37. Epilogue
Epilogue
Andre
One Year Later…
“I am so glad we’re doing something other than Vegas,” Hudson says.
“Or New York,” Trey adds.
“You can’t hate the city that much,” I say.
“We do,” they answer in unison, then look at each other and share a sweet smile.
I guess when you get used to living outside of the city, you don’t want to go back.
“Mexico was a great fucking choice,” Alex says, lifting his sunglasses to wink at us. Then he puts them back down and lays back on the lounge chair, the sun directly on him.
“You’re going to get burnt,” Mack complains.
“That’s okay. I have you to rub aloe all over me afterwards.”
Mack blushes slightly, and shakes his head, ignoring the comment. I don’t know how he puts up with him, but someone has to, I guess.
“The whole thing was a good idea,” Austen says. “Big family vacation? It’s great.”
“Rocket would have loved this,” Trey pouts. “Too bad it’s no pets allowed.”
Hudson turns to give Trey a knowing glare, but he doesn’t say anything.
I smile as I look out at the pool, watching Maddox and Rylee splash around with Amelia and Sean, and Alex’s friend Brit and her three kids.
When Alex suggested a family trip, I wasn’t expecting him to invite the kids, but it’s been nice having other kids around our kids’ ages.
Rylee is already planning a sleepover with Sarah and Lucy in the hotel rooms. Cameron is in the water with them, too, because Rylee has taken a liking to him.
I think she may have a little crush, which is kind of adorable.
Not surprising, since he does have that model-like look about him.
All the girls stare. Even my little girl, who shouldn’t look at boys for another twenty years.
Maybe thirty.
Okay never.
She needs to stay little forever and ever.
No boys.
Of course, I know that isn’t going to happen.
Maddox is already in middle school, and before I know it, Rylee will be too. Then high school. College. Work. And—Nope. I need to stop. It’s too upsetting.
“Would anyone like another drink?” the waitress, Marla, asks.
She’s designated to our cabana and has been on point with asking if we need drinks right when we do.
“Yes,” we all say.
“I think we should order food too,” Mack says. “It’s just about lunch time.”
“Good idea,” I add.
“We’ll put the food order in when you come back,” Paul tells her.
She nods and takes off.
I walk to the edge of the pool and call everyone over so they can pick out what they want to eat off the menu.
Staying in an all-inclusive resort was one of the best decisions vacation-wise I’ve ever made.
It’s our first year doing something like this, but we plan to do it every year.
All of us. Everyone we consider family. Even my parents are here, but they’re off getting massages.
Spending time with family is important, and since we all live so far away from one another and don’t see each other regularly, this is important. We’re friends. Family. And so much more because somehow, we all ended up together.
Maddox runs over to his father, shaking his hair out on him. He yells playfully at him to stop.
“Hey, you’re going to mess up my tan!” Alex complains, so Maddox jumps right on top of him. We all laugh.
“Better get used to it now,” Mack says, his voice deadpan. Alex rustles Maddox’s hair and I don’t miss the faint smirk on his face.
“Please, we’ve got at least ten years before we have to worry about that,” he jokes, and Paul shakes his head.
“Yeah, that’s what you think, but it starts early. Earlier than you think.”
Alex waves us off as we take a few minutes to look over the menu until everyone knows what they want.
It’s crazy to think about Alex being a dad, but he and Mack have been talking about adopting, though they haven’t started looking yet.
Honestly, I can’t wait to see how that plays out.
I’m sure it’ll be entertaining to say the least. Mack’s really going to have his hands full.
The waitress comes back with a big tray full of drinks. She takes our food orders and says it’ll all be out shortly.
Paul did put in drink orders for the kids, and got Amelia and Sean refills on theirs. Austen ordered another for Cam, too. Even if they don’t drink it, someone will. Alex, probably.
Since we’ve been here, the weather has been amazing. We’ve been at the pool every day, drinking, eating, and just having fun.
“Hey, how about a cheers?” Austen suggests.
“Yes,” Trey adds.
“To friends,” Hudson says, lifting his glass.
We all have margaritas by the way, except for the kids who are drinking lemonade. What else do you drink in Mexico?
“To family,” Paul says.
“To forever,” I add, winking at him.
Because he is my forever.
All of this is.
Paul
The salty, warm air kisses my sun-burnt skin, and I can’t help but feel a little sad that tomorrow we’ll have to break this bubble and head back home.
Which means Dre and I have barely a few weeks before practice starts up for the season, and the chaos will begin and be nonstop until Christmas.
But honestly, I love it. And I’m pretty sure Dre does, too, given that we’ve established a pretty good routine with work, the kids, and time for each other.
But I will definitely miss hanging out with the guys, which is why we plan to invite everyone over to Dre’s this year for Thanksgiving.
Alex claimed Christmas and wouldn’t let anyone else hear about it. Trey called dibs on the Fourth of July.
I sip my beer as I lean over the wooden railing, watching Maddox and Rylee as they roast their s’mores over the campfire, as Christian—Brit’s husband—and Sean collect everyone’s sticks to toss them into the firepit.
“Amelia said she and Brit are going to take the kids to the arcade for a bit,” Dre says, settling beside me.
“I’m sure Maddox will love that,” I say as Rylee gets up and runs up to the deck, holding out half of her s’more.
“Thanks, princess,” I say as she gives me and her dad a grin.
“She’s just buttering you up, you know,” Dre says with humor. “So you’ll say yes to the dog.”
“I know,” I say as I enjoy my bribe. “Still not saying yes, though.”
Dre leans in close, brushing his lips along my neck until he reaches my ear. “We’ll see about that,” he says, his voice low and gravelly, and I can’t deny that it makes my blood rush and my cheeks heat.
“Get a room,” Alex bites as he comes up on the other side of me with a drink in his hand. One of those fruity concoctions with the umbrellas. I guess some things never change.
“Ha ha, very funny,” I bite as I watch Amelia and Brit corral the kids. They turn to wave to us, just as Austen rounds the other side of Andre, Cameron following closely behind him.
“Where’s your handler?” Cameron taunts Alex, who dramatically makes the loudest slurping noise I’ve ever heard.
“Wouldn’t you like to know,” Alex bites, winking dramatically, and Austen makes a disgusted face as we all laugh. But just as the girls and the kids make it out of sight, I hear Mack grumbling behind us, calling Alex out, and Hudson and Trey laughing like hyenas.
“Fucking hell, Alex!” Mack bites, and we all give him a knowing look.
Alex, of course, has the audacity to act like he has no clue what’s going on, like he’s so innocent when we all know he’s anything but.
“So… who needs a drink?” he asks, as Mack and the guys meet up with us.
“Mack, probably,” I say, and Dre laughs.
“I’ll help you run the drinks,” Dre says as he swarms in and pulls Alex away, leaving us to the deck.
“People go missing all the time in Mexico,” Cameron teases him.
Austen reaches across and smacks his husband.
“What?” Cameron laughs, and I shake my head as Mack lets out a long sigh.
“See,” Hudson grumbles. “This is why you get a dog.”
I sip my beer as Trey makes some comment about comparing dogs to husbands, and I nearly spit my beer out.
A moment later, Dre and Alex return with a round of drinks—mostly beers and waters—and we all claim one of the picnic tables closest to the deck.
The sun is setting, turning the sky a beautiful shade of ochre and gold, and the light refracts off the water.
It’s warm, but a little cooler than earlier because it’s getting later, and the sun isn’t scorching.
The palm trees blow in the breeze as I sit back against Andre’s chest, and he drapes his arm over my shoulders, pulling me close.
He smells like sunscreen and sweat, and hotel shampoo, and the warmth of his body against mine is relaxing. Comfortable.
“Back to reality tomorrow,” Trey says with a sigh.
“Yeah, but it’s not so bad,” Hudson says, his voice even and steady. Trey wraps his arms around Hudson from behind as they lean against the railing to watch the sunset.
“Until you find out Mandy let Rocket eat half your sock collection.”
Hudson tenses and we laugh.
“What?”
“What?” Trey says, and I hear the music starting up. There’s been a live band here every night, and I can’t help but think of how nice it’s been. But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss home, too.
The melody of “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now” by Starship carries, and Austen steps away, following Cameron down the ramp to the sand.
Dre’s fingers trace lines over my bare shoulder as Mack finds his spot next to Alex, wordlessly drinking his beer and pulling his husband close.
I half expect Alex to make a dumbass remark like usual, but he doesn't. Instead, he just leans in and kisses him on the cheek and I can’t help but feel lucky as hell.
One by one, the guys fade; first Alex and Mack, who claim to be tired, but we all saw the look in Mack’s eye when Alex pissed him off. We’re not stupid, but that doesn’t mean we are going to let them know that.
Trey and Hudson disappear next because Hudson wants to stay on his routine, which they’ve done since they got here, and Dre and I tell them good night, because I know we’ll see them in the morning. We’re on the same flight to Atlanta, where we’ll pick up our connecting flights.
Austen and Cameron last longer than I thought they would, both of them drinking and dancing until the live band calls it quits, and Dre and I are the ones to close down the bar, even though we haven’t had a drink since before the sun set.
Dre slides his hand in mine as we make our way across the resort to our room, and when we get in, we’re both too tired to do much else other than sleep. But that’s okay, because tomorrow is Sunday, and when I wake up, Dre will be curled beside me, and that’s what I look forward to the most.
Because I know that there are so many more Sundays to look forward to—with Dre and our kids, and the rest of our friends and family.
And I wouldn’t want it any other way.