Epilogue
“There they are…” Landon calls out as Eden and I approach the dock, hand in hand. We’re joining a Battle family trip on Landon’s boat for the holiday.
“Family” is defined differently these days. Eight people instead of four—nine if you count the pup.
Landon and Rori, Grace and Johnson, Rawley and Avery, and now Eden and me, all here. Along with Grover.
Speaking of Landon’s sidekick, he bolts toward Eden and me as soon as he spots us, excited barks echoing in the air.
“Sorry we’re late,” Eden says. “I was talking to Coach about the details of the World Cup trip.”
“Which coach?” Grace asks from the boat, with the hint of a tease in her voice.
I get it. It’s hard to keep up. Eden has her old college coach, though now that she’s graduated from Tolliver, she comes up less often.
There’s her national U23 coach, Coach Mueller. The one who’s called her up again for the next U23 camp, this time with the incredible opportunity to help the senior USWNT prep for the World Cup in a few weeks. That’s who she actually spoke to this morning.
She has another coach now, though. The coach of the new expansion team in Miami for the NWSL. Eden officially signed the contract to join them this past February, and once she finished classes in May, she was all in.
“Coach Mueller.”
Grace nods. She’s working with Eden regularly, so she knows all the players in Eden’s life.
“No worries,” Rori says. “We’re still loading the boat. Or these guys are.” She waves her bum arm, encapsulated in a brace. She tweaked her shoulder in the third round of Wimbledon three days ago, which is the only reason she’s here now.
“Everyone come onboard. We’re set,” Johnson shares.
The five of us not yet on the boat start climbing in, and it’s apparent immediately that it’s going to be a tight squeeze. The boat Landon purchased for us four Battle siblings to use can handle maybe six people, but now it has eight decidedly large people and a dog.
“Man, time for a bigger boat, Landon. I volunteer to get one,” Johnson shouts to him. They predictably start debating who should get the next boat.
“Hey, in the meantime, we need to fit on this boat,” Rori says, breaking up the banter. “Who can sit on someone else’s lap?”
Avery speaks first. “Get ready, Rook, because here I come.” Eyes waggling, she plops on Rawley’s lap.
“Avie baby, you know I can handle it.” He wraps his arms around her waist as she leans against him.
“Still Rook, huh?” Landon says to him.
“To her, not to you.”
Rori interrupts before Landon quips back. “Anyway, thank you, Avery.”
“Eden can sit on my lap too,” I volunteer. Eden links eyes with me and smiles.
“Yes, Sir.” Her tone is lighter than in the bedroom, but she follows orders just the same. Within three seconds, I have her perfect ass sitting right where I want her to be.
“Everyone has a seat?” Grace asks. With affirmations from all, Landon gets the boat started.
“I think this arrangement probably violates the safety clause in at least one of the multi-million dollar contracts represented on this boat,” I whisper to Eden,.
“Haha, don’t leak any pictures on social media.”
The boat engine starts humming. “We’re going to the cove?” I shout to Landon.
He nods. It’s our go-to spot for outings—an accidental discovery years ago when Landon was jetting around. Gorgeous views, an uninhabited beach, and shallow waters where we can swim.
When we reach our destination, Landon throws down the anchor, leading Rawley, Avery, and Grover to all jump into the water in succession.
“Avery, don’t do anything crazy and get injured,” Rori shouts. “I’m supposed to come to your game tomorrow.” Close friends now, their mutual ribbing is almost as constant as between Landon and my brother.
“You’re the one talking, Reilly.” She splashes the water. “Are you stuck on the boat with your brace?”
“Nah, it can get wet. I’m just chilling.” Rori grabs a seltzer.
“Are you out of commission long?” Eden asks her.
“Luckily, it’s only a tweak. I should be back to normal by the US Open warm-up tourneys.” She turns to Landon. “Though I am getting old, right, Superstar?” She winks at him.
“Baby, if you’re old at twenty-four, I’m in a world of hurt at twenty-seven.”
“Here, Landon, I think Grover wants to get back on the boat,” Rawley calls from the water before helping the pup over the side.
“He might be hungry.”
The word triggers a growl from my stomach. “Me too, I guess.”
“You should have eaten more lunch,” Eden says.
“I was too busy eating something else,” I whisper in her ear.
Apparently I wasn’t quiet enough. “I’m going to ignore what I just heard,” Johnson says. “Landon, what do we have? I could definitely eat.”
Landon and Rori get us situated with dinner, while Rawley and Avery are joined by Grace and Eden to swim. Another hour passes lazily. The sun is slowly starting to droop down, and they get on board too.
“Will we hear any fireworks out here?” Eden asks.
“No, but it’s for the best,” Landon says. “They freak out Grover.”
“The colors of the sunset are so gorgeous anyway,” Grace adds. “We don’t need anything else.”
We’re all quiet as we take in the visuals that match her words. It truly is idyllic.
“I think we should make some toasts,” Landon says after the moment passes.
“Yes,” we all agree.
“First, happy one-year anniversary, Grace and Johnson.”
“Yay!” Rori says, and we all take sips of our drinks to repeated calls of “Happy Anniversary.”
Once we’ve set our drinks down, Grace toasts next.
“And happy new contract to Connor.”
I can hardly believe it, but the Miami team needed a kicker for the upcoming season—and they signed me.
I’m legitimately a starting placekicker in the NFL.
With a contract that now touches seven figures, and a lot of incentives if I stay successful.
I guess helping a team win throughout the playoffs, all the way through the Super Bowl, opens doors.
“I’m sorry I won’t be with the Waves anymore.” My eyes gravitate to my oldest brother.
Landon gives a dismissive wave. “We had this year—the Super Bowl. We’ll always be able to say we did it together.”
“Plus, you two are starting a new life with each other down there,” Grace notes, tilting her head toward the honey-haired goddess on my lap.
Eden beams. “I’m so excited. We finally finished furnishing our Miami place yesterday.” It’s a two-bedroom condo with under fifteen-minute drives to both stadiums. We’ll keep my place for when we’re in Orlando.
“Was the drive bad?” Landon asks.
“Nah,” I answer him. “I mean, it’s four hours, but we wouldn’t have missed today.”
“Well, expect a lot of visitors. Avery and I will be in our off-seasons soon, and we’ll come hang. I love Miami,” Rori shares.
“Please come to my games down there, even if you have to pretend to root for the other team,” Avery says.
“It’s kind of amazing how everything worked out,” Landon observes. “That we could all be here together tonight. That so many pieces have come together for our futures.”
Grace responds, “It happened exactly how it was meant to.”
As the sun sets incrementally lower, we sip our beverages, the boat rocking in a soothing cadence. Laughing, sharing, connecting under the rainbow of colors typical for a Florida dusk.
Pinks, yellows, oranges, blues, and a dash of purple.
Vibrant on their own, and blended beautifully.
Made even better, together.