Epilogue

W hat are you still doing here?” Dudley asked, feigning anger as he walked into my office. “You put in leave for half a day. Go home.”

I looked up from my laptop. “I’ll be out in a minute. I want to finish this report and type up next week’s newsletter.”

It was a little bit ironic that I now compiled newsletters as part of my job after finally clearing out my inbox.

He shook his head. “No, it’s after five. Go home. You’ve been here for a month, and you’ve already accumulated more overtime than the rest of us. This isn’t M&G.”

I clicked the save icon a few times. “I know. That’s why I’m still here.”

He offered me a warm smile and turned on his heel. “See you on Monday.”

I packed up my things from my new desk in my small, but private, office. A pack of basic medical supplies from Claire and Dean sat on the corner. A Bulma figurine from Lincoln stood beside it. Neema and Shaun framed a photo of the seven of us at their wedding, and next to my screen, where I could glance at it all day, was the heart marker stuck against a photo of William.

William.

Even after all these months, the mere thought of him had me smiling. I took out my phone and typed a text to him.

Rose: Be home soon. Love you, x.

He replied with a kissing emoji. He still wasn’t particularly good at texting, but he was getting better.

After rushing home, I opened the door and found William at his PC, clicking furiously. He cursed, completely unaware I’d entered.

I dropped my bag on the floor and walked up behind his wide back, wrapping my arms around his neck and kissing his cheek. “Hey.”

He grunted and triple-clicked the close icon before twisting around and giving me one of his spine-tingling kisses. All the anger he’d exhibited toward the game disappeared from his gorgeous face.

“How was work?” he asked.

“Fun, as usual. How was it for you?”

He nodded. “I worked on Overpower more than anything else. I made some progress, wanna see?”

I sat on his lap, and he spun us around to face his screen. “Okay…” He opened the game that got better every time I left him alone with it.

I had thought it was impossible to have levels of love, yet the feeling I had for William grew every day. I may explode.

When he finished his demonstration, William grinned up at me. “That’s all we’ve got so far, but we’re scheduled for a release about a year from now, almost to the day.”

My bones tickled with excitement. “And Fun&Games are on board.”

He laughed. “Nice pun.”

I shook my head with a giggle and slid off his lap before pulling him to his feet. “We’re going to be late for game night. Let’s go!”

He stood and made his way to the bathroom. “I need to shower and pack.”

“William! I’ve already made us late. We don’t have time.”

He popped his head out of the bathroom. “I know, I’m teasing. Bags are on the couch. I just needed my shampoo. Catch!”

I caught the shampoo, and my senses filled with the scent of rosemary and lavender.

“Hey, my love?” I called.

He lifted the bags and swung them over one shoulder. “Yeah?”

“Do you know your hair smells like rosemary? It’s my signature scent,” I teased.

He shook his head at me and laughed. “No, don’t even start.”

“Is it because you were pining for me?” I asked, following him to his car.

“Complete coincidence. I’m not that creepy.” He tossed our bags into the trunk. “I only kept a plastic heart for years and hoped I’d find the perfect moment to confess my love to the girl of my dreams, but that’s all.”

“Oh, yeah. No big deal.”

I leaned in for a kiss, which he happily received. Was it normal to feel so content?

Climbing into his car together, we drove to the place where it all began.

“It will never not be weird knocking at this door,” William said before pounding his fist against Shaun and Neema’s door.

Neema answered and threw her arms around me. “You made it.”

“Of course. I wouldn’t miss game night.” I sauntered in as if I lived there, even though I never had.

Shaun came around the corner and pulled me into a hug. “Hey, you. How’s work? Do you have a new work best friend yet?”

“No. Still you.”

“Good.” He released me from the hug, and we made our way to the couch. “So, I wanted to tell you, Markham’s gone.”

A sigh of relief escaped me. I thought being away from him would take him off my mind, but he was still there, and as Shaun’s words sunk in, I finally kicked him out.

“And I got promoted,” he announced.

“Way to go!” I cheered.

“I mean, it’s because you’re not there.” He shrugged. “But still.”

“You deserve it. You love it there.”

“So how is work?” Shaun asked.

William threw himself onto the couch. It was almost as if he’d never left this place.

My face broke into a smile. “Work is great.”

“Great is an understatement.” William smiled at me. “She literally talks about it in her sleep.”

“Okay, fine. I love it. And they give me all these free games. I have a surprise for game night.” I rushed over to my overnight bag and dug out a game box, holding it up. “Kaleidoscope!”

Shaun laughed. “Oh my. No, it feels wrong. We shouldn’t be supporting it.”

“That’s what I said.” William scowled.

“Oh, come on! It won, and it’s my turn to pick a game, so deal with it.” I moved over to where William was already sitting.

He draped his arm across my shoulders. “Who else is joining?”

“Claire and Lincoln, and get this,” Neema said to William and then turned toward me. “Dean.”

We all made “ooooh” sounds, having not had Dean over for game night in years.

“It does mean Hannah is coming along, but that’s okay with us, you?” Neema asked, and William and I shrugged.

I leaned closer to William. “Do you want kids?”

“Of course,” he whispered. “But no more than seven—or six if you want to play along. My Xbox only takes eight controllers.”

He laughed, and his warm breath tickled my ear. He pulled me up and out to the balcony where it had all begun. In less than a second, he had me sandwiched against the railing, kissing me until I couldn’t see straight.

“Remember this?” he whispered when he finally let me take a breath.

Wrapping my arms around his neck, I stood on tiptoes to kiss him but giggled instead.

“What?” he asked, amused by my laughter.

“I’m so happy we ended up here.”

“On this balcony?”

“Together.”

He smiled wider and then pressed his lips against my cheek before moving them over my mouth, down my neck, across my chest, and finally to my stomach as he lowered himself toward the floor.

I tugged on him, trying to pull him back up. He didn’t budge. Instead, he remained where he was, kneeling in front of me.

“What are you doing?” I asked.

He laughed that laugh—that damned laugh that made my chest swell with love again, before his expression changed to soft adoration. “What do you think?”

My heart pounded as I admired his dark eyes looking up at me, his perfect nose. I pushed his hair back.

He leaned into it, like a cat, before slipping his hand into his pocket and removing a ring box. “I’ve been carrying this around with me, waiting for the perfect moment.”

My knees went weak, and I slid to the ground, collapsing onto him.

“Let me finish,” he said, stroking my back.

But I was already curling into his chest, my body saying yes to a question that hadn’t been asked.

“I know we haven’t been officially dating for a long time, but I have no doubt that I am meant to spend my life with you.”

I nuzzled even closer. If I looked into those eyes, I might not find my voice to yell the answer I had planned. “William,” I managed.

“Rose, the absolute love of my life, will you marry me?”

I burst into a fit of giggles. “I had it scheduled for three months from now. I was going to start hinting next week.” My eyes welled with tears.

“I know. I wanted to beat you to it. I know how excited it makes you to tick something off early.” He pressed his mouth against mine and nibbled at my lips.

My heart felt like it would take flight.

“So, will you make me the ultimate winner by saying yes and marrying me?”

I nodded, unable to find the right word. Something bigger than yes . Something bigger than forever.

Even if life was a game, with the right person, it was worth playing .