Epilogue
Ridge
A s I reached across the small bit of sand that was between our lounge chairs and dived my fingers into the back of Addison’s hair, I couldn’t stop staring at her. It wasn’t her bikini that captured my full attention—although, fuck, that certainly didn’t hurt. Her body was magnificent, and there were days when I still couldn’t believe it was mine. But what I really couldn’t stop gazing at was her expression. Since we’d arrived in Kauai, it covered her face every time she glanced at the ocean and when she ran to the water to dip her bare feet in the waves and as she gazed up at the sky. During those occasions, when her head tilted back and she looked up, her hand automatically went to her throat, circling her fingers around the sun that dangled beneath it, and I fucking loved that.
I saw every one of those moments because I couldn’t keep my eyes off her.
But what this trip made me realize was that her smile had very little to do with the ocean or the sand or the waves or the sky.
Her smile had everything to do with me.
She turned her head toward me, the grin already present, but it grew as our eyes connected. “Your phone doesn’t exactly make the best background music for the beach. It hasn’t stopped ringing since lunch. Is everything okay?”
My cell was lying on the chair next to me, and I picked it up and turned it on vibrate. “I should have muted it this morning. I’m sorry. I’m sick of hearing it blow up.”
“Are you sure it’s nothing important?”
“Shit no, it’s not important. Well, at least in my opinion. Rhett would disagree, and so would Brady. They’re filling in for me on the last-minute renovations at our Beverly Hills and Malibu hotels, and they’re calling because they have endless questions. I made it clear before we left for Hawaii that they’d just need to figure it out.” I shook my head. “And, obviously, they can’t.”
She took a long, deep breath. “That’s ballsy, don’t you think?”
“Because Rhett’s going to murder me?”
She exaggerated her nod. “Exactly that.”
“Probably.” I ran my hand over my head and looked up at the clouds. “I’m actually surprised he hasn’t flown here yet to choke my ass out.”
“The day isn’t over, there’s still plenty of time for that to happen.”
I laughed. “Truth.”
“I bet Rowan is ready to murder you too. You know Rhett is complaining to her about you, and the two of them are ganging up behind your back and planning your death.”
“I’m positive that’s happening as we speak.” I sighed. “Hell, Cooper’s probably dying for me to come back, too, so he can stop listening to her complain about me.”
Addison turned on her side, tucking her arm behind her head to use it as a pillow. “What about Macon? I know you mentioned he and Brooklyn might be coming out here to join us, but they wouldn’t know until the last minute. Have you heard anything from him?”
“He texted me this morning and said he couldn’t make it work. He found a piece of land in Croatia that he wants to look at for a new hotel. He and Brooklyn are flying there instead.”
“I bet she’s bummed, not about Croatia—that’s amazing—but about missing an opportunity to come here and see her family. I know she loves spending every second she can with them.”
“Don’t worry, I’m sure the trip to Croatia is a compromise, and after heading to Europe, they’ll come straight here.”
Her exhale was loud and lengthy. “You Coles and Spades live quite the life.”
“And you’re going to become one soon, so you’re going to know firsthand just how that life is.”
Her face blushed, which happened every time I mentioned that she was going to become my wife.
“Besides, without Macon and Brooklyn here, I get you all to myself.”
She put her hand on my chest. “I don’t hate that idea at all.”
“I didn’t think you would.” I lifted her fingers and kissed them. “Have you heard from Leah?”
She groaned. “Yes. She’s bringing the last of her things to her new apartment, and she hates me for not being there to help carry all the boxes. But she recruited some people from work to assist with the heavy lifting, so even though I’m not there, she’s got it covered.”
My brows rose as I took in her face. “Why is she moving boxes? I paid for a moving company to take her things.”
“She canceled the movers you’d hired.” Her smile told me everything I needed to know even though she continued, “She wouldn’t let you spend a dime on her, but she appreciated the offer and that you were willing to do that because you’d stolen me away from her. She said you owe her a million cocktails instead.”
“Jesus, you two are cut from the same fucking cloth.”
“And now, you know why she’s my best friend—we not only have everything in common, but we also share a brain.” She paused. “And I’m really going to miss her”—she put her hand up—“not enough to leave your house and move back in with her. Just miss her in a way that I won’t get to see her every day.” She flicked her bottom lip with her teeth. “I wouldn’t change anything about living with you and Daisy. I absolutely love it.”
“Now that I have you in my house, I can’t imagine living there without you.” I felt my gaze deepen. “Neither could Daisy.”
“You don’t have to imagine it. It’s never going to happen.” She pushed her hair back despite several of the pieces staying and teasing the corners of her eyes. “Heck, it was hard enough to leave for the week that I visited my sister. How many times a day did we talk while I was gone? At least three million?”
I chuckled. “Just about.”
She raised her hand to my cheek. “You’re stuck with me.”
I kissed the back of her hand, and then I used mine to brush across her forehead and down her cheek to her chest, where the sun necklace sat. “You know, you’re carrying a huge responsibility on your shoulders for the next school year.”
“How so?”
“With Daisy moving on to second grade, you’re going to have to watch her teacher like a hawk and make sure she’s giving Daisy an education that meets your standards.” I gave the necklace a shake and pulled my hand back. “You need to be my eyes and ears at that school.”
She put her hand on top of mine. “Mrs. Larson, Daisy’s new teacher, already knows what our girl needs. We’ve talked extensively about it.” She squeezed my fingers. “Don’t worry, she’s the best second-grade teacher we have at our school.”
I let those words simmer. “Is it a coincidence that she was assigned to her, or did you have something to do with it?”
“You mean, innocent ol’ me, work the system and get Daisy the top teacher? I would never.” She winked.
I laughed. “Does that mean you had Jana do your dirty work and had her shoot off an email to the administration and specifically ask for Mrs. Larson? Or …”
“Would it surprise you to hear that we double-teamed the administration and both Jana and I made the request?” She bit her lip.
“Not even a little.”
She bent her arm to prop herself up a little. “Jana texted me about options for the next school year, and I told her about Mrs. Larson. We thought it would be best if she reached out, and I backed up her request by working some magic in the administrative office.”
My head slowly shook. “You girls are a lethal duo.”
“We get what we want. What can I say? I just love that we got what’s best for Daisy.”
“Remind me to never go to battle against the two of you at the same time—I’ll be fucked.”
She laughed. “Come on … we’re not that bad.” She paused. “Okay, maybe we are.”
When we finally quieted, I said, “Honestly, I’m just glad the two of you can have conversations about Daisy and she’s comfortable reaching out to you.”
“Since Brady and Lily’s wedding, things between us have warmed up a lot—you know that. It makes me so happy that she trusts me and she trusts my decisions.” She adjusted the top of her bikini. “I don’t know if we’ll ever meet up for drinks or anything like that, but who knows? Wilder things have happened.”
“Like?”
She thought for a moment. “Like how the man who hired me for a whole shift at the strip club is now my boyfriend who I’m living with.”
I pushed the stray hairs away from her eyes. “Who’s going to become your husband.”
Her smile got even larger. “And that.”
“And who loves you more than anyone in this whole fucking world.”
Her eyes fluttered closed. “Mister, there’s someone who comes in a close second and would fight you if they heard you say that.”
“Your sister? Your mom? Dad? Leah?”
Her eyes opened, and she held my hand to her face. “Our Daisy.”
Our Daisy.
She was right about that.
I took in her eyes, her nose, her lips, and then I glanced up at the sky one last time. It was a cloudy afternoon, the sun only peeking through the open spots between the thick, billowy ones.
In those spots, where the rays were the strongest, he was there.
I couldn’t see him.
But I could feel him.
And I knew he was watching me, listening, present in every way that he could be, so I silently said, Dad, I’m loving big. I’m loving hard. I’m loving unapologetically. Because you’re right; being in love is the greatest blessing in this world.
I looked at Addison and silently added, I’ll never be alone again, Dad. I promise.