murmured, “In case I haven’t told you before, you’ve got some good moves too.”
I turned to face him and looped my arms around his neck. “Nothing will compare to the ones you showed me at Chrome that night we went out,” I admitted, leaning in to kiss him. It wasn’t a long kiss, but it was enough to draw a few whistles and cheers from the people around us.
Surrender slowed things down for “Whispers in the Night,” and the entire arena lit up with cell phone lights. Malachi’s voice was raw and husky as he sang about being separated from the one he loved, and it made me think about how lucky I was that I’d found my person.
After the concert, we made our way backstage to say hi to Jasper and introduce him to the rest of our group. He was excited to see us and a bit surprised, seeing as Morgan hadn’t hounded him for tickets this time. Malachi appeared briefly to greet us, but the band was swarmed by fans and press, making it impossible for him to linger. Morgan nudged Jasper. “I’ve got to get home to Remi, but it was so great to see you.”
“You too, and you better call me for tickets next time,” Jasper teased.
“Got it.” I smiled and shook his hand. “And good luck on the rest of this tour.”
We turned to leave, but it was going to take a while to make our way through the crowd.
“This way’s quicker,” Jasper said, leading us to a door at the end of a hallway. He pushed the door open. “Just follow this sidewalk past the crew area, and then you’ll reach the front of the building.”
“Thanks.” I patted him on the shoulder as we stepped outside.
As we turned the corner, we could see the tour buses and trucks parked in a fenced-off area. In the shadows, we spotted two figures locked in a passionate kiss.
Fallon let out a low whistle. “Somebody’s getting lucky tonight.”
Faye squinted, her jaw dropping. “Wait a second … is that … Silas Hale?”
“Looks that way,” I mused, watching Surrender’s drummer make out with another dude. “Didn’t know he played for our team.”
Morgan shook her head. “I don’t think anyone knew.”
A week later, Court and I strolled through Piers Park, eating our ice cream cones. We came out here at least once a month for a walk after dinner. Watching the boats on the water and the sunset over the Boston skyline was the perfect way to relax after a long week at work.
The past year had been as close to perfect as possible. It didn’t take long for me to learn how serious Court was about earning back my trust. Every single day, he used his words and actions to show I had no reason to doubt him, and it made being with him feel effortless.
If I’d known how much I enjoyed being in a relationship, I might have done it years ago. Actually, that wasn’t true. Court was the only man for me, and I couldn’t imagine doing life without him.
Once we finished our ice cream, he threw away our trash, and we took a seat in one of the pavilions. The sun was dropping behind the skyscrapers, giving the sky an orangish glow that got more intense with every passing minute.
“Do you remember that conversation we had about a year ago?” he asked, his voice tinged with what sounded like a hint of nervousness.
I looked over at him and lifted a brow. “You’re going to have to narrow it down. We’ve had a lot of conversations in the last year.”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “Fair enough. But this one stuck with me. I asked you how you’d want to be proposed to.”
Immediately, I recalled the conversation. “Yeah, I remember. You were ‘just curious’.” I mimicked air quotes, a grin tugging at my lips. “Why are you bringing that up now?”
He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small velvet box before dropping to one knee. He lifted the lid and a platinum band with a vertical baguette-cut diamond in the center stared back at me. “Because when I asked, I didn’t realize that almost a year and half later, I’d be asking you for real.” His eyes shone bright with love and certainty. “But I know now, without a doubt, you’re the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. Ryan, will you marry me?”
I blinked, stunned for a moment. The backdrop of the water, the park, and the sunset made the moment feel surreal, but the only thing I needed for the perfect proposal was the man I loved.
“Yes,” I breathed, my voice breaking with emotion as I threw my arms around him. “Of course, I’ll marry you.”
He slipped the ring onto my finger, his steady hands contrasted the shakiness of mine. Then he stood and pulled me into his arms to kiss me deeply.
“I love you,” he murmured against my lips. “So damn much.”
“I love you too,” I whispered back, my heart so full it felt like it might burst.
As he held me, I glanced down at the band on my finger. It sparkled in the fading light, a symbol of everything we’d built together so far and everything still to come.
Leaning against him, I let the sound of the water lapping against the harbor’s edge fill the quiet between us. This was the life I hadn’t known I wanted until he walked into it, and now, I couldn’t imagine a future without him. Court Wilder wasn’t just my partner, he was my forever.
The End.