Epilogue Brogan
EPILOGUE brOGAN
One Month Later
Brogan
“Aunt Brogan!” River, Rayne, and Lilly all come racing toward me.
I laugh because they see the red, white, and blue cupcakes I have in my hands. “Girls, do you want a cupcake?” I ask them. I’m not offended that they’re happier to see the cupcakes than they are to see me.
“Yes!” they cheer.
They follow me to the table and take a seat. I help Lilly into a chair before I hand each one of them their cupcake. Lilly dives in, getting it all over her face, but she doesn’t seem to mind as she grins, going in for another bite.
“She’s messy.” River giggles.
“But we’re big girls, so we’re not messy,” Rayne says, as a big dollop of icing lands on her shirt.
“I think you’re all messy,” Maggie says, joining us.
“Hey, want a cupcake?” I ask her.
She waves me off. “No thanks. My belly hasn’t been feeling the best.”
“Daddy gives really good belly rubs,” Rayne tells her. “When our bellies hurt.”
Maggie chuckles. “I bet he does.” Her eyes find mine, and we share a smile. The innocence of children.
“I have some upset stomach medicine in the hall bathroom cabinet. Help yourself,” I tell Maggie.
“Thank you. I might have to take you up on that.”
I sit beside her, watching the girls happily eat their treats. “So much has changed in a year,” I tell Maggie.
“It has. But you look happy.”
“I am happy. I didn’t know I could be this happy,” I tell her.
“All done!” River exclaims as she scrambles out of her chair, her sister hot on her heels. I intercept Lilly and wipe up her face, then call the girls back to do the same, before they head off to play.
“Next year, we’ll have another,” I muse.
“Just one?” Maggie asks.
“Maybe two,” I admit. “We’re trying, but I know these things take time.”
“Are you kidding? The way your husband looks at you, I’m surprised we’re all not pregnant.” She snorts out a laugh.
“Who’s pregnant?” Monroe asks as she, Emerson, and Briar join us.
“Just Briar, but I was telling Brogan that with the way Maddox looks at her, she won’t be far behind. In fact, all of you”—Maggie waves her hand in the air—“are in great danger of being knocked up with the heated glances your husbands are tossing around like candy.” She grins, and we all laugh.
She’s not wrong.
“I’d be okay with that,” Emerson speaks up.
“I guess Kane is close enough to one year,” Monroe muses. “I want all of our kids to grow up together, and have a support system.”
“Yeah,” I agree.
“Maggie, what about you? Any new dating prospects?”
“Nope,” she says, popping the p . “Dry as the Sahara Desert.” Something flashes in her eyes, but it’s gone too quickly to name.
“You’ll find him,” I tell her. “It happens when you least expect it.”
“Amen,” the ladies all chime in with their agreement.
“Meh, in the meantime, I’ll live vicariously through all of you.”
“Ladies,” Lachlan says. He steps behind Maggie and places his hands on her shoulders, massaging gently. “What’s going on over here? Talking about how handsome and charming I am? Go on, please proceed,” he says, smirking.
“Actually, we were just telling Maggie we need to find her a man.”
“What? You on the market, Mags?” he asks her. Something changes in his voice.
I study the two of them and the look that passes between them. I make a mental note to ask the ladies if they noticed it too. Maybe I’m so blinded by the love I have with Maddox, that I’m seeing things, but something… something is there.
“Nope,” Maggie quips.
Lachlan bends and whispers something in her ear, and Maggie’s face heats.
Interesting.
“Anyway, I think I’ll take one of these.” He snatches a cupcake out of the container, tears off the bottom half, places it on top—making a sandwich—and takes a huge bite. “So good,” he mumbles. He shoves the second half into his mouth and reaches for another.
“How do you keep those abs with all that sugar you consume?” Emerson asks him.
He pulls up his shirt, pats his ripped abs, and grins. “You saying you think I’m sexy, Em?” he teases.
Emerson grabs a napkin, balls it up, and tosses it at him. “Don’t let my husband hear you talk like that,” she counters.
“Don’t let me hear what, baby girl?” Roman asks.
“You better run, Lachlan,” Monroe teases.
“What did you do to my wife?” Roman asks.
“Stole a cupcake,” Lachlan says, reaching for another, but Maggie swats at his hand. “Hey.” He pouts, but Maggie doesn’t turn around to see it.
“What did we miss?” Forrest asks as he and Legend join us.
“Lachlan is eating all the cupcakes and flirting with Emerson,” I tell them.
“That ring on her finger not reminder enough that she’s mine?” Roman asks. He’s joking, but there is something in his tone, a possessiveness that he’s not bothering to hide where Emerson is concerned.
“We were talking about babies,” Emerson says, gaining her husband’s attention.
“Oh yeah?” Roman smiles down at his wife.
“That right there.” Maggie points at them. “That’s the look.” The ladies all laugh, while the guys try to figure out what she’s talking about.
“Maggie seems to think with the way you all look at us”—Briar waves her hand around in a circle—“that there could be a lot of new babies this time next year.”
“I’m trying,” Maddox says, making us all laugh.
Lilly comes toddling over, and Lachlan scoops her up in his arms. She rests her head on his shoulder. The familiarity hits me. This is what my kids are going to grow up knowing. Aunts and uncles who treat them like they are their own. So much love and support, something my sister and I had from one man.
I meet Briar’s eyes, and she nods: she’s reading my thoughts, and I know she’s thinking the same thing. She’s already experiencing it with River and Rayne.
This is our family.
I’m not sure if they chose us or we chose them, but we found each other, and I will be eternally grateful for having each and every one of them in our lives.