Epilogue

Ollie

Six Months Later

“Babe, if you don’t hurry up, we’re going to be late for your divorce party,” Liam called from the front of our house. He’d lasted a month before caving to my incessant begging for him to move in with me, as it should be.

Little did he know we were definitely going to be late.

I slipped my hand into my pocket, my fingers brushing against the box I’d snuck there from the top drawer of my dresser. The past six months had been the best damn ones of my life. The heights I rose to in my relationship with Liam just proved that he was the one I should’ve been with all along, and I didn’t want to waste a second more. Together, we were stronger than ever.

Business was going great, with Dad handing more and more of the reins to Cor and me, and Liam had finalized his business plan for his physical therapy practice, got the loan, and quit his soul-sucking job. He planned on opening the Motion Clinic next year, and I was so fucking thrilled for him. Between my demanding family and his demanding friend group, it felt like we were always busy, but I was dating Liam, which meant he always made sure we had time by ourselves too.

Whether we were going on ridiculous birding dates, kicking back to game together, or fucking each other’s brains out, we meshed in every way possible. He was my soulmate—there was no doubt about it in my mind.

And today, I wanted him to know that for sure.

I stepped into the entryway where Liam waited, my palms beginning to sweat a little.

His blond hair was swept to the side, and the slight bit of scruff on his chin added to the strong line of his jaw. Those blue eyes of his were devastatingly gorgeous, and between his strong nose and sensuous lips, the lower one always a little more plump than the top, he was the most stunning person I’d ever seen. He wore a green button-down far too well with black jeans that highlighted his perfect peach of an ass, and I wanted to flip him over and take a bite. He’d grabbed his jacket, since the February weather was brisk and unfriendly, even though we’d only be out in the cold for a few minutes.

“Before we go.” I approached him slowly. “There’s something I wanted to ask you.”

Liam furrowed his brow, and I could already see his beautiful mind in motion, troubleshooting problems that hadn’t arrived yet.

I stopped in front of him and reached into my pocket. When I started to lower onto one knee, Liam’s expression shifted, his eyes widening.

Nerves rushed through me in a fierce sweep, but there was no backing down now. Maybe he’d think this was too early, but in my mind, this was long overdue. I pulled out the ring I’d bought a month ago and looked into the eyes of the man I loved.

“Liam Kelly,” I said, my voice trembling. Fuck, I hadn’t been nearly this nervous when I’d asked Josie. Then again she hadn’t been the right one for me. “You’ve been by my side for most of my life. My partner in crime for all the stupid shit I’ve gotten into, the first person I’ve always gone to when I was upset, and the one who knows how to cheer me up without even trying. The competent way you navigate any hurdles, how you’re prickly for everyone else but soft for me—I’m so in love with you. Each day is better because you’re mine, but that’s not enough. I want the rest of our lives together. Marry me?”

Liam stared back at me, his blue eyes glazed over.

I swallowed hard, suddenly unsure as to what he’d say. Before I could ask, Liam dropped to his knees in front of me and brought his mouth to mine. I cupped the side of his face as I kissed him back with the same ferocity roaring through my veins. He tasted like mint and felt like fire, and each sweet, intoxicating kiss from him was like our first.

I sank into the heady swirl that arrived with his mouth on mine, how he managed to electrify the air around us. We kissed hard, all tongues and teeth, until we slowed to long, lingering kisses that sent waves of pleasure through me. When he finally pulled back, his shoulders were heaving and his expression was soft and open, the sort he reserved for me alone.

“I’d love nothing more,” he whispered. “You’ve always been the only man for me.”

I tugged the ring from the box and slipped it onto his finger. “Well, it’s about time the rest of the world knows it.”

Liam arched his eyebrow, a sexy little move I loved. “I’m pretty sure they’re all aware. You don’t exactly make your intentions quiet.”

“Yeah, but I bet they won’t realize this divorce party is going to be an engagement party.” I stared at my ring on Liam’s finger. My heart swelled so large it felt separate from my body—mostly because it was. It had always been his, even when I hadn’t been aware.

“We’ll see,” Liam said, a broad grin stretching his lips. “Come on now. Let’s get to your party.” He tugged me up, and after a short scramble for my keys, wallet, and coat, I led the way out the door to my car. The entire way there, Liam was beaming, and hell, I wanted to beat my chest in pride at putting that expression on my face.

“Ready to be a Brannon?” I asked as we settled into my Jeep for the couple minute drive over to my folks.

Liam rolled his eyes, and I started the ignition and set off down the road.

“Why couldn’t you become a Kelly?” he challenged.

“Because your family doesn’t care if I do whereas my family would murder me for changing the family name,” I argued as we veered onto the familiar street to my parents’ house. “Besides, we already adopted your family awhile ago.”

“You all are a special breed,” Liam said, the amused tone warming me up from the inside out.

“That you’re knowingly marrying into,” I pointed out. “So that must make you just as crazy as the rest of us.” I pulled to a park in front of my parents’ place, which was littered with cars. We might be one of the last to arrive to my divorce party, but the reason was definitely worth it.

“Maybe I am,” Liam said, and the soft way he stared at me from the passenger’s seat made me melt all over again. I wanted to scoop him into my arms and carry him inside, but I’d settle for kissing the fuck out of him and holding his hand. I leaned in and stole a fierce kiss that left us both breathless, and then we exited the car.

Our fingers wove together because as I’d always suspected, my sometimes surly best friend was as much of a touch slut as me. Besides my siblings, we’d invited Liam’s family and the friends I’d always considered Liam’s but who I’d become close as hell with in the last six months. Which meant the house would be packed tight with people—but they were the exact ones we wanted to share the good news with.

When we reached the door, I flashed him a grin. “Ready for the chaos?”

He offered me a lopsided smile that made my heart thump a little harder. “With you? Always.”

Liam tugged the door open.

The wall of noise slammed into me at once. We stepped in through the entrance.

“Look who finally arrived at his own party,” Rory called out . He was sitting on the couch with Kelsey, Ruby, and Marco. My brother had a backward baseball cap on, covering his thick, dark hair, and he was holding Ruby’s forearm like he examined her tattoo.

“Wait, Ollie’s here? Does that mean we can have cake now?” Rhys said, mid-stumble while he chased Sammy across the living room floor. Rhys’s hair was a mess, and his clothes were rumpled like he’d taken several tumbles.

“For you or the kiddo?” Cole asked, an amused smirk on his lips.

“Me, obviously,” Rhys said. Sammy let out a loud squeal, evading his dad again.

“Oh, we were supposed to save that cake?” Aislin said, poking her head in from the kitchen.

“Stop eating all the fucking desserts,” Rory yelled back.

“Sweet thing like this? Makes perfect sense,” Maeve said in her flirty tone as she rested a hand on Aislin’s shoulder. I heaved a sigh. That would be a headache in the making if Maeve was on the prowl.

“Don’t let her deceive you.” Declan strode past Maeve and Aislin. “There’s nothing sweet about my sister.”

“Rude,” Aislin shot back as she leaned in a little closer to Maeve’s inviting arms.

“Yeah, we better put a kibosh on that,” Liam muttered into my ear.

“I’ve got an easy way.” I lifted our intertwined hands. “Hey, everyone. I’ve got an announcement.”

“Putting us at the center of attention wasn’t what I had in mind,” Liam whisper-hissed as everyone stared at us.

Cor popped in from the other room, with Mom and Dad hot on his heels. “Oh look, Ollie’s engaged again.”

I opened my mouth and shut it again. All eyes were glued on us, and more than a few folks had zeroed in on the platinum band gleaming around Liam’s finger.

“Holy shit, seriously?” Maeve stepped away from my sister and bolted toward us, her red hair flying.

“What happened?” Theo came from the kitchen too, followed by Lex—which meant there were far, far too many people in my parents’ living room, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Mom and Dad stepped up to us first and wrapped us in big hugs before I could blink.

“I’m so happy for you,” Mom whispered in my ear. “It’s clear he was always the one for you.”

“You two are a perfect match,” Dad said, squeezing Liam’s shoulder again.

“What’s going on?” Liam’s mom and dad came around the corner where my folks had been. Liam was the spitting image of his mother from the light blond hair and expressive blue eyes to the same slender jaw. His father had softer blue eyes and dark brown hair, as well as a stockier frame than his son. Liam’s parents were quieter types, which made it clear where Liam had gotten his chill from, but both were always kind and humored my family’s insanity.

“Ollie and Liam are getting married,” Cor said. “Because my brother has a hard-on for commitment.”

“Ignore him,” Mom said. “We’re thrilled.”

Before I could prepare myself, we were swept into a rush of hugs and congratulations from our friends and family, but I made sure I was glued to Liam’s side the whole time. Shouts, cheers, and laughter rang through the room, and I got jostled and slapped on the back as much as I got hugged. My heart thumped so hard it might burst out of my chest, but the sight of Liam as my fiancé amid all our loved ones? Yeah, I couldn’t picture anything better. Flat-out pandemonium lasted for at least fifteen minutes straight before the crowd began to disperse. We’d barely made it steps from the entrance in all that time, so I stepped up next to Liam and wrapped my arms around his shoulders again to drag him against me.

“That was an experience,” he said, a rueful grin on his face. “You understand that after this, I’ll be peopled out for weeks, right?”

“Good. We can just fuck nonstop the whole time.”

A delicious little shiver traveled through Liam, one I wanted to bottle up and save.

“You realize you’re still close enough that I can hear,” Declan said, giving me an unamused look. “Are we having cake or not?”

“I’ve got cake every day.” Lex waggled his brows. Theo let out a beleaguered sigh.

“You’re not wrong,” Marco said, passing a glance in Theo’s direction, and Ruby snickered.

“Mama, want cake.” Sammy leapt onto Kelsey’s lap while Rhys collapsed onto the floor, clearly exhausted.

“All right, all right,” I said, gesturing everyone to the kitchen. “Let’s get this cake thing started before we have a riot on our hands.”

“With this family, I wouldn’t be surprised.” Mom drifted past us with Dad in tow as the majority of the party migrated into the kitchen. Cole dipped down next to Rhys on the couch while Ruby and Marco helped Kelsey scramble after Sammy, who was en route to the kitchen on a mission for sugar. Lex was whispering something in Theo’s ear that made him blush like crazy over by the loveseat, and Maeve and my sister had vanished, which I still didn’t trust.

The chaos of our large group of friends and family combined made my heart glow—all the bickering, the love, the wild ups and downs. However, that paled in comparison to the way I felt about the man by my side.

The one who’d promised to be with me for the rest of our lives.

I leaned in and pressed a kiss to Liam’s temple. “Thank you,” I said, the depth of those words settling deep inside my soul.

“For what?” Liam asked.

“Waiting for me. Loving me.” I gave a helpless little shrug. “I don’t know how else to explain it, but you’re my person. You always have been.”

He sank against me, and I drew in the spicy scent of his cologne that always made my pulse quicken. His eyes were unwavering as he responded. “And you’ve always been mine.”

Together we stood for a moment, basking in all the changes that had occurred in such a short time since I got divorced. We’d spent years in stasis, neither of us willing to shift out of our situations, yet the past six months had been a total metamorphosis. I’d found my path with stronger footing than ever, with the right person by my side, and Liam walked confidently beside me every step of the way.

The truth had finally reached me after so many years running from it. Change was terrifying, breathless, and inevitable.

However, it was also the only way to grow.

He was a fresh sunrise on my horizon every day, and I wanted to spend the rest of my life changing with Liam as we explored whatever the future had in store for us.

I had no doubt our adventure would be unforgettable.