Epilogue #2
Standing up, I took her hand and accepted the bookbag that Leigh handed to me.
We walked with everyone out of the house because we were heading out with them.
I opened the car door for my wife and closed her inside before going to put Harm in the backseat of Rhap’s car.
She had a seat back there already because she rode with him often.
“Okay, be a good girl, baby,” I warned her.
She clapped her hands. “I always good, Papa.”
“Mhm,” I mumbled because I knew the truth. “Have fun, Doodle. Call us and tell us all about it before you go to bed.”
She turned from the front seat to look at me. “Okay, I will, Papa. Have fun on your date.”
I winked at her. “Oh, you know we always do.”
I stepped back and closed the door. I beat on the roof once, and Rhap pulled out of the driveway. Walking back to my car, I joined Leigh, who was busy on her phone. I couldn’t help but smile at her, forcing her to look at me.
“What?” she asked, locking her phone in the process.
“I just love the fuck out of you. You’re my heart, Valleigh.”
She blushed. “I know, baby. I love you too.”
I lifted our entwined hands to kiss the back of hers.
Reversing out of our driveway, I made the short drive over to the arena.
We sang along to our R&B playlist, which was so long we never made it through the whole thing.
The closer we got to the rink, the more excited Leigh became in the passenger seat.
Her love for the sport continued to grow over the years.
She stopped taking lessons from Soulan because she said she’d taught her all that she could.
They did, however, love to still meet up as often as they could to free skate together.
Even Doodle and Harm took up a love for the sport because they thoroughly enjoyed seeing their mother floating across the ice as much as I did.
“You rented the rink out for the night?” she questioned when we pulled into the empty parking lot.
I nodded. “Of course I did, Squirt.”
She beamed in her seat. “I never get tired of you flexing your influence like that. It’s crazy that after ten years, you still manage to have the people in a chokehold without having to release any new music.”
I released a sigh because it was true. When I broke away from Legacy Ent.
, I poured all my energy into my family.
I did, however, take up ghostwriting, and it was going well.
That gig, along with the investments I made with the millions I made, my family got to enjoy a life of luxury on my dime.
It made me feel so good to be able to take care of everyone without any worries.
They were allowed to explore the things that made them happy, and I reaped the benefits because when my girls were happy, so was I.
We headed into the rink hand in hand. Over the years, I’d learned a thing or two about skating, so I sat beside Leigh to strap up my skates.
I was nowhere near as graceful or talented as my baby, but she liked to skate together.
Considering I would do anything for her, I wobbled my way right over to the wall.
I handed Leigh my phone. “I want to play you the music I’ve been working on.”
She smiled widely. “Really? It’s ready?”
One day, about a year ago, I was in the studio, working, when I felt my spark for singing come back with a vengeance.
I leaned into it, and there I was, a year later, ready to share it with my wife.
She skated over to the speaker system quickly to plug in my phone.
She knew the passcode, so she was able to unlock it and press play on the song I had pulled up.
It began with a few strokes of the bass, along with a soft piano melody.
Leigh skated over to where I was leaning against the wall.
She held out a hand for me, which I accepted.
Slowly, we fell into a flow, skating around the rink together.
Nothing compared to having her in my arms. She was my center, and now that my love for music was back, I felt complete.
“Wow, you sound so good, babe,” she complimented me. “Like grown and sexy for real.”
I chuckled because that was the goal. I wasn’t a little boy anymore, playing around out here.
I was a grown, established man who took care of business in every way.
I wanted to create music that reflected it.
My music was definitely something for the grown folks to two-step, make love, and fall in love to.
“Thank you, baby. I thought so too. You’re the first person to hear it.”
“Aww, I feel special,” she teased.
“You know you are that.” I placed a kiss on her neck before I took her hand in mine to spin her around. She twirled around like an angel. She was so good that I kind of hated that she didn’t get to pursue this hobby of hers professionally. I just knew she would’ve gone far.
We skated for about three songs before I sat down to watch her. It was true what they said about happy wife, happy life. My world was only out of order when my woman was, so I always went out of my way to keep things in order. We weren’t perfect, but no issue wasn’t worth fixing.
I smiled when Leigh skated toward me and hit a fire spin in front of me. I stood up to lean over the wall when she closed the distance between us. “You know something has to be done about that daughter of yours, right?”
“Seems like she acts just like her mama to me,” I countered with a quirked brow.
She waved me off. “Oh, whatever. I am not that bad.”
I chortled loudly. “You, my dear, are indeed that bad.” I nibbled on my lip while admiring her beautiful frame. “But it’s alright ’cause I know how to handle it.”
She bent over, touching her toes. She poked her head between her legs and smiled. “Mhm, and you handle it well, baby. That’s why you’re the Alpha.”
“And that’s why you’re about to get fucked in the backseat of the Maybach.” I hurried back to the ice, and she rushed off quickly. I chased her around the rink, loving the sound of her giggles.
When I finally caught her, our legs got tangled, and we fell on the ice with a thump.
There was a long pause before we burst out laughing.
And I knew that was how I wanted to spend the rest of my life.
Chasing, falling, getting back up, and laughing with my best friend .
. . My other half . . . My wife . . . My Squirt . . .
The End