Epilogue

It's the little things

Four years later

My girlfriend is the most beautiful girl I've ever laid eyes on.

Seriously, the first time I saw her, she changed my life. I was twelve, obsessed with Spiderman and video games, and then there she was, and everything changed. I loved how carefree she was, never a worry in the world. She made me laugh, smile, and she turned my world upside down. It didn't take long before I found myself stumbling over my own feet just to be near her.

I fell in love with her long before I even understood what love meant. I was just…hers. Always hers. From the moment I met her, it was always Gabi for me, even if she never saw me the same way.

And sometimes I still pinch myself, unable to believe that the girl of my dreams is here, naked, in my bed.

I playfully poke her cheek, a smile spreading across my face when she groans.

"One more minute," she mumbles, grabbing her pillow and covering her face with it.

One more minute, my ass. Gabi would sleep all day if she could. I pull the pillow away from her face, and press my lips to her cheek. "Baby, you need to wake up."

She groans again, burying deeper into the covers, and then I feel a sharp pain in my leg.

"Ow. What the—" I narrow my eyes at Gabi. "Did you just kick me?"

"You were disturbing my sleep," she mumbles, her eyes still closed.

I chuckle, shaking my head. "You need to wake up."

She lets out a mixture between a groan and a whimper, her face contorting. "Why?"

"They'll be here soon," I remind her.

She groans louder and shakes her head. "Send them away."

I sigh, my hand smoothing up and down her back. She snuggles closer, and it might even be making her sleepier, but I can't resist.

"I don't think they'd appreciate that," I say with a chuckle.

"They'll understand," she murmurs, shifting slightly so I can continue rubbing her back. "I really need to sleep. You kept me awake all night."

I scoff out a laugh. "Me?" Unbelievable. Says the woman who rode my cock for hours to the point where we needed multiple water breaks, before she hopped back on.

She doesn't say anything, realizing she's wrong, and I let out a sigh. "Fine. Just so you know, they'll probably end up eating all the pancakes."

Her head shoots up, eyes widening. "You made pancakes?"

I smirk, knowing exactly how this will go. "Maybe."

"With chocolate chips?"

"Of course. What else?"

"And syrup?"

"Mhmm," I nod, watching as the sleep leaves her body when she sits up. My eyes follow her ass jiggling when she jumps out of bed, and I can't help but rub a hand over my mouth, pinching my skin slightly. So fucking lucky.

"Fine," she says with a sigh, pulling on my t-shirt. My body tingles as I watch it hang loosely on her. Fuck, I love seeing her in my clothes.

"I knew that would get you up," I tease with a smirk as I join her.

Gabi shakes her head. "I'm not even mad," she says, opening our bedroom door. "Because I know I'm about to devour those…" Her brow furrows as she spots the empty kitchen table. "Where are the pancakes?"

I press my lips together. "I sort of haven't made them yet."

"What?" Her eyes widen as she whirls to face me. "But you said—"

"I said maybe," I reply with a smirk. "You just assumed."

She glares at me, arms crossed. "I want a divorce."

I blink, chuckling. "We're not even married."

Yet.

Gabi shrugs. "Might as well be."

I smile. God, I love this girl.

I chuckle, pulling her close and planting a kiss on her lips. "Get dressed, baby. They'll be here soon, and I don't want them seeing you like this," I say, glancing down at her wearing only my oversized t-shirt.

"You'll make pancakes?" she asks, her eyes hopeful as she gazes up at me.

I nod. "I promise."

Her shoulders slump in relief, and she heads back into our bedroom. As she closes the door, I catch a fleeting glimpse of her stripping my t-shirt off her gorgeous body.

I groan, tempted to join her and recreate last night. But I promised her pancakes, and if I don't start making them soon, she'll get grumpy.

Grabbing a bowl and the ingredients, I begin mixing the batter just as the doorbell rings.

"What? Already?" Gabi groans. "I'm not dressed yet."

I chuckle. "Take your time, baby. I'll open the door."

Quickly washing my hands, I head to the door. Before I can even reach it, Nova bursts into the apartment, her little arms wrapping around my legs. She's so tiny, not even reaching my knees, and I laugh as I kneel down to her level.

"Uncle Chris!" Nova says, her words a bit broken and excited. "Daddy said Aunt Gabi play with me."

I glance up at Aiden, catching his smirk as he swings an arm around Leila and lets out a laugh. "What?" he says with a shrug. "Nova loves her."

I shake my head, letting out a laugh. Yeah, Nova goes crazy for Gabi.

"Aunt Gabi is getting dressed," I tell Nova. "But you can go play with Milo while you wait."

"Really?" Nova asks eagerly, looking up at me with those big green eyes and flushed pink cheeks that make her look like a carbon copy of her mother.

"Really," I confirm with a smile, setting her down.

"Milo!" she squeals and runs toward our dog, wrapping her arms around him.

"God, she's getting so big," I say, watching Nova play with Milo, a smile tugging at my lips.

"Don't say that," Leila playfully scolds. "You'll make Aiden cry."

Aiden lets out a groan, his eyes fixed on his daughter as she plays with Milo, filling the room with her giggles. "I just wish she could stay little forever."

Grayson interjects with a grin, "That's wishful thinking. Kids grow up, man."

"I know," Aiden sighs. "I guess I'm looking forward to seeing the person she'll become," he admits with a smile, looking down at his wife. "I hope she turns out like you."

Leila's expression softens. "You don't want her to be like me."

Aiden shakes his head with a smile. "I want her to be exactly like you. Kind, caring, and beautiful—"

"And stubborn," Leila adds. "Don't forget the stubborn part. If she's anything like me, she'll give you attitude."

Aiden chuckles. "I can handle that. I know how to deal with strong women."

Leila's lips curve into a smile as she steals a glance at their daughter, then turns back to Aiden. "I kind of hoped she'd take after you," she admits with a subtle smile.

"Yeah?" Aiden grins, leaning in to press his lips to hers. "Maybe the next one will."

Leila freezes, her eyes widening. "The next one?"

Aiden smiles, brushing his thumb against her cheek. "You're an amazing mom."

"I know."

"And Nova adores you."

"I know that too," Leila replies with an arched brow.

I suppress a smile, quietly observing them.

"Don't you want another baby?" Aiden asks.

Leila lets out a sigh. "A boy this time."

Aiden's brows furrow. "Nova needs a friend."

"She can't be friends with her brother?"

Aiden's eyes light up at the word, a grin spreading across his face. "Is that a yes?"

Grayson clears his throat. "Are you two planning a baby right here?"

"Are you going to conceive it here too?" Madi adds with a laugh.

A groan, one I've grown accustomed to, echoes from the other side of the room, and I turn to see Gabi walking out of our bedroom. Her hair is less messy now, a touch of makeup on her beautiful face, and she's wearing a white lace top, and a short denim skirt that makes me swallow a groan. She's so fucking beautiful.

"Please don't," she says, arching a brow at them.

"Aunt Gabi!" Nova leaves Milo's side and sprints toward Gabi, arms wide before she wraps them around her legs.

"Ew. A child."

"Gabi," Leila chides, narrowing her eyes at her.

Gabi chuckles. "I'm kidding. Calm down." She shakes her head, a faint smile playing on her lips as she gazes down at Nova. "Come here." Gabi bends down and scoops Nova up. "My god, you've grown so much. Last time I saw you, you were this big," she says, pinching her fingers together.

"This big?" Nova mimics Gabi, pinching her fingers too.

"Mhmm," Gabi confirms, gently booping Nova on the nose. "So tiny."

"Nice to finally see you," Madi says. "Late as always."

"I'm not late," Gabi replies with a frown. "You guys are just early. Seriously, did you have to come so early?" She groans dramatically.

Madi narrows her eyes. "It's one in the afternoon."

"Exactly," Gabi retorts, shaking her head. "So early."

Grayson scoffs, shaking his head. "You really haven't changed a bit."

It's been a while since we were all together. Leila and Aiden live in Chicago, Madeline and Lucas in LA, and Rosie and Grayson travel all over the place. But we've always made it a tradition to spend all the big holidays together. Easter, Christmas, birthdays, and even the Fourth of July, which is why we're all here.

"Neither have you," Gabi says with a teasing smile. "Still ugly I see."

Grayson sighs, turning to his girlfriend. "Angel, remind me why we're here," he says.

Rosie lets out a laugh, clutching Grayson's face in her hands. "Because we always spend the holidays together, and this year it's Gabi's turn to host," she tells him. "And we love Gabi."

"We do?" Grayson asks, arching a brow.

"I do," Nova chimes in, smiling up at Gabi. "I love Aunt Gabi."

Gabi's lips widen into a grin as she leans down, pinching Nova's chubby cheeks. "I know. Everyone does." Nova giggles, and Gabi starts walking over to join us. "How old is she now?" Gabi asks, settling onto my lap. I lean back, making space for both Gabi and little Nova.

"She's almost three," Leila replies with a sigh. "I can't believe how fast the time has gone."

"I know." Gabi scoffs, brushing Nova's hair back. "I still remember when you were screaming during her birth. Everyone in the hospital could hear you."

"She was so amazing," Aiden says, shaking his head as he looks at his wife. "I was in awe."

"And I was dying," Leila replies, narrowing her eyes at him. "Maybe we can trade places next time."

Aiden laughs, wrapping his arms around her. "I love hearing you say next time ."

Leila sighs, smiling up at him. We all know she loves Nova deeply, and it was only a matter of time before they had another baby.

I glance at Gabi, seeing her smile and play with Nova. My mind starts to wander, imagining what it would be like to have a child with her. I envision a baby with Gabi's blue eyes and my curly hair, seeing our features intertwined in a little baby.

Fuck.

I need to calm down.

There's something else I need to do first before I can start thinking about that.

"Can I have my baby back?" Aiden asks, raising an eyebrow at Gabi.

Gabi shakes her head, hugging Nova close. "I've grown attached."

Aiden chuckles. "I don't know if that concerns me or not." He turns to me with a teasing grin. "Chris, you ready for a baby yet?"

I shrug, unable to suppress a smile. "Maybe."

Gabi glances at me, her eyes widening slightly. "You are?"

I shrug again. "If you want."

She seems taken aback, blinking and licking her lips nervously. "Really?"

I laugh at her reaction and nod. "Look at her," I say, glancing at Nova with her wavy brown hair and big green eyes. "She's adorable."

"Thanks," Aiden says with a grin as he wraps an arm around Leila, looking down at her affectionately. "It's all her momma," he says, planting a kiss on Leila's cheek. "And a little bit of me."

Leila rolls her eyes playfully. "She's literally your twin."

"Are you kidding?" Aiden scoffs, shaking his head. "Those gorgeous green eyes and those pink chubby cheeks? She's drop-dead gorgeous. That's all you, baby."

Leila parts her lips, her eyes glistening as she looks at her husband, and Aiden leans down to kiss her, his hands cupping her face until she gasps into his mouth.

I chuckle, knowing exactly how he feels. There are times when I can't stand looking at Gabi without wanting to hold her, kiss her, touch her. Anything, just to feel her close against me.

"Alright," Grayson interjects with a sigh. "There's a kid in the room."

Aiden and Leila break apart, still smiling at each other. Aiden laughs, glancing over at Grayson and nodding toward Rosie. "What about you guys?" he asks. "You want kids?"

Rosie glances at Grayson and shifts on the couch beside him. "Maybe one day," she says. "We haven't really talked about it."

"Really?" Aiden raises an eyebrow.

Grayson shrugs. "She's one of the most sought-after fashion designers right now," he says. "You really think we have time to think about a baby with everything else going on?" He shakes his head but then glances at Rosie. "Besides, I'm happy with it being just us for a little while longer."

Rosie smiles up at him, and he leans in, pressing his lips to hers.

"I don't know," Gabi muses, her gaze fixed on Nova. "They seem pretty easy to me."

Leila and Aiden burst into laughter. "Oh god," Leila says, shaking her head. "I can't wait to make you eat your words once you have a baby."

I glance over at Madi, noticing the subtle smile on her face as she watches Nova. Madeline and Lucas have been married for a little over a year now, and seeing how she's looking at Aiden and Leila's baby, it's clear she might be considering having a child of her own.

"What about you guys?" I ask Lucas and Madeline. They turn their attention to me, their eyes widening a bit. "Are you planning on having kids anytime soon?"

Madeline gulps nervously and glances at Lucas. "Um… I don't know. We want them, but—"

"We're trying," Lucas says, wrapping his arm around Madeline's shoulders and pulling her close to him. Madi visibly relaxes, tilting her head to look up at her husband.

"We're not in a rush," Lucas adds, smiling down at Madi.

"Ew." Gabi lifts her hands and covers her ears. "I don't want to hear about you guys raw dogging."

"Gabi," Leila chastises. "Can you please not say that in front of my daughter?"

Gabi glances at Nova who's completely blissfully unaware, playing with Gabi's hair. "She doesn't know what it means," Gabi says as she glances at Nova with a smile.

I watch the woman I love so enamored with the baby on her lap, and I smile, imagining our future.

Can't wait to spend the rest of my life with her.

And I can't wait for tonight.

"Did you bring it?"

Grayson slides beside me, nudging me on the arm, and I quickly glance at Gabi and the girls walking together in front of me. Aiden's holding baby Nova on his shoulders, and Lucas walks behind the girls.

"Yeah," I tell him, reaching for my jacket pocket where I feel the box.

"Are you ready?"

I nod, then blow out a breath. "Nervous."

"I can imagine," he says, breathing out a laugh. "But there's no reason to be. You guys were made for each other."

I love hearing other people say that. I've always known she was the one for me, but hearing other people see the way she's my soulmate makes it that much better.

"She's my best friend," I tell him, keeping my eyes on the back of her head as she laughs with her friends.

"Yeah."

"She's everything to me," I say, feeling my heart ache for her. "I can't wait to make her my wife."

We walk in silence for a few seconds, the only sound is the gravel crunching under our feet, and then he blows out a breath. "I know exactly how you feel."

I turn to look at him, seeing his face twisted as he looks at Rosie ahead of him. "Then why aren't you guys married by now?" I ask him. "You know Rosie is head over heels in love with you."

"I know," he admits with a sigh, running his hand through his hair. "I love that girl more than anything in the world, man. But I don't want to mess up her dreams. She's wanted this—her own designer firm—for so long, and she's finally got it. She works so hard, and I'm so proud of her, and I don't want all of that to be pushed aside because of a wedding or a baby," he says. "I can wait a little longer if that means she'll be all in when the time comes."

My eyebrows lift, knowing he's right. A wedding, and babies on top of a full time career is a lot, especially since they travel a lot. But I have no doubt Rosie would willingly put all her attention toward Grayson and their baby, if they decide to have one.

I feel a hand cup my shoulder, and turn to see James, grinning as he swings his arms around me and Grayson. "So, what are we talking about?"

Grayson arches a brow at him. "Where the hell have you been all day?"

James' eyes spark with mischief. "I thought you didn't want to hear my sex stories anymore."

Grayson groans. "Enough said."

"Are you sure?" James asks. "I could tell you what position—"

"I'm good."

I press my lips in amusement, and James shrugs. "Hey, you asked."

"And I regret it," he replies with a sigh. "Where is Carter, anyway?"

James grins. "You mean my husband?"

"Yeah," Grayson says with a laugh. James hasn't stopped saying the word ‘husband' since he and Carter got married a few months ago. Their wedding was great. Small and intimate, and a hell of a lot of drunk dancing.

"He went to buy me a hot dog," James says, letting out a content sigh. "Best husband in the world."

Grayson furrows his brows, looking back at James. "It's just a hot dog."

James shrugs in response. "It's the fact that he didn't even make me ask. He just knew what I wanted, and did it." His lips curve into a smirk. "It's the little things, Grayson. Keep up." He taps us on our shoulders, and runs back toward the hot dog stand where his husband is.

I glance back at Grayson with a smirk. "It's the little things," I repeat, which he scoffs out a laugh at. "I'm serious, though. If you really want to marry Rosie, then do it," I tell him. "She loves you, man. She's all the way in right now."

Grayson turns his head, locking eyes with the girls, or more specifically one girl, as they're pointing up at the night sky. "Yeah," he says. "Maybe."

I tap his shoulder. "I need to go get something."

His brows dip. "What?"

"I'm getting Gabi some cotton candy," I tell him, gesturing to the cotton candy stand as I shoot him a wink. "It's the little things."

He lets out a laugh, and flips me off as he heads toward the girl, wrapping his arms around Rosie the moment he gets to her. She turns her head and they kiss.

I shake my head. I don't know how that guy can't see how much she loves him.

Reaching into my jacket, I feel the box sitting in there, and my heart starts to race as I grab my wallet, and buy Gabi's favorite. Blue cotton candy.

I head toward her, and press my lips to her cheek, holding out the cotton candy for her to grab. "Hey, pretty girl."

Her eyes widen at the stick in my hand. "I love you."

I let out a laugh. "Are you talking to me, or the food?"

She takes a big bite out of the cotton candy and blinks up at me. "Both?"

I scoff out a laugh, wrapping my arms around her. I can't wait to make her my fiancée.

The sky roars as the fireworks start to go off, and our heads snap to the sky watching as they burst and fill the dark sky with color.

Gabi leans her head against me, and my heart soars. "I can't believe eight years ago, we were pretty much in the same position, but worlds apart," she says, turning her head to face me.

My jaw tightens when I think back to prom night. How so much happened that night.

"Not for me," I tell her, clutching her pretty face in my hand.

"No?" she asks, tilting her head.

I shake my head. "Loved you then," I admit. "Love you now."

Her lips part, and I swallow.

This is it.

"Actually, I lied."

Her brows furrow, and she presses her lips together. "You did?"

I nod, swallowing the rock lodged in my throat. Fuck. This is harder than I thought. "I loved you then. I really fucking did. But I can't say my love for you is the same as it was eight, hell, even ten years ago." I breathe out a sigh, lifting her chin with my thumb. "Every year, my love for you grows, Gabi. It grows so fast I can't even keep up." Her lips part in surprise, and I force myself to continue. "You make my head dizzy," I admit. "You're my best friend, my girlfriend, and my favorite person in the world all at once."

"Chris," she murmurs, her voice hoarse.

The fireworks are still bursting around us, but I keep my eyes on her.

"I love you more than I can even explain. I love you more than there are grains of sand under our toes." My eyes start to burn. "I loved you when you were just my best friend, and I love you right now as my girlfriend." I swallow, locking eyes with her bright, blue ones. "And I want to love you even more as my wife."

Her eyes widen, and her jaw drops. "What?"

I smooth my thumb over her cheek, before I drop down to one knee, and she covers her mouth, tears building in her eyes.

"Yes!"

I furrow my brows. "I haven't even asked you, yet."

"I don't care," she says, shaking her head. "It's yes."

I tilt my head in amusement. "Will you at least let me ask?"

She nods, tears falling down her face, and I reach for my jacket, and pull out the box, opening it to reveal the ring. "Gabriella Miller. Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" she yells, falling onto her knees to kiss me. I hum a laugh as she continues to press her lips against mine. "Yes. Yes. Yes."

I let out a laugh, pulling back. "Do you want to see the ring?" I ask, knowing she didn't even glance before dropping to her knees.

She wipes her eyes, and glances down at the box, taking in the silver ring, engraved with little stars on it. Her eyes widen. "Chris."

I clutch her face in my hands, and press my lips to hers. "The stars say we're meant to be, right?"

She bursts out crying again, and wraps her arms around me.

"Don't cry, baby."

"I can't help it," she says, her voice shaky as she tightens her arms around me. "I'm marrying you," she says, pulling back to look at me. "You're marrying me."

"Yeah," I affirm, smiling like an idiot.

She shakes her head, a smile on her face, and tears running down her cheeks. "I love you, Chris."

"I love you too, pretty girl."

And I can't wait to love her for the rest of my life.

THE END