Epilogue
BAILEY
TEN YEARS LATER
It’s weird being back here. Seeing a familiar place through a different lens.
The last time my husband and I set foot on campus, there was no telling what came next.
We had big plans and even bigger ideas. Some of them happened, and some didn’t, but as I catch up with our friends, I realize that I couldn’t be happier with our lives.
All it took was our ten-year reunion to give me that perspective.
“This punch tastes like ass,” Chad says, holding one out to me.
“Should I be offended?”
“Rephrase. Your ass tastes ten times better than this punch that tastes like … dirt.”
“Well, after that ringing endorsement, I can’t wait to get it in me.”
Chad snorts and cups my ass. “I’ll give you something better later.”
I’m laughing into my punch as Robbie shows up, grinning broadly. Other than a few lines in his forehead, he hasn’t changed. He still dresses like a dad, only now he has the excuse of actually being one. And even though Chad catches up with him monthly, they embrace like it’s been years.
I eye them with amusement. “Anyone would think I have something to worry about.”
“Chad’s too corporate for my taste,” Robbie says, jostling him. “And my better half might have something to say about that.”
“Excuse me, have you seen my husband?” Chad asks. “I’ll be corporate all day long if it means coming home to this guy.”
Chad teases, but he loves his job. After hopping between entry-level positions, he ended up involved with a not-for-profit and has helped them expand throughout the country.
The financial side of things was a contention point early on that we had to work through, and I’m so glad he decided to follow what made him happy rather than play into the toxic mindset of money equaling success.
Instead, I get to be treated to my husband coming home from work with a massive smile on his face.
He, unfortunately, has to deal with a stress head. As much as I also love my job, I constantly feel the pressure. I couldn’t do it without Chad by my side.
“What do you think, should we swing by Kappa House after this and TP their lawn for old times’ sake?” Robbie asks.
Chad shakes his head, but I don’t miss the way he eyes me like he’s debating whether or not he’ll be able to get away.
I point at him. “Don’t even think about it.”
“Yeah, no, of course not.”
“I’m serious. We need to get home to Hercules.”
Because of course, when you leave a frat boy to name your French bulldog cross something mutt breed, he gives it a Greek name.
“I knew we should have left him with your parents,” Chad complains.
“Is this where I point out that you’re the one who needed a fur baby?”
“Shut up.”
“Should try some real babies,” Robbie says. “Fuck me, those two are wild.”
Chad shakes his head. “Nah, not for us. My twin sisters have turned us off having a girl ever, and Rachel’s about to give us our first nephew, so we’re going to have the coolest kid ever to spoil.”
It probably doesn’t help that I’ve been encouraging the twins to stir Chad up by listing all the sororities they’re going to try and join when they’re in college in a little over a year’s time.
“Because you two can’t be trusted together.” I take Chad’s hand. “My husband and I are going to dance.”
“It’s cute you think that’ll keep us apart.” Robbie blows Chad a kiss. “I’ll have the TP waiting, sweetheart.”
They love pretending to rile me up.
At least, I hope they’re pretending.
It’s probably better I don’t know.
Chad takes my waist as we reach the dance floor, where at least half of the people here are already dancing, and I reach up to wrap my hands around his neck. My wedding band catches the light, and I feel my lips twitch.
“What are you thinking?” he asks.
“How weird it is that when we were last here, graduating, everything still felt so uncertain between us.”
“And now?”
I shake him. “I hope there’s nothing uncertain left.”
He’s smiling at me like a dope, and that look, so freaking pure and loving, still gives my heart a kick even after spending a third of my life with this man.
“I was never uncertain about you.”
“What?”
He shakes his head. “Even from that first night. I swear I looked at you, covered in dirt and leaves and sitting next to my piss, and I thought, yep. He’s the guy I’m going to marry.”
I lift my eyebrows. “Uh-huh.”
“And I bet that giant shiner I got a few minutes later is what did it for you.”
“Of course. Because who doesn’t love seeing a cute guy get slugged?”
“But it was hot how in control I was of the situation, right?”
I tilt my head. “We remember that night very differently, my dear.”
He chuckles softly, and I lean in to brush my lips over his.
“No matter how we started, you are hands down the best decision I’ve ever made.”
“Remember at our housewarming when you got so drunk you stripped down and danced on the table? I feel like that has to be close.”
I groan and drop my forehead to his shoulder. “Will you ever let that go?”
“Literally never. I still can’t believe we got through a whole conversation with Robbie without him bringing up that cute mole you have on your butt.”
“Shutupshutupshutup.”
Chad’s laugh is loud. “Fuck, I love you. Seriously. You are literally the world’s greatest person, and I get to spend my life with you. Goddamn.”
I smile where he can’t see it, but I squeeze him tighter. Chad has always been fast and free with his feelings, and he never fails to show me exactly how in love with me he is.
I turn my head to press a kiss to his ear. His skin against mine is so familiar. Like coming home.
Ten years has been nothing in the scheme of things but everything to me.
And later, when I watch my husband slip away with Robbie, Brandon, and Zeke, I don’t try to stop him.
He’s grown up a lot, and I love it, but Chad will always be a frat boy at heart.
And I wouldn’t wish for him to be anyone else.