Epilogue
ALEX
APRIL
Pop.
The champagne cork goes flying into the air and ricochets off the ceiling of the newsroom.
“We did it!” Fiona cheers from atop her desk as she looks down at the rest of The Goldberg team and me.
I pour her a glass of champagne, and she holds it up to all of us.
“I’d like to thank all of you for your hard work, your relentless passion, and the amount of time you put into this paper to make it what it is today.”
She beams down at us, and I think it might be one of the first times I’ve ever seen her smile.
Logan’s arm is draped over my shoulders, and he gives me a tender squeeze. I lean into the crook of his arm and brush it with my free hand.
It feels like life has flown by ever since Fiona temporarily discarded me as future editor and then promptly took me back.
It’s almost like it never happened.
Knowing I would become editor next school year made the past few months of working tirelessly on the paper feel even more worthwhile.
I worked with Fiona as if she were almost a friend, and it’s strange to think now that all the time we spent bickering and resenting each other could have been spent as equals. That the past few months we’ve worked together would be our only ones.
I look around the room and see all of my colleagues smiling at Fiona with reverence.
Vicki stares up at her with so much adoration, and Fiona looks back at her the same way. I never thought Vicki would cave and date Fiona, but they’ve been going strong for five months now, and I’ve never seen Fiona so happy.
Across the room, Callum has an arm slung over Mason’s shoulder, absentmindedly running a hand through Mason’s hair.
“I know it wasn’t easy dealing with me. I probably instilled so much fear in all of you that you’re still terrified of me, even when I’m up here smiling at you.”
A few laughs and murmurs ripple through the room.
She sighs.
“But I love all of you. Truly, I do. My heart is full because of all the inspiring, necessary work we’ve done together, and I know that when I leave Montgomery, I’m going to miss all of you. I’m going to miss this room.”
She looks around and takes a deep breath, something shifting in her eyes as she realizes this might be the last time she’s ever standing in it.
“To the features section...” She lifts her glass, and they raise theirs in return.
“To Mason, for sticking with the sports section even after all the grief I gave him for it.”
Mason laughs in Callum’s arms, shaking his head as he raises his glass of sparkling apple juice toward Fiona.
Her eyes fall on me.
“And to Alex Fields…”
She keeps her glass raised in my direction.
“…who is going to be a formidable editor-in-chief next semester. Who I believe is going to change the world with his writing someday. I leave The Goldberg in your hands…”
Logan squeezes my shoulder and plants a kiss on my cheek, making me scrunch up my face as I fight the urge to kiss him back.
“Just make sure not to do a better job than me,” Fiona says, smirking.
The entire room erupts into laughter.
She lifts her glass to the room again.
“Thank you, everyone. This might be goodbye, but our words will live on forever.”
We all raise our glasses to her, and she does the same to us.
We take sips of our sparkling drinks. Mason pulls out his phone and taps the screen, and music immediately bursts through the room.
“Now it’s time to party!” Fiona declares, smiling like she’s on top of the world.
Everyone whoops.
She jumps down from the desk, plants a kiss on Vicki’s cheek, and intertwines their fingers before beginning to mingle with everyone.
I pick up a plate covered with tinfoil and hold it up to Logan.
“Don’t take too many.”
He frowns.
“What did you do?”
I smirk.
“I made your favorite.”
Logan peels back the tinfoil, and his face lights up when he realizes I made lemon squares.
“They’re for everyone,” I warn.
He places a hand over his chest.
“I promise I’ll be good.”
“You better be, or I’m putting an embargo on them.”
He sets the platter down, picks up his glass of champagne, and holds it toward me.
“You did it. You really made it, babe.”
I smile at him.
“With a lot of help from you.”
He snorts.
“Sure... cooking meals and driving Naomi to school and swimming lessons, I guess.”
I cup Logan’s cheek.
“I wouldn’t have had the time if you hadn’t helped. I wouldn’t have any of this if it weren’t for you.”
He rubs a thumb across my hand.
“I guess I should learn to accept compliments better.”
I snort.
“Especially from me.”
I take in Logan and how beautiful he is.
How much more content he seems now after spending so long weighed down by his injury.
He stands tall, his shoulders back and his chin held high most of the time. He’s still endearingly shy, but he carries himself with a quiet confidence I can’t quite describe.
And every day, I find myself trying to figure it out.
Logan looks around the room. “So, are you ready to wield your ‘kingly’ power over all these pawns?”
I shake my head. “It’s not going to be like that. I want people to know they can lean on me for help. That I’m on their level. That going through me is just a means to an end.”
Logan smiles at me. “I’ve always liked that about you.”
I put my glass down and wrap my arms around the back of his neck as I stare up at him.
“Oh, you do?”
He nods, leaning closer. “There are a lot of things I like about you.”
I pout. “Like what?”
He plants a kiss on my forehead.
“I like that you take care of people, but also know when to take care of yourself. That you always try to do what’s right, even when it’s not what you want to do.”
I kiss Logan’s cheek.
“I like that you would do anything for the people you love. That you don’t let the world bring you down. That you keep pushing through, even when it feels like you’re going to fall.”
Logan kisses my cheek back.
“I guess there’s a lot to like about each other.”
“I guess so… but there’s something more important that I feel.”
Logan lifts an eyebrow. “What?”
I stare into his eyes. I’m not sure why I feel so sentimental right now. Maybe it’s because Fiona’s leaving, the semester is ending, and things are inevitably going to change again.
But I know Logan isn’t going to change.
I smile up at him.
“It’s that I love you, Logan. I love that I can trust you with my heart, my family, and my dreams. I can put them all in your hands, and I know you’ll cradle them instead of crushing them.”
His chin trembles.
“I love you too, Alex. I love you for making me realize that I’m more than whatever happened in the past. That I can live my life for myself and not for everyone else.”
We kiss, and we don’t care who’s watching because our love is more important than whatever comments someone might have.
The kiss deepens until Kai practically breaks us apart by patting me on the back.
I turn to face him.
“Hey. We were sharing a moment.”
Kai gives me an apologetic look.
“Oh—sorry.”
I frown at him.
“How did you even get in here?”
He shrugs.
“I just walked in. Considering I’m friends with you, Mason, and everyone’s boyfriends, I figured I could be included.”
Logan snorts. “Stay stealthy. Fiona might just kick you out if she sees you.”
Kai pats him on the back. “I’m not scared of her.”
Logan and I share dubious glances before Kai grabs an empty glass and pours himself some champagne.
“So, are you gonna miss me now that I’m gonna be gone soon?”
Logan nods, his expression turning solemn.
“Of course I will, man.”
Kai pats him on the chest.
“Even with all the psych classes you’re gonna be taking next semester?”
Logan nods. “I can miss you and still take classes, you moron.”
Kai points at him. “Is that snark I detect?”
He turns to me.
“You did this to him, didn’t you?”
I shrug. “Sorry. Monkey see, monkey do.”
Logan gives me a withering look, and I snort.
“But seriously, I’m happy for you, Lo. Just think of all the athletes you’re going to help with a sports psych degree.”
“I know.” Logan turns to me. “I had someone inspire me to be better than I ever imagined I could be.”
My chest flutters as I look at the man in front of me, the man who has made me better in every way imaginable.
I never thought I’d know what it was like to let myself fall into someone else like that. To navigate life with a co-pilot who could steer us through whatever came our way.
I never let myself need a life like that.
But now, as I look into the green eyes I call home and grip the broad shoulder of the man I love, I realize that all I want is for him to keep loving me and wanting me for who I am.
That he’ll keep supporting my mom through her recovery. That he’ll watch Naomi grow into a woman. That he’ll watch me become a real journalist.
And that I’ll get to watch him provide therapy to injured and struggling athletes. That he’ll teach them what he’s learned. That he’ll guide a new generation of athletes to understand that they’re more than their performance.
I squeeze Logan’s hand as I imagine that future with him by my side.
Kai seemingly gets distracted by some blond guy weaving through the crowd and takes off after him without saying goodbye.
“You think he’s coming back?” I ask.
Logan shakes his head, his eyes resting on mine.
“Probably not.”
I put my hand on his chest and kiss him. I close my eyes, wondering what life is going to look like a year from now.
“You’re still going to be here next year, right?” I ask, a pang of panic running through me as I wonder if I can handle everything next year is going to bring.
He nods.
“Of course I will be. I’ll go wherever you go, Alex.”
I rest my head on his chest and watch as everyone around me mingles.
Soon enough, I’ll have to be the one leading the way. They won’t just be my peers anymore. I’ll be their superior.
I’m scared of how much things are going to change and of the responsibility waiting for me next fall.
But Logan has taught me how not to do it alone. He’s taught me that I can lean on the people I love, even when I’m scared they might leave.
As I hear his heart thrum beneath my ear, I lean into him even more, because he’s going to be what gets me through it.
We’ve both willingly placed our hearts in each other’s hands. I used to be terrified of doing that, but right now, I feel more certain than I ever have.
And I feel just as sure listening to the steady beat of Logan’s heart against my cheek, because he put his on the line for me, too.
I don’t have to worry about him leaving.
I don’t have to worry about my world or my family falling apart beneath me, because I have him, and I have myself.
We have each other.