Epilogue

Lance

6 months later

"You know," I started saying as I came up behind Gemma and began kissing her neck.

She moaned and moved her head, giving me better access. In between kisses, I continued, "You can leave these dishes here and come hang out with the guys and I."

She turned around in my arms and stared back at me with those beautiful brown eyes I could look into for the rest of my life. And if I had it my way, that was exactly what I would be doing. No more leaving. No more uncertainty. We weren't on borrowed time anymore, and there was a certain ease in knowing that she wasn't going anywhere. Gemma was mine, all mine. I didn't think I'd ever get over that.

"I know, I know," she said, "but I think I'll just go upstairs and check on Mason."

I watched her eyes dart toward the stairs, where Mason was in his room already fast asleep.

I smiled, thinking about the way Gemma had seamlessly become part of our lives. She was stepping into a motherly role for Mason and I didn't even think she realized it. In no time at all, she had become one of Mason's favorite people. The kid had good taste, though, because I happened to know just what it was like to be infatuated by Gemma. She was one of the best people I knew.

"What's that smile for?" she asked, bringing her hand to my lips and grinning from ear to ear herself now.

I continued smiling and watching her as she still had an inquisitive look on her face that said she really didn't know what was happening. It rarely happened as Gemma was one of the smartest people I knew, but when it did, her nose scrunched up and I couldn't help but want to kiss the scrunch away. "You really don't know how happy you make me, do you? How happy you make Mason? Remind me to thank your sister again for choosing the resort for her bachelorette party."

Gemma chuckled, practically tossing her head back. I liked seeing her so carefree, like there wasn't a thing in the world that could burst her bubble of happiness. And if I had it my way, she'd be this happy for the rest of her life.

Finally, she replied, "I'm sure that won't go to her head or anything, knowing that us getting together is in large part because of her." Then her eyes widened. "Not to mention, she already thinks her meddling with the note you wrote me to come see you at the beach was what sealed the deal. Her head is already way too big." Gemma shook her head and grinned. "Any bigger and her head won't be able to fit through the doorway of her new house."

"You're doing it again, bringing up the house," I pointed out, remembering that Gemma promised to not touch that particular subject with a ten-foot pole. She didn't like the idea of her parents spending so much money on a down payment for a new home for Sophie and Bobby. But this one was out of her hands, even though she offered multiple times to help pay for it so her folks didn't have to dip into their retirement savings. "It was nice of them to do that for Sophie and Bobby, just leave it at that."

She raked her teeth on her lip and then gave in, "You're right." She tacked on, "Again," and I couldn't help but curl my lips upward. Gemma saying someone else was right was rare, so I'd take it.

I wrapped my arms around her waist and brought her closer to me so our bodies were flush now. "What do you say, I tell the guys to get lost and we have some adult fun?"

She blushed and looked toward the patio where the guys were drinking beers and hanging out, waiting for me to come back around. "Lance!" She gently swatted my arm. "I don't think that's a good idea." She shook her head and her eyes went wide, looking everywhere but at me, just as they always did when she became slightly embarrassed. "They'll know what we're doing. They'll know why we made them leave," she practically whispered that last part as though one of those knuckleheads could actually hear us.

I laughed and brushed the pad of my thumb across her cheek. "All right, I won't send them home. Yet. But if they're not gone by ten, I'm kicking them out. Forget what they think we're doing." I brought my lips down on her and tugged at the bottom one. "I want everyone to know that I'm falling in love with you and don't care who knows we're having some fun of our own."

"Okay, but not yet."

I held up my hands and laughed again. "Okay, okay."

Just as she was about to respond, her phone rang. She pulled it out of her pocket and held it up to me to see that Sophie was calling. "I'm going to take this. You go back out there and hang out with your friends. It's okay, really."

"All right, but if you change your mind, I have no problem giving them all the boot so I can spend some alone time with my girlfriend."

"Girlfriend," she repeated and sighed happily. "I love the sound of that."

"Girlfriend," I repeated so she could hear it come from my mouth one more time. Frankly, it was like music to my own ears.

"Boyfriend," she returned and closed her eyes, clearly satisfied with the way that sounded, too. "Lance, my boyfriend."

A deep groan came from behind us and had me turning around to see Tyler standing there. "Man, you two are disgustingly lovey dovey. We get it, you're boyfriend and girlfriend. Geez, you two can get branded with the labels later. In the meantime, you left ten minutes ago to get more beer."

"Oh, right," I said, as though a lightbulb went off and snapped my fingers. "I forgot." It was easy to get distracted by my girlfriend. Ha, who knew? I liked the sound of it, too.

"It's fine," Gemma said, tapping her phone. "I have to call Sophie back now. In all our back-and-forth, I missed her call."

I gave her a quick kiss and let her go. "You do that and thank her for me. I mean it."

She rolled her eyes and walked away, but not before I gently swatted her butt. She turned around and gasped. "Lance!"

I winked. "You can punish me later."

I heard Tyler gagging and chose to ignore it, going to the fridge and pulling out another pack of beer. "Come on," I said, passing him by to go back outside. "Or would you like to stand there acting jealous some more?"

"Jealous?" he asked, his voice getting an octave higher, as though the mere notion that he might actually be jealous of a real relationship was too much for him to handle. "Me, jealous? No way." Doth protest too much, I mused.

When we got outside, he passed me by and rolled his eyes dramatically, like he needed to make sure he thought what I said was absolutely ridiculous.

Noted, Ty, you aren't jealous.

Even, though, you so are and we all know it.

Tyler sat back down in the chair between Hunter's and mine. Corey was sitting on the other side of Hunter, taking a swig of his beer, his leg crossed over his knee. "What are you two gossiping about?" Corey asked, looking from Tyler to me.

I cut my hand through the air and brushed it off. "Nothing, really. Ty's just jealous because I found a woman of substance."

Tyler scoffed. "Please, this again? You wish you were as cool as me."

"I don't know," Hunter said, "dating an older woman, that's kind of hot."

Corey shook his head, clearly choosing to ignore both their comments. "I, for one, am happy for you, man." Just as I was about to thank him, he had to go and add, "You finally did something right and got the girl."

Everyone broke out into laughter and I tossed the cap from my beer bottle at him, the sudden comedian. "Thanks." It flew over the table, right over the small vase Gemma filled with her sand and my sea glass for the centerpiece. I smiled, admiring it not for the first time, but there was just something so right about them being together where they belonged.

Like us.

"Tell us, what's it like to be whipped?" Tyler asked, and then laughed again.

Hunter raised his beer and said, "Here's to never finding out and never becoming a poor love sap like our boy Lance."

"You never know, H," I jested. "Your dream girl could be on her way to the resort right now. Who knows, she might just work at the resort."

Hunter clicked his tongue. "Yeah, right," he spat back. "I happen to know for a fact that that's not happening. Not on my watch. I don't have time for all of that drama. Too busy trying to save people's lives on the daily."

Tyler coughed and under his breath and muttered, "Ego maniac."

Corey shook his head. "Yeah, you think just because you're a lifeguard you're so great."

Hunter looked around and then nodded, sitting back further in his chair. "Yeah, actually, that's exactly what I think. Beats being a pool attendant like Ty, making sure those towels are fluffy when the guests get them."

Tyler flipped him the bird. "I do more than that and you know it."

"Whatever you say," Hunter joked, laughing. "What do you think, Lance? You want to kiss up to the VIP guests all day?" Then he turned to Tyler. "How do you have enough bar soap to wash your lips from all that butt kissing you do all day?"

Then Corey puckered up, getting in on it. "Yeah, kiss a—" he started until Tyler got up and grabbed him in a chokehold, but Corey was laughing when he finally got out of it.

"All jokes aside," Hunter said, "how is Gemma settling in?"

I held my beer in one hand, the other going to my ankle crossed over my knee. "Like it's where she's always belonged."

Hunter nodded and lifted his beer again. "Well, for what it's worth, we are happy for you, man." I looked around and watched everyone nod in agreement. "It's been you and Mason alone for too long. You deserve to be happy. I'm glad Gemma does that for you."

After we all drank to that, Hunter added, "And I'm happy as a pig in a playpen that's not in the cards for me."

"Someone's afraid to open his heart up to love," Corey inserted, looking off in the distance, whistling, as if he didn't just say that.

I stifled a laugh.

Hunter gave him a dirty look. "It's not that I'm afraid, it's just that it's not going to happen, period."

"Sure, it isn't," I muttered under my breath.

"Hey, watch it," Hunter warned, pointing a finger at me. "Just because Cupid's arrow hit you doesn't mean it's going to hit me next."

"You're right," I lied.

"Thank you," he said. "Now, can we please talk about something else besides love? I feel like I'm having drinks with a bunch of girls."

I hope you enjoyed reading Lance and Gemma's single dad, fated romance!

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