Epilogue
Cleo POV - Seven Years Later
The clubhouse was louder than usual, not because of a club celebration, not because of a party, but because Skylar and Maddox were graduating and apparently that was reason enough for half of Creek Wood to show up.
I stood near the edge of the yard with a glass of lemonade in my hand and watched the people I loved most in the world.
For a moment I simply stood there, taking it all in. Eight years, I had been in Creek Wood, seven years of marriage, but eight years of laughter, healing, family dinners, movie nights, school projects, and ordinary moments that somehow became extraordinary because we lived them together.
A strong arm wrapped around my waist, I smiled immediately. Gabe. Still handsome, still stubborn, and still my favorite person. "You've got that look again." I leaned against him. "What look?"
"The one where you're standing there thinking too much." I laughed. "You know me too well." His lips brushed my temple. "That's because I've spent the last eight years paying attention."
My heart squeezed, still, after all these years. He could still do that.
Across the yard, Skylar stood talking with Maddox. Both officially finished with high school, the sight still felt impossible. Eighteen years old, when had that happened?
Skylar had grown into an incredible young woman, strong, kind, confident, beautiful and ridiculously talented. Her artwork had earned her a place at one of the best art programs in the country. In a few weeks she would leave Creek Wood. She would be leaving home and begin chasing the dreams she'd been sketching into notebooks since she was ten years old.
I couldn't have been prouder.
Even if my heart broke a little every time I thought about her leaving. Beside her stood Maddox, no longer the shy boy who carried her backpack on their first day at school. He'd grown into a good man, steady, loyal, and protective. His future looked very different from Skylar's. While she was leaving to study art, Maddox was staying, following in his father's footsteps. Once graduation was over he'd begin prospecting for Devil Creek MC.
Different futures. Different roads. Yet somehow they still gravitated toward each other.
Best friends.
Just like they'd always been. I smiled watching them because anyone with eyes could see the way Maddox looked at her. The boy was completely gone for my daughter, had been for years. Skylar either genuinely didn't notice or was choosing not to notice.
Either way, that was a story for another day.
One thing I did know? Maddox would never ask her to give up her dreams and Skylar would never ask him to give up his.
A crash echoed across the yard, followed by shouting, then laughter. I didn't even look.
"Tommy." Gabe sighed beside me. I smiled. "Tommy."
Our thirteen-year-old son appeared a second later, looking offended. Which usually meant he was guilty.
Tommy Hart-Mercer had become a full-time headache. A handsome headache but still a headache, with his dark hair, dark eyes, and too much confidence and enough attitude for three teenage boys. He loved bikes almost as much as his father did. Spent most of his free time around the clubhouse and somehow managed to find trouble no matter where he went.
"Grandpa said it wasn't my fault."
Dad had never met a rule Tommy couldn't accidentally break and somehow Grandpa always found a reason to excuse it. Tommy grinned, a voice shouted from across the yard.
"That's because Grandpa babies you." Lola.
Tommy rolled his eyes, and Lola crossed her arms. At thirteen they'd somehow become complete opposites. Tommy was turning into a jock, and Lola thought sports were boring. They had different friends, different interests and somehow they still ended up together every weekend.
Family had a way of doing that.
Near the clubhouse porch, Stella sat beside Graves. Mom and Dad. The titles still meant everything to me. Eight years later and I still occasionally caught myself feeling grateful.
Dad looked happier than I'd ever seen him. Two years after our wedding he'd handed the President patch to Roman. At fifty he'd finally admitted it was time. Roman had stepped into the role naturally. Roman's best friend, Torch became Vice President.
Gabe stepped down alongside Dad, neither regretted it, not for a second.nDad finally had time to enjoy life, mom made sure of it. Though judging by the way she still bossed everyone around, some things never changed.
Speaking of Roman, known as Rage to the club. My eyes found him near the clubhouse entrance. Thirty years old, now, Club President, respected, feared, completely devoted to Devil Creek MC and still single.
Mom worried about it, I worried about it, even Lola worried about it, though she'd never admit it. Roman claimed he wasn't interested, that the club came first, and Lola came first.bMaybe that was true or maybe he was still waiting for something he hadn't found yet.
Either way, that was his journey.
A blur shot across the yard, then another, followed by yelling. "Mom!" "Dad!" I laughed immediately.bThe twins, ofcourse.
Reid and Jacob Mercer, six years old, with dark hair, dark eyes just like their father's, and enough energy to power the entire club. The boys skidded to a stop in front of us, talking over each other.
Arguing, accusing, competing. Exactly as they did every day.
Gabe sighed. "They're your children." I laughed. "They look exactly like you."
"Unfortunately." He smirked.
The twins grinned, matching trouble, smiles, and mischief. Honestly?
They were both of us and neither of us stood a chance.
*****
As the afternoon settled into evening, I found myself simply watching.
Watching Skylar laugh with Maddox, Tommy argue with Lola, the twins terrorize everyone, Mom and Dad enjoy the family they'd built, Roman pretend he wasn't smiling and watching Gabe.
My husband, the love of my life. The man who'd once been terrified of having a family, now surrounded by one. As if sensing my gaze, he looked over.
Immediately, like he always did. His eyes softened. "Everything okay?" I smiled. "More than okay."
Across the yard Skylar looked over. "Mom!" Then another voice followed immediately. "Dad!" Tommy.
The word came so naturally now, no hesitation, no thought, just truth.
Dad. Somewhere along the way, both Tommy and Skylar had started using it, not because anyone asked, not because Wade had been forgotten, he never would be but because Gabe had earned it.
Day after day, year after year, with patience, love, and consistency. The title had simply become his.
I looked at my husband, at our children, our family, and my heart felt full.
Completely full.
The woman who arrived in Creek Wood all those years ago could never have imagined this life but standing here now, surrounded by laughter, love and the people who mattered most, I realized something.
The best things in life aren't the ones you plan. They're the ones you find when you least expect them and somehow, against all odds, we'd found each other.
The mountains of Creek Wood stretched across the horizon as the sun began to set.
The twins were laughing.
Tommy was arguing.
Skylar was dreaming.
Maddox was watching.
Mom was smiling.
Dad was proud.
Roman was rolling his eyes and Gabe's hand found mine.
Just like it always did.
Home.
Always home.