Being that close to him againbrings me ease—the ease I feel I’ve needed, the ease I feel like we’ve bothbeen reaching for long before this moment. The ease of knowing we’re going totry to make this work. The total surrender to each other as we spring out intothe unknown together, hoping for the best and fearing the worst at the sametime.
“One of you know where the bedpanis?” Kiernan asks, interrupting us as we both erupt into a fit of laughter.
Epilogue
Bryce
“Where is my goddamn BBQ sauce?” Kiernan calls from the backyard.
I glance out the garden windowbehind the sink. Kiernan stands in front of the grill in a bright red apron,waving his hand violently to catch my attention.
“One minute!” I call back as Idump a pot of potatoes into the colander in the sink. I set the pot on thestovetop, and as I pull my hand away, I accidentally rub the back of my fingeracross the side.
“Shit!” I shout as it burns like amotherfucker. I curse repeatedly.
“Everything okay down there?” Tadcalls from upstairs.
“All good. We’ve got it undercontrol.”
“Doesn’t sound like it,” he saysin an amused tone.
I grab the bowl of Kiernan’sspecial BBQ sauce off the kitchen counter and take it out back.
A year has passed since Tad walkedaway from the NFL. When he first made the announcement, sports commentators,former teammates, and self-proclaimed football experts were eager to speculateon why he’d abandoned the sport. Many agreed the stress of the attacks had beentoo much for him. Others suspected it had to do with his lackluster performancethroughout the season. But as time passed, and after Aster and Maggie Frazierand Caroline Aldrich received their sentences, the interest in Tad Roarkewaned, and since then, we’ve set up a nice life for ourselves in D. C.
“’Bout time,” Kiernan says as I approachhim. He snatches the bowl of BBQ sauce from me. Opening the grill, he revealstwo stacks of baby back ribs that he’s been perfecting, starting with a fewhours in the oven.
“Mmmm, a vegan nightmare,” hesays.
I chuckle. “Looks like it,” I saybefore heading back up the steps to the balcony.
I’m eager to know what Tad’s upto, but he says it’s a surprise. I’m not in the mood for a surprise right now.I just want to finish the food so I can relax for the rest of the night.
I head back upstairs and pour thepotatoes into a mixing bowl. The doorbell rings, and I hurry to answer it.
Debra’s dark hair is in a short bob.She wears a charcoal-colored pencil skirt and a light purple blouse. Darrendoesn’t look much different with his almond hair combed to the side, his bangsfalling over his forehead. He wears a short-sleeved shirt, the sleevessculpting around his newly bulked muscles in just the right way, reminding meof how hot I was for him when we first met.
We exchange friendly greetings andhugs before I grab Darren’s biceps. “Look who’s been working out,” I say.
He blushes. “How’s the new deskjob?” he asks.
“Must be a lot less exciting work,”Debra says with a knowing smile.
“Thank God.”
“What do they have you doing?” sheasks.
“Training undercover agents.”
“Those who can’t do…” Darrenteases.
“Right? How about your desk job,Mr. Nosy-pants?”
“Amazing. Who would’ve thought I’dmake a living doing the sort of crap that drove Tad insane?”
He’s referring to his position atTMZ’s blog, which is where he’s been working since Tad left the NFL. Tad isn’tthrilled about his line of work, especially considering Darren had to walk allover him to get the position, but gradually he developed a sense of humor aboutthe incident and even appreciates that if it hadn’t been for Darren tellingHenry Mason about his mom, he never would have discovered what really happenedto her.
“Maybe you can give me the deetson you guys’ sex life,” he says with a wink.
