Epilogue

Reed

D ay before Halloween…

“What are those?” Brandy asked as she lowered herself beside me on the porch.

“Gloves,” I answered as I slid the tools out of the pumpkin carving kit. I made sure to set the sharper ones closer to me. I didn’t put it past her that just because we were together, she wouldn’t take the opportunity to stab me if I made fun of her carving. Which, given our track record, some teasing was in order. I was glad our dynamic hadn’t changed much, aside from the perks of being in a relationship. Dating or not, I liked Brandy’s flame. Never wanted her to lose it.

“Gloves for carving pumpkins?” she questioned with a furrowed brow. We were sitting on my parents’ porch, carving pumpkins on the day before Halloween. We’d put it off for so long, not able to take our hands off each other long enough to complete the activity. But even after all those orgasms the past couple weeks, my cock was swelling in my pants at the sight of her in that black crewneck with a little ghost stitched on the front, and those skintight leggings to match. The woman made me as horny as a fucking teenager.

“You tend to get wounds when you even think about a knife. Or shears,” I replied, trying to hide my smirk. I knew the comment would rile her up. I wanted that. But she needed to wear gloves when she pruned those bushes out front of her house. I never missed the little cuts she’d have the next day.

“I’m extremely proficient with a knife, thank you very much.” She reached across me to grab one of the sharp carving tools, her ass perked high as she did. I couldn’t help myself as I reached up to cup her ass and squeeze. “Don’t make me show you just how well I can use this.” She lifted the tool for emphasis.

As she lowered herself back, I grabbed her chin with my thumb and forefinger, stopping her from plopping back down. “I’d love nothing more.”

“Gross. Are you guys doing that ‘foreplay’ thing again?” Avery announced as she hopped out of Beckham’s truck. He’d been babysitting her this morning while Sage and Callan went to a doctor’s appointment, and had texted me that he had somewhere to be but her parents weren’t back yet. I’d offered for her to join us for carving some pumpkins until they returned. Beck was doing a bit better, getting his shit together for the most part, and Avery had become attached to him at family dinners now that he was around more. But still, something seemed…off.

Brandy’s lips flattened into a line as she held back a laugh and sat back down beside me. “No. I was just warning Reed that women know how to stand up for themselves.”

Avery’s curious gaze darted between us before she lowered herself into a criss-cross position across from us on the red plaid blanket. “But isn’t he your boyfriend?”

“He is,” Brandy answered confidently as she set the hand holding the tool over my knee. It was her quiet way of reminding me that the threat remained.

Avery plucked the smaller pumpkin off the blanket, setting it in front of her. “How can you be boyfriend and girlfriend if you fight all the time?”

“We have a special kind of love,” Brandy answered as Beckham got out of his truck. Her explanation faded into the background as I stood. Beck never wore a suit.

I left the two girls to discuss boys and all the things about love I was sure Sage and Callan didn’t want Avery knowing about yet, and crossed the distance to Beck, making it down the porch stairs to meet him halfway.

“You’re sure it’s okay if you two watch her for a bit?” Beckham asked, shoving his hands in the pockets of his pants.

I gave a quick nod. “Yep. Despite popular belief, we’re responsible. She’ll be okay with us.” We’d, of course, made sure it was okay with her parents before we swapped, and while Callan had been hesitant at first, Sage was more than happy to let us watch her. Thinking back on it now, it may not have been the brightest idea. For all I knew, I’d go back to Brandy telling Avery about the birds and the bees. It wouldn’t be the first time the conversation nearly got to that point.

“Thanks.” The toe of his cowboy boot dug into the dirt as he looked over my shoulder at the two of them talking. “Pumpkin carving will be fun for her.”

“Yeah.” I eyed his suit. “Going somewhere special?”

His lips rolled together before he rubbed at his chin, his hand coasting over his five o'clock shadow, which paired with his mustache. “If you’d call a funeral special.”

Instantly, I stiffened. “A funeral? Whose?”

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed deep. “I don’t, uh— I don’t really want to talk about it right now.”

I nodded in understanding. If it had been someone the family knew closely, we would’ve known there was a funeral. Whoever it was that passed was close to Beckham. I wouldn’t weasel my way into his business. I’d learned my lesson the last time I tried to do that.

“Alright. If you need someone to talk to about it when you’re done, I’m always here, Beck.”

He nodded, but his eyes were vacant with the act. “I know. Thank you.”

Avery and Brandy let out a chorus of laughs from behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder to find Brandy bent over and Avery’s face red as a tomato.

“I should probably get back to them before Brandy says too much,” I said, studying Beck for his reaction. I didn’t want him to be alone in whatever he was going through, but he was an adult. He knew now that drowning in alcohol wasn’t the answer. He’d be okay, and our family would be there for him in the meantime.

“Yeah, I should get going anyway. Thanks again for watching her.”

I dipped my chin. “Of course. See you later.”

“Later.” He turned and headed back to his truck, hesitating a moment before getting in and driving off.

Dirt kicked up around his tires as his truck disappeared down the driveway, and once it was out of view, I headed back to Brandy and Avery.

“I’m gonna be a cowgirl,” Avery said as I approached.

“A cowgirl? But you already are one!” Brandy exclaimed, clearly having fun with her.

“Well, yeah, but I want to be one all the time. So Mama said I can wear my cowgirl hat and boots and the chaps Daddy got me.”

Emotion hit me in the chest at Avery calling Callan her dad. He had always wanted kids, and it was no secret he’d make that house of theirs as full as he could in the next few years. I looked at Brandy as she got lost in her conversation with Avery, the two of them going on and on about costumes Brandy dressed up in as a kid.

But I didn’t hear any of it. Not as my entire being got lost in the sound of her voice. My heart skipped beats just thinking of having a family with her one day. Only if she wanted kids, of course. And if she didn’t, that’d be okay, too. We’d be the best damn aunt and uncle in the entire state of Idaho.

“What’s wrong?” Brandy asked, interrupting my trance.

I flashed her a smile before leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her lips. “Nothing, Little Devil.”

“Promise?”

Before I retreated, I moved closer to her ear so Avery wouldn’t hear and murmured, “Other than wanting to be buried inside your pussy while you're wearing that pink lingerie set? No, nothing.” I straightened. “This is perfect.”

Her cheeks tinged pink as I looked at Avery. “What do you wanna carve?”

“A castle!” Avery answered.

I grabbed the pencil from beside the tools. “A castle it is, Princess.”

Avery let out a gasp. “A princess cowgirl! I can wear my dress!”

Brandy cleared her throat. “That’d be perfect, Aves.”

That was the only way I could describe any of this, with my girl and my brother’s daughter, carving pumpkins on my parents’ porch.

Perfect.

The End