Epilogue
FLIP
THREE YEARS LATER
“Phillip? Baby? Are you ready to go?” Tally calls from down the hall.
“Coming!” I flip the tiny velvet box closed and tuck it into my pocket.
“Not without me, I hope.” My girlfriend (soon to be fiancée) pokes her head in our closet. We’ve been living together for two years, now, and I’m more than ready to make it permanent. “What are you doing in here?”
“Grabbing my wallet.” I nab it from the dresser and tuck it in my pocket as well. “Ready to go?”
“Do I look ready?” Tally does a full-body shimmy.
She’s wearing the dress I bought her, her athletic dancer’s body stunning in the flowy, clinging fabric. “You look incredible.”
“Incredibly edible?”
“Don’t start.” I wind an arm around her waist. “I will spend all night edging you.”
“It’s my birthday, though.”
“You think that gives you a free pass from the edging?” I kiss a path up her neck. “We need to go, or we’ll be late.”
“You’re terrible,” she grumbles.
“You love it.” I bite the edge of her jaw.
“I really do,” she agrees.
“When we get home, I’ll fulfill whatever new fantasy you come up with,” I promise.
After three and a half years together, we long ago exhausted her original list. Cammie’s fics-turned-published works definitely keep things creative these days.
“Will you at least give me a hint about where we’re going tonight?”
I gaze down at my girlfriend. “No hints.”
“Obviously we’re having dinner somewhere.”
“We are definitely having dinner,” I agree.
“And then what?” Tally fingers the hair at the nape of my neck and bites my chin.
“And then it’s a surprise.”
“I’ll try to swallow your whole cock later if you just give me one hint,” she bargains.
I snort. “Nice try. It’s like your favorite fucking pastime.”
She huffs, then sighs. “It’s true.”
The elevator doors slide open, thankfully, because I can see my girlfriend’s wheels turning. We hold hands as I guide her to the car and drive the short distance to the restaurant. It’s her favorite place, and I’ve rented it out so we can celebrate her twenty-fifth in style.
“Oh my gosh! This is perfect! I wonder what their special will be. Maybe they’ll have lobster ravioli. Oh! And the panna cotta with sour cherries. I love it when they have that!”
“It’s a favorite for sure.” They’ll have all of Tally’s most loved dishes, of that I made sure.
The host greets us, and Tally is too busy being excited to notice that the restaurant is deserted as he guides us to the main dining room.
The lights come up as we round the corner and all our friends and family shout, “Surprise!”
Tally turns to me, already overwhelmed with emotion. “You are the best.” She cups my face in her palms and brings my mouth to hers. “How did you plan this without me finding out?”
“I had help from some friends.”
“I love you. You’re amazing.”
The restaurant is decorated in her favorite colors, and a banner that reads Happy 25th Tallulah! is strung across the back wall. A photo booth with a stage backdrop takes up one corner of the room.
It’s full of all the people we love and who love us.
Quinn even managed to make the trip out from Chicago.
Kellan wasn’t wrong about manifesting a trade.
Gage Steele, one of Tilton’s enforcers and Tally’s friends, was picked up by the Terror, and Quinn went to the Rage, along with Kellan.
It all worked out the way it was supposed to, though.
Quinn is close to his family again, and finally got the girl he’s been longing for.
Steele and our new goalie have been a great addition to the team.
Tally is engulfed by her friends, and I smile as she flits around, introducing some of her troupe mates to the Terror group.
“You bring the ring?” Tristan asks quietly.
I pat my pocket. “It’s right here.”
“Good man.”
“Dada!” My nephew bumbles over, falling twice on his way, Rix following behind him, a wide smile on her face.
“You got this, little man!” Tristan crouches and holds his arms out while his son wobbles into them.
He showers his little face with kisses and picks him up, then bends to kiss my sister.
They jumped on the baby train after Dallas and Hemi had their first. It started a trend.
And my parents finally moved back to the city so they could focus on being grandparents and be closer to us.
Tally and I aren’t in a rush. Her career is taking off and I want her to enjoy it. She’s been dancing for En Pointe and this year she has a lead role in the fall performance.
In the meantime, we love being Uncle Flip and Aunt Tally.
“You’ve outdone yourself, Phillip.” Tally’s mom hugs me. She’s dating a guy who works in tech and leaves his job at the office. She’s happy and that’s what matters most to Tally.
“She deserves the world.”
“She’s lucky to have you.”
“And I’m lucky to have her.”
She moves on to chat with Tally’s friends and Vander Zee comes over. “This is a great party, Phillip. Thank you for celebrating my daughter.”
“I live to make her happy,” I say.
“I know you do.” He smiles fondly and claps me on the shoulder. “I’ll be proud to call you my son-in-law.”
I asked him for permission a while ago, knowing eventually we’d be in the right place to take the next step.
We mix and mingle, chatting and catching up, and sit down to a huge, chaotic family dinner.
Ties is heading into his final year of university, and Fenna is attending Tilton for music in the fall.
Dallas and Hemi have two kids, Ariel is growing up way too fast, Callie is in high school, and Everly and Victor have one more year of university to go.
Dred confided that they want to wait until they’re finished before they jump on the baby train with everyone else.
I have a five-year plan that includes retiring from professional hockey and shifting gears so I can be home to raise our kids with Tally. I want a house full of love and kids and memories. And I want to be present for all the important moments.
After dessert, I stand and offer my hand to Tally, who rises with me.
“Thank you, everyone, for celebrating with me today!” Tally turns to me. “And thank you for being the best boyfriend in the world.”
“Thank you for being mine.” I take a deep breath, reach into my pocket, and withdraw the velvet box as I drop to one knee.
Murmurs and excited gasps come from our friends and family.
“Phillip,” Tally whispers.
I open the box and she sucks in a gasp.
“I love you so much, Tallulah.”
“I love you too, more than anything.”
“I want to spend the rest of my life waking up beside you. I want a house full of love, and kids, and big celebrations. I want to take our nieces and nephews to the theater to see their aunt perform, and one day I want to do the same with our kids. You are my future, Tally. You have my whole heart.”
Tears spring to her eyes. “And you have mine.”
“Marry me, Tallulah.” I squeeze her hand. “Keep me.”
“Forever.” Her smile lights up the room. “My heart is yours. Of course I’ll marry you.”
I slide the ring on her finger as our friends and family cheer and whistle.
I rise and wrap my arms around her, kissing her tenderly.
She’s my home.
She has my utter devotion.
Her happiness is mine, and my heart is hers to keep.