Epilogue
SIX MONTHS LATER
“ W hat do you think?”
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d felt so many butterflies in my stomach. Looking around at the new Stone Gallery, however, filled me with excitement and fear like I’d never fathomed. It was the good type of fear but fear, nonetheless.
“It’s pretty cool,” Zach said as he looked around the space.
He was dressed down in jeans and a T-shirt, his baby girl strapped to his chest. She’d already spit up on his clothes three times today—the first day Olivia had agreed to be away from her two-month-old daughter for more than an hour—and he was out of suits to change into.
He didn’t look like he cared. Ally Tallulah Stone was the apple of her father’s eye.
“Yeah?” I rubbed my stomach and looked around at the space one more time. It wasn’t what I’d envisioned when I’d pictured my first gallery, but Cora had approached Tallulah and me with an offer we couldn’t refuse two months after Ryder had been thwarted yet again.
First things first, though. Ryder Stone had gone back to prison.
His conviction wasn’t overturned on appeal, and he was ushered back to prison promptly following his hearing.
He screamed and yelled that he was being railroaded, but the judge wasn’t feeling sympathetic.
She’d waved at him as he was carted off, and that had only served to make him angrier.
When he’d found out his plan with the board had been nipped in the bud, he melted down.
He was caught trying to sneak onto Stone property no fewer than eight times in the three weeks following the big takeover fizzle.
Rex turned catching him into something of a game, although it was obvious it hadn’t been the sort of game he enjoyed playing.
The day Ryder had gone back to prison, everybody had sighed in relief.
He was one less thing to worry about.
Tallulah and I had gone back to work the next day under the watchful eye of Kyla, who didn’t understand why we’d been excused from our duties the previous day but was understandably suspicious.
She’d tried to get Tallulah fired in the weeks following the takedown, but nothing stuck. Then Cora had come to us with a plan.
After the addition to Stone Casino went through, three of the bars in the current building would move to the new location. That would leave prime real estate open in the main casino, and Cora wanted part of that space to be an art gallery.
The gallery would belong to Stone Group.
However, Tallulah and I would each have a ten percent stake and get to run the gallery.
If we agreed to stay for five years, then we would keep our stakes in the gallery.
Given how much money it was expected to bring in, the five-year investment seemed to be well worth it because when we walked away, we would be able to fund our dream gallery wherever we wanted.
Tallulah and I had gladly accepted Cora’s terms.
I’d toyed with the idea of leaving Vegas, but the truth was that I loved the city. It was my home. I didn’t want to leave. If Tallulah had wanted to leave, I would’ve agreed, however. No questions asked. She was what I wanted more than anything else.
Thankfully, she hadn’t wanted to leave after all. It seemed that her anger at Sharon had clouded her opinion of the city, but she wanted to be close to Olivia—and me. Plus, Vegas was the only life she knew.
We hadn’t seen Sharon since that day at her trailer.
We’d heard through the grapevine that she’d taken her ten grand and headed east, opting for a stint in Atlantic City, where nobody knew her.
That money wouldn’t last long even if she found a new sugar daddy to entertain her for a few months.
Eventually, she would be back. Tallulah and I would deal with her together if she decided to show up and rock her daughter’s world.
As for Tallulah and me, things were going amazingly well.
Three months after we officially started dating, we’d moved in together.
It wasn’t a big shift. We’d spent every night together for months at that point.
We chose my place because I owned it and it was spacious, but I’d told her we could pick a new place to buy together whenever she wanted.
She didn’t seem interested. She loved the views of the mountains from my condo.
So we stayed, and she’d helped redecorate to reflect both of us. I loved her choices.
After Cora had offered us the gallery, we left the lounge. Kyla was so excited to see us go that her sister started her first shift as a server in less than twenty-four hours. My understanding was that things were running smoothly without us. That was likely for the best.
Tallulah and I had thrown ourselves into planning for the gallery. We actually made less money during the planning stages, but we were having so much fun, it didn’t matter. We ate on the job and slept wrapped around one another. We’d spent almost every waking moment together.
I had never been happier.
And here we were, the night before the gallery officially opened. We were having a private party with the shareholders, complete with themed drinks and food, to kick off the new endeavor. I’d even managed to get fried macaroni and cheese bites added to the menu as an appetizer.
“I told you it looks great,” Zach said. He made a face for his sleepy daughter. She didn’t look impressed. “Take it down a notch, Ronan. Why are you so worked up?”
I fingered the velvet jewelry box in my pocket.
My parents—both of them—had helped me pick out the engagement ring inside.
My father had treated me better over the last six months.
When he reminded me that I could be rich beyond my wildest dreams if I took over the casino, I smiled and shook my head.
He and my mother were coming to the opening tonight, and I took that as a good sign.
Eventually, he would stop asking. For now, I could forgive him for not being able to let it go just yet. He was getting there.
“Who said I was worked up?” I forced myself to focus on Zach. “I’m not worked up. Who is saying that?”
“Yeah, I was kind of joking at first.” Zach shook his head. “Now, I know you’re worked up. Spill.”
“I can’t tell you.” I averted my gaze.
“You can’t tell me?”
“That’s what I said.” I jutted out my chin to let him know I meant business.
He was quiet for a beat. I could feel him looking at me. Finally, he sighed. “Fine. Don’t tell me.”
“I can’t. You have a big mouth.”
“I do not have a big mouth.”
“You do with Olivia.”
“So you’re worried I might say something to Olivia.”
I was determined to change the subject, but before I could, realization dawned in his eyes.
“Let me see the ring,” he ordered.
I balked. “What makes you think I have a ring?”
“Because you’re acting squirrelly and the only thing you would be worried about me telling Olivia is your plans for an engagement. By the way, I had this month in the pool. I wholeheartedly agree with this plan of action.”
I scowled at him and removed the box from my pocket.
I’d already talked about the idea of marriage with our therapist, but this was a big step.
Tallulah and I had been having regular sessions with Robin since we started officially dating.
We agreed that therapy could be helpful for both of us when it came to overcoming our issues.
So, once a month, we sat down with Tallulah’s childhood therapist and talked everything out. Rarely did we struggle.
Tallulah’s anger issues hadn’t cropped up in all that time. Sure, she got irritated, but she didn’t let things build to an explosion point. The key was to air her grievances as they were happening.
My anxiety was still present, but it never knocked me out. When I felt the world was getting too overwhelming, I took a step back and got some air.
Both of us were thriving—when we were together and when we were apart.
Zach snatched the box and looked inside, his smile spreading when he saw the ring. “This is nice. You must have saved up for a long time to afford this.”
I yanked it back. “I have a trust fund.”
“You do?”
“Don’t you?”
“Yeah, but I went into the family business. I didn’t think your father would hand over the keys to the trust fund if you didn’t go into the family business.”
“He’s seen the error of his ways.”
“And your mother threatened to make his life hell.”
“There is that too.” I clutched the ring to my chest. “I’m nervous. Why am I so nervous?”
“Don’t be nervous,” he said.
“That’s easy for you to say. You never had to propose.”
“Fair enough, but you have nothing to be nervous about. Tallulah worships the ground you walk on.”
I snorted. “I wouldn’t go that far.”
“I would. When you’re not looking at her, she’s looking at you.
She thinks the sun rises and sets on your artistic behind.
” He paused a beat. “Speaking of that, do you guys ever go full Ghost with that pottery wheel thing? I heard Tallulah and Olivia talking about it a few weeks ago, and now I can’t get it out of my head. ”
I was confused. “Full Ghost ?”
“You know, the movie. They have sexy time with the pottery wheel before he dies.”
“I’m vaguely familiar with the movie, and no, we don’t go full Ghost . Clay is a bitch to rinse off. It’s more fun to play that game with paint.”
“Really?” Zach’s eyes lit with intrigue. “Tell me what that’s like.”
“Not now, you perv.” I flicked his ear. I’d become good friends with him and Rex. Once a week, we went to a sports bar and did “guy things,” as Tallulah liked to refer to them. Basically, we sat around, checked the scores, and talked about our women. I enjoyed it.
“Oh, you’re going to tell me about it.” Zach was firm. “Maybe not tonight—I don’t want to make your proposal skeevy—but you’ll tell me about it eventually.” He paused a beat. “Is that why you surprised Tallulah with the spa package?”
“Yes and no,” I hedged. “I wanted her to feel pampered. Tonight is a big night. It was more for me, though. I was afraid if she was around the gallery all day, she would crack, or I would crack. Heck, we both could have cracked, we’re so excited. It’s better that she’s relaxed.”
“Because both of you freaking out at the same time is probably not a good thing. I get it.”
I scowled at him before grinning. “I can’t wait to make her my wife. You’re sure she’s going to say yes, right?”
“I’m positive she’s going to say yes.” Zach’s eyes filled with warmth. “You guys are perfect together. You’re both weird, but it works.”
“Yeah.” I looked up at the sound of laughter and caught sight of Tallulah, Ruby, and Olivia as they walked into the gallery. They were all freshly buffed and shined, had taken the time to go home and get dressed for the party, and were ready for our big night.
My heart skipped ten beats as Tallulah looked up and met my gaze. The edges that had started to fray smoothed, and it was as if a warm blanket had been tucked around my soul.
She was definitely going to say yes.