Epilogue
Sadie
"Are you ready to go?"
Max pokes his head into my office, smirking at me with his perfect pouty lips and coiffed hair still styled back out of his face.
The suit he’s wearing fits his impossibly sculpted body like it was painted on, and the slight flush to his cheeks from standing by the ice is endearing as hell.
I can’t help the smile that tips my lips up, or the way my heart still skips a beat seeing him—even if it happens every day.
When Max agreed to take the job working for the Flames instead of booking it to Washington, I was excited but also a little nervous about putting so much togetherness into our relationship so soon. Yet, since that day I’ve never once questioned if being with him was the right move.
For the first time in… well, ever… I have my person—my best friend—beside me, at home and at work. And honestly, it hasn’t made things harder. It’s made them fun.
Spinning in my chair, I close my laptop and grab my bag to stuff it inside. "Yep." I can feel my face shifting into a frown with the same question that’s been lingering on my mind for the last two weeks hitting replay. "Did you try asking him again?"
Max steps fully into the room, a regretful expression lingering on his face. "Yeah." He runs a hand through his hair. "He said to tell Sam and Ollie he’s team boy, and he’s sorry that he couldn’t make it."
I slip my toes into my flats, stand, and round my desk, practically slumping into Max’s awaiting arms. He wraps them around me, bringing his hands to my shoulders and kneading lightly.
A rush of relief zips through me as tension seeps from my body. "I know he’s hurt…"
Max nods and finishes my sentence. "But we can’t let him abandon his people just to avoid her."
"Exactly." I press up on my toes to give him a quick kiss. "He has to face the music, eventually. Time off doesn’t last forever."
Max bends down, kissing me more thoroughly this time, and when we break apart, we both laugh.
I’m not sure why—maybe because this is all so effortless.
It’s so simple. Or maybe because we’re the lucky ones who aren’t staring down the barrel of a misguided attempt at putting space between something clearly meant to be.
"Sade… I have a tiny confession to make." Max’s face morphs from one of bliss to another suspiciously close to naughty.
"Is Howie in your trunk?"
"What? Jesus." He runs a hand along the back of his neck, scratching lightly as he shakes his head. "You have to stop assuming I’m into breaking the law. First drugs, now kidnapping."
I shift the bag on my shoulder and wink at him. "You did say I had a murderous vibe. Is it out of the realm of possibility for me to think that maybe I started to wear off on you?"
That makes him chuckle as he guides me out of my office, flicking off the light and closing the door behind us. "I guess not. But no, I did not kidnap Howard. I called my mother for help."
My feet stall out, stopping any further movement down the hallway.
"Max… we said we wouldn’t let her meddle.
" My eyes widen to the point of watering.
"I love Mabel, cherish her even. But we both know she’s like a hound on the hunt when she smells gossip in the air.
" He runs his hand down my arm in soothing strokes, guilt wrinkling his brows.
"I promised Howie. No meddling from anyone. Ollie promised, too."
"I know, Sade. But this is nuts. He can’t stay with us forever. It’s cramping our—"
"Hey, you two heading out?" Levi swaggers down the hall toward us, probably going to grab Alex from her office. "Great job today, Max. Thanks for falling for him, Sadie. We’d be lost without him."
I smile at Levi, and Max’s cheeks turn an obnoxious shade of red.
I can’t tell if it’s from the compliment or the fact that he was about to tell me how having a houseguest has forced us to be more creative with our sex life.
I’d wager it’s the latter since Levi has made a habit of thanking me nearly every day in some form or fashion.
"You’re welcome. And yeah… back to Mage Hollow but just for the weekend. If you need anything, please call me."
Levi nods. "I won’t. Have fun." With that, he continues past us, and we pick up the pace toward the parking lot.
My mind spins, a rush of racing thoughts thanks to my ADHD medication wearing off and Max’s confession.
Mabel can’t force Howie to make an appearance at a gender reveal party anymore than I can convince him that maybe Ariella moving on is for the best—that someone more willing to give him what he needs is bound to come along.
But that doesn’t mean she won’t try. Between watching the girl he loves go on dates and our uncle Lonnie deciding he's going to retire after Thanksgiving, my cousin needs a break.
His whole life is one big question mark—I get it, as I was there not so long ago myself.
We walk silently out of the arena and toward Max’s truck. He opens the door, hoisting me in per usual, then hops in the driver’s seat.
"Sade, she’s not going to do anything crazy."
His attempt at reassuring me falls flat.
I know she always means well. But the last time she got involved, we ended up with half the town of Mage Hollow standing in our apartment.
The group of them gave us advice about everything from where to put the end table lamps to Beatrice Bushnell listing the reasons we shouldn’t be sharing the master in our tiny two-bedroom.
The woman doesn’t even drive, yet she found a way to get thirty miles down the road to Golden City, climb four sets of stairs, and root through nine boxes all in the name of shaming us for living in sin. That has Mabel written all over it.
"All I’m saying is… if she does, you’re taking the fall for it." I sink into my seat and roll my head so I can stare at the utter work of perfection he is.
"I wouldn’t have it any other way, Sade." Max leans to the side, eyes still trained on the road as he kisses me briefly. "I love you."
"I love you too, Max."
Max
"Benny…" Sadie grumbles from beside me, her words trailing off as she pulls a pillow over her head and points her finger at the beagle in question. With sleepy eyes, I watch as Benny leaps on top of her, licking at her arms and nuzzling his head under the pillow to get to her face.
My dog—who became our dog the first day he met her at the dog park—could give a rat’s ass about me at this point. It’s Sadie who he goes to for his morning walk, every time he wants his bowl refilled, and for all the puppy snuggles.
"I can feel you smiling over there." She removes the pillow, propping herself further up on the pillows while glaring at me. "If your aunt Lenora hadn’t insisted on opening that last bottle of wine, I’d willingly take you out, sweet baby.
" She strokes Benny’s head and kisses his nose.
"But it's your dad's turn since he failed to tell me his sister’s government name and allowed me to drink a third glass of red. "
The glare is back, pointed at me, but this time with a hint of amusement in it.
I hold up my hands in surrender. "Literally no one calls her that. She’s been Nora in this family forever. There’s only ever been one guy…"
"One guy, what?"
"One guy who called her…" Fuck, what did he call her?
I wrack my mind—fucking memory loss. Was it Nori? No, that doesn’t feel right. It was something with the Le.
"I’m on the edge of my seat here. What did he call her, and why is this relevant?" She rolls her eyes and flips her hair over her shoulder.
Reaching over, I scoop Sadie into my arms, tickling her as I blow a raspberry on her bare chest. "Give me a second. It’s relevant because it’s her name."
The door to my childhood bedroom bursts open, followed by a shriek, then laughter.
"Jesus, get a room, you two. My head hurts too much for boobs at seven in the morning, which is precisely the time I was instructed to come in here.
" Nora throws something and quickly leaves the room as an envelope lands on the bed.
Sadie and I exchange looks but quickly fall into laughter. She picks up the envelope, turning it over in her hand. "How are we getting mail here?"
"Lenny! He called her Lenny. My mom hated it, but she liked the guy anyway."
Sadie doesn’t respond to my outburst. Instead, she slips her finger under the flap of the envelope and opens it. My heart beats wildly in anticipation of her surprise. We might be in town for my brother’s party, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have a few tricks up my sleeve.
Sadie gasps as she unfolds the piece of paper she pulled out.
"Tell me you did this, and it’s not just my being in Mage that makes puzzles appear."
Instead of answering, I shrug, then bend down to press a kiss to her forehead.
"Max… seriously."
I slip out of the bed, giving her a view of my bare backside before stepping into the attached bathroom and turning on the shower.
"We can talk about it in here if you’d like!" I holler above the sound of the spray tinkling off the tiled floor as I step inside.
"Two questions…" Sadie pops her head around the shower curtain. "Did you actually tell your mom about Howard?"
Her eyes trail the length of my body while I lather soap over my torso. She is just as addicted to me as I am to her, and I love it.
"Yeah. But mostly because I know how worried you are about him." I tug her hand, pulling her into the shower with me. "That was only one question."
Water cascades down her face, dotting her eyelashes and lips with tiny droplets that look like diamonds sparkling in the warm lighting over our heads. I bend to kiss her, peppering each spot that’s shimmering with my lips.
Sadie lets out a small whimper. "Did you make that puzzle because you were nervous I’d say no later, or because you know I don’t like surprises?"
She grips my biceps, almost as if she’s nervous for the answer, and it makes me smile. I’m completely enamored with every single thing about her, including her unique ability to over-analyze every detail.
"Honestly?"
"Always."
"Both." I grip her hips as I stabilize myself—and my nerves. "There’s no doubt in my mind that you’re it for me. From the moment I met you, all the way back in high school, I’ve been completely captivated by you.
I know four months is not a long time. Hell, it’s probably not long enough for most people to even put a label on things…
" I clear the emotion from my throat. "But the way I see it… you’ve had a piece of my heart for over a decade. I’m hopelessly in love with you—"
"I love you so much, Max."
Her interruption, while great to hear, also settles the nerves in my stomach before I continue, "I know you better than anyone, and I didn’t want you to feel obligated to say yes in a room full of people. But also, I wanted you to know that this is more than just a title. It’s a promise."
Sadie nods her head, a single tear streaking down her cheek as she acknowledges the commitment she’s making. "I know. And my answer is one to you too."
I scoop her up, kissing her hard as I walk her backward, only stopping when her spine is pressed to the tile wall.
"What do you say, Sade? Will you be a member of baby O’Reilly’s Cool Aunt's Club? Group? Whatever the fuck it’s called."
"On one condition." Sadie laughs as she runs her hands through my wet hair, pushing it out of my face.
"Name it."
"When you actually make me her aunt—officially, not just because I’m your, well whatever I am—make the puzzle harder to solve. I got that in like two seconds."
We never officially had the conversation about what we are, but she feels like so much more than a girlfriend—she feels like my whole heart, my soul, walking around outside of my body.
"You’re my…everything. And deal."
A deep rumble of laughter bursts from my chest as I tickle my girl.
I may never be as smart as she is—or as good at solving puzzles.
But the privilege doesn’t come with being the one who fixes every problem.
It’s the honor of watching her unravel each clue.
The gift of walking alongside her, ready and willing to lend a hand or lift her up when she needs it.
Because she’s the star of the show—the main character in the only story I’ve ever wanted to read.