Epilogue 2
SAGE
Another five years later
“Let’s gooooooo, everyone!”
I laugh as I slip my feet into the beat-up Doc Martens just inside my large closet, listening as Beckham shouts again from the front door.
“We’re going to be late!”
Peyton’s head comes around the corner. “We’re going to be late for Dad’s thing.”
“I heard, many times.” I laugh, eyeing my blue-eyed beauty. “Maybe go down and throw a Xanax in your father’s mouth, see if that calms him a little.”
“I’m only ten. I don’t think you can make jokes like that with me,” she answers, completely serious, and it makes me laugh.
I throw a denim jacket over one shoulder. “You’re too grown up for your own good, Peyton Grace.”
“Mom! We are going to be late!” Preston shoves past his sister, walking into my closet and giving me wide, worried chocolate eyes. His dark hair is messy, like he hasn’t brushed it in weeks, so I sigh and look at Peyton for help.
“Got it.” She reads the look on my face, grabbing her four-year-old brother by the shoulder and turning him around before leading him from my closet. “Let’s fix your hair, little Blackmore.”
I smile at her nickname for him, then hear Beckham shout from the front door again.
“I’m going to leave you all here!”
Kaiden shows up then, looking me up and down before he grins at me. “We’re going to be late, baby.”
Staring daggers at him, I nod. “I know, Kaiden, I’m coming right now.”
His large hands slide around my waist from behind, and my breath hitches like it always does. Even after over a decade with him, I still get that throb between my legs when he touches me. “You start touching me and we’ll never get out of here.”
His mouth finds my ear, the stubble on his jaw creating a fire on every inch of my skin as he speaks. “Let’s just lock ourselves in here, and I’ll make you come so many times that you don’t know your own name.”
My skin pebbles with goosebumps, and my mouth drops open as he kisses down the side of my neck. Moaning softly, I roll my head back against his chest. “That’s exactly what we should do.”
“Are you two kidding?” Beckham comes into the closet, and Kaiden growls under his throat at the intrusion. “Vin is waiting for us. We needed to leave five minutes ago!”
Vinny’s getting a medal of honor tonight, presented by Blackmore University for all the work he’s been doing for their athletics department—especially the football team.
Being inspired by the lack of coverage and scouting during his own time at Blackmore University, he singlehandedly transformed their entire system, giving the players a chance at different leagues after college, including the NFL.
That’s why he’s getting the medal now. His first player was drafted by the NFL this past April—a receiver to the Jaguars.
Kaiden kisses my neck one last time, then we all make our way downstairs. Beckham huffs when he notices our children are still upstairs, and I laugh before I kiss him on the mouth. “Please, relax.”
“This is important,” he says quietly, just for me. “He needs us there.”
Nodding, I smile at him, his heart on his sleeve and all his love in his eyes. “I know, and we’re going to be there.”
“Ready?” Kaiden asks, draping a sweater over Peyton’s shoulders as her and her brother reach the bottom of the stairs, even though it’s still eighty degrees outside.
“Ready!” Preston yells, jumping up in excitement.
Like Peyton, we never had a paternity test done for Preston, and this time, it isn’t as blatantly obvious who his biological father is since he has my eyes and similar features to mine.
I swear, when the light hits him just right, though, I see a small version of Kaiden standing before me, but I’ll never say that out loud.
All three of my partners love our children the same—like they are their own flesh and blood, and biological differences will never matter to any of us.
Kaiden drives us to Blackmore University, where I meet up with a few colleagues from city hall in the courtyard outside the large auditorium the school had built a few years ago.
Going into politics was never really a serious plan, but it’s become something that makes all the days better.
I’m able to make real change in the town that holds my name, just like so many of my ancestors did before me.
I don’t think I’ll go up any higher on the political ladder. I couldn’t imagine having to leave Blackmore and everything we’ve built here. No, I just want to help create something beautiful in this town that gave me so much when I needed it most.
Beckham is on the town council with me as well, which has expanded since his father did the same, growing to eight people instead of three, and one of our main focuses is utilizing this amazing university to bring people and money into Blackmore.
Our little town always deserved more than it got from the world, and we’re all each doing our best to help with that.
Alongside Vinny, we’ve been able to pour funds into athletics, giving high schoolers all over the state, especially in small towns like Blackmore, the chance to play for a team that might land them a spot on a team after college.
It isn’t just sports we’re partnering with on a city level either; alongside the headmistress, we’ve given opportunities to students in arts and academics as well.
And with the new, talented and smart students came businesses. We even have some nationwide chains in Blackmore now, and small businesses popping up all over the place too, giving the residents of Blackmore a better chance at success and legacies for their kids.
Blackmore isn’t just factories and fields anymore; we’ve been able to get really far in our plan to reinvent the town and give the name a better future.
Kaiden shakes hands with a few people from his office as well, some of them having kids who attend BU, and I notice Beckham showing Preston and Peyton the tree my Hallows Boys used to sit under during their time at the university.
Warmth spreads through me, the memories of ten years ago making me feel so full of happiness that it might spill over.
The university has a podium set up on the stage inside the auditorium, a few chairs behind it, and after the lights dip down and everyone’s found a seat in the audience, the headmistress steps up to the mic.
The chairs behind her fill with familiar faces—Vinny in one, the football coach in the one next to him, then the wide receiver that was drafted this year from Blackmore University.
The headmistress begins, a smile on her face.
“I’m thrilled to welcome you all here tonight for our ceremony honoring someone I once called a student and now call a colleague and friend.” She pauses while everyone claps and continues when it slows.
“Vincent Donahue is not just an alumnus, nor is he just the best quarterback Blackmore University has ever seen—his passing yard record still undefeated ten years later—he’s also a mentor, a coach, a champion, and the biggest cheerleader for our players.
” She grins at a few of the cheerleaders in the audience. “Sorry, ladies.”
Everyone laughs, including Vincent, and the coach smacks him on the arm playfully, making him shrug.
The headmistress continues. “Over the last ten years, Vincent has gone above and beyond for our athletics department, for our sports teams, and fought every day for a fair chance at further athletics for the young people on our teams. Not only the football team, but also the basketball team and cheerleading squad. With his efforts, we’re happy to finally announce that Blackmore University is able to create two new teams for our school. ”
I look at Beckham, questions in my eyes, because I hadn’t heard anything about this before. He shrugs too, and we both face forward again when the headmistress continues.
“Next year, we’ll have a baseball team and a softball team here at Blackmore University, the construction on their new fields and training centers taking place on the west side of campus, which begins next week!”
Everyone cheers, and pride runs through me as I watch Vinny stand up, a huge smile in place at what he’s been able to do for these kids.
“Now, if we could please take a moment to give our attention to a man you may all know, Jackson Rivers, the first ever student from Blackmore University to be drafted to the National Football League!”
The audience cheers, the player’s family standing up and clapping loudly as they holler.
After a minute, once the crowd has started to quiet down, Headmistress Tallen clears her throat.
“Please join me in saying thank you to Vincent Donahue Jr., who we are happy to give the first Blackmore University Medal of Honor to tonight for his commitment to turning our small university into a place where athletes can thrive and grow their future.” She waves a hand to Vinny, “Vincent.”
We all jump up, all five of us, clapping and screaming. I feel tears lick at the back of my eyes as I watch Vincent take the plaque Headmistress Tallen is handing him, then he steps up to the mic, a giant smile stretching across his handsome face.
He speaks, but the noise of the crowd is still too loud, so he just ends up waving and smiling some more. “Thank you so much!”
When the audience is quiet enough, he speaks into the mic again. “Thank you all so much for being here tonight. I’m so honored to accept this award.”
He pauses for a moment, pressing his lips together to look around the crowd. His gaze finds mine, and I grin at him with pride in my eyes. When he smiles, I feel warm all over.