Epilogue
MALIK
FIVE WEEKS LATER
We’d graduated, and both sets of parents had flown in for the affair. Grey’s parents wanted to treat everyone to a fancy post-graduation dinner, so we’d picked Ocean Club for the venue. Because hell, I’d never gotten the meal there Grey had promised me.
We rolled up in my Honda SUV, and I parked in the lot. “How are you feeling?” I squeezed Grey’s hand, resting in the center console. He’d been nervous as hell about seeing his parents.
“I’m doing all right. Let’s get this over with.” After kissing my cheek, he stepped from my SUV as I did the same.
I scanned the area by the front door, and my heart flipped. Holy hell, the families were all there, talking to one another. All of them dressed in business-casual, except for Landon, who was wearing jeans with a white polo. “Babe, they’re here.” I pointed and then snatched his hand.
“I guess we won’t have to introduce anyone.” He dipped his head and chuckled while strolling next to me. “Remember the last time we were here?”
“How could I forget? It was the day that changed everything.” I kissed his knuckles. I’d almost lost him, except that Tex had devised the plan to free Grey from his financial chains. Who would have thought that having money would imprison someone? It was the stuff of movies.
“The day that changed everything was when you took me on the hike at Camp Tontozona.” He flashed me a smirk.
“Oh yeah, then there was that.” With a snigger, I combed my fingers through my bangs.
“Here they come, the next generation of NFL star running backs.” Mom jogged to us, hugged us both and then kissed each of our cheeks. “Come on now, we’re just getting to know Grey’s lovely parents.”
Lovely? Of course, she’d say that. She viewed everyone favorably unless they sat on the other side of her courtroom. We strode with her to our families, and we greeted Landon with a bro-hug and the others with handshakes and quick embraces.
“So, you’ve all met.” Grey weaved his hands in front of him.
“We have.” Leonard patted Grey on the back. “Malik’s family is very charming. I’m a little jealous they witnessed your engagement, but Janice shared the video with your mother and me just now.”
“What you said to each other was so endearing.” Gloria, his mother, picked his hands apart and held one in both of hers. “When you return home, we’ll work on a proper engagement party and plan the wedding.” She beamed at him, her eyes the same blue as his and blonde hair cut sharply at her chin.
“Mom.” Grey glanced at me with a smirk and then focused on her. “Let’s hold off until we speak with the team’s PR people. We don’t want to cause a fuss before we even play our first game.”
“Oh, all right.” Clicking her tongue, she freed his hand and wrapped an arm around Leonard’s.
“We should go inside and get our table before they think we’re not coming.” With a smile at me, Dad lifted his brows and then ushered everyone inside.
As we followed him, Grey said, “Can you believe my mother? It’s like nothing happened, like she was on our side all along.”
“Just go with it for now. We’ll have plenty of time for serious family discussions when we move out there.” I hooked an arm around him and gave him a quick squeeze. We needed to celebrate our accomplishments tonight.
After a quick meeting with the hostess, we followed her to a large round table and took chairs around it, with Grey sitting next to his father and me on the other side of Grey, my mother next to me.
Did Mom feel the need to protect me from Grey’s father, knowing what he’d initially done to Grey?
I perused the restaurant. The place had a supper club vibe with upholstered chairs and white linen tablecloths falling across the tables.
Stone adorned some walls, and large round chandeliers hung from a dark ceiling with wooden beams. I placed my napkin on my lap.
The server stopped at our table. “Can I get you all drinks first?”
“Yes, bring two bottles of your finest champagne. We’re celebrating tonight.” With a grin, Leonard swept his gaze across the table.
“Of course, sir.” The server left.
As Dad chatted with Gloria and Mom looked over her menu with Landon, Leonard shifted to face us. “I was thinking, Grey, for a graduation present I might buy you a new car.” He arched a brow.
“I can afford to buy a car, Dad.” Grey sipped his water, already set on the table. “I got a hefty signing bonus.”
“Well, what about living accommodations? Surely, I can help you with that. New York City isn’t a cheap place to live, and I can’t have my son living in one of those tiny—”
“Dad.” Grey wrapped his hand around his father’s forearm and looked him in the eye.
“We’ll have money. We can afford to live well, even in New York City.
” He sucked a quick breath. “I don’t want your money.
What I want from you and Mom…” His brows creased.
“What I want is your time.” He shrugged a shoulder.
“Hell, I can’t play football forever. At some point, I’ll need a second career.
Maybe in the off season you can show me around the business and slowly introduce me to it. ”
I blinked. Where the hell had that come from? “Grey? I think that’s a great idea.” He was right. If our bodies held out, we’d only last until our late thirties in the NFL before we’d have to retire.
“Thanks, babe. I’ve been thinking about this a lot in the last month.” Leaning over, he kissed my cheek. “And I knew you’d be supportive of it, because supporting me is what you do best.” His cheeks flamed pink. “Besides, you know.” The edge of his lips lifted.
“I’m…I don’t know what to say.” Leonard twisted his arm and took Grey’s hand, shaking it. “I’m so proud of the man you’ve become.”
“Dear, I told you he’d come along. You simply had to let him find his own way.” Gloria’s eyes twinkled.
Patting the corner of his eye with a napkin, Grey said, “Hook us up with a realtor, though, okay?”
“Of course.” Leonard freed Grey’s hand as the server popped our champagne bottles open and served everyone a glass, except for Landon.
As everyone picked up their flutes, Mom said, “To football, the sport that brought our boys together and gave them the best kind of love. Lasting love.”
Everyone nodded in agreement and tapped their glasses together.
Before sipping my drink, Grey said, “Here, wrap your arm around mine and then drink it.” His blue-eyed gaze locked on mine, full of warmth and a confidence I hadn’t seen until now.
I hooked my arm in his and set the rim of my glass against my lips. “I love you, Grey. And each day it only grows stronger.”
“Love you too, babe.” As his eyes grew glassy, he sipped his champagne.
Tex is the lineman who protects everyone, until his quiet tutor with a traumatic past becomes the one who blindsides his heart.