Epilogue
Reegan
I smiled and waved as the last buses pulled away from the curb. It was finally summer vacation. I exhaled like I hadn’t taken a full breath in months. I had the entire summer ahead of me.
My gut clenched at the thought. I couldn’t remember the last time I had a summer completely free. Working for Finley and Trent MacKellar for the last few years kept me busy. Before that, I stayed busy with school. Before that…
I couldn’t even remember. But a full summer off…
Too much time on my hands was not a good thing. Too much time would remind me of all the things I didn’t have.
Happy fucking birthday to me.
I retreated to my classroom and packed up the last of my things. My fellow teachers were hurrying for the door, excited to start their summer. I waved to a few as they walked past me. I was not in a hurry to spend my thirty-sixth birthday all alone.
I stalled as long as I could before heading to my car. The weather was perfect, so I took a minute to lower the top on my convertible. It was an early birthday present to myself. Cherry red with a black top and shiny new. I’d never bought a new car before, and I loved it.
I also loved cake, and if I was going to spend my birthday alone, I was going to buy one for dinner and not feel guilty about eating the whole thing myself. I pulled out of the school parking lot and turned to cut through the neighborhood to get to the grocery store.
Buses were dropping kids off, and I slow-rolled it through the busy family-friendly neighborhood, smiling at the kids racing off the bus to waiting parents. The bus turned left, and I went right, then immediately stopped behind a moving truck backing into a driveway.
I paused and waited for them, not minding the delay, and looked over at the house.
It was cute. A brick ranch with a picture window out front and huge trees in the backyard. A perfect family house. The kind I never wanted. The life I never wanted. But someone did.
I was staring at the house when the front door opened, and a very pregnant woman walked out. Right behind her was a man who was all too familiar to me.
Landon Boyd.
My ex. The man I thought I’d spend the rest of my life with. The man who wanted that picture-perfect house and family that I bristled against every time he mentioned it.
“Reegan?” Landon said, catching sight of me staring at him and his house. “Um, hi.”
The truck was in the driveway, and I hadn’t moved. “Hi. Sorry. I didn’t realize you guys bought this house.”
“Yeah, we’re just moving in today. We closed yesterday, but it didn’t make sense to move in late in the day. Casey’s moving a little slow these days.”
“Are you complaining?” Casey asked from right behind him. She blanched when she saw me in the car. “Reegan. Hi. How… How are you?”
“I’m good. I was just heading to the grocery store when I got stopped by the truck. Congratulations.”
Casey rubbed her belly. “Thanks. We’ve been looking for months, but this place was worth the wait.”
Landon smiled at her like she was his entire world.
Casey was a lucky woman.
“I’ll get the movers started,” Casey said. “Nice to see you, Reegan. Enjoy your summer.”
“Thanks. You, too.” I smiled as she walked away, dragging my gaze to my ex. “You look really happy.”
Landon’s gaze was stuck on his wife. At my words, he slid it to me. “I am happy.”
“That’s good, Landon. I really want that for you two. You’re really good together.”
He nodded, a sadness in his eyes. “I’m sorry things between us ended the way they did. I know it was the right thing, but I want you to find your happiness, too.”
“Thanks. I will. Maybe.” I shrugged. “Either way, it’s good one of us found our other half.”
He drew a breath. “I never knew love could feel like this.”
Ouch. I knew it wasn’t intended to be an insult to me, but it stung. “I guess when it’s right, it’s different.”
“Yeah.” The movers emerged from the truck with a large piece of furniture. “I should go help. It was good to see you.”
“You, too.”
He started to walk away, then stopped. “Hey, happy birthday.”
I exhaled a laugh. “Thanks.”
He smiled, nodded, and then ran off to join his family.
I spared them another glance, then continued toward the grocery store.
I parked and was about to get out when my phone rang. I considered ignoring it, but when I looked, it was my bestie calling.
“Hey, Ash! What’s up?”
“It’s over, Ree. Rob left.” She sniffed.
I sighed. I’d gotten the same call three other times before. Ashlyn and Rob were like kerosene and matches. “He’ll come back, Ash. He always does.”
She laughed mirthlessly. “Not this time. This time is different.”
“What happened?” Her tone was resigned. Not sad. Past sad. She was giving up.
“He said he can’t do this anymore. Told me he doesn’t want me, doesn’t love me, isn’t sure he ever did.”
“What an asshole.”
She coughed on a laugh. “I thought he was the one. I know things haven’t always been perfect between us, but I thought we would figure it out eventually.”
“Are you okay?”
She whimpered. “No.”
Fuck. I stared at the grocery store. My solo birthday cake dinner plans faded before my eyes. “Would you feel better if I came for a visit?”
“What? No. I can’t ask you to do that.”
“I have the entire summer off. School is over. I’m totally free.”
“You don’t need to clean up his mess.”
“I’m not cleaning up his mess. I’m spending a few weeks or a month with my best friend. We’re going to swim in the bay you keep telling me about, kiss hot men, and have the best summer of our lives.”
“Yeah?” Ashlyn already sounded better.
“Yeah, Ash. I need to run to my place and pack some stuff, but I’ll let you know when I’m leaving. You’re only about three hours from me.”
“I love you, Ree.”
“I love you, Ash. I’m always going to be there for you. We can have a bonfire tonight. Do you have any of Rob’s stuff?”
Ash snorted a laugh. “I can find something.”
“Good. You deserve better than someone who makes you cry and breaks your heart.”
“So do you. Our exes have no idea what they walked away from.”
I exhaled a laugh. Mine knew exactly what he walked away from. He walked away from a life that would have made him miserable. A life he didn’t want. He found what he was looking for in another woman who made him happier than he ever was with me.
It was a good thing. Even if I was a little jealous and a lot lonely.
But I’d fix the second one. Spending the summer with my bestie? There was nothing better.
“Hey, Reegan?”
“Yeah, Ashlyn?”
“Thanks.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll see you soon. I might be bringing cake.”
“Oh, shit! It’s your birthday. Oh fuck. I’m the worst friend ever. Don’t come here. Enjoy your birthday. What were your plans?”
“I was about to walk into the grocery store and buy a cake and eat the entire thing for dinner and feel sorry for myself.”
“What? Why would you do that?”
“Because I have no plans for the summer and nothing to do. I want to come see you, Ashlyn. It’ll be fun. And it’s the distraction I need after seeing Landon and his pregnant wife move into their new house today.”
“But you’re over him.”
“Yeah, I am. I don’t want him or their life, but I don’t want to be alone anymore.”
“Then I guess it’s a good thing you’re coming to see me. We can be not alone together.”
I snorted. “Sounds perfect.”
“I’ll bake a cake. Don’t buy one. Just get your sexy self here so we can eat cake, kiss hot men, and not be alone.”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you soon.”
“Be safe, Reegan.”
“I will. Bye, Ash.”
“Bye!”
I hung up and smiled. I guess I had summer plans after all. With the one person who never judged me and never tried to change me.
If only she had a man for me, the summer would be perfect.
Thank you for reading Casey and Landon’s story!