Epilogue #2
She shrugs like it’s no big deal. “That’s the way we roll.
You know that. My grandma loves herself a new family member so she’s thrilled, and my mom told me she was so relieved Avery decided to stay in Pittsburgh for college because now she gets at least four more years with her. She’s theirs now too. All of ours.”
I lean up and press a kiss to her shoulder, a little overwhelmed the way I sometimes am when I think about how different my life looks now.
How beautiful it is. “Sometimes I still can’t believe this is my life,” I say quietly.
“That I get to have all this. Have you. A family. A future.” Now it’s my turn to shrug. “I just love you a whole fucking lot.”
Caitlin traces her fingers over the tattoo right over my heart, the one I got after we got back from Tampa the day my dad showed up at the stadium and Caitlin and her family and friends—my family and friends—showed up for me.
It’s another Celtic symbol, this one the Serch Bythol, representing eternal and everlasting love.
Curved over top of it is the word Catie in her handwriting.
The second person to change my life inked permanently on my body.
Her name on my heart forever, just the way it’s supposed to be.
When she looks back up at me, she’s smiling, eyes sparkling with fun. “Deep down you really are just one big smooshy sap, aren’t you?”
Laughing, I sit straight up with her in my arms, pressing a line of kisses up her neck and then blowing a raspberry that makes her giggle.
Caitlin Parker giggles. For me. I didn’t know happiness this big existed in the world.
“Deep down? Nah baby, my sappiness lives right on the surface. I’m going to be a sap for you way, way out loud. ”
Her hands come to my face, keeping our eyes locked. “I love you,” she says softly. “And I’m so fucking proud of you.”
Tipping my forehead to hers, I close my eyes and breathe her in, feeling like the luckiest guy on earth. “I love you too. So much, Princess.” Leaning back, I smirk at her. “Will you still be proud of me when I’m hanging around the house all the time probably driving you out of your mind?”
She snorts. “That presupposes I’ll be hanging around the house.
I have a job, pal of mine. A big important job that keeps me very, very busy.
I don’t have time to be at your beck and call.
Also, did you or did you not just accept a position at the Children’s Hospital’s foundation?
Seems to me you’ll be pretty busy all on your own. ”
I feel a little thrill at the thought of what I’m going to be doing with my time starting a couple months from now.
While buying businesses has filled a void for me over the past decade, I don’t really want to work at any of them full time.
As the season wound down and I was talking to Caitlin about what I was going to do next, I realized the hospital is really where my heart is.
Caitlin suggested reaching out to the foundation, which I did, and I’m going to be working with them pretty much full time in a volunteer capacity, acting as a liaison between their fundraising wing and families with kids in the hospital, helping the families access the various grants and services the foundation provides.
“Is it weird to be so excited about that?”
“It’s not,” she says, propping her elbows on my shoulders. “You should be excited about everything that comes next for you. You should love every single thing about your life from now on.”
I grin at her, tugging her into me, and when she tucks her head under my chin, warmth spreads in my chest because we fit together perfectly.
“I do.” The words come easily because they are the absolute truth.
“I do, because I get to do it all with you. I would say you’re my dream come true, but I don’t even think this is something I could have dreamed of.
It’s beyond my wildest dreams, Catie. You are beyond my wildest dreams, and I can’t imagine any kind of life better than the one we get to have together. ”
“It’s about to get better,” is what I think she mumbles, but her voice is muffled by my chest.
“What was that?”
She shakes her head, sitting up. “Nothing. We should get ready to go.”
“Are you sure you don’t want to save fireworks for tomorrow night? I can think of about a hundred things we can do right here in this room. Really, really sexy things. Outrageously sexy things that will be hotter than any fireworks could ever be.” I give her a salacious wink and she snorts.
“You’re ridiculous. Up, Drew. Clothes. Shoes. Now.”
“You’re feeling up for it?” I ask, sliding a hand over her stomach.
Caitlin was feeling a little achy and tired earlier.
It went away once we got back here and she got some rest, but I can’t help but check in.
She’s had less pain and slightly more predictable periods since her surgery, but we know endometriosis is something she’ll be living with in some capacity for the rest of her life.
There are other things she can try, and potentially more surgeries in her future, including a possible hysterectomy to take care of the bleeding, but for now, she feels okay where she is, and whatever happens in the future, we’ll face it together.
When she nods and says, “Definitely,” I know she’s telling me the truth because neither of us hides from the other anymore. So with one more lingering kiss, we get ready for the night ahead.
CAITLIN
“VIP spots?” Drew asks with a laugh as a Magic Kingdom cast member leads us as close to Cinderella’s Castle as you can get.