Epilogue
ELI
“To Eli,” Calla said.
“To Eli,” her mother and Piper echoed.
She radiated happiness as she lifted her glass to clink against mine.
“To Calla,” I countered. “For finally finishing—and selling—the next soon-to-be-number-one bestseller.”
“Hey, no cheersing me,” she objected. “You’re the one who just had a movie premiere. This is your night.”
“I don’t mind sharing,” I said, before leaning down and kissing the top of her head.
Instead of some elaborate party, I had insisted on nothing more than a few drinks with the cast and crew before dipping out to spend time with the only people who truly mattered.
It was late and we were all tucked away in the back booth of their favorite hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurant, a place that had since become my favorite too. I loved their ritual of meeting here once a week. Really, I loved all their rituals. This little family had taken me in the first day that Calla had finally brought me home, and I’d never looked back .
“I don’t know anything about movies, Eli, but this was fantastic.” Her mother smiled at me warmly. “I’m so proud of you.”
Emotion gripped my chest. “Thank you, I appreciate it.”
I hadn’t spoken to my father in months. Calla’s mother had quickly stepped in and fulfilled the gaping parental void I had always insisted never mattered. My relationship with my father had always been toxic, and while difficult, it felt freeing to finally cut him off for good. Especially when I saw an interview where he bashed my upcoming movie; said something about his production company passing on it because it “simply wasn’t a strong story.”
He’d shut up since then, especially now that my movie had been selected to show in the most prestigious of film festivals. There was even talk of it getting a wide release, and I already had outside backing for my next project.
“I can’t believe you two are leaving for LA in a few days.” Piper pouted.
“Only for a few weeks,” Calla added. “You know we’ll be back and forth all the time.”
“And as soon as my next movie wraps, we’ll come back to stay for a while. I have no intention of ever moving back there for good,” I said.
LA had never felt like it fit me, but since moving to Chicago, I’d felt at home. Perhaps that was just the Calla effect. Because wherever she went, I knew without a doubt that I would happily follow.
“I’m just excited to see some of the Tough Love cast again,” Calla added, beaming. “Trace will be out there at the same time as us, to work on a project.”
I flinched at the thought of seeing her. I loved Trace, and she and Calla had remained close, but Danny had also become one of my best friends. Any time I was around Trace, I could still feel her pain, even all this time later. The worst part was that the last time I had visited Danny, he had confessed that he’d never gotten over her either.
“Oh, and Grant said he wanted to crash with us for a night or two,” Calla added.
I winced. “Grant? Are you serious?”
She shrugged innocently. “You know we’ve kept in touch.”
“Doesn’t mean I have to like it,” I said.
Piper snorted. “Please. I’ve never met Grant, but I can promise if he’s that annoying in real life, you have nothing to worry about.”
“I’m not worried,” I added, pulling in Calla close to my side. “I just don’t like him and would prefer to never interact with him again.”
Calla laughed at my stubbornness. “Well, you don’t have to hang out with us.”
As if I would leave my girl alone with that guy for a second. I knew they kept in touch, and I also knew their relationship was completely harmless and mostly consisted of sending funny videos back and forth. But still, the memory of him stealing her as my partner lingered and I’d never let him live that down.
“Let’s just talk about it later. The whole idea is giving me a headache,” I said.
“Sorry.” Calla kissed my cheek. “Didn’t mean to cause you any stress on your special night.”
“Right. My night,” I repeated, brushing a strand of her hair behind her ear and staring down at her.
Little did she know this night was about to be hers too. Because as soon as we left this restaurant and made it back to the townhouse we shared, I had a plan. A plan to take her by the hand and lead her inside. To look into the eyes of my favorite person in the entire world and tell her everything she meant to me.
How meeting her had changed the orbit of my entire world. How she had become my family and I never wanted to be without her.
Then I would slide down onto one knee and show her the vintage ring I had watched her eye longingly at a thrift store weeks ago. A question would leave my lips, and I’d get the answer I’d been waiting for since the day I’d met her.
Calla nudged my shoulder, shaking me from my thoughts. “What are you thinking about?”
“Nothing,” I said, before grinning. “Everything.”
She arched a brow, clearly confused, but I just kissed her forehead in response. She sighed happily and nestled into me.
Looking down at her, I basked in the sensation of finally feeling like I belonged.