Epilogue
ADRIANNA
“I’ve never been in a box before.”
“No?”
I shake my head and squeeze Elijah’s hand. “No. I’ve always watched it from the stands.”
“From the nosebleeds?” he teases, making me roll my eyes.
“Not that bad.”
“Well, if you think the view is shit, make sure to tell Brantley you think so.”
“Oh please, we both know it’s not,” I say as he opens a door.
We have been trying to make it to a game all season with everyone, but with everything going on, it’s been hard.
It doesn’t help that whenever we aren’t at work, Elijah is finding something to bend me over.
Hell, he’s already christened his brand-new desk he ordered.
Then he came to my office and christened mine too.
He’s insatiable.
“You made it! Finally someone to save me,” Chloe cries out as she rushes toward me, making me laugh.
“You make it sound like being alone with me is a death sentence,” Brantley grumbles.
“I’d rather spend time alone with a serial killer than with you,” she throws back.
He raises his eyebrows. “Really? Are you sure about that? Because…”
Chloe cuts him off. “None of that. Not right now when people are present.”
I look over at Elijah, and we have a silent conversation.
Do you know anything? Because I don’t.
“Anyway…” Chloe drawls, bringing the attention back to her. “I haven’t seen you two since we had dinner at Mason and Liv’s a month ago. Tell me all the things.”
“Wait! Don’t start without me!” Liv cries out.
I look over my shoulder and see Mason, Liv, and Ari step into the room, followed by Iris and Max.
We all share hellos and hugs.
“I’ll grab you a drink.” Elijah gives me a quick kiss before walking off.
Is it possible that his ass looks even better today than it did when we first met?
“You’re drooling,” Chloe deadpans, making me look her way.
“I can’t help it.” I shrug before looking at the other two women. “How are you two?”
“How about before we start, we sit. My feet are killing me,” Iris says.
We all murmur in agreement and sit down.
“Good. We’ve been busy with wedding season at the hotel. Ari is currently taking karate, and it’s become a whole thing,” Liv says as she relaxes into a chair.
“What do you mean?” Iris asks as she gets comfortable.
“When we signed her up, we knew it would be often, but there are rules and it’s all sensei this and sensei that. It’s ridiculous and almost feels like a cult,” Liv says, her nose crinkling.
“A cult for kids?” I say, trying to bite back a laugh.
Liv shoots me a dirty look. “Trust me, it’s not just for kids. Adults pour in and out of that place all the time.”
“Sounds like it’s time for Aunt Chloe to find her a new hobby,” Chloe says, rubbing her hands together.
Liv groans. “Yes, please, as long as it’s after this term period is over. We have to pay a ridiculous amount up front, and as much as I hate it, I’m not letting that money go to waste.”
The girls and I chuckle at Liv’s expense.
“What about you, Iris? How’s the traveling going?”
Iris tilts her head from side to side. “Good. I’m enjoying it right now. I don’t want to talk about me, though.”
Out of all the girls, she’s the one I know the least about, but that doesn’t mean I don’t feel as connected to her as I do to Liv and Chloe. When we all get together, it’s like we pick up where we last left off and no time has passed, and I love it.
“Who do you want to talk about?” Chloe asks, leaning forward.
“I want to talk about you and the owner of the Foxes.” Iris smirks.
Chloe’s hand moves to her chest as she gasps dramatically. “I have not had relations with that man.”
“Funny. No one said anything about you having ‘relations’ with him,” Liv muses.
Chloe’s hand waves through the air. “Same thing.”
I shake my head slowly. “I don’t think it is.”
“Fine, you want to know what’s going on between us?
I’ll tell you. The man drives me fucking crazy, always sticking his nose in my business.
Last weekend we ran into each other at a restaurant, and when his date was over, he came over to my table and joined us.
He sat down and told my date a bunch of random shit.
The man cockblocked me, and when my date left, and left before paying, might I add, all he did was smirk. ”
My hand covers my mouth as I chuckle. These two are…there are no words. Either they are going to ride the fine line between love and hate forever, or they will finally pull their heads out of their asses and realize that they are perfect for each other.
“Did you actually pay though, or did he?” Iris asks.
“What do you mean? I told you, my date didn’t pay,” Chloe says, frowning.
“I think she means, did you end up paying the bill, or did Brantley cover it?” Liv clarifies.
Iris nods. “What she said.”
“He covered it, and it was the least he could do since he ran the guy off.”
“I don’t know, it kind of sounds like he did it intentionally,” I say.
Chloe rolls her eyes. “Keep dreaming. Now enough about me. How are you and Mr. CFO?”
“We’re good. Busy but good,” I say with a smile.
“They are in love…” Liv sings out, making us laugh.
“Have you guys talked about the next step?” Iris asks.
I shake my head. “Not really, nothing concrete at least. More or less, when we are married we’re going to do XYZ. Like a future way down the road type of thing. That sort of thing, but I’m good with where we are right now.”
“So if he asked you right now, you would say no?” Chloe asks.
“First off, he isn’t going to ask right now. Second, if on the off chance he did, I would say yes. I just don’t think it would happen. Knowing him, it would be something well thought out and executed.”
“Very true.” Liv nods.
“Speaking of him, though, where is my drink?” I turn and look over my shoulder. “Elijah.”
He looks away from the guys and raises a brow.
“I thought you were getting me a drink.”
“I was, but this place wasn’t properly stocked before we showed up. How about we run down to the concessions and grab something,” he says as he starts walking my way.
Nodding, I stand. “Do you guys need anything?”
“Nah, we’re good,” Liv says as the other two shake their heads.
When Elijah reaches me, he takes my hand in his. I don’t think I will ever get over how touchy-feely he is now that we are out in the open, and I love it.
I love him.
ELIJAH
My heart races as we walk down to the concession stand. I’ve thought about how I was going to propose to Adrianna a million times. I’ve even had it all planned out and then at the last minute changed my mind because it didn’t feel right.
The one thing I know she wants is to be surprised when it happens. Well, my girl is about to get her wish. Is it the worst idea? Yes. In fact, what I have planned most people would hate, but for us, it makes sense.
“What do you want?” I ask as we get into line.
“One of those vodka High Noons and popcorn.”
“We have popcorn in the box, and they will be bringing food up soon.”
She bats her pretty little blue eyes up at me. “Yeah, but I want popcorn now.”
“Fine, what my girl wants, my girl gets,” I tease.
Her phone goes off right when we move up to order.
“Do you mind? I’m expecting a message from Doreen about the next fundraiser,” she asks, cringing.
I place a quick kiss on her forehead. “Answer and tell her hi.”
Adrianna falls out of line and turns her back toward me.
Quickly, I order what she wants to keep up the ruse that the box wasn’t stocked when it most definitely was. Thankfully, Brantley warned the people working tonight to be on the lookout for me, so they hustle with my order and get it to me in record time.
“Will you hold on to it for one second?” I ask the kid behind the counter.
“Of course, Mr. Samson.”
Taking a deep breath, I turn around and see that she’s still facing the opposite direction. Stepping forward, I get right into her space, but not close enough to touch her. When Adrianna is done sending her email, she turns around and bumps into me.
“Motherfucker!” she curses, making me smile. “Why are you standing so close, and where is my popcorn?”
Instead of justifying my actions, I reach into my pocket and pull out her ring as I slowly drop to one knee. Her eyes widen as she sucks in a breath. The noise from the corridor fades into the background, and the only thing I can see and hear is her.
“Elijah…”
“This time last year, I fucking hated you,” I tell her bluntly.
Adrianna laughs while some people gasp in dismay, but I carry on.
“I was convinced you were a villain and deserved to be fired, but I couldn’t be more wrong.
You showed me that it’s important to step back and look at the bigger picture and to see what’s really going on around you.
While working side by side, I fell in love with you.
I have never been happier than when I’m with you.
I want to spend the rest of my life with you, so I think it’s about time we get married. ”
With a shaky hand, I reach out and grab hers, slipping the ring onto her left hand. I look up at my girl and raise a brow when she still hasn’t said anything.
“What? You never asked me anything.” She shrugs with a playful smile.
“Will you marry me, Adrianna? Please,” I tack on at the last minute.
Adrianna takes her hand from mine and cups my face. She leans in and kisses me softly before murmuring against my lips. “Of course I’ll marry you.”
Standing, I lift her into my arms. Adrianna wraps her legs around my waist as the people around us cheer. Our kiss starts off sweet but quickly turns dirty.
Would it be wrong to find a closet around here somewhere and consummate our engagement?
“Okay, that’s enough, brother. You’re starting to make a scene,” Brantley says as he slaps me on the shoulder, jarring Adrianna and me apart.
Adrianna tosses her head back and laughs as she jumps out of my arms, making me smile.
God, she’s gorgeous. And mine.
The girls surround her, and I watch as she shows off the five-carat marquise diamond I gave her.
“Congratulations,” Brantley says.
I turn toward one of my best friends, and he pulls me into his arms, slapping me on the back once again.
When he pulls away, Mason steps in with a hug, and then Max does the same.
“Thank you,” I tell them all.
“We wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” Max tells me honestly. “At least you don’t owe her a shirt this time.”
I shoot him a glare.
“It was definitely the least original idea you had, but she seems happy,” Mason says as he nods toward her.
I look over and smile. “She does look happy, doesn’t she?”
Adrianna must feel my eyes on her because she looks over at me and winks.
Goddamn, I can’t wait to make her my wife.
“Two down, two to go. Should we take bets on who’s next?” Mason asks.
“You can leave me out of this. I’m not getting married,” Brantley says.
“Never say never,” I remind him.
“I agree with Elijah, love will bite you in the ass when you least expect it,” Mason adds.
When Max doesn’t say anything, we all look toward him and see that his attention is solely focused on Iris.
“You good?” Mason asks, slapping his brother on the back.
“Huh? Yeah, I’m good,” Max says, shaking his head. “What did I miss?”
“Nothing, brother, nothing.” Mason smirks.
I sense movement out of the corner of my eye and see my fiancée walking toward me. The guys step away, offering her a quick hug before walking toward their women.
“You know, I didn’t notice until I showed the girls, but this ring is insane,” she says, making me chuckle.
“No, I’m serious. People are going to look at it and think, damn, her man bought her a rock to make up for the lack of dick.”
I tip my head back and laugh as I pull her into my arms. “I fucking love you, Mrs. Samson.”
The sound of that has me puffing out my chest a little more.
Mrs. Samson.
Soon she really will be mine in all ways.
“I love you too, Mr. Samson. Now come on, you promised me vodka and popcorn.”
“What my woman wants, she gets,” I tell her as I pull her back toward the concession stand.