Extended Epilogue
VIOLET
“It’s… a frog.” Abi says in shock.
I nod, grinning around the rim of my glass of iced tea as Abi and Courtney finish their ‘inspection tour’ of the ‘new’ penthouse.
It’s not all that new, I’ve only added a few touches here and there.
But it did mean bringing in some workers, which meant for the past week, Ross and I have been crashing at the family mansion, using his old bedroom and trying not to get underfoot too much.
I didn’t mind being squeezed in next to him, but it’s even better to be home. To our home.
Abi’s confused at some of my décor choices, and I guess I have to explain. But not yet because it’s too fun to tease her. As if talking to a child, I tell her, “Very good, Abs. It is a frog.”
Courtney looks from Abi to me, then back to Abi. “What’s wrong with frogs? I mean, they’re not cute, but… it’s just a candy dish. I think.”
“You’ve never told her?” I ask Abi, wide-eyed. “You never told Court the frog story?”
“Nope,” Abi huffs, plopping down on the newer, decidedly fluffier, and much more comfortable couch. “That’s your job… Colonel.”
“Ooh, I’m going to get you for that one!
” I growl before laughing. It’s all in the past, and as I tell Courtney the story of me and Ross and the biology frog, she pales until I laugh at the end.
“So I decided, just as a reminder of the stupid times, that I was going to put a frog in the house. It took me a long-damned time to find just the right one.”
Courtney smiles and shakes her head. “You two are made for each other, that’s all I can say at this point. And I do like the changes. Softens some of Ross’ hard edges.”
“I like his hardness, thank you very much,” I quip, and Courtney starts making gagging noises. Abi and I laugh, she’s got very little shame in it all and knows that her big brother and I have been bouncing headboards against the walls at every opportunity to make up for lost time.
“On a safer topic, how’s work?” Abi finally asks, saving her sister. “You did Bitch-ella’s ballroom, then the dining room… what’re you doing for her now?”
“The bedroom,” I reply with a grin. “Believe it or not, Archie talked her into spicing it up, saying it’d help her with her circulation.
And he wasn’t talking about her bloodflow, if you know what I mean, but somehow the ice queen actually blushed and went along with the idea of modern femininity with burgundy, red, and blush.
I swear, if he wanted, he could’ve charmed her into being his sugar momma. ”
“Wait… she knows he’s into men, right?”
“Hmph, not only does she know, she mentioned she has a grand-nephew who’d think Arch is, and I quote, ‘the bee’s knees.
’ She even hooked them up with dinner reservations at Chez Pontchartrain, and you know how hard it is to get a table there.
I told Arch to have fun, and gave him the weekend off after extracting a promise to share his own dirty details when he gets back,” I reply, grinning.
“I figure it’ll go one of two ways. Either he’s going to roll into work right at eight AM Monday morning with a sour puss face… ”
“Or you don’t see him until Tuesday afternoon and he comes in smiling ear to ear!” Abi finishes, laughing her head off. “Girl, I swear for a woman who just got married and is getting all her wishes fulfilled, you sure do like to make sure you’re spreading that lovin’ feeling around!”
I lean back, sipping my tea again. “Yeah well… so what?” I challenge them, grinning. “Archie’s been my left hand of madness for a couple of years now, and if he finds a nice guy, I’m happy for him. All I wanna know now is, which one of you two’s next?”
“Wait, what?” Courtney asks, her nose crinkled in confusion as she comes from the kitchen with her own glass of tea. “What do you mean, who’s next?”
“Oh come off it, Court!” Abi chides her sister. “Mrs. Stuffed Muffin over there obviously wants us to join her in the Wedded Bliss Club. Probably already has plans to pop out a few bundles of joy at the same time you do.”
“Me?” Courtney asks, trying not to choke on her drink. “Why’s it gotta be me? I’m still kicking like a damn duck at work trying to fill in the big fuckin’ shoes Ross left behind. I don’t have time for a man! And you’re older. You need to be the sacrificial lamb before throwing me under the bus.”
Before Courtney can object further, the door to the penthouse opens, and Ross and Kaede come in, laughing. “So anyway, the guy says ‘I should charge you three times as much, knowing who you work with. You’re going to be making that back in profit in six months anyway!’”
Ross laughs. “And what did you say?”
“I simply reminded him my boss is a righteous bastard who likes to beat people up in public, and treats his employees even worse,” Kaede deadpans, seeing me and giving the three of us a huge wink. “Right, ladies?”
“Absolute truth, that’s why we call you ‘Hook Andrews’,” I joke, getting up and letting Ross pull me into an embrace. “Isn’t that right, babe? You bring the lightning, I bring the thunder?”
“Is that what you’re calling your rolling pin now?” Ross teases, kissing me before I can open my smart mouth to spar back. As always, his lips take my breath away, and I know that Abi’s right. I want to spread the joy, the happiness, the love.
“So how was the office shopping?” Abi asks after Ross lets me go, a triumphant smile stretching her berry-painted lips.
I’m glad, because right now I can’t really speak, and if I don’t get distracted, I’m going to haul him down the hallway to the bedroom before too much longer.
Guests be damned because I know they’ll understand.
I know we’re married now, but the more I have of him, the more I want.
And I haven’t had nearly enough while we were staying at his parent’s place.
“Not bad,” Ross says, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
He’s in his element with all the business opportunities laid out in front of him like a buffet, just waiting on him to pick and choose where he wants to invest his time and his money.
“We checked out a place over on Rosemont today… it’s a little big for a two-man operation, but if we take it, we’ll have plenty of room to expand.
There’d even be space for project work and more.
Maybe Vi and Archie could move their office on-site so we could carpool? ”
I swear I hear the collective eye roll from both sisters and Kaede, but that does sound like a great idea.
“What are you guys thinking of doing?” Abi asks. “And if you’re carpooling and stuff, I assume you’re planning on keeping it all in the family? Violet doing the interior design and me doing your new business cards and marketing materials? It’s not my wheelhouse, but I’ll give you a family rate.”
“Of course… but just to be clear, is that family rate higher or lower than your usual fees?” He smiles that cocky grin and Abi shrugs noncommittedly, smirking right back. “We haven’t quite decided yet,” Ross admits. “K-dawg had an interesting proposal today. Kaede, want to fill everyone in?”
Kaede, who’s gone to the kitchen to grab a bottle of sparkling water out of the fridge, guzzling a bit before answering.
“Home fitness. Talked to a guy who’s looking for business partners.
He has a mirror that connects to an online workout program library.
You exercise with the instructor in real-time, following along in the privacy of your own home.
It’s got algorithms and coding to make it a personalized, custom experience.
Very cutting edge and luxury minded. And sexy. ”
“I told Kaede he could be our website model,” Ross announces.
“I project that a shirtless Kaede would have us breaking a million dollars in sales inside six months. Probably have to go all out though, really commit to it, man. Shirtless, sweaty and chugging water so it drips down your chin. Hell, go all in and run a hand across your abs as you bite your lip. We’ll play Ginuwine’s Pony in the background, but on violins so it’s classy as fuck. ”
Before we can laugh, Courtney chooses that moment to lose her grip on her glass and it tumbles to the floor, thankfully not shattering as it hits the plush rug, but still spilling a little bit of tea. “Oh god… sorry guys, I’ll wipe it up!”
Kaede’s faster, and I swear Court blushes to the roots of her hair when he hands her one of the kitchen towels.
He’s got another in his hand and he drops at her feet to blot at the stain.
Courtney looks down at Kaede and I swear I see her shudder ever so slightly before bending down next to him to help. “Thanks.”
He glances up, a soft smile playing at his lips. “We can do it together so there’s no mess.”
I glance over at Abi and Ross, both of whom are wearing matching amused expressions.
Feeling a little sorry for Courtney, I clear my throat.
I mean, spread the love, but not too thick.
“Well if you do decide to invest, I think you should be the website model, although nobody’s going to believe it’s not photoshopped,” I tell Ross, taking his hand and squeezing it in an attempt to tell him to back off Court, but one of his eyebrows rises and I know he’s not done.
“Kaede would have more fun with it in some skin-tight workout shorts, really show off his bulge and those V-lines that make girls stupid,” Ross replies, chuckling silently as, from her spot on the floor, Courtney’s fingers tremble and she drops her glass again.
Finally, she leaps to her feet with both hands wrapped around the tumbler and half walks, half runs to the kitchen to put it in the dishwasher, avoiding looking at anyone as she does.
Still it’s hard to miss just how flaming pink her cheeks are becoming.
Ross’ grin is just this side of shit-eating as Kaede keeps his head down and blots up the rest of the spilled tea. “Why are you torturing your sister?” I whisper in his ear. “And your best friend?”