Epilogue
Chris
ONE YEAR LATER
Lily moans into our kiss, and I hug her tighter. Her arms wrap around my shoulders and hold me to her.
As if I’d let her go.
“We should cancel,” I mutter, not removing my lips from hers.
She pulls back and breaks the kiss, but she still doesn’t let me go. “We can’t do that. Not after we finally got added to the Nash Family Dinners. This is our first time hosting.”
Sighing, I reluctantly release her. “Fine, but everyone better leave by nine.”
She laughs and shakes her head as she returns to prepping dinner.
Jack and the guys of Nash Security have had these family dinners for years.
It alternates who hosts, and not everyone can always make it, but we started getting included, and Lily loves it.
She was honored when Ella, Jack’s wife, asked her to host this time.
I enjoy them too, even though I’m annoyed about it impacting the ability to have sex with my future wife right at this current moment. It’s not my fault that she’s sexy as fuck.
“Are Tom and Seth coming?” Lily asks as she chops veggies for a salad.
I slide into a seat at the kitchen island to watch her work. I’ve offered to help multiple times, but she refused. I think she’s enjoying the prep too much to let me take over some of the duties.
I check the time. “Yep, they should be here soon. Tom said they’d get here early.”
Since the original deal Tony offered me fell through, I decided we could reach an agreement on something else instead.
I’m now the permanent attorney for the Valentini family.
In exchange, Christy admitted to killing her mother for the insurance policy.
Well, and for him getting rid of the last thing that tied Lily to what happened to Blake.
When I asked Tony if he knew how to dispose of things someone didn’t want found, the only question he asked was how big of an item were we talking about.
I never told him why or what it related to, but he assured me, no one would ever find that skillet.
As for Christy, I have no idea what Tony said to her to get her to walk into the closest police station and turn herself in, but I’ll be forever grateful.
Getting Tom out of jail and then getting him custody of Seth was no easy feat, but the moment the paperwork was finalized was one none of us will forget.
I still get choked up thinking about watching Tom walk out of jail as a free man.
The transition back to a normal life for both Tom and Seth hasn’t been easy, but the last few times we’ve seen them, there’s been a lightness about both of them that’s been encouraging. I’m confident everyone’s well on their way to healing.
Goodwin and his network of drug dealers have been almost fully disbanded. Most are about to be on trial with a possible life sentence waiting for them.
Which is partly thanks to the plea deal Vernon took for Blake’s murder, despite continuing to profess his innocence to anyone who will listen.
Lily and I have many late-night conversations about this.
Despite what Vernon did to her, for Lily, there was a twinge of guilt that Vernon was going away for Blake’s murder.
Not for me. I couldn’t care less what happened to that piece of shit.
He was already going away for so many other crimes.
Why not add that one on top? It really worked out the way it should.
Lily and I have gone back and forth, and I think she’s finally accepted that she shouldn’t be punished for saving her own life.
They even arrested the person Blake tried to hire.
The cacophony of galloping paws pulls our attention to the hallway.
Our yellow lab puppy, Powers, comes tearing out of the hall, with Hank hot on his heels.
Ian and his wife Maggie told us about the rescue they got their puppy from, so of course, we had to take a look at what dogs they had available.
The second Lily saw the little ball of yellow fur, there was no changing her mind. That was our dog.
I was worried about her reaction if the rescue told us someone else applied before us.
She was so in love with the dog the second she laid eyes on him, she would’ve been devastated.
But thankfully, that didn’t happen. And we brought the eight-week-old puppy home six months ago.
I can’t tell whether Hank actually likes him or just gets enjoyment from terrorizing him, but either way, they both seem to enjoy the dynamics of their friendship.
“Oh my god, I heard Mandi and Carlos are engaged. That’s so exciting.” Lily gasps as she puts the lasagna in the oven.
I groan. “I’ll be excited when the wedding is over. I’ve had to hear about this ad nauseam since it happened. She will not shut up about it while we’re working.”
I’m happy for them, but I’d prefer not to have to hear about how obsessed she is with him. I mean, I can relate, but at least I don’t talk about it constantly.
“I love this for them so much. They are perfect for each other.” Lily rounds the island and wraps her arms around my shoulders from behind. Her tits press onto my back, which isn’t helping my desire to cancel dinner.
She holds up her left hand in front of my face. The sparkling diamond ring on her finger shines back at us.
“And I’m happy for us,” she purrs. “I can’t wait to announce our engagement to everyone.”
I waited much longer than I wanted to propose, but Lily insisted we take our time. Last weekend, I planned a getaway to the same cabin in Gatlinburg where we went last year and proposed on the back deck.
Lots of great memories on that deck. From both trips.
Lily runs her hands across my chest. “So…what time will Tom and Seth get here?”
I jump to my feet. “Don’t worry, we have time.”
Lily giggles as I grab her hand and drag her down the hallway toward our bedroom in the brand-new house that we just bought a few weeks ago. We sold both Lily’s house and my condo, so we could pick out one that was just for us. A fresh start for the rest of our lives together.
I toss her onto the bed, gathering the skirt of her dress and sliding it slowly up her legs.
“Plenty of time for a little appetizer.”
Her eyes are radiant as she beams up at me. “I love you so much, Chris.”
“I love you too, Lily. Best fucking reason to come out of retirement.”
Kissing her hard, I promise to spend the rest of my life reminding her how amazing she is and never making her question my love.
We both agree that having each other is worth every adversity we’ve ever gone through.
But all of that is in our past. Our future is bright and filled with all the love either of us ever dreamed of.