Epilogue One - JJ Woodford
THREE AND A HALF YEARS LATER
W hen there is a knock at the door, I quickly walk across the flat to open it. Finn stands on the other side with a wide grin on his face, his blonde hair now longer and flopping over his forehead in beach-like waves.
“Hey, man,” he says before pulling me into a hug. “You good?”
I slap his back. “Yeah, I’m good. How are you?”
As he steps inside, I close the door behind him and make my way back over to the kitchen where I’m preparing dinner.
“Yeah.” He shrugs off his coat. “I’m good. Work is killing me, but I’m pushing through.”
“But you like coaching?”
Finn blows out a breath. “I have to admit, some of those kids test me.”
“You chose the job, bud.” I snort.
“Skye is hard work enough,” he murmurs. “God, I love her, but I can’t wait until she’s out of her toddler tantrum phase.”
I grin. “Does Maya agree?”
Finn’s eyes widen. “Oh, she agrees.”
A chuckle falls from my lips. “How are you all?”
“Yeah, we’re good. We’re really good.”
“I like to hear it.”
“You know, I didn’t realise this month will be three years of being completely sober,” he states as if he’s reading a boring article in the newspaper. “It’s weird to think about.”
“Finn,” I exhale. “That’s fucking incredible. I’m so proud of you.” I pull him into a hug and smile into his shoulder.
“Thanks, brother. I appreciate it. Feels like a lifetime ago I was that low, honestly, sometimes can’t believe that was the way I was living life.”
“You’re living better now,” I say sincerely.
“Those girls saved my life,” Finn’s eyes glitter. “I can’t say it enough.”
“Because you became the man they deserved.”
Finn smiles because he knows it too. “Where’s Ivy?”
I pick up a spoon and stir the pasta. “Still at work.”
“Swear that girl doesn’t know when to call it a day.”
“She has an important job.” I pin him with a stare, and he raises his hands in surrender. “Neither of us could do what she’s doing.”
Finn snorts as he takes a seat at the kitchen island. “I pulled the short straw when she got all the brains and I got… nothing.”
“You didn’t get nothing.” I shake my head.
Being a research scientist in the medical field must be incredibly tough, but the woman loves every second of it, and every time she comes home to me to say that she’s had a breakthrough with something, it fills my heart with warmth.
I don’t have a clue what she’s talking about half the time, but I try my hardest to grasp the terms she uses and ask her about the projects she spends hours upon hours on.
When I plate up dinner, I keep my eyes on Finn as he devours the carbonara. There are words clinging to the tip of my tongue, words I want to say but can’t bring myself to voice. I don’t know why I’m suddenly nervous, he will be happy for us.
Of course I want to see my best friend, but I invited him over for a reason.
“Finn.” I lower my fork, and he flicks his eyes to me.
“Yeah?”
“I’m gonna propose to Ivy.”
A piece of spaghetti falls out of his mouth as he stares back at me in shock. “Y-you’re?—”
I freeze and study his expression.
Then he’s barrelling off the stool before he wraps me up in a tight hug. “Holy shit,” he gushes. “This is the best fucking news ever. When?”
A hesitant laugh falls from my lips as he removes himself from me. “When we finally get the keys to our dream home.”
Two weeks, and I’m definitely not counting.
We’ve been looking forward to this moment for what feels like years.
Our very own beach house with sand for grass, waves for fences, and sunsets for days.
“Oh my god,” Finn grins as he swipes a hand through his hair. “I can’t believe this. Well, I can believe this, but holy fuck. This is happening. Wait?—”
I blink up at him. “What?”
“Have you said anything to our dad?”
“Yeah.” I smile. “And your mum. They already know and gave me their blessing.”
Finn shoves at my shoulder. “I had no idea you were so traditional.”
“I want to do this right. It has to be perfect for her.”
“It will be,” he says with another beaming grin. “That girl loves you so much.”
My heart jumps with pride. I know.
“What did your parents say?”
“They’re ecstatic.” I grin. “Mum honestly couldn’t stop crying.”
Finn’s smile increases. “I knew she’d cry.”
“She loves love more than anyone,” I chuckle.
“And your dad?”
“He’s happy I’m happy. And he loves Ivy.”
“She’s hard not to love.”
“Trust me.”
“Have you got the ring?” he asks.
I nod.
“Can I see it?”
“Whatever you do,” I say with narrowed eyes. “You don’t say a single word to her.”
Finn swipes his index finger and thumb over his lips before pretending to throw away the key. “They’re sealed.”
I leave the kitchen to go to the bedroom and find the little velvet box I tucked away into the back of my wardrobe. Too high for Ivy to reach when she decides to go on a cleaning spree.
When I return, I gently place the ring down on the table beside Finn’s empty plate. He stares at it for a long moment before opening it, as if it’s the most delicate thing in the world.
“Woah,” he says as he blinks down at the jewellery I spent months designing myself to make sure it’s perfect. “It’s beautiful.”
“You think?”
Finn nods eagerly. “Yeah, she’s going to love it.”
“I hope so.”
He glances up at me with a cheeky grin. “Are you nervous?”
I exhale a ragged breath. “A little.”
“Aw, JJ,” he teases. “Don’t think I’ve ever seen you nervous.”
As I open my mouth to speak, there is noise at the front door. The sound of keys jingling and the lock turning. I snatch the box on the table so quickly, it’s gone in a flash and securely tucked into my trouser pocket.
Ivy steps into the flat a few moments later. Her blonde hair is thrown up into a messy bun with pieces falling around her pretty face. She blinks at us suspiciously.
Heat spreads over the back of my neck. That was a close call.
I’ve been planning this for months, and I don’t want anything to ruin it now.
“Hello to you guys, too.” She laughs softly before shutting the door behind her.
I quickly look at Finn and widen my eyes, and he shoots me a wink in response.
He better stay quiet, otherwise I’ll tape his mouth shut.
She hangs up her coat, and I walk towards her. “How was your day?”
“Busy,” she sighs. “But good. I think I’m almost finished with this project.”
“Yeah?” I grin. “Sounds great, princess. Are you hungry?”
Ivy hums softly. “Famished.”
I wrap my arm around her and kiss her forehead, enjoying the way she slides right into my side, her face pressed into my collarbone.
As Ivy greets Finn with a hug, I plate up her dinner as we all sit around the table. “So, the house,” Finn says as Ivy eats. “It’s real soon, huh?”
“Yeah.” She smiles at him. “I can’t wait. Not that I don’t love this place, but we’ve grown out of it. I can’t wait to live in a house and have the beach as a garden. You know? It’ll be a brand-new start for us. We’ve worked so hard for this.”
Ivy meets my eyes and I smile, the feeling of the box burning a hole deep in my pocket. Oh, how I physically cannot wait a single second more.
“Yeah, it’s going to be the best day of our lives.” I grin at her.
Her cheeks flush as she leans back in her chair. “Oh, don’t I know it.”
Little does she know, there will be two things to celebrate.
The house of my dreams. The woman of my dreams.
Nothing will beat this. Nothing.