Epilogue
TWO MONTHS LATER
Lach
Kids are no joke. Eve and I haven’t had a night alone for two months. In fact, it’s been hard for us to even spend time with each other. While I’m working the close shift at Porter’s, Eve watches Asher. During the day, while Eve is killing it with her photography, I’m chilling with my buddy. She’s been killing it with her photos. She has bookings through December. While she still doesn’t have a studio, she’s been able to manage to do everything on location. To say it’s exhausting is an understatement, but I know it won’t last forever.
Two bright, big, blue eyes, sparkling with mischief, stare up at me, then shift to the ceiling, taking in the world or the townhouse. He continues to chug down the bottle like a college senior at a keg party. He wiggles his legs as he continues drinking.
I stare down at him, and his eyes connect with mine. “I want you to know your mom is the most amazing, fierce, determined, beautiful-inside-and-out woman I’ve ever known. You’re not biologically mine, but you’ll always be my son. We’re family. I’ll always be there for you and your mom.”
“Dammit, Lach.”
I jerk my head up to see Eve standing in the doorway. She swipes a tear off her cheek. She strolls into the nursery and takes a seat on the rocking ottoman in front of me.
“You can’t say things like that.”
“I meant every single word.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too, Sunflower.”
She leans in toward Asher. “Whoa!” She rears back, her body recoiling like a spring. “We have a DEFCON One explosion.”
I lean down for a whiff. “Damn. I don’t know how someone so little could create a big stink like that.”
“Here,” Eve holds her arms out. “I’ll change him.”
I pass her the empty bottle. “I got it. Why don’t you pick out a movie for us to watch?” Leaning in, I press my lips to hers.
She pulls away a fraction of an inch. “I think I know the perfect one.” Eve rises to her feet. I smack her ass as she turns. Her head spins around, and she flashes me a sexy smirk as she saunters out of the nursery.
“Alright, little man. Time for damage control.” I keep my head away from ground zero. Rising to my feet, I shuffle to the changing table and set him down. I peel away the blanket wrapped around him and pull the snaps from his onesie. “Oh, you really did a number here. You had some force behind that one. Also, I didn’t know poop could be that shocking shade of green.” I wrinkle my nose. After I clean him up and snap on a new onesie, I lay him down in his crib. His blue eyes blink up at me and slowly grow heavy.
“Good night, buddy.” I tap the button on the mobile above his crib, and a sweet, tinkling melody fills the room. With the baby monitor in hand, I shut off the light and climb down the stairs. When I reach the living room, Eve is sitting on the couch with a bowl of popcorn in her lap. “So, what are we watching?” I take the cushion next to her, leaning my shoulder against hers.
“This.” She flashes me a bright smile before pressing a button on the remote. A scribbled sketch of the Seattle skyline shines bright on the screen while “Bad Reputation” by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts plays through the speakers.
My lips pull into a smile. “Perfect.” Life couldn’t get any better. But tomorrow might prove me wrong.
The following morning, I stroll into the nursery. “Hey buddy, are you ready for your first outing?” Lifting him out of the crib, I press a kiss to his forehead and carry him to the changing table.
Asher wiggles and coos while I pull the snaps from his onesie. My head rears back, and I frown. “Well, I’m glad you dropped this bomb before we left and instead of in the car. You would have gassed us all out.” I hold my breath while I work on putting him in a fresh diaper.
Two months ago, I found a farm online and knew I needed to take Eve. Since Asher was born, we’ve been too busy to get out of the house, but time is running out. After clearing both our schedules, I told Eve this weekend was ours, and we’re taking a little family road trip. After I’m finished changing Asher, I hold him to my chest and head down the stairs to where Eve is packing half the kitchen.
“Are you moving out?”
Eve peers up at me from stuffing diapers into a bag. “We need all these things. Sometimes Asher gets fussy, and he doesn’t want breast milk, so I have to bring formula.” She holds up the container of formula before dropping it in the bag. Then I have to bring the warmer because no one wants cold formula. Then I have to pack my breast pump just in case and extra pads so we don’t have another nipple leakage incident. I got snacks. She lifts an economy size bag of sour gummy worms.
“Only the best road snack.”
She smiles. “Duh. And I packed an extra stash of diapers and two changes of clothes for Asher.”
I bend down, pressing my lips to her forehead. “Alright, you seem to have it handled.”
She blows out a deep breath. “I think so.”
“But you know we are only going to be gone for like half a day.”
Leaning toward Asher, she tickles his belly. “You underestimate what this little man can do in six hours. You’re a little terror, aren’t you? You’re our little terror, though.”
“He gets that from you, by the way.”
She glances up at me, rolls her eyes, and spins on her heel. Before she can walk away, I wrap my hand around the back of her neck, pulling her close. The softness of her skin is a contrast to the firmness of my grip as my lips find hers.
Asher coos in my arms.
I pull away from Eve and chuckle. “Yeah. Yeah. I know you don’t like the PDA. But I can’t help it. Your mom’s hot. All I want to do is kiss her. You’ll understand when you get older.”
“How about we don’t encourage him to grow up faster than he already is?”
“Fine. How about I pack the car, and we’ll get on the road?” I pass Asher to Eve.
Two trips to the car later, everything is packed, and we hit the road.
“So where are you taking us, anyway? Because we’re kind of out in the middle of nowhere.” Eve turns to face me.
For two hours, the only things passing by were endless rolling fields, a blur of green and brown under a pale blue sky. “It’s a surprise.” I glance at her from the corner of my eye.
A soft laugh bubbles out of her. “I kind of figured since you’ve been hounding me for the past month to take a weekend off.”
“Time’s running out. So it was important.” After a few minutes, I turn right. We drive under a ranch-style sign that says Sunshine Haven Farms.
A sharp gasp escapes Eve as she spins to face me. “Is this what I think it is?” She glues herself to the window, and we pass a massive field of towering sunflowers reaching toward the sun. “This was totally worth all the secrecy.” A wide grin, stretching from ear to ear, illuminates her face, crinkling the corners of her eyes.
After I park, I strap Asher to my chest with a newborn sling. We pay for our tickets and set forth to the expansive sunflower field. The crisp and mild September air floats around us. Eve stares in wonder at the velvet golden petals. I can’t keep the smile off my face while I watch her admire the towering sunflowers. We stroll along the path, hand in hand, admiring the sea of tiny suns as the blue sky and sun shines down on us. We approach a small alcove, and I nod for Eve to stop.
“There’s something I have for you.” Eve gasps. Her fingers cover her mouth as her lashes flutter uncontrollably. Oh shit. Does she—? I reach into my back pocket, her eyes laser-focused on my every move. With a folded letter in my hand, I hold it out to Eve. “Your brother gave this to me about a week ago.”
Her hand drops to her side, and her shoulders fall. As inconspicuous as possible, she blows out a breath. “What is it?” She takes the letter from my grip.
“It’s a down payment. For a house. For us to grow our family.” My gaze meets hers.
Her mouth drops open with a gasp, then snaps shut in surprise. All the color leaves her cheeks. “Is this for real?”
The corner of my mouth curves up. “It’s real. I crunched the numbers, and pretty much what we are paying now for rent is close to what a mortgage payment would be. We can start looking for a home. For our family.”
Tears pool in the corners of her eyes. “This is amazing.” She glances at me, the paper, and then back at me. Her hand reaches up and brushes my cheek. The sunflowers shine down on us. Our lives were once gloomy, dark skies, but now there’s nothing but sunshine.
“Did you think I was…?” My brows raise.
“No!” Her words come out in a rush. “I mean,” she lifts a shoulder, “if you were, I’d do it, but Sandy at the Book Bar might be disappointed we didn’t use her engagement sign at the store. Also, we’d miss out on the discount.”
I laugh. “We can’t miss out on the discount.” I wrap my arm around her shoulder and haul her to me.
On our way back to Harbor Highlands, Eve tells me she wants to stop at Porter’s to thank Jake in person. As we walk into the bar, it’s fairly quiet, but it’s still early for a late Saturday afternoon. Jake greets us with a head nod from behind the bar. When he’s finished serving the customer in front of him, he meets us at the open end of the bar. Eve wraps her arms around her brother and thanks him. He half pats her back. It’s the biggest hug from Jake anyone will ever receive. After they break apart, she passes Asher to him to hold. I can’t help but laugh at how tiny he looks in Jake’s arms, much like a linebacker carrying a football. This is my family, and it’s the best fucking family.
Nora
Eve’s and Lach’s voices get my attention. Then I hear Asher’s name. I slam the locker door, and it clanks against the metal latch. From the back room, I race to the bar. “I want baby snuggles!” My shoes squeak on the floor as I stop next to Jake. I pluck Asher from Jake’s grasp, but he gave him up pretty willingly. With Asher in my arms, I bend down and rub my nose against his teeny, tiny button nose.
“You know,” Lach says, “you could have one of your own, then you’d get twenty-four-hour baby snuggles.”
“Why do that when I have yours?” I coo at Asher. “Auntie Nora is here, and I’ll spoil you with all the love and toys imaginable.”
“How’s OneDate going? Get Jake to join yet?” Lach playfully elbows Jake.
“Nope.” Jake spins around and storms off, ending his participation in further conversation.
“Since Jake’s out, what about Miles? Has he been behaving himself?” Lach takes a seat on a bar stool.
It’s been almost a year since I began developing OneDate. So far, the soft launch has been successful. Miles has been behaving himself, except for a few minor hiccups. “It’s been good. He’s been good.” Asher scrunches his face and fusses in my arms.
“Oh! He’s dropping bombs.” Eve collects Asher from me. “I’m going to take care of the damage.” Eve walks down the hallway with Asher and the diaper bag in hand.
I was apprehensive about Miles joining OneDate in the first place, but I underestimated a guy who is desperate to find love. When he threw out statistics and percentages about the number of people who are looking for their soul mate, I kind of blacked out and agreed to let him join as long as he stopped talking. Was it the smartest move? No. But it got him to shut up, and that’s what was important in the moment. I won’t admit it to anyone, especially Miles, but he’s not a bad guy. He teeters closer to shy and socially awkward, but deep down, a good guy.
My phone alerts me with a message. I pull it from my back pocket. It’s not the message on my screen that draws my attention but instead an alert from OneDate. When I open the app, it’s on the screen I was last on. Miles has an event with Trey for the Blue Stone Group. And his date just canceled. An hour before the event. Dammit. There’s no way someone else could arrange a new date with him on such short notice. I swallow. The lump of dryness in my throat not going away. There’s a good chance I’m going to hate myself later for this, but I shove my phone in my pocket.
“I have to go,” I say to Lach and race out the door before he can say anything.
Get read for Nora’s fake dating story in Stout Of My League!