Epilogue - Oliver
TWO WEEKS LATER
Nothing could have prepared me for the two weeks I’ve spent so far with the Reed family. Sally did absolutely nothing to warn me about the rest of her family. The only ones not present are Trinity and Lotte.
Trinity is an up-and-coming actress that landed a lead role last year and has been busy since.
Then there’s her sister Lotte. Sally forgot to mention that her sister is a minx from Enchantment, a famous strip club in Grand Rapids, that runs its own magazine and online platform.
I don’t even want to think about the fact that I had one of their magazines in my room. Sally and I had sex in that room, and she didn’t say a single word.
I won’t lie and say meeting the family was a cakewalk. I’ve never been the “meet the family” type. Sure, I’ve met Casey and Piper’s parents, but that was different. I had never slept with them. I never met Jade’s family.
Two weeks later, I still get awkward stare-downs whenever I interact with Sally. I would take a hundred awkward dinners if it meant not having to tiptoe around her, though.
Tomorrow is the sendoff, and I’ll be driving Sally all the way to Grace Hill University. Then I have to wait four years for us to really be together.
I hang my head at the thought. I want us to be together now, but I’m not going to push her, not when the stunt I pulled back in Alliance already freaked her out a bit.
“Hiding in here again?” I look up to find Leon standing in the doorway.
I’ve been staying in his room this week, and he’s the only Reed boy that hasn’t been icing me out.
Sally explained that the basement was made into the boys’ space so they could have a place away from the girls and bring their friends.
The floor feels like an apartment, equipped with its own TV, couch, two gaming consoles, a little makeshift bar area, and a mini fridge.
Right next to the bedroom is the bathroom.
The only thing really missing is a kitchen, but they always have dinner together.
Leon walks over to the ladder, attaching our bunks. “They are definitely more bark than bite.”
“Are you mad that I’m staying here instead of Miguel?” My question catches Leon off guard.
His eyebrows shoot up, and he opens his mouth, but nothing comes out.
While I’m here, Miguel is staying in a hotel with their brother Richard and his wife and daughter.
Since he doesn’t say anything, I continue. “You still have a bunk bed, even though you’ve been the only boy that has lived down here for a while.”
“That’s just because I’m lazy.” There’s a light blush coloring his cheeks.
I’ve seen the way Leon interacts with his brothers.
Just by looking at them, you can tell they would do anything for each other.
I also saw that Leon values his male friendships to the highest degree.
I think that’s the main reason he clung to Jaxon so easily.
Miguel and Jax are pretty similar in the way they fill a room.
“Did Sally tell you I actually found out that I have a ten-year-old brother?”
Leon quirks his head to the side with a questioning expression. “She didn’t mention that, but since it’s not her story to tell, I’m not surprised she didn’t say something.”
“I didn’t know how I felt about suddenly having a little guy looking up to me. It didn’t even take him more than an hour with me to start calling me his big brother, but now I’d protect him with everything I have.”
Leon’s mouth inches upward. “Is that your weird way of telling me it’s okay to still want my brothers around?”
The teasing tone causes me to throw my head back and let out a laugh. “You make me sound smarter than I actually am.”
I shoot him a grin, and he lets out his own chuckle. “I do think you’re great for Sally. Richie and Miggy think so, too, but they have to play the protective-brother roles. Give her time.”
“I’d gladly give her the world.”
A delicious smell permeates the air as I walk through the house. After my talk with Leon, we played some video games. The console downstairs has pretty much every sports game imaginable.
Leon said it is because Richard is pretty competitive and loves sports. Every year, he tries to get the guys to take a little trip to see the Detroit Tigers during their season. Leon says yes every year because he loves his brothers, even if watching the game means pretty much nothing to him.
I walk into the kitchen and see one of Sally’s moms, Lynette. One thing I’ve noticed is they take turns making dinner. When I first arrived, we had a BBQ prepared by Denise.
The sound of sizzling vegetables and the smell of garlic and soy sauce cuts through the air.
“Do you need some help?” I ask, hoping she says yes because any points would be loved right now.
Lynette’s shoulders bunch up from surprise at my sudden presence as she whips her head around. “Ah, honey, you scared me.”
Her voice comes out warm with motherly love. Reminds me of Mom talking to Marcus, but this is just her natural state. She’s talking to a stranger. The Reeds are a family of love and care that took in eight kids without a single drop of blood relation.
“Sorry.” I give her a half smile. “Put me to work.”
She gives me a warm smile before pointing to the fridge. “Think you can prepare some eggs for the fried rice.” She turns back to the skillet, tossing around a pan of onions, carrots, zucchini, and mushrooms. I walk over to the fridge. “Oh, and can you grab the cabbage, please?”
“Yep,” I chirp, grabbing the carton of eggs and half a head of cabbage, noticing a bowl of fruit salad and apple pie in there.
After handing Lynette the cabbage, I start cracking eggs.
“Four should be enough,” she says as the sound of a knife cuts through the air.
“What’s for dinner tonight?”
“All the girls’ favorites. Ella and Sally got to pick three items each for the table, and then we’ll have a nice family banquet.
” Without even looking, you could hear the cheer in her voice.
Then, a grimace comes through. “Denise is picking up Little Caeser’s pizza, McDonald’s chicken nuggets, and sushi from their favorite restaurant.
I don’t trust Sally in the kitchen, but she made the fruit salad, and Mimi helped Ella made the pie. ”
I can’t help the laugh that comes out as I crack a third egg. “Should I ask who chose what?”
“You’d be surprised, but the pizza and nuggets have some sentimental value.
When Ella got a concussion, all she craved was Little Caeser’s pizza, and Sally, when she first moved here, was scared to try any of our cooking and only ate chicken nuggets.
She probably wanted to get a reaction out of us, but I was just glad she was eating.
The poor girl was skin and bones. The sushi is because they both love it. ”
I swallow the lump that forms in my throat at the mention of Sally before she came here. I didn’t understand it at the time, but she was skinnier than most of the kids. It was why I’d always sneak her food.
I crack the fourth egg and whisk them into a yellow slurry. The sound of the chopping quiets.
“You’re the first boy to be brought home.”
My brow pinches together, turning to see Lynette's tiny shoulders sag.
“None of the girls have ever brought someone home. Not even Lotte, who I’m pretty sure dates a few people a year. Though, her dates would probably raise my blood pressure,” she says with a forced laugh.
“I didn’t realize.”
“That’s the reason the boys have been so protective.” She stops and looks out the kitchen window for a beat. “But I can tell you’re different. Sally doesn’t let her emotions get the best of her, but with you, she’s always flustered.”
Heat begins to circulate through my body because I feel the same way about her. She’s my girl, after all.
Lynette holds the knife away from her body. Clearly, to place it in my eyesight. “Ma and I are also very protective of her, so don’t let us down, okay?”
Her cheery tone never falters, but a chill slices through the air. A rock forms in my stomach. I quickly nod with a little too much force, even if she can’t see me.
“I’ll never hurt her,” I say firmly.
“Good.”
“Should I be concerned that you are flashing a knife at my…” I turn to see Sally leaning against the door. God, she’s beautiful. “Friend,” she says, but the word comes out awkwardly like she hates saying it just as much as I hate hearing it.
“Nothing to worry about, honey.” Lyn brushes off Sally’s comment like it’s nothing.
Sally walks up beside me and looks down at my hand. She bites her lip, not lifting her gaze, and I’m not taking mine off her. Her hand twitches toward mine, but before I can reach out and meet her halfway, she retracts, making herself smaller.
Even if it hurts that she still can’t let me hold her hand, I can’t help the smile on my face because this just tells me she wants to.
“Do you need Oliver for anything else, Mama?”
“Are the eggs ready?”
“Yep,” I chirp, taking the bowl of whisked eggs and handing them off to Lyn’s free hand.
I look back at Sally as she points outside and starts out through the sliding glass door, and I quickly follow, not missing the little snicker that leaves her mom’s lips.
“Sorry about that, Ollie.” Sally is already halfway to the tree swing by the time I’m out with her. “I didn’t expect them all to be so weird. Mama never lets anyone besides Ma and Ella into the kitchen. She says we don’t have enough experience to keep up.”
“They aren’t being weird, just protective,” I say. “I can understand why you love it here.”
A solemn look downcasts Sally’s face. I close my eyes, exhaling a sigh. That didn’t have the effect I wanted.
“Sally—”
“I’m sorry.” She leaves me speechless. I hate hearing her apologize. She always sounds like she doesn’t deserve forgiveness. “I know you love Alliance, but I still left you for so many years.”
My frown deepens. “Stop apologizing for having a good life.”
“But I—”
She trails off, losing her thought as I stroll up right in front of her. Her eyes spark with emotions as I bring my hands up to cup her face.
I bring my face down, making sure there’s only a fraction of space between us. “Princess, I don’t think you know how much I want to kiss you right now.” My lips hover over hers, and I swear she whimpers, but I let go.
Walking past her, I take a seat on the wooden swing and look up at my girl.
“We should talk about how we want to handle this…” I stop because I don’t want to call her a friend. I want to call her my girlfriend. “Situation.”
We’ve spent the last two weeks dancing around this conversation.
Every day, we went to a new place that basically became Sally’s second childhood.
Not all of them have fond memories, and I definitely almost punched a gas station clerk when I found out he made a comment about my girl looking hot until he found out she is trans.
By the way, Sally is squirming from the conversation. It's still a tough one.
“If you don’t want me here, I don’t have to be. I can go back to Alliance.”
“No!” she shoots out quickly. “I want you here. I just don’t know how to handle being around you and not jumping your bones.”
I crack a smile. A warm feeling settles in my chest. “You can touch me if you want. I won’t complain.”
“We’re taking it slow.” She decides to cross her arms over her chest.
“You know, friends touch and hug and even kiss sometimes.” I lick my bottom lip at the thought of kissing her.
The action doesn’t go unnoticed as Sally’s cheeks redden, and she nibbles on her own bottom lip.
“Come here.” I hold my hand out to her, but she doesn’t move for a second. “Please.”
With my soft plead, Sally turns toward me and makes her way over. We’re both so painfully quiet that the grass crunching beneath her shoes can clearly be heard.
I’m about to reach for her hand when she places both of her hands on my shoulders. My gaze meets hers, and she quirks a smile for the first time since coming out here.
I smile back, place my hands on her hips, and help her straddle my lap on the wooden swing. Thank you to whoever made this because now I’m holding my girl closer than I have in two weeks.
Sally twines her fingers behind my neck as my body instinctively pulls her closer. Her core is practically pushing into my abs. Our eyes meet again, and in a flash of emotions, we pull tighter, embracing in a desperate hug.
I hugged her when she decided to give us a fighting chance, but this was different. There’s more desire and fright. Realization that we won’t get to hug like this every day. There might even be months we don’t get to see each other.
“I plan on seeing you every other weekend.” The muffled sound of Sally’s family arriving signals from the house, but I don’t let go. “I don’t think I can go more than two weeks without seeing you.”
“You don’t have to do that,” she starts but stops when I pull back and give her a look. “I mean, I can visit you too. You don’t have to do all the traveling.”
“But you hate Alliance.”
“I do, but you said your mom has a room for you to stay in since you got that job at the aquarium.”
“Are you sure?” I smile at the thought of Sally spending time as my actual girlfriend, getting to know Mom and Marc better.
“It’s not fair for you to do everything, Ollie.”
My cock stiffens at the nickname, and I can tell she notices because her breath catches for a second.
“How do you want to handle everything else?”
“I really do want to rebuild our friendship. Make up for the six years we lost,” she says firmly. “While I’m at college, you’ll renovate the van and travel.”
I shake my head. “I’ll wait until you are done with school.”
“Ollie, you’ve been dreaming about this for almost a year. You can’t push it back for me.”
“Princess,” I start sternly. I press my forehead against hers, making sure she’s looking me directly in the eyes.
“The plan was always for us to run away together. I don’t want to see the world if you aren’t right there with me.
And trust me, when you’re ready, I’ll get on one knee. Because it’s always been you.”
Waves of emotions roll over both of us as tears begin to gloss over Sally’s eyes. Hell, I feel some pricking at the back of mine right now.
She’s so goddamn beautiful.
That’s when I lose all reason and bring my hand up to her cheek. She nods, and I pull her down and place a hungry kiss on her lips.
This might be the last time she lets me kiss her until I’m officially her boyfriend, so I need to make it worth it.
She’s my partner in every sense of the word.