Epilogue
One Month Later
Keats
“Why the fudge am I not sneezing around you?” I hold Dudley in the air, so we’re face-to-face.
“Dr. Hunt thinks you were allergic to his old shampoo.” Arietta stands next to me. “Not him.”
I turn to look at her. “I guess this means he can move back in with me.”
I watch as her smile drops into a frown. “I don’t mind watching him a little longer. Maren said your sister is coming back soon.”
Maren is right.
Sinclair is due back in New York next week. I’ve missed her. My life has completely changed since she’s been gone. I can’t wait to tell her that I’m in love.
I want to do it in person to see her face when she hears the good news.
“I’m going to drop him off at doggy daycare.” She scoops up an oversized black tote. “Tell Maren that I hope she has a good day at work.”
I laugh as I take a sip of the coffee I just poured. “She’ll be with me, Arietta. How can she not have a hell of a good day?”
“You swore, Keats.” She smiles. “You owe a hundred to the fund.”
I nod as I watch her walk away. Since Maren and I returned from Tupper Lake a month ago, Arietta and I have spent some time together. We’re slowly building a friendship.
“Don’t work too hard,” I call after her as she nears the door to the apartment she shares with the woman I love.
She turns back to face me. “I wish Mr. Calvetti said those things to me.”
“You wish he said a lot of other things to you.” Maren comes out of her bedroom dressed for the day.
I left her tangled in the sheets after I woke her with my head between her legs. We finished off with her on top of me, sliding her body over mine as we both whispered how grateful we are to wake up this way every fucking day.
We haven’t spent a night apart since we got back from the cabin. We’ve spent a few nights here and the rest at my townhouse.
Our townhouse.
Maren has already started packing so she can move in with me.
Arietta’s gaze drops to the floor. “I don’t wish for that.”
“Is there another office romance blooming?” I wash that question down with a mouthful of coffee.
Arietta shifts her attention back to me. Her cheeks are rosy. A smile is luring the corners of her lips up. “I’m going to start using a dating app soon, so the answer to that is a big no.”
With that, she opens the door and walks out, leaving me alone with the most beautiful redhead in the world.
An hour later, we’re at the office.
Maren decided to continue working with me even though Royce Knott offered her the opportunity to buy out his brother’s shares to become a partner in what would have been Knott & Weber Public Relations.
She thought long and hard about it. We talked it through, but ultimately the decision was hers to make.
Her future is next to me. We both know that. She wants to help me handle the client list I have, and together, we will selectively choose athletes to pursue in the future.
Maren has her eye on a tennis ace. She’s nineteen, new to the circuit, and incredibly talented.
My love wants to take the lead on this one, so I’m all for that. Morgan Sports Management is going to take on a new partner in the form of my future wife.
I watch as she sits behind my desk, typing something on my laptop.
“You’re beautiful,” I whisper.
She glances up to where I’m standing next to the window. “You’re handsome as fuck.”
I bite back a smile. “You swore.”
“I owe a hundred.” She sighs. “I pinkie swore with Stevie. I need to pay up just like the rest of the family.”
The family.
That’s exactly what we are.
“I’m sending an email to Fletcher Newman,” she announces. “You’re not going to believe what’s going on with him.”
I hope it’s all good news. He’s a great young man with a future that is overflowing with possibility.
Turning to face her, I lift my chin. “Tell me.”
“He didn’t sign with Finn after all.” She leans back in her chair. “He’s going back to school to study architecture.”
I shake my head, unsure if I heard her correctly. “What?”
“He wrote to me and said that he realized that he loves to watch baseball, but playing is not his passion.”
The sport lost a promising talent, but the world gained someone willing to chase their dreams. That’s a win in my book.
“I’m setting up a meeting between him and Myles Sims. He’s the best architect in this city. Maybe he can mentor Fletcher.”
I don’t need to ask who Myles is to her because I know he’s not the guy who holds her heart in his hands. I’m that lucky bastard.
“Myles is another cousin of mine.” She laughs. “I have a lot of them all over this city.”
She taps her finger over the keyboard before she pushes back to stand.
“Remember the day I walked in and found you covered in glitter with a champagne bottle in your hand?”
I huff out a laugh. “How the heck could I forget that?”
“That’s how I want you on our wedding night.” She smiles. “Carefree, happy, and without pants.”
I don’t hear any of that but the wedding night part. “Are you asking me to marry you?”
Her beautiful blue eyes slide over my face. “You’ve asked me twice in the past twenty-four hours.”
She’s right. I have. Both times happened when we were in her bed.
I drop to a knee to do it right this time. Reaching into the inside pocket of my suit jacket, I pull out a small square box.
Maren’s hand darts to her mouth. “You have a ring?”
I bought it the day we came back from Tupper Lake because I knew she was my every tomorrow.
I went to Whispers of Grace. It’s a jewelry store run by Ivy Marlow-Walker.
She’s gifted when it comes to creating timeless pieces.
I chose a silver band with one stunning ruby in the center and a circle of small diamonds surrounding it.
I pop open the lid.
Maren lets out a gasp. “Keats.”
“I didn’t plan on doing this in our office, but what the he…heart. It’s about our hearts, so it doesn’t matter where it happens.”
She nods. “You’re right.”
“I’m indebted to you for showing me that love can be this good.
For accepting me and all my faults and for giving me a chance to believe that the future can be amazing.
” I take a breath as I stare up and into her eyes.
“I love you more than Stevie loves unicorns or seals, or whatever she’ll love next.
Marry me, Maren. I’ll make every day we have together better than the last.”
Her head bobs up and down as tears fill her eyes. “I’ll marry you. Of course, I’ll marry you.”
I slide the ring on her finger, jump to my feet, and take her in my arms.
“Our adventure has only started,” she tells me before she kisses me.
She’s damn right. The very best is yet to come.