She smiles big. “I love you too,” she says as she wraps her arms around my neck. “I love you so much.”
“Now, let’s get to your place. I have tons of things I want to do to you tonight.”
She laughs. “Yes, sir.”
Shayne left early this morning, and I feel so guilty for how tired she is. I may have kept her up most of the night screaming my name. Hope her neighbors are heavy sleepers.
I decide to head off to the store so I can make Shayne something amazing for dinner tonight. Just being here with her feels right.
Before I can even head out the door, Shayne enters through it.
“Oh, I was thinking you’d be at work longer.” I actually take a second to look into her tear-filled eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“I quit my job.”
I step closer. “What? Why?”
She drops her bag on the counter. “I’m miserable. I hate it there.”
“But, this is your dream job.” I wrap my arms around her, trying to comfort her. Maybe I kept her awake too long last night. She’s tired and not thinking straight.
“Yes, I thought it was.” She sits down on a stool in the kitchen. “Do you know why I took this job?”
I shrug. “Because it was your dream?”
She smiles. “Yes and no. I wanted to prove something to myself. I wanted to show that I was a real grown up, not the wild child with no responsibilities.”
I listen to her, keeping eye contact.
“And, I’ve realized I don’t need some job to tell me all of that.”
“Are you sure? Maybe you’re just tired.”
She grins. “I’m not tired. This job really isn’t me. I don’t feel bad for leaving it. Really.”
I kiss her, not because I’m happy she’s giving up her dream and we can move back to Las Vegas, but because I’m so damn proud of her. “You don’t need a job to tell you what you’re worth. You can do anything you set your mind to.”
“Thank you. I needed to hear that.”
“Shayne, I love you. And, if you need to be in New York fulfilling a dream, or anywhere else in the world, I’ll be right there by your side.”
She smiles, letting out a deep breath. “I don’t need anything but you.”
And then, I realize what my brothers realized ages ago. I need this woman with me forever. We should be a team, making decisions together. We should commit to one another, to be there to lean on each other. I love her. I bend on one knee. “Shayne, you came into my life in the most unexpected way. And I don’t ever want to lose you. I love you, and cherish you. Will you marry me?”
Shayne swipes a tear sliding down her cheek. “Yes. Oh my god, yes. Damien, I love you too.”
I stand up, folding Shayne into my arms, knowing she’s my future.
Epilogue
Damien
“Are you ready, boys?” I say with a smile on my face.
“Fuck yeah,” my brothers answer.
As if we’ve practiced it our whole lives we slip off our sunglasses in unison, putting them in the inner pockets of our tuxedos. All eyes are on us. It’s what we do. Or, should I say what we did.
We’re the Trifecta, and though we may be retired from the dancing game it doesn’t change the fact that we’re a potent sight to see. And right now, we’re at attention level, holy fuck. We’re creating a scene, and I’m loving every damn minute of it.
We smirk at each other, our arms bend at the elbow, one at a time, buttoning our crisp white cuffs before pulling down our suit sleeves. The emerald cufflinks capture and release the sun in sparkling brilliance. Yeah, it feels like déjà vu, but this time is different.
“It’s time,” the older man in front of us whispers as the strains of violins start.
My heart goes weak when I see Felicity dressed in a puffy-white dress walking down the aisle, throwing petals on the ground. The audience gives a collective ‘ahhh’ at her and I have no problem with my niece taking the attention off of us.
When she reaches the end of the aisle, my mother motions for her to come sit down with her. There is a seat made especially for her between our parents, who are ecstatic to have a new granddaughter, and have been hinting at wanting more. Felicity has different ideas and instead of taking her seat she runs over to Axel.
“Here, Daddy,” she whispers, handing him a petal from her basket. Just when I think she can’t be any sweeter, she hands me and Ben one as well. “I saved some for you, too.”
We all lean down and hug her before sending her off to her seat with crayons and a coloring book stashed under it. Lacey and Sindy are strategically sitting behind Felicity just in case she can’t stay still. It was the only thing to stop them from being upset about not being Emma’s maid of honors.