Epilogue - Felix
SEVEN MONTHS LATER
T he snow falls in fat, lazy flakes as I steer my truck carefully down Main Street, Letty’s hand warm on my thigh. Deepwood Mountain looks like a snow globe tonight—every storefront festooned with twinkling lights, wreaths hung on lampposts, the air chilly and fresh.
She’s wearing a red sweater dress that clings to every sinful curve, her dark hair twisted up into a messy bun with a few strands escaping, like she’s just rolled out of bed. My bed .
“Pull over,” Letty whispers, her hand sliding up my thigh. “Right now.”
I swallow, scanning the deserted mountain road. “We’re already running late.”
We’re on the back road heading to Ellie’s for Christmas Eve dinner—nothing but snow-dusted pines and the occasional flicker of distant headlights. Letty’s been driving me crazy all week, wearing my flannel shirts without a damn thing underneath, straddling my lap while I was trying to fix the food truck’s fryer, her breath hot in my ear as she whispered, “Later.”
“Just five minutes.” Her voice has that husky edge that always makes my cock thicken in my jeans. “ Maybe ten.”
When Letty gets that searing, mischievous look in her eyes, I’m helpless to resist. I pull over onto a side road, tires crunching on fresh snow. The minute we’re parked, she’s undoing her seatbelt and leaning over the center console.
“Letty, what are you?—”
“Early Christmas present,” she purrs, her fingers unbuckling my belt with impressive speed. “Some unwrapping required.”
I groan as her hand slides into my jeans, finding me already rock-hard. “Your sister will know exactly why we’re late.”
“So?” She licks her lips, her dark eyes gleaming in the dashboard lights. “I’ve been thinking about you and your cock all day.”
Seven months together, and she still surprises me. Seven months of building something real and solid together. Seven months of the most perfect goddamn happiness I’ve ever known.
Not to mention, the hottest sex ever.
“ Fuck, ” I gasp as her mouth, warm and wet, slides onto my cock. My head thuds back against the headrest.
Snow falls gently outside, collecting on the windshield in delicate crystals, the Christmas music on the radio drowned out by my choked curses and ragged breathing. Her tongue swirls and teases as I fist her hair, completely wrecked by this woman and the way she’s looking up at me—eyes dark, lips swollen, owning me as if it’s her fucking right.
It is. I’m hers.
“God, Letty,” I groan. “Your mouth is magic?—”
She hums against me, the vibration sending lightning chasing up my spine. When she takes me deeper, my hips tense and my release hits me suddenly, like a thunderclap. I’m gone—her name tearing from my throat as pleasure explodes through me like artillery fire.
She swallows my seed until I’m spent and shaking.
When I come back to myself, she’s pressing soft kisses to my stomach, looking very pleased with herself.
“Merry Christmas, Marine,” she says, her voice husky.
I cup her face, drawing her up for a deep kiss. “That was...”
“Better than fruitcake?” she grins against my mouth.
“Fucking phenomenal. ” I tuck myself back into my pants and button up, still out of breath. “Though now I get to walk into your sister’s house looking like I just got the best blowjob of my life.”
“Are you complaining?” Letty’s laugh fills the cab. She checks her festive red lipstick in the visor mirror, reapplying it.
“Not complaining at all .”
“Good.”
I restart the engine, my hand finding hers across the center console. “I love you, you know. Everything about you.”
“I love you, too.” She squeezes my fingers, her smile softening. “Now let’s get going before Ellie sends out a search party.”
* * *
Ellie and Kyle’s house is strung with multicolored lights, warm and welcoming against the darkening sky. The scent of pine and cinnamon embraces us as we step through the front door, stomping the snow from our boots. Inside, laughter and music bounce off the walls.
Ellie’s carrying a tray of what looks like apple cider. She narrows her eyes, taking in Letty’s flushed cheeks and my (no doubt) dopey grin. “Unbelievable.”
“What?” Letty says innocently. “’Tis the season, right?”
Ellie groans as Kyle appears, bouncing baby Serena on his hip. His smirk tells me he also knows exactly what we just did, and he gives me a fist bump. “Cider?”
“Please,” I say, accepting the mug with a cheeky grin.
The house is packed with many of Deepwood’s finest. Juniper and Isaac are by the tree with their kids, Evan showing something to Delilah on his tablet. Remi and Mason are arguing good-naturedly over motorcycle parts in the corner. Zoe and Troy sit with their three kids—Micah looking like a typical bored teenager, and the twins, Chelsea and Peter, running circles around everyone while Troy desperately tries to corral them.
It hits me suddenly—this is mine now. All of it. This community, this chosen family. I’ve got roots here now, helping Letty and Ellie expand the Mariposa Taqueria while running the local branch of Second Mission.
I’ve got a home, with Letty. Just a rental for now, but we’re looking at buying. Thinking about the future.
“Uncle Felix!” Evan and the other kids charge toward me. “Did you bring it? The thing ?”
I wink at him, ruffling his hair. “What thing?”
“The robot thing! You promised !” he wails.
“Oh, that thing , ” I laugh, pulling a box from the bag we brought in and handing it to Evan. It’s the remote-controlled tank I built for them that they always insist on playing with every time I’m around.
Evan’s eyes light up as he pulls it from the box. “We’ll be very careful. Thanks for bringing it!”
“Anytime, buddy. Have fun.”
“Take that into the den if you’re going to play with it,” Juniper says.
They run off, and Kyle starts to follow.
“ You’re not going anywhere, honey,” Ellie warns.
Kyle curses under his breath, and we all chuckle.
Letty slides her arm around my waist. “You’re a great uncle, you know that?”
I press a kiss to her temple. “Good practice for when we have our own.”
Her expression softens. We’ve been talking about adoption lately. Letty really wants to go that way, and worried at first that I’d be sad not having biological children. But I told her I firmly believe family’s what you build, not what biology dictates.
“Let me add a little something to your cider,” Kyle says, passing Serena to Remi. She’s fascinated by all the neon green hair in Remi’s ponytail. “A man needs hard alcohol after that kind of drive over.”
I choke back a laugh as Letty pinches my side.
“I’ll have some too,” Letty says, following Kyle into the kitchen.
I make my rounds, checking in with Troy about our newest outreach program, then catching up with Mason about the custom bike we’re building for a disabled vet in Bozeman.
Throughout it all, my hand keeps drifting to my jeans pocket, checking and triple checking that the small velvet box is still there.
After dinner, we gather in the living room for Ellie’s traditional Christmas Eve gift exchange. My nerves ratchet higher as Kyle starts to hand out the packages, the kids tearing into theirs with unbridled enthusiasm. Even Micah!
“Here you go, Letty,” I say, pulling the small box from my pocket. “Little something special for you.”
The room quiets, everyone suddenly extremely interested in their drinks. Letty takes the box, her fingers trembling slightly.
“Felix, what is this?” she whispers.
“Just open it.”
She lifts the lid. The ring sparkles in the firelight—a solitaire diamond flanked by citrines, sunny and warm just like her. A gasp ripples around the room.
I drop to one knee, ignoring the twinge in my prosthetic leg. Her eyes fill with tears.
“Leticia Gordon,” I continue. “Please let me spend every day honoring the life you had and building one we’ll share. Let me be yours, Letty. Always. Marry me?”
“Yes,” she whispers without hesitation, tears spilling down her cheeks. “Yes. A thousand times yes.”
The room erupts in cheers as I slide the ring onto her finger and stand to kiss her. Evan makes barfing noises, which sets off a round of laughter.
We break apart, Letty’s trembling hands framing my face. “You’re amazing,” she whispers.
“No, you are. You’re it for me, Letty. Forever.”
She kisses me again, deep and full of promise.
“Get a room!” Evan shouts, making everyone laugh again.
“Where did you learn that?” Isaac asks Evan, squinting at him.
Evan’s eyes slide to Kyle, who looks up and whistles innocently.
Isaac rolls his eyes and chuckles. “Shoulda known.”
As the celebration continues around us, I hold her close. Outside, the snow continues to fall, blanketing Deepwood Mountain in pristine white—a clean slate for fresh starts.
I’ve never been more ready to begin.
* * *