Epilogue Gemma
Epilogue
Gemma
Six months later…
“Bloody hell, this hallway goes forever. What’s in here, anyway?” Anna calls out as she approaches the open door carrying a large cardboard box labeled MISCELLANEOUS. “It’s so heavy!”
Today is moving day and the gang is in full force. I’ve even enlisted Henry to help.
Max and I got approved for a flat in South Kensington with a gorgeous view of Kensington Gardens. Our first home together.
We decided to lease out Max’s penthouse and start fresh somewhere new. Somewhere unknown to Casey, close to both our jobs, and within walking distance to our friends.
Yes, our jobs.
After Max missed his flight back to New York, he had a heart-to-heart with Grayson. What began with Grayson losing his shit, quickly shifted to understanding when he realized how much Max missed London and his family. And how much he loves me, of course.
Max did need to return to New York for eight weeks to close out his apartment and transition his responsibilities to his replacement. Those two months apart nearly killed me, but Henry was brilliant and gave me time off to fly over and visit him.
There may have been lots of phone sex involved, too.
The hotel’s opening exceeded everyone’s expectations, so Grayson’s solution to keep Max in the business was to promote him to managing director of the entire Gray Hotel chain.
Max still reports to Grayson but runs operations from London, only needing to travel to New York every six to eight weeks.
It’s the perfect arrangement. By the time he’s due to leave, I’m usually desperate for some quality time with the girls.
And the best part? I’ve got my own reading room with floor-to-ceilings shelves, all mine, and ready to be filled with every filthy, taboo, smutty romance I can get my hands on.
The place isn’t as modern as Max’s penthouse, but it’s oozing character, which I love. It’s big and bright, but it feels homey.
I’m standing on the balcony admiring the view when Anna shouts again.
“I’m gonna drop it!”
I spin on my feet and see which box she’s carrying. I wrapped it with “fragile” tape specifically to ensure Max and I could keep an eye on it. To make sure we handled it—my bad.
“Here, let me help!” I say, jogging toward her, but it’s too late.
“We’re losing him!” Anna yells as the box bottoms out, the tape ripping.
Max, Henry, April, and James run out of the kitchen to see what all the commotion is about.
We all watch on in horror as a large pile of very obvious, very colorful sex toys spill all over the floor.
Shit.
For a moment, no one says anything. It’s so quiet you could hear a fly fart.
Max and I glance at each other before he closes his eyes in slow motion, sucking in a breath.
Anna blinks down at the mess. “Oh.”
Max whispers a tortured, “Jesus Christ.”
There’s my thick, purple tentacle dildo-slash-doorstop, two pairs of leather handcuffs, a spreader bar, a few butt plugs, variously-shaped vibrators… and I’m pretty sure a bottle of something just rolled under the sofa.
Henry’s gaze darts between Anna, Max, and me, awkwardly waiting to see what happens.
April rests a hand over her five-month bump and covers her mouth with the other. “Gemma!” she says, lifting her brows.
The corner of James’s mouth twitches as he tries to stifle his smile.
“Oh, you can talk,” I say to April, gesturing to her round belly. “We all know how that happened.”
“For fuck’s sake,” Anna whispers, glaring at the pile. “Why are there so many?”
She finally lifts her eyes to mine, and not knowing what else to do, I just shrug. “In my defense, you can’t be surprised. You knew exactly who your brother was dating.”
Anna turns away, unable to look at Max. “I’m going to go and get another box, and when I return”—she points in the direction of the pile, her face still turned the other way—“I expect this to be cleaned up.”
“Go, Anna. Please,” Max says, his voice steady.
Anna shakes her head before spinning around and racing out the door.
“Come on, babe,” James says, placing his hand on April’s swollen belly and steering her into the kitchen. “Let’s start unpacking the kitchen stuff.”
Henry shakes his head with a look of amusement. “Gemma, Gemma, Gemma,” he says. “Why am I not surprised?”
“Oh, piss off,” I snap.
“Five dildos?” he questions, raising a brow.
“Like you can talk. You love dick just as much as I do,” I say.
Max’s head snaps up, confusion painted across his handsome face. “What do you mean, you love dick just as much as I do?”
Henry’s expression matches Max’s confusion. “Because I’m gay?”
Max stares at him. “You’re gay?”
“You haven’t told him?” Henry asks, turning to me.
“Oh, shit,” I mutter. My eyes latch onto Max’s. “I forgot to tell you. Henry’s gay.”
“I’ve been with my partner, Nate, for three years,” Henry explains.
Max’s eyes narrow at me and I bite my lip, trying not to laugh at the look of betrayal on his face.
“You little shit stirrer,” he says, fighting a smile and prowling toward me. “You mean to tell me that all those times you were laughing and flirting with him in front of me—”
Henry holds his hands up in defense. “I had nothing to do with that. If it helps, I was utterly repulsed.”
“I wasn’t flirting!” I protest, backing away as Max advances on me with that familiar predatory look in his eye.
“No?” He runs his fingers through my hair when he reaches me. “Then what were you doing?” he murmurs against my ear.
“I’m leaving,” Henry mutters, heading for the door.
“Bye!” I call, still staring into Max’s eyes.
Our lips are just about to touch when—
“Oh!” April pokes her head out from the kitchen. “I think I saw a vibrator roll under the sofa along with the lube.”
Oops.
“Cheers!” we all say brightly, clinking our champagne flutes together.
We’re seated around the dining table celebrating a hard day’s work with a healthy spread of takeaway pizza, chips, and bubbles.
Henry left hours ago, the poor love. I think physically seeing my dildos might have been a bit much for him.
“Anna, how’s your work going?” Max asks. “It’s almost half-term, isn’t it?”
Her face lights up. “Yes! Thank God. I’m hanging out for the break. The divorce has exhausted me.”
“You deserve a proper rest. You’ll finally have some time to catch up on all those monster romance novels I’ve been recommending. The minotaur one has an Irish audiobook narrator,” I say, pumping my eyebrows.
“I’m not sure minotaurs are my thing,” she replies, eying me skeptically. “Actually, speaking of Irish…” She leans in. “There’s this new Irish kid who just transferred to my class. He hasn’t spoken a word to anyone in months, apparently.”
Max’s brows furrow. “Any idea why?”
“His mum abandoned the family for another man.” Anna shakes her head. “His dad’s some professional athlete who’s struggling to cope. The female teachers are all losing their shit over him, but I feel for the poor kid.”
Even though I don’t have a maternal bone in my body, a wave of sadness floods through me.
“That’s heartbreaking,” April says, her hand resting over her bump.
Anna nods, taking a shaky breath. “But enough of that,” she says, pushing back from the table to stand, champagne flute in hand. “There’s something I’d like to say.”
I set my fork down and turn toward her.
“I need you all to know how grateful I am.” Her eyes find Max first, and I watch her composure start to crack. “Having my brother back home—God, Max. I didn’t realize how much of myself I’d lost when you left. Family dinners felt so empty. London wasn’t the same without you.”
Max’s jaw works, his knuckles whiten where he grips his glass.
“It was so hard not having you around.” A tear escapes down her cheek. “Sorry, I don’t want to make you feel bad about it. I’m just so happy you’re here.” She brushes the tear away. “And I know it’s because of Gemma that you came home.”
A lump lodges in my throat as her glistening eyes find mine.
“Gem, thank you for being brave enough to love him. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to thank you enough.”
“Anna—” Max starts.
“Let me finish,” she whispers, wiping her face with the back of her sleeve.
She turns to me. “Gemma—you’re my best friend.
Seeing you and Max together gives me so much hope.
I see the spark in both of your eyes, the love you share, and I’m so happy you gave each other the chance you both deserve.
I know you’re going to have a happy life, and I can’t wait to see what you both do with it. ”
I shoot her a watery smile.
She turns to April and James. “And you two idiots are about to become parents.” She points to April’s bump. “That little boy is the luckiest kid on earth to have parents who love the way you do. Unconditionally.”
“Oh, Anna,” April chokes out.
“You’re both so hot, and he’s going to be such a little stud.”
April sobs into James’s shoulder.
“I’m just so bloody happy,” Anna continues. “For all of us. We’ve all been through hell in different ways, but look at us now. Look what we’ve built together.”
Tears prickle at my eyes.
“I couldn’t have gotten through the last six months of my divorce without you all. You guys are my rocks.” She raises her glass in salute. “To new chapters. And to family—the one we’re born into and the one we choose.”
“To family,” Max says, standing.
We all join him, clinking our glasses together and taking a sip.
“This sparkling apple juice is rank. I miss alcohol,” April says, sighing dramatically.
Anna nudges April. “Excuse me, you’re growing my precious godson in there. No booze for you.”
“Are you okay, baby?” Max whispers against my ear, and I can hear the crack in his voice. Anna’s toast got to him just as much as it got to me.
“I just have something in my eye,” I say.
“I love you,” he whispers.
“I love you too,” I whisper back.
I look around the table at these incredible people and feel my heart swell. Anna’s right. We’ve all been through hell, but it’s led us to this moment. To each other. To this love.
Max smiles at me and when I look at him, I see my entire future reflected in his eyes.
THE END