Epilogue
MALAKI
Five months later
“How do I look?”
Charleigh is strapped into the best stroller on the market while I stand behind her, pushing it throughout the living room.
Reese stops working on her cross-stitch. “Hot.”
I wiggle my eyebrows.
Zoe fake gags.
“Oh, knock it off,” I say. “I saw you and that loser with the shitty car last night when I came home from the rink.”
Reese sits forward and looks at her sister. “Wait, what?” She turns to me. “What did you see?”
Zoe gasps. “You said you wouldn’t say anything!”
“Sorry.” I push Charleigh around some more because she seems to be enjoying it. “But come on, Zoe. You can do better than him. Does he even have a job?”
“Yes!” she snaps. “And just because I’m hooking up with him doesn’t mean we’re a thing!”
“Hooking up with him?!” Reese jumps to her feet. “In the car? On the street? Zoe!”
“Yeah, who would ever do that?” I shake my head. “He must be a bad influence on you.”
Reese snaps over to me, and the realization hits her. I flick my eyebrow, just barely.
Mm-hmm, remember when we did that?
“Who’s the bad influence now?” Zoe asks, crossing her arms.
“Hey now!” I put my hands up. “We’re engaged! That’s different.”
Zoe looks at me suspiciously. “Were you two even engaged at that point?”
Shit. No, we weren’t.
“Ha!” Zoe points at me. “See! You’re a bad influence too!”
Charleigh shouts, like she wants to be included in the conversation too. I bend my head forward and look at her. “I know, Charleigh-girl. Do you hear how she’s talking to me?”
She kicks her legs excitedly. “Dada!”
“I agree,” I say, acting like we’re in a full conversation.
Zoe wants to laugh, but she turns her nose up instead. “I’m taking your wedding gift back!”
Reese pipes up. “You got us a gift?”
“Yes, but I’m about to take it back.”
“There are no takebacks in this house,” I remind her. “You know that.”
She rolls her eyes, but I know her well enough to know she’s just playing around.
Reese runs after her, her socks sliding across the floor. “What did you get us? I told you that you need to save your money!”
I already know that it didn’t cost anything—she’s going to watch Charleigh for us while we go on our honeymoon.
The wedding is going to be low-key; only our closest friends are invited. Zoe is the maid of honor, and Charleigh is the flower girl. I had the guys pick from sticks on who will be my best man because, to be honest, the only thing I really care about is marrying Reese.
Lars picked the shortest stick.
He was all for it, though, when he found out he’d be walking Zoe down the aisle.
I chucked a puck at him on the ice after that, but I’m not sure he got the hint.
I don’t think I have to worry, because apparently Zoe’s into guys with crappy cars and no brain cells.
I highly doubt she’ll be impressed with Lars, considering she’s still not into the whole sports thing—never mind the fact that her future-brother-in-law is a pro hockey player.
Either way, in a few short weeks, before the season starts, Reese will have my last name.
In years to come, I hope Charleigh will too. But that’s not something we’re willing to mess with just yet–not with Benedict still lurking around. With him dropping the custody issue altogether after the fiasco at the courthouse, we’re unwilling to provoke him into pulling the same shit again.
What I do know is that Charleigh is a part of me whether she shares my last name or not.
I barely remember life before that night at the casino when I talked Reese into giving me a ride home. But after playing her fiancé and hearing Charleigh call me Dada, I know going back would mean losing something I never knew I needed.
“Zoe!” Reese’s voice echoes throughout the house as she chases her sister around. “Tell me what you got us.”
“Nope.”
I chuckle and push the stroller in the direction of their voices so I can enjoy the show.
Charleigh cranes her head back and glances up at me.
“This is amusing, huh?”
She smiles wide, her two front teeth fully grown in, making her look so much older than before. She happily goes back to watching Reese chase Zoe around the house, laughing every time they pass us.
“She’s almost as fast at me,” I say to Charleigh.
“I am faster!” she says on her way past.
I dig into my pocket and pull out some Skittles. I pop an orange one in because, naturally, all the reds have been taken by Reese.
“Throw me one,” she says, skidding to a stop in front of me. “I need some sugar.”
I chuckle and throw one up into the air.
She moves underneath it and catches it on her tongue.
I raise my brow, impressed.
She winks at me, and my tongue slips out to lick my lip.
Yeah…there is really no going back after being Reese Moreno’s fiancé.