Epilogue

EPILOGUE

DEV - SEVERAL MONTHS LATER

“Georgia reminds me of Texas,” Tully muttered, holding his hand over his eyes to block out the setting sun. While it was definitely going down, the temperature was still hot as fuck in the park, especially with tens of thousands of music fans in attendance. “It’s like they didn’t get the memo that October is supposed to be comfortably cool.”

I glanced at him as I shifted Lellie’s sleeping form from one shoulder to the other. Thankfully, the giant headphones Kenji had gotten her had worked to block out the noise of Zane’s music, and she’d been zonked for the final forty minutes of his performance. “You think you’re hot? Try holding a furnace against your neck.”

Tully grinned at me and reached out to take her. I scooted out of range so he couldn’t disturb her. “You crazy?” I hissed. “Don’t wake the beast. You were the one who made it a family rule, in case you need reminding.”

Tully’s eyes brightened with laughter. “I was just trying to help. Besides, she transfers fine. Once she’s down for the night, she’s down. Even if it’s at a concert with thousands of screaming fans, apparently.”

I cuddled her closer to me. “She’s too sweet when she’s asleep. I have to enjoy it while I can.”

The truth was, she was sweet when she was awake, too. Ever since we’d all moved into the new house at the end of the summer and settled into a routine, she’d begun to thrive. Jo had warned the reprieve was only temporary since toddlers generally rotated easily between asshole and angel, but for now, we were loving every minute of it.

She was admittedly spoiled rotten. Not only did she have Tully and me, but she also had Indigo wrapped around her finger practically full-time, and she had Way, Silas, Jo, Sheridan, and her husband, Bo, at her beck and call, too. When she’d pointed at one of the foals born this summer—a pretty palomino with a golden coat that shined in the sun—and declared the horse Peej , not a single soul had disputed it.

The other guys from the brotherhood made it out to see us when they could. Nearly every week, Landry sent some small item of what he called “baby couture,” Zane had worked Lellie’s name into one of his songs, and Bash and Rowe had recently been caught murmuring about plans to buy property in Majestic for a second home so they wouldn’t miss seeing her grow up.

I hadn’t thought it possible for my friends and me to be closer than we were, but somehow, Lellie’s presence in my life had managed it. She’d cracked my heart wide and made it impossible for me to hide from the world. Now, I was rooted firmly in the sunlight and thriving.

Things were good. More than good. And I kind of wanted to get back home and continue enjoying it.

Kenji came hustling through the crowd, stopping at the barricade to give the security guy a dark look before being allowed backstage with the rest of us.

“Where’s Ryan?” he asked, thumbing over his shoulder at the guard checking ID.

I shrugged. “He followed Zane into the dressing room after he came offstage and barked at us to wait out here.”

“Never mind, I just heard from Susanna. She tried to get you first, but you didn’t pick up. Guess whose law license was suspended in Texas?”

“Don’t say mine,” Tully said, reaching over to take Lellie from me. The resulting fresh air against my neck and damp shirt was a relief.

“Hank Kinard,” Kenji said. “The poor bastard thought keeping Brock Lois happy was more important than keeping his license. No surprise Lois’s firm threw him under the bus.”

“If only they’d been able to pin anything on Brock,” I muttered, shaking out my arms. “Any news on Paula Scott?”

Kenji nodded. “She accepted the agreement. Finally. She and Franklin signed an acknowledgment that Lellie is your biological child and will sign away all future claims to her and her estate.” He waved his slender fingers. “I don’t remember the legal explanation, but essentially, it’s over. There was one little surprise, though.”

Tully pressed a kiss to Lellie’s messy curls. “Good surprise or bad? We’ve had a great night. I’d hate to ruin it.”

I stepped closer to him and slid my arm around his waist. “What is it?”

Kenji met my eyes. “Your parents reached out to Dunlevy, Pace, and Trumble and asked if they can put their house in trust for Lellie after they pass away. They plan to leave their estate to her.”

It wasn’t a bad surprise, but the reminder of my parents was a sour spike on an otherwise sweet night. “Considering she’s their only freaking heir, that’s not the generous flex they might think it is,” I explained.

Tully leaned over and pressed a kiss to the side of my face. “Not true, baby. You’re their heir. They’re passing you over, which—” He shook his head when I began to interrupt. “No, listen. Which is a good thing since it would only be taxed if it came to you first, and you don’t need it.”

“They don’t know that,” I sighed. “But fine. I refuse to let them ruin my night. It’s fine.”

Kenji huffed out a laugh. “Now you sound like Zane.”

I couldn’t help but smile when I realized he was right.

Kenji’s phone squawked with a ringtone of Nelly Furtado’s “ Promiscuous Boyyy .” “Fucking Christ,” he muttered under his breath. “What now?”

“What did he mean about you sounding like Zane?” Tully asked after Kenji turned away to take Landry’s call.

He was rocking gently from foot to foot, holding Lellie against his chest and stroking her back lightly. The movement reminded me of a night two weeks ago when the weather had turned cold and Tully had insisted on building a fire. I’d had plans to put gas logs in the large, stacked-stone fireplace, but Tully had begged me to leave it alone.

“If I’m going to move to the cold hinterlands of the north, there’d better be woodsmoke and fluffy snow,” he’d insisted. “Hot chocolate and fuzzy blankets on the sofa.”

I’d just finished getting the blaze going when the sound of Lellie’s cries blasted through the baby monitor.

“Your turn,” I’d insisted with a cackle. I’d made a big production of throwing myself down on our deep sectional sofa and crossing my feet on the ottoman.

He’d cursed me the whole way back down the hall to Lellie’s room. Twenty minutes later, he’d stood in front of the fire, rocking her in his arms and singing “Goodnight, Sweetheart.” It was one of his favorites, and hearing it sung soft and low in his deep voice made my skin prickle and my dick swell.

“Babe,” he said, lifting his eyebrows and flashing me a sexy grin. “You’re looking at me with an expression I happen to know well, and I have to say it’s highly inappropriate right now, considering our location.”

I stepped in front of him and put my hands on his hips to pull him in gently. The warm bulk of our sleeping daughter pressed between us as I leaned in to kiss him with light, teasing brushes of my lips against his. “I can change our location,” I whispered against his lips. “Just say the word.”

The dressing room door slammed open, and Ryan stormed out, cursing under his breath. His eyes were dark, and his hands were curled into fists. After taking three long strides, he stopped, groaned, and pivoted back to the open dressing room door, yanking at his hair. “I’m done trying to reason with you, Zane. We’re doing this my way, and that means wheels up in sixty minutes. Do you understand?”

Zane’s voice was muffled like he was pulling a shirt over his head, but I could still hear the thread of unease in his words. “I think you’re forgetting who’s in charge here. I told my family I was coming in time for Sunday supper tomorrow. We’re not going back to LA until after I’ve had my aunt Rinny’s tomato corn pie and cheese grits. I’ve waited months to see my family, and I’m not letting some bullshit prank take that away from me.”

Kenji stepped back up to us quietly and tapped Tully on the shoulder before tilting his head in the direction of the open dressing room door, where Zane was still ranting.

“And besides, how many times do I have to tell you… I’m fine !”

Tully bit his lip against a laugh. He shot his dancing eyes at me, and I felt my shoulders drop.

As I let myself slip cool and easy into the crystal clear waters of the Gulf and float happily into the future with my precious family.