Epilogue

Declan

Graduation day in Mount Hope dawned sunny and clear, the early June perfection everyone had counted on. Gardens were sprouting all around town. Grandma kept forcing baby lettuce blends on our house. Meanwhile, Denver and other cooks had started their weekly treks to the farmers' market, where strawberry season was in full swing. Rowan had requested strawberry shortcake for a graduation dessert while Caleb's brother, Scotty, had a cake shaped like a giant donut, complete with pink icing and sprinkles. Like many families, both parties took place in the park by the riverfront.

In fact, there were so many post-graduation parties in the park that they had all started to blend together, younger kids running from picnic table to picnic table sampling various desserts. Denver was operating a griddle for smash burgers at Rowan's request, while others grilled hotdogs and sausages. John bounced between Rowan's table and Scotty's, where the rest of the football team had taken up residence.

Myself, I'd planted my folding double-sized camp chair directly between the two parties. Jonas was helping Wren arrange condiments and side dishes while I'd already finished my task of setting up the chairs and a pop-up canopy.

"Are they letting you go to the Project Graduation party tonight, or are no juniors allowed?" I asked John as he wandered by with a hotdog in his hand.

"Seniors only." His expression was grim, and I couldn't tell whether his misery was because of not being included or because his best friend and a lot of the team were graduating. Maybe both. "Work tomorrow?"

"Hell no." I scoffed at the very idea of making my teenage landscape crew work the day after graduation. "The other guys might not be drinking or wild partying, but I doubt any of the graduates are getting sleep tonight."

"I'll get plenty of sleep." John sounded stubbornly resigned. "I can be there early."

"You wanting extra money or a distraction?" I'd appreciated the help of the landscape company John and several of his friends worked for, but John was by far the hardest worker on the crew.

"Both. Tired of borrowing Dad's car." John gestured vaguely back at the food table where Eric was talking to some other parents of graduates. "I need to keep busy, not think about everyone leaving…"

"Hey, you've got the summer still." I pitched my tone more sympathetic, but like everyone, I was worried about what would happen to John when Scotty and the others left for college. "Don't rush things."

"I know. We're all going camping in two weeks." He paused to take a bite of his hot dog, wincing at the temperature. "We'll make the most of summer, but it will go by quickly."

"Can't argue with that." For myself, I would welcome fall as that would mean that much closer to our move-in date. "Well, Jonas and I are old and need our rest, but I can meet you in the kitchen to head out to the farm about nine?"

We were calling the new place the farm until something more catchy stuck, but honestly, I couldn't care less what the place was named as long as it was ours. Mine and Jonas's. The teen landscapers were helping with the track rebuild and yard work, and we had hired professional contractors for much of the interior remodeling, but it was still ours, our sweat, our hopes, our dreams, our dirt.

"Is Jonas working at the hospital tomorrow?" John asked, apparently in no huge hurry to get back to his football player friends.

"Nope. Day off." I smiled because Jonas had been taking a lot more of those, especially as he weighed the options between staying at the hospital and reducing his hours or switching to the family practice in town that kept trying to recruit him. "He'll likely come with us with more paint samples and to check out the kitchen progress." My vote for an all-black-and-gray color scheme had been summarily dismissed by Jonas and Rowan. Consequently, I'd given them free rein to create the white farmhouse kitchen of Jonas's dreams. The other rooms in the house were covered in dozens of paint samples as the two debated microscopic differences while I nodded and pretended to see what they did. "The kitchen got gutted this week, and the workers blocked out where all the new cabinets will go."

"Cool." John looked about as concerned with the kitchen as I was. "I wanna drive the Bobcat again."

"Nothing like a mini bulldozer to work your frustrations out." I chuckled because I also loved the track work far more than I'd expected. Being outdoors was always the best. Add in heavy machinery, and I was a happy guy. "You'd be awesome on a track crew someday."

"Thanks." John shrugged off the praise. "Rowan's the motocross fan, but it's fun helping you make the track."

"No, thank you for the help." I wouldn't let him dodge the credit. "And anytime you want to hop on a bike, you say the word."

"I will." He made the promise before wandering back toward his friends. I didn't expect him to take up dirt biking, but he seemed to have fun watching me give advice to his friends. Already, one of the old barns held several bikes, including some of mine. Riding around the place, even with a lot of work left to go, was fun and relaxing in a way racing had never been.

"Did I hear my name?" Rowan popped up a few moments later, looking stunning in aqua eyeliner and a glittery GRADUATE T-shirt.

"Nothing but praise for your paint help and your motocross fandom."

"I'd make a good cheerleader." Rowan preened.

"And a decent designer." I sounded not unlike Eric, who kept stressing alternate streams of revenue beyond acting for Rowan. "Dad said you've been helping him and Denver pick colors for their house too."

"Their new place is hopeless. Utterly dated." Rowan faked a swoon. My dad, Denver, and their cats had bought the house near my grandparents. My dad had loved fixing up the carriage house, and before that, our craftsman in Seattle, so he was in DIY heaven with his own massive remodel. "It'll take them all summer to bring the house into the twenty-first century. I expect many video consults."

His tone was smug, but there was a flash of fear in his eyes as he glanced around the party. Tony and Caleb sat near Scotty. My dad was helping Denver on the griddle. Clumps of other family and friends were talking. Everyone seemed happy and content, but I could practically see the "Will they notice I'm gone?" sign blinking in Rowan's brain. I'd had that same feeling before myself.

"We're all going to miss you," I assured him as I pulled out a card from where I'd stashed it beside me. "And here's your present from Jonas and me."

"Ooh. I want to open it." Twirling, he summoned Jonas over before ripping open the envelope. Jonas had found the perfect card in the hospital gift shop with a spotlight shining on a cartoon star. Inside the card was a plastic square.

"An airline gift card?" Rowan sounded both pleased and slightly confused.

"So you can always come home or getaway, whichever you need more," I explained as Jonas arrived next to Rowan.

"Thank you." Eyes suspiciously damp, Rowan did a pretend hula dance while humming some tropical song.

"Okay, okay, you're gonna be on a beach somewhere and not miss all of us one bit." I shook my head at his antics.

"I'll miss you." Stopping his dance number, Rowan hugged me, then Jonas, before dashing off to show Eric the present.

"Hey." I grinned up at Jonas and scooted over in the double chair. "Come sit with me?"

"I'm not sure we both fit." Jonas frowned before giving in and squeezing next to me.

"We fit." I made a happy noise and settled myself more comfortably against him. I had surprised even myself with my love of PDA, but few things made me as happy as being able to hold Jonas's hand or cuddle up against him. After decades of searching, I belonged right here with him. I glanced around the party, gaze landing on Eric straightening plates and napkins. "How's Eric holding up?"

"Surprisingly? He seems in a really good mood today." Shaking his head, Jonas followed my gaze. "He's proud of Rowan."

"And his hunt for new renters?"

"Stop feeling guilty," Jonas chided as if he hadn't done his share of late-night guilt tripping right along with me. "It's not your fault you and your dad decided to buy places the same month. And we're all taking the summer to move out slowly. He'll be okay."

"And you?" I prodded. I knew perfectly well how happy he was, but I needed to hear it from time to time, especially when I felt bad about taking him away from the house and his friends, although I expected we'd visit a ton.

"I'm more than okay." Jonas draped an arm around my shoulders, squeezing me close. "Like Eric said about the bedroom painting, it's time. For all of us. A new chapter."

"It is." I let my head fall against him, inhaling the scents of grass, grilled meats, and my Jonas. "John wants to come work on the property tomorrow even though the rest of the crew is taking the day off."

"I'm glad we can keep him busy." Jonas exhaled, gaze swiveling to the other party where the football team was horsing around, building a pyramid out of plastic cups. "He's going to take Scotty leaving super hard."

"He is." I made puppy-dog eyes at Jonas. "It's hard to be away from your best friend."

"Is your sad tone for John or your upcoming business trip?"

"I'm going to miss you." I wasn't sure I was doing the right thing in taking a short-term commentator gig for some of the summer races, but Jonas had been nothing other than super supportive.

"I'm going to miss you as well, but I also know you're going to do great."

"And the money isn't bad. That will help the house project." I aimed to match his pragmatic tone. Finances had absolutely played a role, but so had Mark O'Shay welcoming me warmly when I came out to him. He and his family had sent Jonas and me a pretty wall hanging as a housewarming gift, and while I doubted every coming out would go as smoothly, so far, people continued to surprise me. Brian. Joey. Mark. Gradually, more people in racing knew, and the world continued to turn.

"It will do you good to be around your racing family." Jonas patted my knee.

"Huh." I considered his statement. I appreciated Mark's support and the support of Brian, Joey, and my former team, but I couldn't say as I thought of any of them as family. "Work-family, maybe. But this, this right here, this is my family." I gestured around the party. "Starting with you. I searched and searched for a place where I could fit in, and it turns out it's right here with you."

"We do fit." He shifted so our hips bumped. "And I love you so much, baby."

"Please don't kiss." Wren popped up right as Jonas leaned in. "This party has way too much kissing already." Wren made a dismissive gesture. "And Jonas needs to go check on Maren. She's ill."

"What's wrong?" Instantly entering nurse mode, Jonas leaped up and followed Wren toward the pop-up canopy with me close behind.

"Maren's been to the bathroom like ten times. She's pale, shaky, and refuses to allow me to check her vital signs."

I also wouldn't let Wren check my vital signs, but I made a suitably concerned noise as we arrived at the pop-up canopy where Maren was slumped in a lawn chair, dabbing at her face with a wet napkin. Her always pale skin had a whitish-green tinge to it.

"Maren, honey, you okay?" Jonas crouched next to her. "Wren thinks you might be sick."

"Oh my God, can't a girl throw up in the bushes around here?" Maren made a dramatic noise as every head in hearing radius swiveled toward us. Eric hurried over, followed by his friend Tate. At least we had no shortage of first responders here.

"So, you are sick!" Wren gave a triumphant cackle.

"No, I'm pregnant." Maren slumped lower in the chair as a chorus of gasps sounded.

Eric turned decidedly green himself, and no wonder. He was about to be a grandpa before he was forty-five, and I couldn't wait to be in Mount Hope to see it.

Dear readers,

If ON THE EDGE left you ready for Eric's story, you'll be delighted that Eric is up next in OVER AND ABOVE . I can't wait to share it with you all. Preorders are so very much appreciated!

However, before OVER AND ABOVE releases, my annual holiday novel is coming! DECK THE PALMS is ready for preorder to bring a little tropical paradise to your festivities this season.

Love,

Annabeth