Epilogue

Seventeen Months Later

"I've got Dick's!"

Avi's voice carries through the house, the back door slamming shut.

"Is that joke ever going to get old?" I ask, grabbing the bag of burgers from Avi. The smell of grease and fries overwhelms me.

Absolutely delicious.

"Nope." She sucks her milkshake dry. "Maybe it'll prove useful to scare off any boys."

"Are we scaring off boys now?" Raven strides into the kitchen, grabbing her shake from the cardboard container. She drops a peck on my cheek.

Now that we're living together, Raven is home early most days, splitting the parenting responsibilities with me.

"Ugh. Don't even put that out into the universe. I don't want to deal with you and a guy," Blair whines.

"Would it be better if it were a girl?"

"Yes," Raven and I answer at the same time.

"God, you two are disgustingly cute."

Avi grabs the bag and walks into the dining room.

My eyes rove over Raven. She looks relaxed in black leggings and a pink camisole. With the cold weather settling in, a gray cardigan hangs off her shoulder.

Some days, I still have to pinch myself that this is my life now. I never thought I would be so lucky to find someone like Raven.

She loves me more than I ever thought possible. And me?

I'd die for her.

A few months ago, Avi and I moved into her house with her. It's cozy now with the three of us, but with the finished basement, Avi has her own space.

I was worried about how our lives would blend, but it's been seamless. Avi loves Raven.

Which means less of a load on me. Avi is looking at colleges, and I no longer have to worry about how I'm going to pay for it.

With the pay raise that came with running traveLLin', I can contribute in a meaningful way to our relationship. No more sticking with a career I don't love to impress people who don't matter.

I have my people. Raven. Avi. Sarina. Raven's family.

I wouldn't trade anything for our life we have together.

"Don't forget you have that calculus test tomorrow." Raven drops a kiss on Avi's head as she takes her seat.

"Quiz me. I know it all." Avi has a smart-ass look on her face.

Raven bursts out laughing, grabbing her own dinner. "I wouldn't know the first thing to quiz you on."

"Maybe I should teach you then."

"Hell no. You could not pay me enough. Maybe I'll have Chelsea help you study."

"Your assistant knows calculus?" I ask.

"I'll pay her to learn calculus so we don't have to."

Avi pops a fry into her mouth. "Can I pay her to take my English test on Friday?"

"Or," I cut off any further argument from Avi and ideas of paying people to study for her, "you do the work, and once school is out for holiday break, you can relax on the beach in Saint Lucia."

"Is that where we're going?" Excitement oozes from her.

"I thought we were telling her tomorrow?" Raven looks over her milkshake at me.

"Consider it incentive to study."

"I promise I'll get an A."

Our time over the Christmas holiday is split. I plan a trip for traveLLin', and we visit Raven's family on the rest of the break.

It's one of the things that I love most. Not only did I get Raven, but we were accepted with open arms into her family. They love Avi and spoil her rotten.

She and Gram are thick as thieves.

I couldn't have asked for anything more.

"You better. Otherwise you won't go ice fishing with Grandpa," Raven tells her. "He has a new spot he wants to take you to."

"But only if you pass your test."

"Which means you need to study."

Avi's eyes flit between the two of us. "Do you two practice this when I'm not around?"

"No," we answer in sync.

"You're disgustingly cute. You should just get married already!" Avi grabs the last burger and heads downstairs to her room.

"Avi!" I yell after her. "You can't stay stuff like that."

"What? It's true."

She disappears down the stairs, and I'm left shaking my head at her.

"She's got a point." Raven sips on her shake, pulling me into the living room on the oversized couch. The fire is crackling on this dark night. It's the perfect romantic night—and we are lucky enough to get one every night.

"Is this you proposing?" I roll my eyes and grab her shake and finish it off.

"By saying your sister has a point? Please."

"Oh yeah? Then how would you do it?"

I'm egging her on. I know this. But I don't care. We've talked about getting married before, but the two of us are content. Happy.

Neither of us need a label.

"I would tell you how much I love you. How I never imagined you coming into my life the way you did."

"I've heard all of this before."

Except it doesn't cut through the buzzing that's now coursing through my veins. Something about this time feels different.

"And do you ever get tired of hearing it?" Raven pulls me over her on the couch. I wrap my arms around her shoulders, until we're impossibly close.

"No."

"I love how you love me. How you love your sister. Your drive and dedication."

Her hands drift up my thighs, squeezing my hips.

"What you've done not only for me, but for her… We're lucky to have you. Everyone who meets you is lucky to know you. You're compassionate and warm and so damn wonderful, I don't know what I would do without you."

"What are you saying?" My breath is a whisper against her lips.

"Marry me, Blair. I love you so damn much that I don't want to spend another minute not tied to you for the rest of my life."

"Yeah?"

Raven drags her nose along mine. "Yeah. I want the label. I want you to be my wife. No more dicking around."

A watery laugh escapes me. "Had to go with a dicking joke in your proposal?"

"Would you expect anything less?"

Soft brown eyes are staring at me. It's one of the things I love most about her. I can read her like an open book where others can't. I'm one of the only people that gets to see this side of her.

Just me.

"Will you say yes already?!" Avi shouts from the basement.

"Have you been eavesdropping this whole time?" I pull back from Raven as Avi bounces into the living room.

"Yes! Raven asked my permission last week."

"You did?" My eyes snap back to the woman who has won both of us over.

She nods. "I had to make sure she likes me."

"Please. I love you, Raven. And I want you and Blair to get married."

"So, what do you say, Blair? Want to get married?"

A smile I couldn't even hope to contain breaks out. "On one condition."

"What might that be?"

I tuck a lock of black hair behind her ear.

"Can we do it in Saint Lucia? No time like the present, right?"

Raven smirks. "I've already booked flights and hotels for everyone."

"It's a yes?" Avi asks.

"Yes!" I shout, being wrapped in hugs from my two favorite people.

"I'm going to go call and tell everyone I know." Avi drops a kiss on my cheek and runs off.

"Is that her way of being scarce tonight?" Raven whispers as the basement door slams shut behind her.

"I'm not complaining."

I capture her lips with mine, pouring everything I'm feeling into this kiss. I love everything she shows me every day. I never thought this kind of life would be possible.

"Do I get a ring?" A few stray tears escape.

"It's at the office. I didn't think I'd do it tonight, but…"

"But Avi was impatient," I laugh. "Still want the two of us?"

Raven clasps my face in her hands. "Both of you. I love you, Blair. So damn much, I think my heart might explode."

"Let's not hope for that. Because you're all I need."

"Everything," she whispers.

"A family."

What I've always wanted, I found with Raven.

The woman who hired me to be her fake girlfriend. She gave me everything my life was missing.

With Raven by my side, I feel like the most powerful woman in the world.

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