Epilogue
Drew
August—Eight Months Later
“Do you think if we all climbed into a boat and sailed across the lake, they’d notice that we left?”
One brow arched and a glass in hand, Kate throws me an understanding glance.
“I think we could sail once around the world, and those boys would still be debating the superior way to grill a chicken wing.” She takes a sip of champagne and observes Will and Jensen as they continue arguing whose barbeque food is better.
“It’s actually pretty nauseating, watching their egos at work,” she adds.
“Truly.” June sidles up next to her mom, sunglasses resting partway down her nose so she can fully appreciate my boyfriend’s breakdown to Jensen about why Monterey Jack cheese is the best choice for today’s garden party. “And when did my brother start eating normal food again?”
“After he realized eating only seeds and the occasional organic lettuce leaf actually had nothing to do with him making lead goalscorer for the Rogues in his first season,” I comment, taking a sip of my own drink.
The early August heat beats down on the backyard, and Lake Washington glimmers beneath the sunlight. Will and I have been living in the lake house for just over six months, and honestly, it’s been the best half year of my life.
Last month, I was promoted to senior publicist after I landed a huge sponsorship deal for Silas, and despite the shit show that rained down on us late last year, First Line PR’s success continues to grow.
“Yeah, well, lead goalscorer or not, if I don’t get my hands on some chicken soon, I’m going to ram that—”
“Yes, JJ, I think we get the point.” Kate cuts her daughter short, holding a pleading hand up for her to stop.
“I’ll fetch the salad,” I confirm, turning on my heel and heading for the kitchen, which backs directly onto the garden. “Perhaps if they see us setting up the table to eat, they might actually start plating food before Christmas.”
Crossing the wooden bridge Will built over the koi pond in the spring, I take the stepping stones one at a time. My knee-length summer dress blows in the breeze as I step into the kitchen and find Vesper chopping tomatoes.
“I say this with kindness … but why are you annoyingly motivated when it comes to household tasks? You were constantly cleaning when we lived together, and the laundry basket was always empty. And now I find you prepping food I should’ve done, like, a half hour ago,” I tease, throwing my arms around her neck as she scoops a handful of sliced tomatoes and cucumber and tosses them into a salad bowl.
She just shrugs and starts on the celery. “I’m not really. I just hate the hot weather, and your AC is way more effective than the apartment’s.” Vesper winks at me when I unloop my arms and add dressing to the salad. “I’m only using you to keep cool.”
I screw my face up at her, but my friend’s attempt to be playful falls flat. I drum my fingers against the countertop, knowing I can’t avoid the subject for much longer.
“So, I’d be wrong to assume that you’re hiding in the kitchen, away from he who shall remain nameless.”
She blows out a breath and adds the celery to the bowl. “If you’re referring to Silas, then, no, I’m not avoiding him. We just don’t have a lot to say to each other.”
I flick a tomato seed from her strapless black top. “What happened that day when I caught him sneaking out of your bedroom?”
She rolls her eyes like this is the hundredth time I’ve asked her that question.
In fact, we’ve hardly spoken about what happened prior to the first—and last—time she attended a Rogues game with me.
While Will and I had some renovations done to this house, I opted to stay in the apartment with Vesper before moving out a couple of months later.
Even while we were still living together, she never wanted to talk about Silas, and he never showed up at the apartment again.
That I’m aware of.
“It really doesn’t matter because that’s all in the past.”
I turn to face her as she starts work on a fruit salad.
“You’ve never wanted to talk about it. I—”
“Silas wanted me to take out a restraining order against Kane. His brother wouldn’t stop calling me, and I wouldn’t respond to Silas’s messages, checking if I was okay. He stopped by the apartment that day and stuck his nose in where it wasn’t needed.”
My jaw almost hits the floor. “Vesper, why didn’t you say something sooner to me?”
She makes a frustrated noise. “Silas didn’t need to get involved. I had it handled and eventually blocked Kane’s number.”
“And did that stop him from trying to contact you?”
When she hesitates, I know it didn’t work.
“Babe”—I reach out and smooth a palm down her arm—“maybe Silas has a point.”
Bright blue eyes stare back at me. I can see the anguish in them, and it breaks my heart to think of her struggling day after day, night after night, with that fucker calling her on repeat.
“What he’s doing is abusive and controlling, and Silas is right to be concerned. I’m concerned.”
My friend shakes her head and peels a banana. At this point, I’m not sure how much she enjoys domestic chores and cooking and how much of it serves as a distraction from things—or people—she doesn’t want to think about.
“Silas needs to stay out of my business.” Finishing up on the fruit salad, she covers it with plastic wrap and clutches it to her chest. “I don’t want to talk about him, or Kane, anymore.
” Sadness flashes through her eyes. “My life is complicated and I don’t have the words, or the energy, to keep thinking about it.
I just want to spend a nice day in the sunshine with my friends. ”
Blowing out a long breath, I watch Vesper step out into the garden. My mind is racing over the best way to support her when a strong arm wraps around my waist, spinning me to face a grinning Will with sun-kissed cheeks.
Ugh, he looks too good today in a short-sleeved black shirt with a couple of buttons open at the collar and a pair of gray shorts and tan loafers.
“Where did you disappear to?” he croons at me.
Chewing on my bottom lip, I want to talk to him about Vesper, but then notice my phone in his hand, the screen lit with Colton’s name.
Will passes me the phone, and I swallow thickly, wondering the reason why he’s calling on my day off.
“Is everything okay?” I forgo an official greeting in lieu of swirling anxiety.
“Hey, Drew. Sorry to pull you away from your family and friends, but have you got a second to talk?”
He doesn’t sound like the world is ending, so that’s something, I guess.
“Sure, no worries,” I reply, pulling myself up onto the counter.
Will steps between my legs, fingers creeping beneath the hem of my dress. I bat his hand away, and he chuckles silently, palms smoothing up and down my thighs.
“Is Will still with you?”
“I am,” my boyfriend confirms.
“Okay, cool. Can you put me on loudspeaker because this involves you both?”
A wave of panic shoots through me before Will’s calm voice tempers it.
“What’s the problem, Colton?”
My boss falls quiet for a moment, clearing his throat before he simply says, “Lydia.”
“W-what about her?” I ask.
Colton’s heavy sigh echoes down the line. “I know what happened last year is very much old news. However, I couldn’t risk you guys finding out from social media or anyone other than me. Lydia is DevastatedDino and the person who stole your private messages and posted them online.”
In hindsight, perhaps Lydia was the obvious choice for who tried to ruin my career and humiliate Will and our families.
But each time my brain speculated over the perpetrator being my asshole colleague, I pushed it to the back of my mind.
After all, I had no proof, and I had a second chance with First Line.
I wanted to move on with my life positively, not dig up the painful past.
“Are you sure?” I ask in a small voice, struggling to believe she would be so stupid to risk her own career.
All she cares about is getting to the top as quickly as possible.
Will, on the other hand, doesn’t look at all surprised.
“I’m sure,” Colton responds in a steady voice.
“How did you discover her?” Will asks, pulling me into his body like he knows it’s exactly what I need.
While we’ve come so far in the past nine months, the impact from such an invasion of privacy will live with me for a long time to come. I think that’s why I love this house so much—it’s hidden away from the world. Will was right when he said it was made for us.
Taking the phone from my hand, Will sets it beside us on the white countertop.
“By chance,” Colton clarifies. “Earlier today, she left her company cell face up on the desk and went to the bathroom. I needed to grab one of Will’s files since she was working on it as part of the turnover to me, and that’s when an Instagram notification popped up.
It was a direct message from an anonymous user, asking if DevastatedDino had no shame in what they’d done. ”
“Oh my God.” I bring a shaky palm to my mouth and feel the vibrations of a growl emanating from Will’s chest.
“When I confronted her about it, she burst into tears, explaining that she bitterly regretted what she’d done and then begged for her job.
Lydia claimed that she’d acted out of spite, driven by jealousy.
She couldn’t see that your achievements, Drew, were because of your talent and hard work rather than preferential treatment from me.
” Colton’s voice sounds disappointed. “I treat all of my staff based on merit, and her actions almost cost me my business and caused a lot of unnecessary distress. If one of my employees has concerns over a colleague, then I expect them to come to me directly. Not put them on blast to the world.”
“What did you do?” I ask Colton.
“I fired her, effective immediately, and escorted her off the premises. I’m currently trawling through her laptop, praying I don’t find any more misconduct while simultaneously berating myself for not keeping a closer eye on her activity using First Line devices.”
My heart plummets for Colton.
“Total transparency.” Will soothes me, running a hand down my back, and I look up into his eyes as he starts speaking.
“I’ve had my suspicions about Lydia for a long time, and that’s why I insisted you take over representing me after I was temporarily assigned to her.
If I didn’t have the respect I do for you, Colton, I’d have explored my options with a private investigator in an attempt to flush her out.
My first priority is protecting my girl, and with that in mind, I’m relieved to hear that Lydia is no longer with the company.
One more false move from that woman, and her jealousy toward Drew will be the least of her concerns. I’ll become her number one problem.”
Will drops his lips to mine, setting a soft kiss against them. One hand creeps beneath my dress again.
I don’t stop him this time.
“I appreciate the respect you have shown my business, Will. Both of you have acted with nothing but integrity from the moment the news broke, and … Christ, this might sound a bit condescending, but I’m proud of you.”
Will kisses me again, and I part my thighs wider.
“Such a fucking professional, you dirty girl,” Will purrs into my mouth, voice barely a whisper.
“Colton,” Will says just as his fingertips trace over my damp thong, “I’m going to take your best employee back to the garden party now if we’re finished up here?”
“Yes. Absolutely!” Colton announces down the phone. “I’ll see you in the morning, Drew.”
The call disconnects, but neither of us says a word, the faint noise of laughter drifting through the patio doors.
“Do you think they can see us from down there?” I question, tipping my head toward the lake.
Will drops his mouth to the crook of my neck, sucking until it stings. I clamp my legs around his ass and pull him closer.
“Do you care anymore, Drew? Because I fucking love showing you off to the world.”
He slips one finger into my panties and glides it through my slickness.
I hold my breath, tipping my head back when he pushes inside me and strokes my pussy exactly where I love it.
Pulling his finger out, he plunges two back in, and my legs shake with rolling pleasure, body desperate to find its high, yet my brain is needy for him to draw this moment out forever.
Will retracts his hand and sucks on his fingers, lips twisting to the side as he considers something.
“Jesus!”
At the sound of my dad’s voice, I snap my head around and find him standing in the doorway leading to the hallway.
He throws a hand over his eyes, and I scramble to cover myself. Will does the same as he grabs a hand towel and holds it over his tented pants.
“Jensen asked me for the chipotle marinade, and now I’m thinking I’ll just burn my eyes with it instead.”
“Oh, don’t be so fucking dramatic,” Will mocks, pulling open the refrigerator and handing him the marinade.
Dad’s still covering his eyes but manages to wrap his hand around the bottle on the third attempt of grabbing at it.
He goes to leave, and Will steps back between my thighs when Dad pauses.
“Do you think I’ll ever get used to this?” With the hand holding the sauce, he haphazardly motions between us. “You two dating.”
Will tips my chin up, ensuring my eyes are fixed on his and nowhere else.
“I sure hope so, Coach, because you interrupted me just when I was about to ask your daughter to be my wife.”
Holy hell.
THE END