Epilogue

Aubree

One year later

The cheers erupt from every soul in here, including Michelle, who’s got the baby in a carrier. The little one wears the cutest pair of baby earmuffs you’ve ever seen, which is a must for game nights at the bar. Technically she’s too young to be allowed in, but this is a small town and even if she’s not yet one, she can’t miss this make-or-break game to see who’s headed to the playoffs.

Just like old times, we’re all here in our booth at The Peanut Bar. Nick and Michelle and baby. Nate and Anne. Cheryl and me.

The only one missing is Jackson.

Not missing missing. Just late. Late for the game that takes place at the same time every Sunday. My foot taps erratically wondering where the heck he is.

“He’s going to miss the second quarter,” I fret to Cheryl. I’m not exactly worried for him. He’s a grown man and The Peanut Bar is in the same place as always. We even planned to come here separately, me with Cheryl and him with …

Well, nobody. Since we’re together. A smile creeps up to my lips as I check my phone again. Together, together.

We’ve been together since the night with the Chinese food. The awkward Sunday football game never happened, because it was never awkward. We simply showed up and announced we were a thing and ordered everyone a shot to celebrate. I’ll never forget Cheryl’s scream and Anne’s hug of unadulterated joy. About time was said a lot that night.

“The first quarter’s not over yet.” Cheryl pats my arm with a gleam in her eye. “Relax. Want another drink?”

“I’ve barely had any of this one.” The IPA sloshes in my glass as I tilt it.

Because I don’t want to have fun without him. Jackson’s easygoing, but I take my time with him seriously. If I’m going to get buzzed at the bar, I want it to be with him standing next to me and ready to take me home.

Fine. I want everything to happen with him standing next to me. It’s a huge victory to be with him, in my mind. He represents growing into myself as a woman and taking control of my own life. For once, I didn’t shove down my feelings and pretend they were worthless. I acted on them, and now I have the best man I could imagine.

Our team kicks off the ball, and the players rush around the field, arranging and rearranging themselves for the next series. I like when we play defense. Cheryl thinks offense is more exciting, but I like standing up for what you’ve earned. Plus, there’s a chance we catch an interception, which is the most thrilling thing that can happen in football.

The opposing team’s quarterback lines up, catches the snap, and throws the ball.

One of our guys jumps into the air, his hands up high. Almost—almost?—

He misses.

“Oh, man, that was close.”

Nobody else in the bar reacts. I turn to Cheryl to see why not, but she’s not looking at me.

She’s looking at the man who just walked in through the front door of the bar.

Jackson.

He’s not dressed for a football game. No well-worn jeans, no sweatshirt or jersey.

He’s in a trim-cut suit that hugs his shoulders just right. A suit I’ve never seen him in. One that looks expensive as hell.

My mouth waters although my head is wondering if I’ve slipped and fallen. I could be dreaming right now and I wouldn’t want a soul to wake me up. This is more than what he wears to the office. He’s taken more care with his appearance, and everybody notices. How could you not? He’s all dark hair and blue eyes and wearing a jacket that fits him like he was meant to be on the cover of a magazine.

“Hey, Dani,” he calls out although his sharp gaze is pinned on me. “Can you turn the volume down a second?”

I barely glance to the left. The bartender smiles. The volume lowers on the TVs. To my shock, nobody protests. My heart flutters in my chest. What’s happening?

Jackson strides over to me, eating up the distance too quickly for me to process that this is even real. He gives a wave to all our friends at the bar and everybody else who’s come to watch the game. “I want all of you to hear this, okay?”

“What are you doing?” I whisper beneath my breath although he takes my hands in his.

With a nervous smile, he gets down on one knee.

Oh my God.

“Aubree, I’ve had a crush on you since the first day we met.”

My mouth drops open. He did not. I had the crush on him.

Jackson laughs. “I know. I never told you, because I didn’t want to scare you off. But now the whole town can hear, and I don’t care. I want them all to know how much I love you. I want you to know how much I love you. I want to spend every Sunday with you for the rest of our lives. Will you marry me?”

“Yes,” I squeak. I take his face in my hands. “Yes, of course I do.”

“Do you want to see the ring first, maybe?”

Laughter fills the bar, and it’s so warm and welcoming. That’s the sound of my friends being happy for us. Our friends. We didn’t have to give any of them up.

I can barely get out the words as I tell him, “I’d marry you without a ring.”

Jackson shakes his head and pulls a ring box out of his pocket. He opens it with a flourish. From behind him, Cheryl gasps. “That’s way bigger than you said it was!”

“What?” he answers, sheepish and proud and before he can respond, I pull him to his feet and kiss him. Fisting his shirt and desperate to seal the deal. A cheer goes up from all around us. This is what it means to have a good life. This is what it means to be happy. As soon as I’m done kissing Jackson, he slides the ring on my finger and steps out of the way.

“What are you?—”

Cheryl throws herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck. “Do you have any idea how hard that was to keep a secret?” She laughs. “Let me see, let me see.” Cheryl takes my hand and looks down at the diamond sparkling on my finger. “It’s perfect.” Then she tugs her brother back into place at my side. “You’re both perfect together. I’m going to give the best maid of honor speech.”

“Who said you were going to be—” Jackson begins.

“Oh, stop,” I say, cutting him off. Dani turns the game back up on the TVs. “She’s going to be my maid of honor. And you’re going to be my husband.”

He gives me that charming smile that makes everything around us fade to nothing.

“I love you, Aubree.”

“I love you too.”

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They were never meant to be together.

Charlieis a bartender with noncommittal tendencies.

Grace is looking for the opposite.

Commitment.

Marriage.

A baby.