Epilogue
THREE YEARS LATER
“Oh my God! He did it again!”
“Who did what again?”
“Caleb!” Aubrey shouted. “My phone is on the fritz again. It’s in Chinese this time!”
“Bring the phone in here, and I’ll fix it.
” I looked down at our two-year-old son, and I couldn’t help but smile.
While he looked like his mother with his ivory skin tone and crystal-blue eyes, he had a thing for messing around with technology like his ol’ man.
I knew he hadn’t intentionally changed the settings on Aubrey’s phone.
Hell, the kid was too little for that, but he’d managed to push just the right button and set his mother on a tangent.
I offered him another vanilla wafer and said, “You gotta stop fooling around with your mom’s phone, buddy. Otherwise, she’s gonna get us both.”
“I sworry, Daddy.”
“It’s okay, bud.”
“No, it’s not okay.” Aubrey knelt in front of Caleb’s highchair and showed him her phone as she asked, “You know you aren’t supposed to play with Momma’s phone, right?”
Caleb pursed his bottom lip with a pout as he nodded. “And you’re not supposed to play with Momma’s iPad or the TV remote?”
Caleb nodded again. “That’s right, sweetheart. Those are my things, and when you start pushing buttons, it’s easy to get things mixed up like the language and my passwords.”
When our sweet boy nodded once more, I thought she was going to continue scolding him, but instead, she turned her attention to me. “I blame you for this.”
“Whoa ... what?”
“Oh, don’t play Mr. Innocent with me.” She ran her hand over Caleb’s little head. “He watches you like a hawk. He wants to be just like you.”
“Don’t see how that makes me to blame here.”
“He sees you doing all that stuff you do, and he’s trying to copy you.”
“Babe, he’s two. He can’t begin to do the things I do.”
She held up her phone as she argued, “It’s in Chinese, Jared! And he’s changed the password on my iPad three times now.”
“Point taken.”
“Good.” She ran her hand over her stomach and added, “Because I’m not going through all this again with this baby.”
“This baby?” I felt my heart skip a beat as I asked, “Are you pregnant again?”
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I just took a test, and I am, indeed, pregnant.” She placed her hand on her hip and said, “I was on my way in here to tell you when I found that my phone was in yet another language.”
“I’ll fix the phone, Bree.” I went over and pulled her into my arms. “So, we’re having ourselves another kid, huh?”
“Mm-hmm.” She pressed her lips together with a grimace, then sighed. “I know it’s not what we were planning, but I think it would be kind of nice to have a little girl running around with my nose and your eyes.”
“It definitely would.” Overcome with pure and unadulterated joy, I lowered my mouth to hers and kissed her long and hard. “Things just keep getting better and better with you.”
“Right back at ya.”
“You know we’re supposed to go watch the game at the clubhouse today.”
“Yeah, I know. We better get going.” Her eyes danced with mischief as she said, “We don’t want to miss the big kick-off.”
As much as I loved watching the game with my brothers, I wasn’t looking forward to this year’s rival match against Alabama, and for good reason.
Tennessee hadn’t had the best season, and everyone and their mother knew Alabama was going to cream Tennessee, and I had no doubt that Bree was gonna give the brothers and me hell about it.
She didn’t care a flying fuck about football, but she loved giving us shit whenever we played Alabama.
I cocked my eyebrow as I warned, “You better behave yourself today.”
“What?” she gasped, trying to sound wounded by my warning. “I’m going to behave.”
“You better, or there will be consequences.”
Her mischievous smile returned as she asked, “You promise?”
“Bree ...”
She gave me a wink, then grabbed Caleb and headed out to the truck.
When we got to the clubhouse, everyone was already there, preparing for the big game.
While I went out to help Country and Lynch with the grilling, Aubrey took Caleb and went to join the girls in the kitchen.
As soon as I stepped outside, Country offered me a beer and asked, “So, whatcha think?”
“About?”
“The game?” It was clear he was hoping for a big win as he asked, “You think we’ll pull one out?”
“I wouldn’t hold my breath, brother.”
“I don’t know, man. I think we’re gonna do it today.” He started flipping the burgers as he said, “It’s been a long time coming.”
“I hope you’re right.”
Widow leaned in and chuckled as he said, “I want a win as much as anyone, but we both know that shit’s not gonna happen.”
“Probably not.”
Once we finished grilling the burgers and brats, we carried them inside and started fixing our plates before the game started.
When it was time for kickoff, everyone gathered in the family room and started eating as we watched our boys take the field.
As soon as they kicked off, the room filled with the roaring cheers of my brothers.
Sadly, it didn’t take long for the cheering to turn to angry, chastising rants.
Alabama was killing us, and things weren’t looking good for a turnaround.
When ’Bama scored yet again, Bree glanced over to me with a big smile and twirled her hands in the air as she mouthed, “Roll Tide Roll.”
Even though my team was going down and going down fast, I couldn’t help but smile.
Not only did I have my brothers, I had my woman, a son I adored, and another baby on the way.
I’d never thought I’d be one of those guys who ended up with a happy fucking ending, but I’d found it.
And as I sat there staring back at my wife and son, I knew the best was yet to come.
The End