Epilogue
NADINE
Five Years Later
The thing about being married to River James for real—not fake-married-for-a-weekend but actual, legally-binding-till-death-do-us-part married—is that he still makes my stomach flip when he walks into a room.
Five years. One toddler. Our own house. Joint tax returns. And the man still looks at me like I'm the only person in the world worth looking at.
It's disgusting, really … in the best possible way.
Right now, he's chopping vegetables for dinner with his sleeves pushed up past his elbows, tattoos on full display. The same arms that can lift an engine block somehow manage to dice bell peppers into perfectly uniform pieces. Meanwhile, I can barely cut bread in a straight line.
"Daddy! Daddy! Look!"
Our son, Nick, barrels into the kitchen, waving a drawing that appears to be either a fire-breathing dragon or an abstract representation of our mailbox. With River, it's impossible to tell which interpretation he'll choose.
Nick launches himself at River's legs, tiny hands gripping his jeans, feet scrabbling for purchase on his thighs.
"Up! Daddy, up!"
River scoops him into his arms without breaking stride, settling Nick on his hip.
"Where's Mama?" River asks, even though I'm standing right here in the kitchen doorway watching this entire performance.
Nick points directly at me. "Mama! Drawing for you!"
"Good job. You found her."
The front door bangs open without warning because Rachel still has a key and absolutely zero boundaries.
"I'm here!" she yells, striding in like she owns the place. "Where's my favorite nephew?"
Nick squeals and practically launches himself out of River's arms, tiny feet thundering toward Aunt Rachel, who scoops him up with a grunt.
"Have you been good?" she asks, eyebrows raised.
"No!"
Rachel grins. "Perfect."
River hands her a beer without asking if she wants one. We settle in the living room—Nick on the floor with his dinosaurs, Rachel sprawled across the couch.
"So," she says, fake-casual, "remember Derek's wedding?"
My eyes narrow. "Why?"
"Just thinking about how I suggested the whole fake husband thing." She takes a swig of beer while River tries and fails to hide a smirk. "That wasn't exactly spontaneous. I knew you both had crushes on each other. I'd known for years."
"Rachel—"
"I orchestrated the whole thing." She looks unbearably smug. "River knew, too. I caught him sophomore year when your college photo ID fell out of his wallet."
I turn to River, who has the decency to look slightly guilty. "You knew?"
He shrugs one shoulder. "Rachel's very persuasive."
"You're both diabolical."
"No arguing on that front." Rachel hops up suddenly, grabbing Nick's hand. "Come on, bug. Let's see if Uncle River still hides ice cream in the garage freezer."
"Ice cream!" Nick shrieks with pure joy.
"Rachel, it's almost dinner—"
But they're already gone, Nick's laughter echoing down the hallway. River pulls me onto the couch beside him, into the warm space where his body has been.
"You knew she planned it while I was wracked with guilt," I say.
"I knew." His arm slides around me. "Like she said, she caught me with your photo. Made me confess everything on the spot."
I narrow my eyes. "Is that why you were so quick to agree to be my fake husband?"
“I'd already waited years, Nad.” He reaches up, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear, fingers lingering just a second too long. “She was offering me a chance. I wasn't stupid enough to turn it down.”
"I love you."
"I know." He grins. "I love you too."
"Even though I was an idiot who dated Derek?"
"Especially because you learned from that mistake and chose me instead."
A delighted shriek erupts from the garage—Nick, undoubtedly—followed by Rachel's triumphant laughter.
River squeezes my hand. “See? Even the witnesses approve.”
I laugh despite myself.
He leans in, voice dropping. “Best fake marriage I ever agreed to.”
I glance at him. “You say that like there were others.”
He kisses my temple. “There weren't. Just the one I planned on making real.”
It doesn't matter how we got here—fake marriage, fake relationship, years and years of pining for each other—the most important thing is we're here, and we're not going anywhere.
This is for life.
The End
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