Epilogue

Brynn

We’re at my apartment in Portland on New Year’s Eve, cleaning up the dishes after the delicious meal that Pierce cooked.

He returned to Portland with me like he said, and we’ve been working on The Mad Batter’s brand marketing all week—when we’re not screwing like bunnies. But we’ve managed to visit both locations, which enabled him to see my small hometown of Climax Cove and meet all the locals. They kept asking him to say specific words over and over so they could hear his accent, and though I’m sure he hated it, he took it all in stride.

“I was thinking about something.” I turn around to face him after I’m done filling the dishwasher.

“Yeah?” he asks, grabbing two champagne glasses and a bottle from the fridge.

“On Monday, I’m going to tell Enzo Mancini that I’m not interested in the job.” I bite my lip. Taking myself out of the race for the position wasn’t an easy decision. It’s guaranteed income, and what I’m about to do is really scary.

“What? Why?” he asks, twisting the cork of the champagne bottle to open it.

“Because I want to go out on my own.”

He lowers the bottle and raises his eyebrows. “Really?”

“I know it’s crazy, and you probably think you’re dating a nut. You won’t have to support me if you’re worried about that.”

He laughs. “I’m not.”

“But I don’t know… I work for a firm now, and there are a lot of rules and policies, and it has to go through this person and that person for approval. Do you know how many ideas they turn down because they’re afraid to try anything too different, then someone else ends up doing it, and it explodes with popularity? Maybe it’s working on the bakery brand, I don’t know. But I want to be the one to make the decisions. I know it will be a slow start, and I’m really scared, but I think it’s the right decision for me.”

He comes over and places his hands on my hips. “Breathe.”

I inhale and exhale a few times. “It’s just you’re taking a huge chance with me and my family, and that got me thinking. Change doesn’t come without fear, and rewards don’t happen if you don’t push the fear aside and just do it. I’d rather regret that it didn’t work out than that I didn’t try.”

“It will work out,” he says before pressing his lips to my forehead. “You can make anything turn to gold, but if it doesn’t, I’ll be here to support you.”

“There’s another thing.” And this is the scariest part, but I told myself to do this before the clock strikes midnight. So here goes nothing.

“Okay?” He steps back to go to the table, but I tug him back to me.

“I want a partner.” I bite my lip again.

“Do you have someone in mind? Someone you worked with at the firm here?”

I shake my head.

“Why do you think you need a partner?” He tilts his head and studies my face.

“I don’t need one, I want one.”

He chuckles. “If you don’t know someone, you’ll have to put an ad out and do some interviews, I guess.” He shifts to walk away, and I tug him back. “Brynn?”

“I know someone.” I swallow the lump in my throat.

“Okay, ask them then. If they say no, find someone else. But I really think you can do this on your own.”

“Will you?”

He blinks, obviously trying to figure out where I’m going with this.

“Be my partner. It’s insane, I know. I’m fully aware that embarking on this with you… you can say no. If you don’t want to or think that would be too much, too soon for us, I get it.”

He laughs and dips his head to my neck. “Have I ever told you I love it when you’re nervous and ramble?”

My cheeks heat. “No.”

“Well, I do. And have I ever told you that I’m pretty sure both of us are crazy, but I also know I’ve never felt this way about anyone. I know in my gut you are the one for me.”

“And if not?” I ask.

“Good thing we’re pretty good at the adulting thing. I think we’ll be okay.”

I cross my fingers just to be safe.

He presses his lips to my neck and trails kisses up to my ear. “I’d love to be your partner, Brynn Russell,” he whispers.

I squeal and wind my arms around his neck. “Really?”

He shifts back to look at me. “Really.”

“Oh… thank you.”

“Thanks for asking.” He kisses me again. “Now let’s open the champagne.”

We decided to celebrate New Year’s Eve in the Eastern time zone with Andrew and Kenzie via video call, so Pierce is about to pop the bottle of champagne when the doorbell rings. I open the door to let my parents in. They walk in and kiss my cheek, saying hello and Happy New Year.

I close the door behind them.

Pierce greets them and pulls down two more glasses.

Another knock lands on the door, and I open it to find Tre and Tessa and Ryah.

Pierce pulls down two more glasses and fills one of Ryah’s sippy cups she left here full of apple juice.

I move away from the door to join all our guests when Pierce’s phone rings. It’s Kenzie, Andrew, and Nolan on a video call.

The doorbell rings again, and I open the door to find Carter… alone.

“What are you doing—” I smile and pull him in for a hug, shocked that he’s not in New York.

“Pierce invited me, and I had miles to turn in.”

Pierce opens up another bottle of champagne and pours everyone a glass. Then he comes over to hand one to me.

I give him a questioning look. “What did you do?”

Everyone else sits in my small living area with their glasses of champagne, waiting for the ball to drop on the television.

“They say to spend New Year’s Eve with the people you want to spend the year with. And I want to spend it with everyone in this room.” Pierce nods toward everyone in the room. “Especially the woman standing to my right.”

I grin at him. “She’s not going anywhere.”

“I hope not. Happy New Year, Brynn. One of many to come.”

“One of many.” I clink my glass to him, but we don’t drink.

We walk toward the back of the couch as my family counts down, then we all yell “Happy New Year!” clink our glasses again, and take a sip.

My gaze shoots to Pierce talking with my brothers, then my mom and dad playing with Ryah. Tessa’s talking to Andrew and Kenzie on the phone.

Family is everything, and I can’t wait for Pierce to join mine officially someday.

Want to find out more about Kenzie and Andrew’s journey to happily ever after? " Kenzie and Andrew are hilarious together. The Christmas Elf and the Grinch." ~ Amazon Reviewer (Sneak Peek below)

CLICK HERE if you love a grumpy British hero

Sneak Peek

Dating in New York City is its own version of Dante’s Nine Circles of Hell, so I decided the new app was worth giving a try. What’s the worst that can happen? I’ll go on more bad dates? Been there, done that, have the therapist bill to prove it.

All I know about IOBJECT is that he’s thirty-four, enjoys watching football, and he’s a lawyer. I’m trying not to hold the lawyer thing against him since my older brother is also a lawyer. We’ve chatted a few times on the app, and even though I don’t think we’ve really connected in a big way, he asked me out and I figured why not give it a try. At the very least, I might score a free meal with some interesting conversation.

I didn’t plan on showing up dressed as an elf though, but hey, it’s a great icebreaker. If he’s the guy for me, he’ll see the humor in the fact that I forgot my change of clothes at home this morning, and because work ran late, I didn’t have time to take the subway all the way downtown to grab presentable attire before our date.

I turn off Fifth Avenue onto Fifty-Second, spotting the restaurant sign. I slow to a fast walk, hoping some of the sweat that’s causing my costume to stick to my skin will dissipate.

A man and woman are leaving the restaurant as I arrive, and he holds the door open for me while the woman openly cranes her neck to watch me. My gaze roams the expensive restaurant and I realize I may have made a mistake in choosing not to be late over going home and changing.

The couple waiting to be seated turns to look at me.

“Have a candy cane.” I dig a few out of my pockets and hand them to them. “Remember, Santa’s always watching.”

Rather than cowering, I raise my chin to project confidence, as if it’s not weird to be dressed as one of Santa’s helpers in a five-star restaurant.

The hostess gives me a tight-lipped smile. “We don’t allow singing telegrams here,” she leans forward and whispers, her platinum-blonde hair slipping from behind her ears.

“Oh no. I’m meeting someone. The reservation is under the name Marshall.”

Marshall was a pet hamster I had growing up and the name I told IOBJECT to put the reservation under.

She doesn’t say a word as she looks from me to the tablet in her hands. “Your party has already arrived. Follow me.”

“Thank you.”

She turns and walks farther into the restaurant, weaving through tables. The bells hanging off me sound obnoxious in the subdued space. Out on the streets of Manhattan, they didn’t seem so loud, but there’s nothing I can do about them now. I’m here, and we’ll make the best of it. If anything, it’s a cute story if things turn out good with IOBJECT.

She leads me to a table for two. It’s hard to mistake the horror in my date’s eyes as I approach the table.

He’s handsome, dressed in an expensive navy suit with a red tie. His square jaw is covered with a short beard that matches his light-brown hair, which has a copper sheen to it. The most interesting thing about his hair is the inch-wide streak of gray at the front on his left side. It’s unique and different.

“Here you are,” the hostess says and gestures.

IOBJECT slides out of his chair to stand. Well, good start. At least he’s a gentleman.

“Hi, I’m RAINBOWRIDER.” I wave a little shyly as his bluish-gray eyes take me in from head to toe.

It’s not in the sexual way one would hope on a first date. More in a questioning way, as if asking, “Are you really wearing an elf costume?”

I’ll just have to win him over with my charming personality.

CLICK HERE to find out how Andrew reacts to Kenzie dressed as an elf.

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