Epilogue

PAXTON

“You do not get the middle seat,” I say, snapping at Riggs to keep moving. Kali’s laugh echoes behind me. I never imagined I’d be competing for my girlfriend’s attention with my own dog. If he could talk, I’m sure he’d be cursing under his breath, plotting his revenge as he settles by the window. “You’re lucky I didn’t stick you in a crate.”

“Aww. Be nice to him,” Kali says, giving me a playful poke in the back. Of course, she’s always on his side. I know my place in this relationship . He’s become our spoiled rotten kid.

I lift her carry-on and stow it above us as she slides into the middle seat. She rubs Riggs’s ears, and I swear he throws a spiteful glance my way. I throw it right back when the second I sit down, her hand slides into mine.

“Are you sure your grams and pops are okay with me coming for Christmas?”

More than sure .

We’ve been officially dating for six months now, and Grams has been bugging me five of those months to meet her.

Kali took a couple of weeks off work. If you ask her where she lives, she still says Phoenix, but she’s in my bed every night that she’s not flying. She’s mentioned to people that she’s moving back to Austin. I’m not pushing because she needs to do this on her own timeline, and as long as she’s with me doing it, I can be patient.

Despite my mom, everything has worked out. I don’t even care if she thinks we’re together because of her while she rots away in prison. She wasn’t lying when she said she was sick. But fortunately, the tumor was benign, and she’ll live a long life behind bars. Where she belongs.

But it’s time Kali meets the family. The part that I love dearly.

“Oh shit,” I snap. “I knew I had forgotten something,” I mutter.

She tilts her head, confused.

“I forgot to tell them you were coming.”

She gasps. “What? They don’t know?” I can’t help but laugh at her panic. It’s cute. I’ve already reassured her they’re excited to meet her. Someday she’ll realize that she’s worthy of love and she’s not alone in this world. She slaps me on the chest. “You’re a horrible boyfriend. I’m so nervous. What if they hate me?” Her fears run deep.

“They will love you. Just like I do.”

We land in Grand Rapids but still have an hour drive ahead of us. Snow blankets the fields on either side of the highway, glistening under the sunlight and turning the landscape into a winter wonderland. The cold air seeps into the car whenever the heater isn’t blasting, and I can almost taste the sharp crispness of winter.

“I hope I brought enough clothes. This type of cold calls for layers.”

“I saw what you packed,” I say, recalling the two heavy suitcases in the trunk, both for her. The ones that tipped the scale at fifty pounds each. Plus her carry-on. “You’re good. For a month.”

Without even looking at her, I know she’s narrowing her eyes at me. I chuckle, glancing over to see her pouting.

“Winter clothes and boots take up a lot of room,” she says defensively. “And I was going to give you your Christmas present early.”

“Kalico. Right now ? While we’re driving. Riggs is in the car ,” I tease, giving her thigh a playful squeeze. She laughs and slaps my hand away.

“Do you always have sex on your mind?”

With one hand on the wheel, I tap my thumb to the rhythm of the song playing on the radio and shake my head. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s at the top of the list.” I avoid looking at her because while I wasn’t thinking about it before, now I am. It’s too easy to get lost in the way she looks at me. The way those blue eyes have an undeniable magnetism that has a direct pull to my heart and my dick.

She twists in her seat. “Lucky you, I’m too excited to hold off any longer.”

I glance over and see her radiant smile. There are times she catches me off guard. She’s a force to be reckoned with. Two and a half years, and everything has changed about her. Except her will to fight. She’ll never lose that. She’s found her footing in this crazy world, and she charges through it head-on.

“You’re staring again.” She blushes and drops her head.

“It’s hard to look away from a shooting star.”

She rolls her eyes with a half laugh. “Well, I’m about to make your wish come true.”

I lift a brow. “Oh yeah? What’s that?”

“I broke my lease in Phoenix.”

My gaze flicks between her and the road, uncertainty and anticipation tightening my chest. “You did?” She bites her bottom lip softly, a hesitant nod confirming what I hoped. She’s right. She made my wish come true. “Are you going to live…” I trail off, not wanting to pressure her.

“If you’ll have me?”

“Are you kidding?” My voice breaks higher than I intend, but fuck, this is the best present ever. Makes my present for her even better. I reach for her hand and bring it to my lips. “Have you? I want every part of you. Forever.”

For the next few minutes, we talk about how we’re going to get her stuff from Phoenix. I’m more than happy to make the trip myself.

As the car’s navigation system announces we’re ten minutes away, I notice Kali fidgeting. She pulls the visor down and checks her hair. When I flick on the blinker to exit the highway, she snaps the visor back up and stares out the window. Her jittery nerves are contagious. I feel them in my own chest. I’ve never brought a woman home. Grams will love her, but everything about this weekend is important.

We turn down the long drive on the three-acre property, and Kali gasps. “Wow. It’s picture perfect here.”

It is. A true winter wonderland when it snows, and a laid-back country retreat in the summer. It’s one of my favorite places to visit. My grandparents have lived on this land since the seventies. Of course, back then, it was just a trailer. Now, there’s a main house and a guest house.

“Why are there so many cars?” she asks as we pull up to the front of the house.

I’m not surprised by the line of cars along both sides of the driveway. I might have left out the part where it’s not just Grams and Pops she’s meeting. I didn’t want to scare her off. She’s been stressing enough as it is.

I put the car in park and twist in my seat to face her. “Okay. So, here’s the deal. My dad has six sisters, and they all have at least three kids. And then some of them already have kids.”

Her eyes widen. “They’re all here?” I slowly nod, bracing for her to freak out. But to my surprise, her smile grows, and her eyes fill with wonder. Not quite the response I expected, but damn, I’ll take it. “You have a huge family?”

“I do.”

“And they’re all here for Christmas?” she repeats.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell?—”

“This is the best Christmas ever!” she squeals, barely able to contain her excitement. I’ve never seen her this excited. Not sure if I should be offended or relieved.

“Well…you haven’t met them yet.” I chuckle. “They can be nosy, say the most inappropriate things, and flat out are assholes, sometimes.”

“They already sound amazing. Let’s go!” She pushes the door open, already out of the car before I gather all my stuff from the center console.

If I had any doubts that she was the one for me, this solidifies it. These people, while they can be annoying at times, mean so much to me. But I already had zero doubts. This just makes it that much sweeter.

Riggs barks from the back seat. “Don’t worry, buddy. We won’t forget you.”

“Hide the weed, the cops are here.” I’m pretty sure that fucker isn’t kidding. I watch Brody jog down the pathway. I meet him at the front of the car, and we do a quick hug. “About time you got here. Justin’s asking every five minutes when his favorite uncle is getting here.” Justin’s the youngest of the second cousins, and nobody has ever corrected him that I’m not actually his uncle.

“Brody, this is Kali. Kali, Brody—the guy with all the jokes. Cousin number one.”

“More like number one cousin.” He laughs, shaking her hand.

“It’s nice to meet you.” She glances between the two of us, noticing the resemblance. Yeah, yeah. We look alike, though Brody could benefit from hitting the gym a few times a week. He’s what I’d look like if I were a limp noodle. He rubs his thin arms. “Fuck it’s cold. Let’s get you guys inside.”

Warmth and a sweet, familiar smell greet us as we step inside the house. Kali chuckles at the two rows deep of boots and mountain of coats in the mudroom. We add ours to the piles.

“Grams, where are they staying?” Brody yells.

“No need to yell, I’m right here,” Grams jokes, rounding the corner. She immediately pulls me in for a hug, but not before I notice she’s limping.

“What happened?” I ask, pulling back, my eyes on the black brace up to her knee.

“Don’t worry about me.” She shakes her head. “Just getting old. Slipped on some ice out back a couple weeks ago. Not as nimble on my feet as I used to be.”

I stare down into the warm blue eyes that mean the world to me and sigh. It’s hard to accept that she’s getting older. “You need to be careful.”

She tsks and turns toward Kali. “Pax, stop being rude and introduce me to your lovely lady.”

I shake off the worry, excitement taking its place. The two most important women in my life are face-to-face.

I introduce them, and Kali sticks out her hand. “It’s so great to finally meet you,” she says.

Grams, instead, pulls her in for a warm hug. “Welcome to our home,” she says. “We’re so happy that you’re here.” All the nervousness in Kali’s face melts away as she embraces her. Grams has that effect on everyone.

“Woman. Thanks for telling me they got here,” Pops says, appearing in the doorway.

Grams releases Kali and slaps him on the belly. “I did. But, as usual, you didn’t listen.”

Kali’s wide eyes lift to stare at the man most of the cousins call Big Poppa. The six-foot-five grizzly bear of a man smiles wide beneath his bushy gray beard.

“Hey, Pops.” After a quick, manly hug, I introduce him to Kali. She stands a little more awkward, unsure of what to expect. Sensing her apprehension, he shakes her hand. He’s a hugger too, but from the outside, he’s a guy you don’t fuck with.

“Brody, they’re staying out in the guest house,” Grams says. “Can you take their bags out there?”

“On it,” he says, heading for the door.

Kali slips her hand into mine as we head into the house. I feel a twinge of guilt for what’s about to happen. The sheer number of people she’s about to meet would overwhelm anyone.

Grams and Pops built a great room that would hold everyone. They wanted a place where everyone could relax and be together, and the house was built around it. So, when we walk into the room, Kali pauses for a beat, taking it all in.

“That tree is gorgeous,” she whispers, staring at the twelve-foot Christmas tree in the room’s corner. All eyes turn toward us.

“Uncle Pax! You’re here.” Justin tosses his toy truck aside and rushes over to me. I throw him up in the air, immediately regretting it. He’s grown since I saw him last.

“Kylan, what are you feeding this kid?”

“I eat lots of goldfish,” he says proudly.

“I can tell,” I joke, poking his pudgy stomach. He giggles in my arms. Everyone else stares at us. Time for roll call. “Ready for this?” Kali nods with uncertainty in her eyes. “Everyone, this is Kali. Kali, this is”—I point around the room—“Sadie, Matt, Kylan, Saige, Colt, Vance, Mabel, Brody, Emma, Riley, Carson, Oakley…” I continue all the way around the room and blow out a breath after the last name. They give me a round of applause. Damn, I’m good.

Kali stares at me like I’m crazy. She probably only picked up the first and last person’s names.

“Can we wear name tags?” she asks, scanning the room. “Wait. I’ll get this.” She rolls her shoulders and shakes out her hands. If there’s anyone up for a challenge, it’s Kali. She starts at the beginning again. “Sadie, Matt, Kylan…starts with an S?” She winces.

“Saige,” my cousin chimes in.

“Saige. Yes! I love that name.” She stumbles through more names, but she’s determined. Out of thirty-some names, she got about thirteen correct. But she makes a valiant effort to memorize each name as she goes. As she concentrates on that, Grams and I share a glance. She smiles and gives a subtle nod.

The tiniest motion is what I was waiting for. Her stamp of approval.

After the introductions, the women whisk her away to decorate cookies. I keep an eye on her, half expecting her to hesitate or give me a sign that says she needs saving. But my woman happily joins them.

Grams slinks her arm through mine and rests her head on my arm. “It’s good to see you, Pax. And so happy in love.”

Laughter echoes from the kitchen. This is turning out better than I imagined. Kali fitting in was never a concern. I just didn’t think it’d be this easy. “I told you, Grams. I was going to marry her someday.”

A couple hours later, with a full belly of decorated cookies, I call out, “It’s time to go ice skating.”

“Ice skating?” Kali says, glancing back outside to the small lake. “Is it frozen enough?”

“It’s frozen solid,” I assure her.

“But I don’t have skates.”

“I got you covered,” Oakley says, heading to the mudroom. “Pax told me your size before you guys got here.” She appears with a pair of white skates, holding them up.

Kali stares at them, then looks at me with wide eyes. I thought she’d be more excited. “Do you ice skate?”

“Paxton!” Oakley scolds, giving me that same disapproving gaze she always has when I do something dumb. “You didn’t tell her?”

I shrug. It never came up. “Tell me what?” Kali asks, glancing between us.

“He kills it on the ice,” Oakley says.

Kali’s smile widens. “Like a figure skater? Can you do things like turns and jumps?”

My mouth falls open as Oakley throws her head back in laughter. “Do I look like a figure skater to you?”

“Well, she said you killed it on the ice.”

“As a hockey player,” I blurt out.

Oakley’s still laughing, doubled over now.

“Oh my gosh,” Oakley says between gasps. “You guys!” she screams out, and I roll my eyes.

Really? It was an honest mistake. She walks away, and I hear her tell everyone what happened. The room erupts.

Kali winces. “Sorry.”

I pull her close and kiss her on the forehead. “Don’t be. You just made their day. I’ll just have to take it out on them on the ice. They won’t be laughing long.”

She hums. “Any other skills you’re keeping from me?”

“I’ve shown you the important ones,” I reply with a wink, and then lean down and kiss her.

“I hope he kisses better than he skates,” eleven-year-old Carson says, interrupting us. I chuckle against Kali’s lips. This kid.

I playfully push him away. “You can’t even put your own skates on without your mommy’s help.”

“Shut up. I do too,” he retorts, puffing out his chest.

Everyone, still making twinkle-toe jokes, joins us in the kitchen, gearing up to go outside. “Have you ever ice skated before?” Emma asks.

“I’ve only ever been once. My dad took me when I was six…” Her voice trails off, and her body stiffens beside me. I glance around the room to see if anyone’s reaction triggered this. There’s not one ounce of judgment in their faces. But a mind’s guilt is heavier than reality sometimes. “I’m sorry for mentioning him,” she whispers, walking out of the kitchen.

I rush after her. “Kalico. Stop.”

She falls against a wall, crossing her arms with one hand covering her face. “I knew this would happen. How can I look all of them in the face and talk about my dad?”

I wish I could make her see. No one here blames her. Grams rounds the corner, giving me a knowing, soft nod.

“Walk with me?” Grams warmly asks Kali. Grams will know what to say, so I smile and give her a chaste kiss on the lips.

“You’re in good hands,” I say.

Grams waves me off. “You guys go out skating. We’ll be out there in a few minutes.”

KALI

Grams makes me nervous. Paxton loves her so much, and her opinion will carry a lot of weight with him. Ugh. Why did I bring up my dad?

What was I thinking?

Grams wraps her thin arm through mine, and we walk, stopping at the front door. “The other side of that door,” she says, pointing and looking at me, “that’s where we leave all our guilt. There is no place inside this home for that.”

I let her words sink in and inhale. I nod, feeling the warmth of Grams’s touch as she gently squeezes my arm. Tears well up in my eyes.

“C’mon,” she continues, leading me down the hallway to a closed door.

When she opens the door, I’m taken aback. Floor to ceiling pictures in sleek black frames adorn three of the four walls and half the other wall, with memories captured in time. A teal velvet couch sits in the center of the room. Grams walks us to the couch and sits down, patting the cushion beside her. I follow her lead, sinking into the softness of the velvet. My eyes wander from picture to picture, each telling a story through vibrant colors and frozen moments in time.

“This room is my memory room. See that picture?” I take a moment to find the one she’s pointing at. There are so many. It’s obvious once I see it. It’s Paxton and his brother. There’s no denying that they are brothers. “That’s Jake. We have eighteen wonderful years of memories with him.” A pang of guilt hits my belly despite her earlier words about leaving it at the door. Showing me this is doing the exact opposite. “And you have eight years of wonderful memories of your mother and father. We want to celebrate all those memories. They are what keep them alive in our hearts.” She turns toward me, taking my hand in hers. Her hands are soft and cool, her eyes tender and warm. “We’d never want to take that from you, Kali. Never regret remembering them. Especially around us.”

I blink back tears, her words wrapping around me like a warm blanket, soothing the chill in my bones. “Thank you,” I manage to say through the feelings lodged in my throat.

Grams looks over her shoulder. “And see that wall right there? It’s waiting for new pictures. New memories. Hopefully, with some of you and Paxton and maybe some more grand babies.” She winks at me when my cheeks blush. She’s not wasting any time. “He loves you, dear. And we love you because of that. All of you .” Her words fill me with a sense of belonging I haven’t felt in a long time.

“You’re making me cry,” I murmur, wiping my eyes at the same time I’m wearing a smile.

“Ok, enough of that.” She pats my hand and then glances toward the door as if expecting someone to be there. I look over my shoulder, but no one is there. When she smiles, there’s a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Before we head back out, I have to ask, what’d you think of the pie?” I squeeze my brows together. We haven’t eaten pie yet. She leans in and whispers, “You know, the cherry pie .”

“Oh, that pie.” Still not sure which one, because Paxton bought me two cherry pies.

“When he told me he had met you and what happened at the diner, I gave him a little nudge on what to do next.” That was her idea? I think back and remember the pie delivered the next day. Paxton called his Grams right after? How adorable is that? “And then hearing what happened next—about what that vile woman had done—I was worried about Pax. It didn’t look good. I told him to tell you right away.”

“Sometimes he’s too stubborn.”

“That he is. But his heart more than makes up for it.” She gazes at a picture on the wall with a wistful sigh. “I was worried when his mom married that god-awful man that he’d grow up with so much hatred in his heart he would have a hard time finding his way back. But he has his dad’s heart.” She looks at me and lets out a bitter laugh. “Praise God because that woman’s heart is defective.”

No objection there.

She wraps her arms around me and gives my shoulders a squeeze. “Ready to go back out? I’m sure Paxton is waiting right outside the door. That boy never listens.”

I nod, but I’m making Paxton bring me back to this room later. The memories in here are rich and full of life.

Sure enough, Paxton’s perched on the hallway bench, engrossed in his phone. He springs up as soon as we walk out. Grams pats his arm as she passes him.

“You okay?” he asks.

“I am. I love your family. It’s all I’ve ever wanted. I’m so afraid I’m going to mess it up.”

“Kalico,” he says, pulling me into his chest and kissing me on the forehead. “Just be yourself, and they’ll all love you like I do.”

Be myself. That I can do. I’ve never tried to be anyone else, and I shouldn’t try now. It might take time for me to feel comfortable talking about my parents, just as it did with Paxton, but I trust it’ll happen. The tension I was holding in my shoulders releases.

“Do you want to just relax at the guest house for a while? I won’t mind,” Paxton suggests.

“Heck no! I want to see you on skates.”

Paxton on skates with a stick and a puck is my new favorite fantasy come alive. Hot. Damn. Sex on ice. Yes, please.

I, on the other hand, was a hot mess. Not sexy at all. But I survived without breaking anything, so it was a success in my book. While helping dry dishes, the cousin’s voices fade away as my mind wanders back to watching Paxton on ice. He’s so good, I wonder why he doesn’t play in a league in Austin.

“Kali, did you hear me?”

I shake out of the daydream and turn my head to Emma. “Sorry, I was just in my own little world.”

She chuckles and leans in close to me. “If Paxton wasn’t my cousin…” She blushes and turns away, picking up a plate to dry. My mouth falls open in amusement. “Shh… you never heard me say that.” I mean, I don’t blame her.

We both start laughing. “Hey, I want to hear the joke,” Oakley says, walking up.

“Nope. You missed it,” Emma quickly blurts out, finishing up with the last dish. She puts them away and turns to me. “You ready to head out to the barn?”

Her eyes jump to Oakley, and they both exchange wide, almost mischievous, grins. My eyes dart between the two of them confused.

Oakley steps closer to me, glancing around conspiratorially before saying, “It’s where Santa does all his last-minute preparations.”

Ah, now it makes sense. It’s where they keep all the toys from little prying eyes. That explains where all the guys are. We pass by the grand room where the kids are sprawled out, under blankets, engrossed with “ Scrooge. ” The twinkling lights from the Christmas tree illuminate their cute little faces.

Someday, ours will be there.

After donning my snow boots and coat, we step out into the still night, the snow crunching beneath our steps. “We have to stop by the guest house to grab a gift,” Oakley says. “We hid most of the gifts out there, but Brody just texted and told me they forgot one.”

The guest house is set up similarly to the main house, but on a smaller scale. With just two bedrooms compared to the main house’s six, it’s cozy and intimate. The living room boasts a wall of windows overlooking the lake. Earlier, when we arrived to get ready for dinner, I couldn’t stop looking out the windows. While the main house is stunning, if I had to choose, I’d pick this one to live in.

“Can you run in and grab it? Brody said they left it on the couch. That way, we don’t all have to track snow in,” Emma asks.

“Of course. I’ll be right back,” I reply. Like the main house, there’s a mudroom where I slip off my boots. Soft music drifts through the air as I make my way to the living room. I don’t recall music playing earlier. As I step into the living room, I gasp, my hand covering my pounding heart.

The lights are off, but the room is aglow with the soft flicker of candles scattered everywhere. Their warm light dances against the walls. A crackling fire adds to the ambiance, casting a gentle glow across the room. In the middle of the windows, a furry blanket is spread out on the floor, with a dozen plush pillows arranged around it. Paxton stands in the middle, a faint smile playing on his lips.

“What is all this?” I say, shrugging off my coat and carefully draping it over a chair, avoiding any candles. “I thought I was getting a gift.”

“You are. Yours.” He walks over to me and guides me back to the blanket. The flickering candlelight reflects on the large windows, creating a magical backdrop. He stops abruptly, first looking to the ground, then letting his gaze drift up to find mine. A smile dances on his lips. “You’re stunning,” he murmurs. “Every part of you fits perfectly into my world. I wanted to do this tomorrow, on Christmas Day. But I decided…” His words hang in the air, causing my heart to skip a beat.

He drops to one knee, his eyes never leaving mine. Tears gather at the corners of my eyes as he pulls out a small blue Tiffany box from his pocket. Just like the one my bat necklace was in.

He opens the box to reveal a beautiful solitaire diamond ring that sparkles in the soft candlelight. My breath catches as he holds it out to me. “I want to wake up on Christmas morning with you as my fiancée. Will you, Kali Stevens, marry me?”

A tear falls on my cheek, and I hiccup through my overwhelming emotions, nodding fiercely. “Yes. Yes, I’ll marry you.” He takes my trembling hand and slides the ring over my finger. I have no idea why I’m shaking. I’ve never been so sure about anything in my entire life. I hold up my hand, admiring the brilliant single diamond, still in awe of its beauty.

Paxton’s face lights up with a radiant smile. He jumps to his feet, pulling me into his arms, lifting me and spinning us around in a whirl of happiness.

“Kalico, it’s you and me forever.”