And that I belong to him.
Forever.
Epilogue Part 2
Eli
Four years later
The back yard is full of people.
People I know and love.
People who mean everything to me.
There’s Jackson and Ellie, sitting with Tony and Hayden, and Caleb and Gracie. The three couples are at one of the many round tables that cover the lawn, laughing loudly, making me wish I was sitting with them. Jackson is still putting out hit songs, and Ellie is still touring with him all over the world. They aren’t married. They’re not even engaged, but they’re enjoying their free-spirited life, so good for them.
Tony is living in San Francisco and working for the family business, and he and Hayden got married a few months ago. Just as he predicted, she wears a thin gold band on her ring finger. No flashy diamonds for rich girl Hayden.
And then there’s Caleb, who works in the very town he grew up in. After graduating college, they got married right away and he got his real estate license. He’s now the top agent in the mountain area. Gracie is still teaching. Rumor has it she’s pregnant.
Neither of them will confirm or deny, which is just as well. We’ll figure it out eventually.
Jocelyn is speaking with my wife, eight-year-old Gigi by her mom’s side. Jos keeps resting her hand on her full belly, and Diego stops beside his wife at one point, pressing his lips to her cheek for a quick kiss before he grabs Gigi and sets her on his shoulders, making her laugh.
That laugh makes me smile.
Autumn and Ash are sitting und
er the giant oak tree, a baby in each of their arms. They had twins—a boy and a girl—a few months ago, which quietly freaked me out.
I can’t imagine having twins so I wish them well. That’s like twice the fuckin’ work.
I spot Beck and his girlfriend, and my smile returns. I remember being young and in so much fuckin’ love with Ava, I couldn’t pay attention to anyone else.
I hope those two go the distance.
Diego sets Gigi on the ground and they approach Jake and Hannah, the four of them talking, Gigi keeping up conversation with Hannah before the two of them head over to the table laden with cupcakes, both of them grabbing one.
I keep seeing Gigi with a cupcake. She’s going to eat too many for sure.
Jake wanted to play for the Niners, just like his dad, but the great Jordan Tuttle is still heading up that team, so Jake was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals. I wish I got drafted by the Niners too, but then again, I like where I’m at now. So does my wife.
Jake and Hannah aren’t married yet, but they’re engaged. She’s becoming a prominent artist who shows and sells her work around the world. We have a couple of her paintings that hang in the house and while I don’t normally give a shit about art, I have to admit they’re cool. Like the artist herself.
I like Hannah a lot. Her fiancé? Eh.
Ha, Jake and I are fine. We’re practically brothers, so we have to be. He’s also an enemy—on the football field once again since our teams are in the NFC West. I play for the Seahawks, which means we live in Seattle. Here’s what’s crazy—Diego plays for them too. We’ve gotten a lot closer over the years, Diego and me. Jocelyn and Ava are good friends too. Once we came to Seattle, Ava went back to college, attending the University of Washington, where she got her bachelor’s degree in international business.
Then I knocked her up. She’s a stay-at-home mom now, but eventually, I know she’ll take that bachelor’s degree and that giant brain of hers and use it for something good.
My baby can do anything she sets her mind to.
It was hard on her at first, living in a new city. Thank God she had Jocelyn to spend time with. And while Ava misses her family and friends, we do come see them as much as we can.
Like today.
Drew and Fable Callahan are bustling around, taking care of their many guests. They offered to host this event, which I appreciate. A more central place for all of us to meet, since we’re scattered all over the country.