Penelope wipes a tear. My mom cups her face in her hands, and I see the love she has for her, that they share for each other. “Don’t ever hang your head in shame or tell yourself you’re not good enough. We weren’t good enough for you. You made us better, Penelope. And I’m forever grateful for that.”
“Colt’s gone,” P sniffles and looks over at me. “And I want to be with Linc, but I want him to be alive too.”
Mom nods as if she understands that. Maybe it’s a chick thing. “I know you do. You didn’t wish he was gone, Penelope. And he would want happiness for you.”
They hug, and my mother kisses my cheek before she leaves.
“I love you, Linc.” P wraps her arms around my neck, her face still wet with tears.
“I love you.”
“I love your family too. All of them.”
“That’s good. Most of them would trade you for me in a heartbeat.”
She laughs at that and kisses my lips briefly. “Let’s go meet your nephew.”
“He’ll be your nephew someday too, you know?”
P drops her arms and takes my hand. “Oh yeah? Is that a proposal?”
“Not yet, but soon.”
She smiles happily, giving her silent approval as we go outside. Vivienne is chasing Sebastian around the yard. The little boy is running away, stumbling and red-faced from his laughter.
P’s eyes meet mine at the sound, and we both smile.
The perfect, goofy little laugh coming from him tells us both that Colt will live on.
EPILOGUE
PENELOPE
One year later . . .
“I love this house.” We moved in as soon as we got back from Kansas. Linc has done amazing things in real estate, and I still work with Lola. Our house is only a few down from hers, right on the beach, overlooking the water.
We keep in touch with Sebastian and Vivienne as much as we can with weekly video calls, and they even came out to visit last month. I’ve grown to love that little boy. I don’t see Colt’s indiscretions when I look at him. I see Colt.
And although he turned out to be human and flawed, I don’t hate him. I’m not angry. I miss him and wish he could be here with all of us. Asher still isn’t a huge fan of Linc and me being together, but I know he’ll come around in time. He needs to find his own way in the world to understand.
“I love the shower.” Linc’s body presses against mine as the spray of our shower rains down on us, washing away all the pain, all the punishment and guilt and leaving just us. “And you naked in it.”
We’ve spent too long with all of it.No more.
“We’re going to be late.” We have to get to the airport to head to Kansas dor Nora’s wedding, which I know sounds a little crazy, but she’s happier than I’ve ever seen her be. If there’s anyone who deserves to be happy, it’s Nora. She met a man around her age when she decided to take an art class, but we all tease her because he’s a year younger. Linc loves to call her a cougar. But I know he’s as happy as I am that Nora found someone who deserves her.
His hand sweeps down my side and then back up, cupping my breast and pinching my nipple, his mouth on my neck. “We can hurry. I know how to make you come.”
His other hand guides his cock between my legs as he thrusts inside me, and I use my hands to brace myself in front of me on the shower wall.
“We’ll see.”
“Always a challenge.”
“Would you have it any other way?”
His arm wraps around my waist, pulling our bodies together. “Fuck. No.”
He was right. I was always his. I loved Colt, but it was a young, unexperienced love. I was trying to be someone else, to be perfect.
But with Linc, I only had to be myself.
And I’ll love him for the rest of my life.
No regrets.
THE END
