Epilogue Kingman Family Game Night

EVERETT

T he familiar chaos of a Kingman family game night filled Cool Beans. The coffee shop buzzed with laughter, playful trash talk, and the clinking of game pieces. I smiled all the way from inside my heart as I took in the scene—my family, both by blood and by choice, all gathered around a cluster of tables.

Penelope sat beside me, her competitive streak in full force as she systematically destroyed Chris in Monopoly. It was inevitable, she was sitting on the lucky pillow. It still amazed me sometimes how perfectly she fit into our crazy family dynamics.

"Coach Kingman, Coach Kingman," Billy's excited voice piped up from my other side, calling to my dad.

He'd decided to take up coaching again, but this time just for the pee wee league. They weren't even in season yet, but Billy and his friends came over almost every weekend to run drills with my dad. Somebody needed to get that man some grandkids.

I glanced over at Pen. Everything in life was a competition in my family, and my soon-to-be-wife and I were going to be the first to cross that particular finish line.

"I got to visit Bananaconda today. She's getting so big."

My dad grinned down at our honorary little brother. "Is that right? And how's she doing in her new home?"

"She's awesome." Billy beamed. "And Everett is hardly afraid of her anymore."

It had taken a few months of hanging out with the kid, sans the influence of his dead-beat dad in his life, to get him to call me Everett. He looked up at me with what looked like pride in his little boy eyes. "Penelope says you're really brave now."

Pen squeezed my hand under the table and that's all the strength I needed. "Well, I had a great teacher in Lady Bananaconda Hisstledown... and an even better one in Penelope."

As Billy launched into a detailed description of the snake's latest adventures in eating, which honestly still kind freaked me out, my attention was drawn to Flynn across the table. He was lounging in his chair, a cocky grin plastered on his face as he trash-talked Gryff and Isak over their poor showing against him and Jules. But there was something off about his usual bravado. A tightness around his eyes, a slight edge to his laugh that most people wouldn't notice.

But I wasn't most people. I was his next older brother, and more importantly, I was a Kingman who recognized the signs of a man falling in love—even if he didn't realize it himself.

When Penelope called for a snack break between games, I saw my chance.

"Flynn," I said, nodding towards the counter. "Help me grab some refills."

Flynn sauntered over, his trademark smirk in place. "What's up, bro? Need some tips on how to stop losing so spectacularly to your fiancée?"

I chuckled, shaking my head. "I'm pretty sure that's a lost cause. But speaking of lost causes, how's your love life?"

For a split second, Flynn's cocky facade slipped, revealing a flash of... something. But it was gone so quickly, I might have missed it if I hadn't been looking for it.

"You know, catching the ladies like I catch passes. At record breaking numbers."

Gryff joined us, because... twin telepathy."Except for she who shall not be named."

Flynn groaned, but there was no real heat behind it. "She's driving me crazy, man. Always has to argue every point, always has to one-up me. You should have seen her in class on Friday, going on about salary caps like she wrote the damn CBA herself."

I raised an eyebrow, fighting to keep the knowing smile off my face. "Sounds like she keeps you on your toes."

"On my toes?" Flynn scoffed. "More like on my last nerve. I swear, sometimes I think she just says things to get a rise out of me."

"And I bet you give as good as you get, huh?"

A slow grin spread across Flynn's face. "You know it. Can't let her think she's got the upper hand, can I?"

I nodded sagely, biting back a laugh. Oh, little brother. You've got it bad and you don't even know it.

"You know," I said casually, "it's okay if you like her."

Flynn's eyes widened comically. "Like her? Are you kidding me? She's infuriating."

I shrugged. "Maybe. Or maybe you've just met your match."

Before Flynn could sputter out a response, a pair of arms snaked around my waist from behind.

"You boys planning on bringing those drinks back anytime soon?" Penelope's teasing voice sent a shiver down my spine. "Or are you staging a coup against game night?"

I turned in her embrace, unable to keep the goofy smile off my face. "Wouldn't dream of it, babe. You know I live for the chance to watch you bankrupt my brothers in Monopoly."

Penelope laughed, the sound still making my heart skip a beat. "That's what I like to hear. Now come on, I've got hotels to build and dreams to crush."

As she tugged me back towards the table, I caught sight of Flynn's face. There was a mixture of emotions there—amusement, confusion, and something that looked a lot like longing, even if he didn't recognize it yet.

"Hey," I called back to him. "Just remember, it's okay to meet your match. Sometimes, that's the best game of all."

Flynn rolled his eyes, but I didn't miss the way his gaze drifted off, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

As we rejoined the rowdy game night, anticipation danced through me like electricity. Flynn might not know it yet, but his game was just beginning. And if it was anything like mine, he was in for one hell of a match.

But for now, I had a Monopoly empire to defend and a fiancée to shower with hotel properties. And then, someday not too far off in the future, I'd show my kids how to shower their mother with their winnings too. Game on, Kingmans. Game on.