Epilogue
A few months later
Tim
“Aren’t you too hot?”
I was shirtless and sweating my ass off as I worked on the tortoise enclosure for Anne and Gilbert. It would be just off our covered patio, letting them have half of the enclosure shaded and the other half in sun. “That’s what my fiancée tells me,” I looked at Nat with a grin and winked at her.
She turned a little pink. “I’m talking about temperature not your physical appearance,” she said, handing me a cold bottle of water. “Why are you so set on it being done before the engagement party?”
I dropped my hands to my hips and looked at her incredulously. “Do you really think Anne and Gilbert wouldn’t want to be included?”
She smiled at me. “That’s sweet.” She looked around the small yard. “Do you think everything’s ready?”
I glanced around even though I didn’t need to.
We had a farmhouse-style table set up in the backyard in the shade of an old oak tree we were thrilled the builder hadn’t torn down when he’d built the place.
I’d strung Edison lights in several places, and we had strategically placed tiki torches around, too, just waiting to be lit.
“It’s ready.” We were throwing a joint housewarming party and engagement party. The engagement part was a surprise. Mom had gotten onto Natalie for not having a housewarming party, so it had provided the perfect cover.
The past few months had flown by, and it was the very start of summer now.
I’d moved in with Natalie the same night she’d given me her house key.
Oh, we hadn’t said that’s what I was doing, and I hadn’t even fully meant to.
But before we knew it, a month had gone by.
The only time I’d been home was to grab more clothes or kitchen utensils, things like that.
We’d finally made it official in March. We’d decided dating for six weeks before we’d moved in together sounded better than moving in together on the morning after our first real date.
We’d planned to have a short engagement and get married in the fall.
The weather would be perfect then, and we’d be sure to have it on a weekend when most of the teams any of us pulled for had a bye week.
College football in the South was practically a religion, and we didn’t want any of our friends and family to have to choose between our wedding and their favorite team’s game.
The sun was getting lower in the sky, painting the backyard in a golden glow before sunset took hold. “I’m finished,” I said when the enclosure was ready for Anne and Gilbert.
“I think we have just enough time for an activity-filled shower before we have to be ready and dressed for the guests to arrive.”
“That sounds fabulous,” Natalie said, jumping into my arms and letting me attack her all the way to the bathroom. We barely made it into the shower before I’d given her an orgasm. She was gasping with the need for more as I plunged into her.
“Be a good girl and take this cock,” I demanded, getting a little rough like we both enjoyed it. My God. We’d definitely had a ton of practice on figuring out exactly what each other liked. And it had been a hell of a lot of fun in the process.
We almost spent a little too much time in the shower. By the time we’d gotten out, dressed, and Nat had done her hair and makeup, people were ringing the doorbell.
The place was packed, and everyone brought whatever dish they’d contributed outside to the table.
I grilled some steaks, burgers, hot dogs, and chicken.
There were enough of us that we made sure everyone got what they liked.
Hell, I even threw a couple of black bean burgers on for two of Blair’s kids who were vegetarians.
“Where’s Scott?” I heard Nat ask Blair.
“Oh, you know him. He’s at a dental conference in California this week.” She acted like it was fine, but her eyes said otherwise. I didn’t have time to think too much about it, though, because, well, I was a grill master at work.
Later on, after all the food had been consumed, and housewarming gifts had been opened, Mom and Dad brought out trays of desserts. There were cookies, brownies, cupcakes, and fruit cups.
“Jeez, Mom. I wish you would’ve brought enough for everyone,” I joked. Everyone groaned at my lame dad joke or ‘weird uncle’ joke as one of Blair’s kids called it.
I stood up, and everyone got quiet. “Nat and I want to thank everyone for coming tonight. And we want to give you a little something to talk about, because there’s never enough gossip in this crazy town we live in.” I held out my hand for her, and she stood next to me.
I grabbed Natalie by the waist and lifted her up so everyone could see her. She held up her left hand and waved it around while we both yelled, “We’re engaged!”
The rest of the night was a blur of congratulations, hugs, and questions about the wedding.
By the time we’d all cleaned up and everyone had left, the two of us were exhausted.
We sat at the outdoor table drinking a glass of wine and staring up at the stars, while the sounds of slow tortoise walking could be heard coming from Anne and Gilbert’s enclosure.
“Look!” Nat gasped and pointed to a shooting star. “It’s my parents looking down on us.” She laid her head on my shoulder.
“Make a wish,” I said.
We both closed our eyes and wished hard. I’m not sure exactly what Nat wished for, but I wished for a long, full life together.
Because she was all I needed to be happy.
Read on for a preview of Becoming Blair Book Four in the Indigo Falls series!