Epilogue
JACE
Christmas Eve
“Whatcha doin, Mama?” I ask, plopping down onto the couch.
Presley doesn’t look up from her phone, her scowl deepening as she shifts, drawing her legs in to make room for me.
Uh-oh, that’s not a good sign.
I give her a minute, sneaking a glance over at Otis, who is sitting in front of the Christmas tree, staring up at it like Santa is going to burst out of it at any moment.
He’s been very concerned all season that Santa isn’t going to be able to find him, since he doesn’t live in the same house he was in last year.
We’ve written a couple of letters, and visited the big guy at the mall to make sure that he received the change of address notice.
Still, I know there is a tinge of worry inside Little Man.
He has no reason for concern—Santa is one hundred percent aware of where he lives now. In fact, Mrs. Claus might have gotten a little upset with Santa for going a little overboard when it came to the presents this year.
I couldn’t help it though. It’s our first one as a family, and I want to make sure it’s perfect.
Just wait until she sees what my parents and siblings did for the first member of the next generation of Hayes. She’s really going to lose her shit then. I can’t wait.
Turning back to Presley, I nudge her with my foot, trying to steal her attention. Because her attention isn’t the only thing I want to steal—but I’m doing my best to hold back. Don’t want any of that whole “I saw mommy kissing Santa” business.
“Pres…”
She looks up, brows still knit together. “Sorry, just tryin’ to deal with some stuff.”
“I thought you said you weren’t going to work this week?”
I didn’t believe her when she said it, but she swore up and down that she was going to take this week off. No work. We were leaving that at the office. Because the only thing that mattered this week was family and fun. Making sure our first Christmas as a unit was everything it should be.
Presley isn’t that kind of woman though.
Yes, she’s the kind that decorates every inch of the house, making sure that holiday spirit radiates off every surface.
Stockings hung, garland draped, and a massive, beautiful tree all lit up.
She also made sure that Otis hit up every single holiday activity there was, not missing out on a single thing.
Which in itself was a feat, because on top of all that, we moved me into their house, making it fully official.
Well, almost fully official.
“I wasn’t. Until people started tagging Southern Brothers in the latest Wink & Shine post and…” Letting out a long sigh, she forces one side of her mouth into a sad smile. “It’s a mess, Jace.”
“I’m sure it’ll die down.”
Presley shrugs. “I’m not so sure. Yes, we got Brandt off there, but some random has picked up in his wake, with a fake account, and…
arrggh…” She inhales deeply and I can all but see her trying to count to ten in her head.
“Margeaux is working the faker from the legal side, but Wink & Shine is pissed. And I can’t blame them.
I would be too. I reached out to their social media team, but I haven’t heard anything.
Apparently they’re already on vacation.”
I reach for her phone, taking it from her. She doesn’t fight me. Simply sighs again and snuggles into the couch, turning to look at Otis.
“As you should be. Family and fun, remember?”
“Right.” Reaching out for me with her foot, she strokes my leg, her smile turning serene. “It’s a good thing my family is a lot of fun.”
“We should play a game.”
“A game?” She perks up, her mind going somewhere else.
I laugh, shaking my head. Save that for later, Mama…
“Hey, Little Man, wanna play a game?”
“Yeah!”
Sweet. It’s go time.
“Alrighty. I’ve hidden a bunch of candy canes around the house. Most of them are regular size, but there is also a great big one, that has another surprise attached to it. I’m gonna set the timer for fifteen minutes, and whoever has the most candy canes at the end, wins.”
“O’tay!” Otis bounces on the balls of his feet, like he has springs under his heels.
“There’s a twist though!” I continue. “If you find the great big one, that’s worth ten points!”
Otis takes off running, not waiting for any more instructions. I shake my head laughing, loving his energy. And maybe more than a little jealous of it.
“How many candy canes did you hide?” Presley asks, pushing up from the couch to go join in.
I shrug. “I dunno. How many come in a box? Twelve? I figure he’ll do most of the work anyway.”
“And just how big is the great big one?”
Her mom voice is activated, and I can already see the concerns of a sugar meltdown dancing like the sugarplum fairy in her head. Good thing I’m one step ahead.
“Don’t worry, it’s—”
“Like this one?”
Otis skids to a stop in front of us, his socks failing to give him the traction he’s looking for on that hardwood. He waves the massive stuffed candy cane—the one that is almost as big as he is—showing off the newfound treasure.
Well…so much for that taking a while…
“Just like that, Little Man. Did you pick up the box that went with it?”
Eyes going wide, Otis takes off again, slipping and sliding as he moves. He makes a noise as he locates the box, the pounding of his feet against the floor giving him away as he returns.
“Is it for me? Can I open?”
“Let’s open it together,” I answer, pulling him onto the couch with me.
Presley chuckles, sitting back down and plopping Otis in her lap. Wasting no time, he tears at the paper with abandon, sending shreds of it flying. I watch intently, bobbing out of the way of a flying fist at one point, my pulse kicking up.
Here goes…
Opening the small white box, Otis pulls the tissue paper off the small, plastic item.
“Is this for the tree?”
“It is.”
He looks back at the ornament, taking it in. The cartoon figures drawn on it only resemble us based on hair color, but looking at it makes my heart happy nonetheless. The inscription on it even more so.
“What does this say?” Otis holds it up, pointing to the words.
Presley peers over him, gasping. I reposition myself so I can grab the ornament, holding it up for both of them to look at.
“It says, Dad, Mama, and Otis Hayes,” I explain, pointing to each character in the cartoon.
Presley sniffles. I catch her gaze, those beautiful blue-gray eyes filled with tears. I don’t even have to say it. She knows what I’m asking.
“That’s not my name,” Otis declares, in a way that only a three-year-old can. It’s not accusatory or mean, simply a squeakily stated fact.
“Would you like it to be?” I ask.
“Why?”
Good question, Little Man…
“Because then you and I would have matching last names.”
Presley gasps again, a hand flying over her mouth. I flash a quick smile back at her, but then turn to the one whose answer I’m waiting on.
Otis frowns, his little mouth turned downward. “But what about Mama?”
Oh, my heart…
This kid owns me. Heart and soul. If he only knew how much.
I smirk, loving that he just gave me the most perfect segue ever. It’s almost like we planned this. Only, there’s no way I could have ever planned something this perfect.
“If I had a way to make it so Mama wasn’t left out, would you say yes?”
Otis nods emphatically, as if everything in the world were that simple. Good thing this one is.
“That’s what I thought you’d say, Little Man. Which leads me to my next question…”
Sliding off the couch, I land on one knee and dig into my pocket. The fire crackles behind me, as if on cue, all of my senses on high alert.
“Seventeen years ago, you walked into my life, Presley, and I was…stupid. And because of that, I missed out on you. Thankfully, the universe gave me another shot. One I almost missed again. Because I’m a jack—”
I cut myself off, Otis’s attention catching me off guard. Behind him, Presley snickers, knowing exactly what I was about to say.
“Rabbit,” I save. “I was a jackrabbit.”
I clear my throat, trying to remember everything I rehearsed in the shower this morning.
It was so easy then, coming up with the perfect words to tell her how much I love her.
How I want her and Otis and a family together.
How I plain old want her—mommy tummy, tiger stripes, and all.
That all the pieces of herself that she’s self-conscious about are some of the parts I adore the most. Because they’re what makes her her.
Right now, here in this moment, down on one knee, I can’t remember a damn thing though. It’s all mush inside my brain, that I need to not be mush when it comes out of my mouth.
Now is not the time to word vomit.
“What I mean is…” I swallow hard. “Presley, I love you. So much. You are the center of my world. I know I said that I don’t know what the future looks like, and I didn’t become psychic between then and now, but I know what I want it to look like.
What it looks like in my brain. And that’s you and me.
And Little Man, and whoever else comes along. ”
I pull the ring box out of my pocket, but I don’t flip it open quite yet. There’s still more I need to say.
“I want to spend my life with you. Packing lunches, cleaning up puke, dealing with whose turn it is to take out the trash. I wanna argue over what’s for dinner, and whose parents we’re going to spend a holiday with.
Or for you to get grumpy because I overdid it for a birthday or Christmas, which I won’t ever stop doing.
I want for you to be Mama, and me to be Dad, and our life to be so wildly wonderful we make everyone sick looking at us. ”
Slowly, I open the blue velvet box, my heart skipping a beat. It took some doing, trying to figure out exactly what kind of ring to get her, but I managed it. Mostly thanks to her mom, who somehow had access to a secret file of exactly what Presley had been dreaming about.
“Presley Elyse Callahan, will you marry me?”
“Yes!” Otis screams.
Well, that settles that…
There’s no holding back my laugh. I let it out, squeezing my eyes shut, my heart ready to burst. At least one of them is on board.
I look up at Presley and the tears in her eyes, waiting for her to answer. The tears, paired with that perfect smile, tell me everything.
“Of course,” she whispers. “I choose you.”
Grabbing her hand, I slip the ring on and push up to my feet, just enough to kiss her. It’s quick, sweet, and at an awkward angle with a kiddo in between us, but couldn’t be more perfect. I want a million more just like it, and can’t wait for a lifetime full of them.
I want another one, so I lean in again, but I’m cut off by an unmistakable chime.
“Doorbell!” Otis announces, as if we didn’t hear it ourselves. Pushing out from between us, he takes off running again.
“Who did you invite over?” Presley asks.
“No one,” I say honestly. “This was supposed to be just an us moment.”
Nodding, she sighs, accepting my answer as she pushes to her feet. I stop her, stealing a quick kiss.
“Sit, relax. Let me.”
“You sure?”
“I told you, Mama. I got you.”
Otis can’t wait to be a Hayes. Grab the bonus scene know to see it all unfold!
Brandt landed Southern Brothers in a some hot water with his comment. But can he get them out of it? Find out in Tennessee Trouble!