Epilogue Two
THE END GAME SUPPORT GROUP
A YEAR LATER
LUKE
Amelia steps outside with our friends to wave them off while I hover in the doorway. I love them all but it’s almost one a.m. and I’m ready for alone time with my wife.
“Thank you for coming. Drive safe.” She doesn’t move until the last car has driven away before finally turning to face me.
“Another successful New Year’s Eve party. I love that we started this tradition.”
“Yeah, except that Reed asked if they could host next year. What’s that about? This is my thing.” I pout and Amelia bursts out laughing, shaking her head as she walks inside.
“What? Am I wrong?” I follow her in, walking closely behind her so when she stops abruptly, I almost bump into her.
She spins to face me, wrapping her arms around my waist. “You’re a sweet guy, Luke.”
“Sweet? Where did you get that from? I’m complaining about my friend.”
“Because you want to be the one that looks after them all. You want to be the one that brings joy into their lives and helps them relax when there’s so much going on in the world.”
“That doesn’t sound like me. I want the attention and credit.”
“I don’t doubt you want that too. But we all see through the humor and cockiness.”
“Who’s we?”
“Everyone. You can’t hide the fact that you care deeply for your friends. All of them. You say Reed’s the protective one and yet, you’re always there, ready to help out. You kept the group chat alive all those years when they needed support.”
My eyes widen at the mention of the group chat. It’s barely alive, but I should change that.
“Uh-oh. What did I say?” Amelia knows me so well.
“What do you mean?”
“Your eyes just lit up like a kid on Christmas.”
“I was thinking about the group chat. We barely use it anymore. We’re all so busy. But we should. Even if it’s just a weekly check-in.”
Amelia laughs before giving my arm a squeeze. “Start slowly. You’re going to get mixed reviews on that one.”
“Maybe. We’ll see.” I glance away in contemplation until I realize what I’m doing.
Now is not the time to be thinking about the guys.
“Let’s shelve that idea for tomorrow. We’re alone.
The kids are asleep. Skye has started sleeping through the night, which is actually a miracle I’ve yet to completely process. What should we do?”
Amelia hums softly before she checks the monitor, smiling at our youngest asleep in her crib. “I’d love to get a few extra hours of sleep. I only have two more days off before I have to go back into the editing suite.”
My shoulders drop as Amelia rubs her eyes, but the second she glances up at me again, I put on a smile. “You’re right. Let’s get you to bed. I’ll warm up your heating pad and be there in a minute.”
I turn to leave and Amelia grabs my bicep, pulling me to a stop as she laughs. “After all this time, you’re still so easy to tease. Let’s go to bed. I want a massage before you eat dessert.”
Hell fucking yes.
“I love dessert.”
“I know.” Amelia lifts to her toes, wrapping her arms around my neck before pressing a chaste kiss to my lips. “Happy New Year, Babe. I have a feeling this year is going to be a good one.”
“Happy New Year, Ace. You might be right, but every year is a good one with you.” Amelia smiles warmly, but I don’t let her soak in that comment before moving us along. “Now it’s time to get you naked and ready for me. It’s going to be a long night.”
EASTON
Paige opens the door ahead of me and pulls back Isaac’s bedding as I follow behind her, my not so little boy in my arms. He tried so hard to stay awake. “I’m almost eight now,” he’d told me. “I can stay up until midnight.”
Paige and I had agreed that he could try, both knowing he’d never make it, and we were right. His eyes were heavy by ten, and by ten thirty-five he was asleep on Luke and Amelia’s couch.
Now, if all goes to plan, in four more steps we’re going to successfully complete the transfer from one place to another.
“Dad?”
Dammit. Why would I think about that?
“Shhh, buddy. It’s late.” Paige smiles as I place him down gently on his bed and pull the covers up, tucking them tightly around him. “We can talk in the morning.”
“Did I miss the fireworks?”
“We all did.”
“You did?”
“Yep. We were all so tired we decided to stay at the Bennetts’.”
“Okay. Love you, Dad.”
“Love you too.” I turn to creep away but he calls out again, trying to sit up.
“Mom?”
Like it always does, my heart jolts when Isaac calls Paige Mom. It’s been years, and I’m still thankful she walked into our life and refused to leave.
“I’m here, sweetie.” Paige nudges me out of the way to get to Isaac’s bed, sitting on the edge to brush her hand across his cheek. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah. Ahh. Was Dad lying?”
Paige’s infectious laughter fills the room as she turns my way, shaking her head. He caught me on a little white lie once, and now he’s always questioning me. In fact, they both do it. It’s an inside joke between the two of them. And despite the joke being on me, I secretly love it.
“I-saac,” I grumble, exactly like he expects me to, and he giggles, pulling the comforter up to cover his face.
"Actually, Isaac, this time he didn’t lie. For once.” Isaac peeks and Paige exaggeratedly rolls her eyes, making him laugh once more.
“Good. Thanks, Mom.”
“Anytime. Now you need to go back to sleep.” She ruffles his hair.
“Good night. Love you both.”
“We love you too.”
I dim the hallway light as we pass by, darkening Isaac’s room, and follow Paige downstairs. The second we reach the landing, I pull her into my arms, trapping her in my hold, sighing as I rest my forehead to hers. “Happy New Year, Mrs. Wilder.”
“Happy New Year to you too. What time is practice tomorrow?”
“Not until one. They gave us the morning off since it’s a Wednesday.”
“So we don’t have to rush off to bed?”
“Oh, we’re going to bed. But I want you naked and waiting for me with your legs spread. We’re celebrating.”
“What are we celebrating?”
“Surviving another one of Luke’s parties. Will that man ever change?”
“Will you?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about?”
“Of course not. You’re lucky I love you exactly as you are.”
“Good. I love you too, Paige. And always will.”
REED
I lift Hayley out of the car and she squeals, hanging on for dear life as if I’d ever drop her. “I can get out on my own, Reedy Boy. What are you doing?”
“I’m carrying my wife to the front door. Sue me for being romantic on New Year’s Eve.”
“Technically, it’s New Year’s Day and it’s four, five steps maximum.”
“Well, I’m not taking you farther with Lincoln asleep in the car.”
Hayley grabs my face in her hands, silently laughing. “Oh, Reed. I wasn’t asking you to. I meant that I can walk. If you’re carrying Linc, who’s getting his bag?”
Reed glances back at the car. “For a little kid, he sure has a lot of stuff.”
“He’s your kid, Reed. He’s not little. Do you remember when Juliet was this age? She was half his size.”
“What can I say? We’re raising a football star.”
“Or a model. Models are tall too.”
“Sure. Or both. I’ve modeled before.”
“You’ve what?” Hayley wriggles out of my hold and crosses her arms over her chest. “How the hell didn’t I know about this?”
“Because I didn’t tell you.” I shrug and turn away, walking back to get Lincoln.
“I know a lot of things you didn’t tell me,” Hayley teases, following after me. “It’s called the Internet.”
“Yeah, well. You won’t find that.”
“Why not?” She pouts and it’s so adorable I want to laugh, but I also don’t want to wake Linc. “It’s impossible to keep things hidden these days,” Hayley whispers as I open the door, her expression screaming “so there.”
“It was a friend’s photography project in college. Trust me—you’re not going to find it.” I lift our perfect little human into my arms and almost tell Hayley she’s wrong about his height. At just over two months old, he still looks tiny to me.
“I have to see these photos,” Hayley continues on as she shuts the car door and runs around to grab Lincoln’s bag from the trunk.
“Sorry, but I have to get Linc inside,” I tease, making her huff.
“This conversation isn’t over, Reedy Boy.”
“Oh, I know. And I’m the fool that brought it up.”
“Yeah, you are.” Hayley bounces her eyebrows and I roll my eyes, waiting for her to unlock the front door before carrying Linc to his bedroom down the hall from ours.
I’m on edge as I lower him into his crib, mentally crossing my fingers that he’ll stay asleep. He stretches his long legs before tucking his perfect little hands up to his chin and scrunching his nose. A few seconds later, he’s quiet and I finally release my breath.
After grabbing the monitor, I pull his door softly closed and turn to creep away, jumping when I find Hayley waiting by the door. “Jesus Christ, Hayls. What are you doing?”
“Waiting for you.”
“Did you have to wait so close?”
“I did. Where are the photos, Reed?” She taps her foot and I burst out laughing, covering my mouth to stifle the noise.
“Bedroom, Hayls. Now.”
“Uh-uh. I’m not giving you anything?—”
With one smooth movement, I grab her around the legs and throw her over my shoulder, turning her complaint into a squeal.
“You can’t do this every time you want me to go somewhere.”
“Sure I can. Did you see how easy that was?”
When we get to our bedroom, I toss her gently onto the bed, staring down at my beautiful wife. “God, you’re incredible, Mrs. Coombs.”
“It’s Ms. Jackman.”
“Nope. The people get to call you Ms. Jackman. To me, you’re Mrs. Coombs.”
She tries unsuccessfully to hide a grin and I chuckle softly. From the moment we said I do, in a much smaller ceremony than we’d originally planned, Hayley announced herself as Mrs. Coombs, before the officiant did. She loves having my name, but has kept Jackman for work.
“Fine, Mr. Coombs. May I pretty please see the photos of your modeling career?” She bats her eyelashes and...
Dammit. The things I do for this woman.
“Anything for you, Hayley Baby. But you have to promise me something.”
“What’s that?”
“You won’t laugh.”