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Epilogue

Alex- One Year Later

" I t's so beautiful here," Finn sighed, taking in the view.

The Blue Ridge Mountains, and the picture perfect blue sky were stunning. I took all of this for granted because I'd grown up in Ivy, Virginia. Listening to Finn's praise made me see my parents' neighborhood with fresh eyes.

"When you said your folks lived in Charlottesville, I thought you meant in the town, not out here in the country." Finn rolled down the passenger seat window of my range rover and sniffed the air. "Jesus, it even smells beautiful."

My parents were throwing an impromptu party to celebrate the conviction of my ex-wife, Miranda. At first I thought it was in poor taste, like dancing on someone's grave. But with Miranda completely out of my life now, a little partying was in order.

Oddly enough, they didn't jail her for embezzling money from Bright Horizons. My family had swept that crime under the rug to protect the charity. Instead, she faced charges for smuggling a substantial quantity of drugs into the country, and it wasn't just a bag or two of cocaine.

She'd begun dating a man named Juan Carlos Medina after the Bright Horizons fiasco. Society magazines splashed pictures of the two of them on their covers, as he was supposedly a wealthy financier from Columbia. It turned out he was a notorious drug lord, and the two of them had been running a drug smuggling operation right under our noses. The news had shocked everyone, especially me.

As we pulled up the gravel driveway to my parents' estate, I scanned the yard and didn't recognize many of the guests. The party was in full swing, and I saw one or two familiar faces mingling on the lawn. My mother rushed over to greet us with a huge smile on her face.

"Alex, you made it!" she exclaimed, pulling me into a tight hug. "And Finn, it's lovely to see you again."

My parents had embraced my relationship with Finn, but he had a difficult time warming up to them. This was his first visit to their home, which was massive compared to our cottage in Manakin-Sabot.

Finn smiled politely at my mother and shook her hand, trying to mask his discomfort. I could tell he was still adjusting to the lavish lifestyle that came with being a part of my family. As we made our way through the crowd, I spotted familiar faces and exchanged pleasantries. The sun setting, casting a warm glow over the gathering.

I grabbed two glasses of champagne from a passing server and handed one to Finn. He raised an eyebrow at me before taking a sip.

"I will never get used to this."

"Thanks for coming with me," I said. "I know this seems very over the top, but my folks mean well."

Finn turned to me, his eyes softening. "I wouldn't miss it for the world, Alex. Your family is important to you, and I want to be here."

The sound of a baby crying sliced through the air, and I turned my head, looking for its source. Sure enough, Summer was walking straight for us with George Junior in her arms.

"George, say hello to your Uncles Alex and Finn."

The baby screamed again, and Summer made little kissing noises. Then she made a face, and we could smell why.

"Shit, George needs to be changed again." Summer kissed me on the cheek and hurried toward the front door. Summer was the one member of my family Finn had bonded with since they both shared a love of horses.

"You know, over the years, I'd contemplated what it would be like to have a child," Finn grinned. "Your nephew has cured me of any desire to have one, not that he's a bad kid or anything, but…"

"I know," I giggled. "Same here. But I wouldn't mind us babysitting every once in a while."

"Son, Finn," Dad ambled over and shook our hands. "Alex, can we get together in the next week or so? I want to surprise your mother with a special gift for her birthday, but it's very difficult to shop for her. She has everything already."

I thought for a moment, then smiled. "Dad, remember when Summer and I were very young, and we used to have game nights?"

Dad nodded, his bushy eyebrows drawing together.

"Mom loves that kind of stuff. Why don't you organize a game night, and all of us can come over and play, I don't know, charades? I think she'd love that."

"Are you sure she wouldn't want jewelry, or perhaps a day at the spa?" Dad asked.

"Dad, she has weekly facials and massages, and her jewelry collection rivals Elizabeth Taylor's." I bit back a laugh. "What she wants is to spend more time with her family."

"Oh, maybe you're right." Dad scooped up a ham biscuit from the tray of a passing server and took a bite out of it. "Summer said the same thing, and I thought it was because she couldn't be bothered to think of something I can buy. Oh wait, I'll take her on a romantic cruise. Better yet, I'll charter a private yacht."

Dad wandered off, and I grabbed Finn's arm and steered us toward the front door. "I want to show you my childhood bedroom."

"You only had the one?" Finn sarcastically retorted. "I thought you'd have a suite of rooms."

"Well, actually it is." I pushed open the front door and Finn halted in his tracks.

"Jesus, this is really something."

I led Finn through the grand foyer, past the winding staircase, and into the main living room. Paintings adorned the walls, and a massive crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling. Finn's eyes widened in amazement as he took in the opulence of the room.

"This is insane," he whispered, his voice filled with awe.

Growing up in this mansion, I'd become somewhat desensitized to its grandeur. But seeing it through Finn's eyes reminded me just how lucky I was to have grown up in such luxury.

"Come on," I said, leading him through a set of French doors and onto a veranda overlooking the sprawling gardens. "There's more to see."

We made our way through several rooms, each one more lavish than the last. Finn's eyes darted around, taking in every detail with wide-eyed wonder.

"I've never seen anything like this," he mumbled.

"It's pretty amazing," I agreed. "But it's just a house."

Finn shook his head in disbelief. "No, this is so much more than that."

Finally, we reached a set of stairs that led up to the second floor. I smiled as we climbed them, thinking about all the memories I had made on these stairs as a child.

"This was my favorite place growing up," I said as we reached the top landing.

I pushed open a set of double doors and led Finn into my childhood bedroom. It was just as I remembered it—huge and decorated with all my favorite things. A four-poster bed dominated one corner of the room, while a balcony overlooked the manicured lawns below.

Finn walked around slowly, taking everything in. He ran his fingers over my old trophies and medals displayed on shelves along one wall.

"You were really into sports?" he asked with a grin.

"Yeah," I replied, feeling a little embarrassed. "I was kind of a jock, mostly lacrosse and soccer. Come out here on the balcony."

I led Finn outside, and we leaned against the railing and took in the view.

"What is your mother doing?" Finn pointed toward the line of trees on the other side of the front yard. Mom was shaking her finger in a caterer's face, and he looked terrified. "She looks like she's going to turn him over her knee and spank him."

"That wouldn't surprise me in the least." I smiled. "I love Mom, but she has some control issues. But listen, I didn't bring you out here to gossip about my parents." I put my arms around him and drew Finn in for a hug. He stiffened up, probably worried that my parents would see us.

"It's okay, Mom and Dad are very cool about us," I whispered, and he relaxed into my embrace. "In fact, they are so cool with it they want us to get married here."

Finn froze, then he pulled back and stared into my eyes. "Did you just say what I think you said?"

"Well, I should probably ask you to marry me first, then if you say yes, we can plan the wedding."

Finn's eyes widened in shock, and he took a step back, clearly caught off guard. I saw the emotions churning in his expression as he processed my words. For a moment, the world seemed to stand still around us, the only sound being the distant murmur of voices from the party below.

"I... I don't know what to say," Finn finally managed, his voice tinged with a mix of uncertainty and surprise. He ran a hand through his hair nervously, his gaze flickering between me and the breathtaking view before us.

Shit. The last thing I wanted was to put pressure on him or rush into anything that he wasn't ready for. But I couldn't ignore the swell of emotions that had brought me to this moment.

"Finn, you don't have to answer right now," I breathed. "But…"

"Yes." Finn's eyes grew watery, and I felt a tear escape mine, sliding down the side of my nose. "I love you, Alex," Finn whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "And I can't imagine a future without you."

I pulled him close, wrapping my arms around him tightly. The world seemed to blur, leaving just the two of us standing on that balcony, bathed in the soft glow of the setting sun.

"Are you sure?" I asked, my voice trembling. "I mean, I want this more than anything, but I need to know it's what you want too."

Finn pulled back slightly, just enough to look into my eyes. "Alex, I've never been more sure of anything in my life. You're my home. I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

A laugh bubbled up from my chest, a mixture of relief and overwhelming joy. I leaned in and kissed him, feeling the warmth and certainty of his love. When we finally broke apart, both of us were smiling through our tears.

"Then it's settled," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "We're getting married. And I promise to make you the happiest man on earth."

Thank you for reading Alex and Finn's love story. It was so much fun to write, and if you loved it please leave a review! Daniel is about to find his perfect match, but it's going to be a bumpy ride to his happy ever after. Preorder your copy today from your favorite online retailer.

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