Epilogue

epilogue

3 Years Later

Benji

I glance in the rearview mirror, and Miles is standing in the middle of his driveway, hands on his hips. Reminds me a lot of the night I drove away with his little sister in the front seat of my car on the way to the hotel— after I got his blessing to be with Grace. Except this time, he isn't dressed like a gnome.

"Well, how do you think he took it?" Grace asks as she looks down at the diamond ring on her left hand.

I turn into traffic on Elmwood Boulevard. "I guess better than the day he found us in your bed together."

Grace cringes. "Oh geez… don't remind me." She reaches over and puts her hand on my forearm. "At least he didn't punch you this time."

I laugh. "It's progress, right?"

After Miles gave us his blessing, he still had a problem getting used to the idea of Grace and I together.

Finally, after six months, he didn't give me the evil eye when I kissed his sister in front of him.

Miles and I are still the best of friends. On occasion he makes it clear that if I fuck up things with his sister or break her heart, he'll rip my balls off.

After I graduated two years ago, I headed for the draft and went in the third round. I was drafted by the South Carolina Bruins, and I've been with them for two seasons.

I bought a house in Lumberton, which is near the stadium. Grace and I had a few years of a long-distance relationship while she finished college.

Grace graduated from Tennessee University two days ago and she's set to take the teaching exam next month.

She'll be moving into my house, and we set a wedding date for January 25.

Rachel and I went through our attorneys and amended our custody agreement and Ava —

who just turned five last month— has been able to spend time with me in Lumberton during the off-season.

After a six-hour drive, we finally arrive in Lumberton and pull into the driveway of the house that I've been living in alone, but now Grace will share with me.

Our first home together.

She sets her purse on the couch and looks around. She lets out a deep sigh. "It feels so good to finally be home," she says with a smile.

I wrap my arms around her waist and kiss the top of her head. "I've missed you. I didn't think we'd ever get away from your brother."

"Missed me?" She looks up to me. "I've been with you for the past three days."

I roll my eyes. "In your brother's house."

She giggles. "I'll have to hand it to him though… He did let us share a bedroom."

"Like I was gonna get busy in there. I was afraid he'd break the door down and kill me."

Grace laughs.

I tug on the hem of her shirt. "Take this off." I work my way down her neck with open-mouthed kisses.

She lets out her breath. "Oh my." Grace slips the shirt over her head and tosses it to the floor.

"How about we go upstairs and get busy in our bed?"

"I'd like that," Grace coos.

I lift her into my arms and carry her up the stairs to the bedroom we'll share from now on.

When I walk through the bedroom door and put her on the bed, she glances at the dresser and giggles.

I smirk. "What?"

She points at the gnome who is displayed on the dresser. "Why is he sitting there?"

"For luck. I once knew a girl who told me gnomes bring extreme luck and prosperity."

"Oh, they do," she says with conviction in her tone.

I unbutton and unzip my jeans, and the fabric falls to the floor. Grace licks her lips.

"I need you inside of me," she says as she tugs on my hand.

I turn around and look at the gnome. His blue eyes almost look judgmental and he's holding a shovel in one hand and an ax in the other.

I move to the dresser and pull the Phrygian cap down over the gnome's eyes.

"Much better now," I say as I grin at this beautiful woman.

I climb onto the bed and fulfill all our wishes.

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