Epilogue: Genevieve
EPILOGUE
GENEVIEVE
I’ve got my head in the twins’ linen closet looking for an outdoor tablecloth when I’m jolted by a pair of arms coming around me from behind. Evan’s lips brush my neck. His hands travel up my ribs, under my shirt, to sneak their way past my bra and cup my breasts. I feel his erection pressing against my ass.
“I want you,” he breathes.
“So you keep saying.” This is the fourth time this afternoon he’s cornered me somewhere around the house to make his intentions clear. “Dinner will be ready soon.”
One hand slides down my stomach and into my shorts. “I want to eat now.”
A hot shiver rolls through me. He isn’t playing fair. Since we made the engagement official, we can’t keep our hands off each other. Evan’s new favorite game—which I’ve been less than sincere about deterring—is seeing how close he can get to outright seducing me in public before I call a time-out.
So far, pretty damn close.
“Have I mentioned I love you?” he whispers, his fingers slipping between my thighs. “Especially this part.”
“Especially?” I yank his hand free and turn to face
him, eyebrow raised.
“Equally. I meant equally. As I love all the …” His eyes drag over my body. “Parts of you.”
“Just for that”—I reach under my shirt and unclasp my strapless bra, letting it drop to the floor—“I’m not wearing a bra to dinner.”
“Whoops.” Mac appears around the corner of the hallway. She pauses, then spins on her heel. “Carry on. Not even here.”
With a devilish grin, Evan bends down and picks up my bra. He shoves it in his back pocket. “I’m keeping this.”
Among the stranger things he’s done, this is up there. “Why?”
“You’ll find out.”
Far too happy with himself, he saunters off.
Once I’ve found the tablecloth, I head back to the kitchen where Mac is placing trays of food on a larger serving tray to carry outside. I toss the cloth at Evan and order him to go set the table on the deck.
“So what’s the score?” Mac asks me.
“Honestly, I’ve lost count.” I spoon the potato salad into a big bowl then pull the roasted carrots out of the oven.
We’re having an al fresco buffet-style dinner tonight. Several of our friends, along with Riley and his aunt, are already outside milling about. Steph keeps joking that it’s our engagement dinner, but it’s really not. More of a spur-of-the-moment suggestion on the part of Evan, whose impulsive tendencies haven’t completely abated.
He bumps into me while pulling utensils out of a drawer. “I’m winning.”
“I’m gonna say this again—” Cooper announces, coming to stand in the middle of the kitchen.
“Coop, stop.” Mac rolls her eyes as she picks up a tray laden with various salads.
“No, I’d like to reiterate. If I find out anyone but me is having sex on my bed, I’m setting theirs on fire in
the backyard.”
“Dude.” Evan laughs at him. “Seriously, what makes you think I’d want to blow a load in your room? I’ve heard what you get up to in there.”
For that, he gets a swift smack to the arm from Mac.
“Just so you know,” Cooper shoots back as Evan is picking a cucumber spear off the cutting board to pop in his mouth. “I’ve had sex with her on that counter. So enjoy.”
“Jesus.” Evan shudders. “I know you confuse me with a mirror, but we don’t actually share a dick, man. Keep it to yourself.”
Lately, most of the ribbing has come at our expense. Just a little good-natured teasing about our newly engaged bliss. That we’re too young to get married and, before we know it, we’ll both be bored with each other and drowning in baby diapers. Still, it doesn’t faze us. Like Evan told Cooper when we announced it, we know we’re forever. We’ve always known.
As Mac and Evan drift onto the back deck, I set my oven mitts on the counter and give Cooper a sidelong glance. He cocks a brow when he notices. “What?” he says defensively.
My answering smile is saccharine. “Still haven’t gotten my apology for the day.”
“Fuck’s sake. Are you seriously going to hold me to that?”
“Sure am.”
A few days ago, Cooper and I took a walk on the beach and had a long overdue chat. And it didn’t even take any urging from Evan or Mackenzie. My future brother-in-law and I were mature enough to know we needed to squash the beef. So I apologized for being a bad influence on Evan in the past, while Cooper apologized for confronting me outside my place of business and telling me what a horrible person I was. He then offered me the privilege of his friendship again, to which I’d laughed and informed him if he wanted the privilege of
my
friendship,
he would need to apologize to me every day until the wedding. Whenever that’ll be. We’re on Day Four now, and I’m having a blast.
“Fine.” Cooper lets out an annoyed breath. “I’m sorry for telling you to fuck off and saying we weren’t friends.”
“Thanks, Coop.” I walk over to ruffle his hair. “Appreciate it.”
Mac returns to witness the exchange, laughing under her breath. “Cut him some slack, Gen. He promised to be nice from now on.”
I think it over. “Fine. I release you from your apology obligations,” I tell Cooper.
He rolls his eyes and heads outside to assist his brother.
“Need some help?” Alana appears at the open sliding door, uncharacteristically eager to help out. She practically grabs the potato salad bowl from my hand.
I stare at her. “Why are you being weird?”
Beside me, Mac peers past Alana’s shoulder toward the deck. “She’s avoiding Wyatt,” Mac supplies. “He’s glaring daggers at us right now.”
I don’t know whether to laugh or sigh. Whereas my love life finally straightened itself out, Alana’s seems to be growing ever more complicated. “What did you do to him this time?” I ask her.
She scowls at me. “Nothing.”
Mac lifts a brow.
“Fine.” Alana huffs. “I’m getting my left wrist inked for my birthday next week. So I had a tattoo designed.”
I’m confused. “And?”
“By someone other than Wyatt.”
I gasp. “No!”
Even Mac, who’s only lived in the Bay for a year or so, grasps the implications of that. Wyatt is the best artist in town. Going to anybody else for a tat
is sacrilege.
“I’m allowed to use someone else,” Alana argues. “Preferably someone who doesn’t think they’re in love with me.”
“Guess you can’t go to Tate either, then,” Mac cracks, and she and I giggle.
Alana’s mouth twists in another scowl. She swiftly sets down the potato salad. “You know what? I’m not helping anymore. I hate you both.”
She stomps off, leaving us laughing in her wake. Through the sliding door, I see her march past Wyatt to join Steph and Heidi on the other side of the deck, where she tries to camouflage into the railing.
“Oh, the tangled webs we weave,” Mac remarks, still chuckling.
We step outside and start arranging the serving dishes on the table. Another folding table has an array of drinks, and a few coolers of beer sit on the floor nearby. Cooper goes to check the meat he’s grilling on the barbecue, while Evan wanders out with a stack of napkins and places them next to the pile of utensils.
“Where’s Riley?” he asks, glancing around.
I nod toward the yard below, where Riley and Tate are on the sand engaged in an animated conversation about sailing. Riley’s aunt Liz stands a few feet away, checking her phone.
“He told me he has a crush on a girl in his biology class,” I whisper to Evan, nodding at his surrogate baby brother.
“Oh, Becky? Yeah, I know all about her.”
“Becky? No, he said her name was Addison.” My jaw drops. “Oh my God. He’s turning into a little player.”
Evan grins proudly. “Good. Let him play the field a bit. He’s too young to settle down.”
I sigh, about to offer a comeback, when a flash of movement catches my peripheral vision. I turn toward it and suck in a breath.
“What the hell,” I hiss at Evan.
He’s still all smiles. “Harrison!” he
calls to the khaki-and-polo-clad deputy who approaches the deck from the side of the Hartley house. “Glad you could make it!”
He invited
Harrison
? And he’s actually calling him by his proper name instead of some passive-aggressive taunt?
“Evan,” I growl softly. “What have you done?”
“Chill, baby,” he whispers back. “Just think of me as the love fairy. Spreading all the love around.”
What in the actual fuck. I’ve barely registered the absurdity of the remark before Evan is gone, sauntering down the steps toward the new arrival. I find my footing and hurry after him, prepared to do damage control. Just how much of it will be required? Undetermined.
I reach them in time to witness Evan clap Harrison on the shoulder and say, “Been wanting to introduce you two for ages.”
You two?
I blink in surprise as my crazy fiancé ushers Harrison over to Riley’s aunt and starts making introductions. Harrison and Aunt Liz? That’s just … genius, I realize. As my initial surprise wanes, it occurs to me that this might be the greatest matchmaking scheme in history. I’m almost disappointed I didn’t think of it first.
“Liz is, like, the best nurse ever,” Evan is raving. “At least that’s what I hear in all my nursing circles.”
I choke down a laugh and add to the pitch. “Harrison once carried a gator down from a roof with his bare hands,” I inform Liz.
Evan’s brows raise. “Seriously? Dude. I need to hear this story—”
“Another time,” I chirp, latching a hand onto his arm. “We need to finish bringing the food out first. ’Scuse us.”
With that, we leave a slightly dazed Harrison and an amused-looking Liz to their
own devices.
“Damn, Mr. Love Fairy,” I murmur as we return to the kitchen. “That was some good thinking. They’re the perfect match.”
Evan nods vigorously. “Right?”
I’m grabbing the last of the condiments from the fridge when the doorbell rings.
“I’ll get it,” he says before darting off.
I set down the ketchup and mustard bottles, then wipe my hands and go to see who’s at the door.
Standing in the doorway is Shelley Hartley. I haven’t seen Evan’s mother in … I don’t know how many years. She looks good, though. Like she’s taking care of herself. Her hair is no longer dyed blonde, but her natural dark brown. Her skin looks healthy, and her jeans and tank top actually cover all the important bits.
Last time I asked Evan about her, he’d said he wasn’t quite ready to spring her on me. Until now, it seems.
“I baked a pie.” She holds up a tin wrapped in foil. Then her smile falters. “Okay, that’s a lie. I bought it at the grocery store and rewrapped it. But it’s a start, right?”
Evan is clearly trying not to laugh. “That’s great, Mom.” He gives her a kiss on the cheek and invites her in. “We appreciate it.”
Cooper’s standing in the living room as she enters. He offers to take the pie from her. While he doesn’t entirely manage a smile or a kiss for his mother, he gives her a nod. “Thank you,” he says brusquely. “That was thoughtful.”
By the relief on her face, it’s more than Shelley hoped for.
“Mom. You remember Genevieve.” Evan coaxes me forward.
“Of course I do. And oh my goodness, you’ve gotten so gorgeous.” She pulls me into a tight hug. “Evan told me about the engagement. I’m so happy for you two,” she gushes, holding me out with her hands on my arms. She glances at her son with an oddly smug smile. “See, baby? Didn’t I tell you? My love predictions always come true.” She turns back
to me. “I always liked you two together. Even when you were little. I said, he’s going to marry that girl someday, if he knows what’s good for him.”
I get a tad choked up. “That’s really sweet.”
“Man, your kids,” she exclaims, eyes huge. “Such beautiful kids you two are gonna have. I can’t even.”
Shelley is already planning playdates with her grandkids before we’ve even set a date for the wedding. Not that we’re stalling, but with the grand opening at The Beacon coming up, scheduling is a nightmare.
Anyway, I think my dad is still in denial about the whole thing. A little upset that I asked Evan to marry me without talking to him first—and a lot scared that his only daughter isn’t five years old anymore. Bad enough he’s losing Craig to college next week. Billy and Jay insist he’ll work his way through the grief process in time for the wedding. Well, that’s if Evan survives the ritual hazing Shane and Kellan have promised to execute until he cracks or goes into hiding. But I have faith Evan can hold his own. One way or another, we’re mashing these families together, and consequences be damned. Kicking and screaming if need be.
After the greetings, we all go outside and start loading up our plates. It’s a super-casual affair. Harrison and Liz seem to have hit it off, so busy talking and smiling that they’re ignoring their food. Heidi and a few others gather at the railing to eat standing. Riley scarfs down hot dogs and coleslaw on the deck steps.
Meanwhile, the twins sit at the table, with me and Mac at their sides and their mom sitting across from them. Evan squeezes my hand under the table. He’d been anxious the past couple days. Tense. I hadn’t understood why, but now, seeing the contentment in his eyes, I realize this is a big moment for him. Having Shelley and her boys at the same table has been a long time coming. Despite the different roads we’ve taken to get here—and because of them—we’ve all found our
second chances.
A cool breeze wafts over the deck and flutters our napkins. The season’s changing in the Bay, summer’s almost over. My arms break out in goosebumps, and a tiny shiver travels down my spine. It’s then I realize my shirt feels a bit drafty. I glance up to see Evan’s smug grin and remember I’m not wearing a bra. At my first dinner with his mother. And my nipples are hard.
Evan draws a tick mark in the air.
I walked right into this one. “So it’s going to be like that, huh?” I grumble under my breath.
He pulls my hand up to kiss my knuckles. “Always.”