Epilogue
Everett
I wake to the sunlight crawling across the floor of my bedroom. It’s a rare late morning for me, although they’ve become a more regular occurrence in the last six months.
One of my arms is pinned beneath Mary’s head, and I smile at her as I reach my free arm up in a stretch. Part of me had expected the day of the meeting to be a fluke, but Mary hasn’t left my side since. She seems as happy about living here with me as I am to come home to her every day.
Her lashes flutter against her cheeks for a moment before she blinks her eyes open. The light blue of her eyes is highlighted by a ray of sunlight that sits on her cheek, and I lean forward to kiss her.
She rolls up to balance herself on my chest, and I wrap my arms around her waist to keep her steady there.
“Good morning,” she whispers as she pulls away from the kiss to nuzzle against my jaw.
“Morning, beautiful.”
She hums happily and presses a kiss to my throat before levering herself up to sit astride me. The sun silhouettes her figure, and I don’t tamp down the desire to trace the lines of her. She’s wearing one of my shirts, loose on her frame, and she looks radiant.
“Are you going anywhere today?” I ask.
She started her own business after she quit her old job, and she gets to work from home for the most part.
A lot of my old contacts were not only happy to work with me again, but were in need of some help marketing themselves.
Their trust in me and my decisions hasn’t wavered even after nearly a decade, which is both moving and immensely overwhelming.
It’s been a much easier transition than either Mary or I expected, and I’m glad for it.
“Nope,” she says, smiling sleepily. “I was thinking of doing something nice for breakfast. Jenny said she was going to see Al later, so I wanted to send her with some food for him.”
My heart is so full of affection that it takes me a moment to find words.
Al is back home, although he’s not allowed to come back to work. He seems to be faring okay, and is planning on starting treatment soon. Jenny and I go visit him as often as we can, and Mary comes along sometimes, too.
“How about French toast?” I ask.
I only used to make it as an apology to Jenny, but it’s rare these days that I have to apologize. I usually do it with my words, now.
“That sounds lovely.”
It takes Mary and I several minutes and a few more lazy, lingering kisses to make our way out of bed.
By the time we’re dressed and heading to the kitchen, I can hear Jenny getting coffee started.
She’s still in her pajamas, her hair pulled back into a stubby ponytail, and she raises her hand in a lazy wave when we round the corner.
“Do you have time for breakfast?” Mary asks, heading toward the fridge. “Your dad and I were thinking French toast. I figured I could make some extra for you to take over to Al.”
Jenny hums appreciatively, nodding as she rifles through the cabinet for her favorite coffee mug. “Yeah, that sounds perfect.”
I look up at the sound of gravel crunching outside, my brows furrowing in confusion. A sleek black SUV parks in the driveway, and my immediate thought is that Carter fucking Mallory decided to stop by for another visit.
“What’s up?” Jenny asks as she pours her coffee.
Before I have a chance to storm outside in fury, the door swings open, and I stop in my tracks as I watch the last person I expected to see hop out of the car.
I blink in surprise as I watch Wayne step out of the car. He pulls a bag out of the backseat and slings it over his shoulder, before starting toward the door. I stare in confusion, and Mary wanders over to join me, humming curiously.
“Jenny,” I say, “did your brother tell you he was coming home?”