EPILOGUE Tanner Banks
Happy Birthday to Me
Three Months Later
“Happy Birthday!” everyone around us says at the same time, and we all hold our glasses in the air.
And then my brother and I proceed to chug the contents of each of our glasses.
I empty mine first and slam it on the table, and I know chugging tequila is a stupid plan, but it’s my thirtieth birthday in Vegas, and I’m not here to make smart decisions. It’s our first drink of the evening, anyway, and I need a little liquid courage for what I have planned.
But first, it’s a family reunion of sorts at the same club where I met Cassie last July. She’s drinking a margarita, and we both laughed as we stood side-by-side at the bar when we first got here.
What a difference eight months makes.
Hell, eight months ago I thought I’d never be in another serious relationship, and then Cassie Fields mistook me for my half-brother, and the rest is history. Now I have this perfect little instant family, complete with the woman I love and two amazing kids who keep us on our toes and fill our lives with love and driving.
Lots of driving.
And apparently, it gets worse the older they get, at least according to Cassie’s friends.
My rehab is going well, and my knee is getting stronger by the day with the help of my incredible physical therapist. I’m closer than ever with my family, including my half-brothers, and just when it felt like I’d hit rock bottom, a pair of hands belonging to the woman by my side seemed to reach in to pull me out of it.
Thirty isn’t looking so bad right about now. For a while, it was. But Cassie somehow makes everything better without even trying.
And that’s why I’m committed to spending the rest of my life with her.
It doesn’t matter if it was two days or eight months or six years—when you know, you know. And after I missed out on the chance to get to know my biological father, I don’t want to miss out on anything ever again.
Life’s too short to sleep on the things that matter.
And Cassie matters. Her kids matter. Our love matters. Our life together matters.
Which is why I’m proposing to her tonight.
It’s my birthday, and the greatest gift I could ever think to ask for is her hand in marriage.
My brother pulls me aside. “When are you going to do it?” he asks.
Miller is the only one who knows.
I shrug. I figured we’d party here for a while, and then I’d execute my plan. But last time I was here with these same people, the plan was to party for a while before we headed off in our separate directions. I left early—with Cass. No reason the same can’t be true tonight.
“I think I’m ready,” I say .
He’s about to reply when he slides his phone out of his pocket. His brows are furrowed when he looks at me, and he flashes his phone to show me who’s calling. “Soph?” he answers, and he holds a hand over his ear to hear her. “I’m in Vegas.”
I feel Cassie as her arms slip around my waist from behind, and I’m about to turn around in her arms when my brother’s alarming tone stops me.
“Who did this to you?” he demands. “I’ll be right there.” He ends the call and looks at me. “I need to go.”
“Where?”
“Phoenix.”
“Is everything okay?” I ask.
He shrugs, and he looks wildly around the room for a beat. “I don’t know. Happy birthday, bro.” He slaps my shoulder, and he leans in so Cassie can’t hear. “Good luck tonight. We’ll celebrate when we’re back in San Diego.” He bolts out of the room, and I turn around to face Cassie.
“What was that about?” she asks.
I lift a shoulder. “No idea. It was his best friend from back home and sounded like something was wrong.”
“I thought you were his best friend,” she teases.
I chuckle. “I am. I guess I should clarify by saying this is the woman he’s been in love with since we were freshmen in high school.”
“Oh,” she says, drawing out the word knowingly. “That kind of friend.”
I nod. “Exactly. Except they’ve never slept together, so probably not what you’re thinking.”
“Hope he gets the girl,” she says.
“He will. Someday. Just like I did.” I lean down and drop a kiss to her lips. “Want to go for a walk with me?”
She nods, and we don’t bother with goodbyes since we have brunch planned in the morning with my half-brothers anyway .
We hop in a rideshare toward the Bellagio, and then we’re in the midst of the conservatory just like the night we met.
The theme is different this time with an entirely new display, and we stroll slowly through the gardens as I memorize everything about this night, from the smell of flowers wafting through the air to the way Cassie’s hand fits so perfectly into mine.
I draw in a deep breath, her vanilla comingling with the floral scent, and I know this is my moment—especially as we come upon a display of avocados made entirely out of flowers.
I turn toward the woman I love as I take her hands in mine.
“I love you, Cassandra Lynn Fields.”
“I love you, too, Tanner James Banks.”
I smile as the words I’ve practiced no less than a hundred times seem to fall right out of my head. I go with words from the heart instead. “I knew there was something different about you the night I met you. I walked around these very gardens with you, and even though I wanted to take you upstairs to rip your clothes off, I equally wanted to get to know you, to find ways to make you laugh, to treat you to chicken tenders and sweet potato fries and hit the slots. You struck me as someone worth knowing, and that time we spent apart before I hurt my knee was dark as I couldn’t get you out of my head. And I’ve realized ever since then that any time I don’t get to be with you, life feels a little darker. But when you’re with me, everything is vivid and bright because you are vivid and bright. You’re a great mom to those two amazing kids, you’re an excellent physical therapist, you’re smart as hell, and you’re an animal in my bed.”
I lean in close to her ear as I say the last part, and then I kneel down on my right knee—not my left—and she gasps.
“I want to spend the rest of my life holding hands with you, Lily, and Luca, and I want to hold your hand as we walk around gardens laughing, and talking as we eat chicken tenders, and showing up for each other just when we need each other most. Will you marry me? ”
I reach into my pocket and hold out the ring I bought last week, and she gasps yet again as her hand flies to her mouth in surprise.
She nods as tears start to stream down her face, and then she squeaks out, “Yes!”
I lift to a stand, slide the ring onto her finger, and pull her into my arms, dropping my lips to hers as we hear clapping, cheering, and even some whooping all around us.
That’s when I feel a slap on my back, and I pull out of the embrace to find Grayson behind me with Ava. Beside the two of them are Asher and Desi, Spencer and Grace, Lincoln and Jolene.
The only one not here is Miller, and I can’t help but laugh.
“How did you all know?” I ask.
“Miller,” Grayson admits. “Congratulations, man,” he says, and he’s the first to give me a hug, followed by the rest of the family.
“Ah!” Cassie yells beside me as she hugs Desi first.
Eventually we wind up back in each other’s arms, and we walk around the conservatory with my half-brothers and their wives before we head to the snack bar for some chicken tenders.
“Happy birthday,” she says as she holds up a tender. I hit it with one of mine as we both laugh. “You know, the worst thing I ever tried to do was quitting the quarterback, but soon I’ll be married to the quarterback.”
I grin. “And that’s when our happily ever after will truly begin.”
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