Epilogue 1
Rachel
Five months later
“Slow down!” I call for what feels like the hundredth time, but Lyla and Dominic don’t acknowledge me.
“Don’t worry, Rebel. They know better than to run into the street,” Ryder assures me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder and pulling me to him. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been in the same room with Ryder, and his hands haven’t been on me.
When I asked him why he’s so adamant about touching me, he said he’s making up for lost time, and I have no objections to that.
We finally arrive at the ice cream shop—located on one of the more populated streets in our area—to find the kids already waiting in line. We join them, pissing off a few parents as we do, but a glare from Ryder shuts them up before they even think about calling us out.
He takes scary boyfriend privilege to an entirely new level. I suspect I could get away with just about anything with him at my side.
“You guys are so slow,” Dominic says with a chuckle, and I know without even looking at Ryder that we’re both relishing the moment of playfulness.
Things haven’t been the smoothest since Dominic found out about his mom.
The week following the news, he didn’t leave the windows by the front door—convinced his mom would pull up in her gray van like she always did before.
The next week, he hit Ryder a few times, getting unreasonably angry about things that never would’ve bothered him before.
When Ryder caught him trying to climb out the window of his newly renovated Cars-themed bedroom to go home, we knew it was time for us to do something more.
I’ve been taking him to see Dr. Danver twice a week for a few months now. At first, he refused to talk to her, but a few sessions in, she told me they were starting to make progress.
Since then, he’s traded violent tendencies for destructive ones, which Dr. Danver said is normal for his age, and she’s hopeful it’s only a phase.
Dominic isn’t the only one getting help.
A few weeks after things settled down, I found myself a therapist to help me work through my anxiety all on my own so I don’t have to rely on—in her words—toxic coping mechanisms. I went weekly in the beginning, but now I only go once a month since I’ve responded so well to the techniques she taught me.
“That’s what happens when you’re old. You get slow,” I tease, and Dom scrunches his nose.
“We’re never getting old,” he declares, looking to Lyla for confirmation.
She nods, seeming content with the idea.
Even through his life changes, Dominic still adores Lyla and though my daughter is still trying to understand why Dominic lives with us now, she enjoys always having him around. They still get along like they always have, but these light-hearted, playful moments are few and far between.
“Is that right?” Ryder asks with a lifted brow.
“Yup,” Dominic confirms.
“You know,” Ryder says, lowering to their level, “if you never grow up, you’ll never get to drive a car like Lightning McQueen.”
Dominic’s eyes go wide for only a second before he composes himself and defiantly crosses his arms over his chest. “I don’t want a car like Lightning McQueen. I want a car like Uncle Logan!”
Uncle Logan.
It’s still strange to hear, but there’s no denying it’s for the best. Both Dominic and Lyla have taken to calling the Consolis their uncles.
We took the kids to Elli and Moreno’s wedding a few months ago, then we all went to stay at their new house in Los Angeles for Thanksgiving. This has given everyone a chance to form a relationship with Dominic, and it’s been nothing short of heart-warming to witness.
Damon isn’t like the capos I’ve met in either the Moreno or Consoli family.
The more I’m around him—which, admittedly, isn’t a lot—the more I see why Logan stepped into the boss role of their family.
Damon’s good at what he does, but he’s a smart ass and, quite frankly, a goofball.
From what I can tell, Dominic seems to like Damon the most since he’s the only one who will wrestle with him and pretend to lose.
James is nice but more reserved than his older brother. He likes teaching Lyla and Dominic how to play different board games—though both of them really just like Jenga, and only because Dominic tries to knock the tower over.
Logan found his way into Dominic’s good graces through their mutual love for cars.
When we took a weekend trip to Chicago with Elli to see her brothers a few weeks ago, Logan took Dominic for a drive in every single one of his dozen sports cars.
In the most vulnerable moment I’ve ever caught Logan in, he let Dominic pick out a new car for him—a cherry-red Maserati—and they went to pick it up together.
Elli and Moreno even volunteered to take the kids for a weekend to Disneyland, so Ryder and I could have some alone time.
“You definitely can’t drive Uncle Logan’s cars unless you grow up,” Ryder tells him.
“Fine,” he huffs, looping his arm around Lyla’s. “We’ll only grow up to drive, but that’s it.”
“Right, of course,” I say with a chuckle, and we step up to the front of the line.
I go to lift Lyla, but Ryder shakes his head, lifting Dominic in one arm and Lyla in his other to help them order.
It’s not necessary—I’ve been fully cleared by the doctor for all physical activity for months—but Ryder still treats me like I’m recovering from my knife wound.
He doesn’t let me do any heavy lifting if he can help it.
Once the kids have placed their order, they squirm out of Ryder’s hold and race to the pick-up window.
“I swear keeping up with these two is a full-time gig,” Ryder mutters.
“Actually, I was thinking the opposite,” I tell him. “I’m ready to start working again.”
After my abrupt extended leave and putting Mrs. Caster on thin ice for vouching for a no-show employee, she found herself a new assistant.
I didn’t blame her and barely felt the loss when I officially turned in my resignation.
In the weeks following Mary’s death, taking care of Lyla and Dominic had been a handful, but things have calmed down recently.
Now that both kids are in school for half the day, it’s time for me to start working again.
Ryder stops abruptly. “Wait, really?”
I nod. “The kids have been doing great, and I need something to fill my time when they’re at school. Something to make me feel productive.”
He leans in to kiss my temple. “What would you like to do? I’ll get you a job anywhere you want.”
I laugh at the ridiculous—and no doubt genuine—offer. “Actually… I was wondering if the base had any openings.”
“What would you do at the base?”
“Something in finance… I mean, nothing crazy. I just thought—”
His thumb brushes my bottom lip. “I’ll talk to Moreno, but I don’t see why not. I think it’s a great idea.”
“Yeah?” I sigh with relief. I’ve never been interested in working for the Moreno family before, but now it doesn’t feel like such a crazy idea. Working on my own schedule, as much or as little as I want, all while doing my part to protect our family. Somehow, it’s become the most logical option.
The server hands Dominic and Lyla their ice cream, which they accept with mumbled thanks, and race off behind the building.
“Dom! Lyla!” I call after them. “They know better than to run off like this! We need to talk to them.”
Usually, he’s the one going crazy about the kid’s safety, so I have no idea why I’m dragging him and not the other way around.
We weave through people, going to the back patio where customers can enjoy their ice cream, but the usual tables and chairs aren’t spread out across the space tonight. Instead, they’re pushed against the edges, overflowing with more floral bouquets than I’ve ever seen before.
But that’s not all.
The kids turn to look at Ryder and me with wild excitement as they stand by Elli and Moreno. My eyes scan the line of people who accompany them: Alec, Donovan, Kade, Harris, Ava, Briggs, Donna, Logan, James, and Damon. Even my parents stand with the group.
What the…
My feet are frozen until a soft pull on my arm from Ryder encourages me to walk with him.
“What on earth is going on?” I ask, scanning the entire group until my eyes fall on the man I love, who has stopped to kneel in front of me.
My breath catches, more at his dazzling smile than anything, as he reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a little black box.
“I had this ring in my pocket the day Lyla was born,” he tells me. “I thought I was ready to call you mine forever, but then you told me you wanted to move back to Sacramento, and I told myself it was for the best, but I don’t think I ever believed that.”
“Ryder,” I whisper.
He places a gentle kiss on my knuckles. “I didn’t realize what it meant to really put you first, but I do now. If I could go back in time, I’d choose you over and over again, but since I can’t do that, I promise to spend every day of forever choosing you.”
He opens the ring box, showing off the pear-shaped diamond inside in all its glittering glory.
“Rachel Anne Lance, my Rebel, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
“Yes,” I say breathlessly and nod furiously. “Yes, of course, Ryder.” His smile turns drop-dead-gorgeous, and he slides the ring on my finger, standing to take me in his arms as our family applauds.
“Can we do it now?”
His brows knit together. “Like, now? Now?”
“Why not? Everyone we love is here.”
“Don’t you want to plan a wedding? Isn’t that the dream?”
I shake my head, feeling light-headed in the best possible way.
“You are my dream,” I tell him. “Let’s not wait any longer than we already have.”
Ryder nods slowly, the look in his eyes almost… disbelieving.
“Any chance someone here is ordained?” Ryder asks.
Everyone looks at each other with wide eyes. None of them had expected this turn of events.
Hell, I just thought we were out for ice cream, and now it’s my wedding day.
It’s Damon who raises his hand.
Everyone turns their questioning gazes to him, and he shrugs.
“Got ordained on a dare one very drunken night a few years ago,” he admits, not looking at all ashamed by that fact.
“That works for me,” I say, and everyone murmurs in agreement.
“Mommy, what’s happening?” Lyla asks, and she and Dominic come to stand with us.
I crouch down to their level. “Daddy and I are going to get married.”
Dominic’s eyes go wide, and he looks at Lyla. “Can we get married, too?”
Everyone laughs at that, but his question is a dead-serious one.
“That’s another thing you’ll have to grow up to do,” Ryder answers, lowering beside me.
Dominic’s brow furrows, but he nods. “Fine. I’ll grow up, but only to drive Uncle Logan’s cars and marry Lyla.”
The Consoli brothers—who no doubt came into town more to see their nephew than for this occasion—laugh at that.
“Lyla, do you want to help me pick out some flowers for your mom?” Elli prompts, and Lyla nods enthusiastically, taking her hand as they go.
The next ten minutes must set some kind of wedding planning record as we transform the small space into a functioning venue.
And as quickly as that, we get married.
My father walks me down the aisle, smiling wide like this is exactly how he pictured this day going. Damon makes up a script as he goes, even going off on a tangent about the divorce rate in the country, though he clarifies that his bet is on us making it.
Somehow, he nails the vows.
Ryder and I say I do, and we spend the entire evening celebrating with ice cream and drinks back at the house.
It’s the strangest Thursday night of my life, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world.
I spent years waiting for Ryder, and now, I’ll never have to wait again.
From today until forever, we will belong to each other.
We will love each other.
And we will always choose each other.