I’d always been the difficult one, the troublemaker, and I’d been a thousand percent sure no one could ever deal with me long term. It was a miracle my family did. Yet Wyatt had swept in and proved me wrong, and I loved him that much more for it. He made me feel normal, as if I didn’t talk a million miles a minute, as if my impulse control wasn’t shit or that my forgetfulness would make an appearance daily.
Wyatt simply made me feel loved.
Every damn day.
“Let’s go home,” I said, even though we’d never discussed whose house we were heading to afterwards.
Truth be told, home was never about a place but the people, something I’d learned early on with my family.
And in Wyatt Anderson, I’d found mine.
Epilogue
Wyatt
One year later…
“You have no idea what you’ve invited over,” Rory warned me as I led him up the walkway to our front door. We’d moved all our stuff into our new house, one we’d chosen together, and we were having an impromptu housewarming.
“I’ve been to plenty of Brannon events at this point,” I responded. “You guys seem to have a celebration for every damn thing.” Not only was his whole horde of a family invited, but so was Susie and her boyfriend as well as Harper and her current partner, Grace. They’d been dating for six months now, and I was hoping for the best for her. I hadn’t bothered with the rest of my family, but honestly, I wasn’t feeling too torn up about it. Rory’s had welcomed me in full force.
“Yes, but that’s at Mom and Dad’s,” Rory warned. “We’re worse in other places. Like letting a bunch of rhinoceroses into the house.”
I arched a brow as I slid my key into the front door. “Does that make you the head rhino? Because I’ve seen the amount of stuff you instigate.”
Rory huffed a breath. “Rude.”
I stepped inside, my heart thumping a little harder. I’d snuck the surprise for him in earlier, and I hoped he would understand what it meant from me. “C’mere,” I said, leading him in the direction of the kitchen.
Gone was the kitchen table from my apartment. I’d spent extra hours constructing a new one for us, sturdy yet polished—and made from paper birch.
Rory blinked. “Did you go and buy a new table?”
I shook my head and threaded his hand in mine. “Made it.”
His brows rose, and he let out a low whistle. “I forget how talented you are sometimes.”
His casual praise flushed through me, and I straightened a little taller.
“And what sort of wood did you use?” he asked. “Knowing you, there was probably some purposeful decision behind it.” He let go of my hand and ran it across the surface. Rory looked up and met my eyes. “Is it…?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Those trees took the number one spot for me after our first date.”
“You’re such a sap,” he said, his eyes glowing. “And yes, that was a purposeful tree pun.” Rory stepped up to me and pressed his lips to mine.
I savored the taste of him here in our home, this bright, vibrant man I wanted to build a future with. God, he was everything I’d ever longed for, and he was mine. I clutched his hips, bringing him in close until we pressed against each other as I drank in his scent, his slender frameall along mine. He was addictive, like capturing sunlight in my palm, and I never wanted to let him go.
We finally broke apart, and Rory hopped up on the table, his legs dangling over the side. “When you build something, you build it sturdy.” He waggled his brows. “You going to fuck me over this?”
“Tonight, after everyone leaves,” I promised. And I couldn’t fucking wait.
Rory’s book at work had exploded after the tattoo convention, and my business had even expanded after connecting more with Ollie, Cor, and Noah. We all referred clients to each other, and having their solid support behind me was something I was still growing used to. Harper had started vet school and was excelling, and Susie and I were so proud. Rory was too, and I loved seeing their friendship continue, even after their coworker days were over.
And beyond the countless Brannon activities, we also got invites from Alchemy Ink for their get-togethers and movie nights. I’d gone from lonely to so rich with camaraderie that I could barely believe it.
And it was all thanks to Rory. He often didn’t realize, but people were drawn to him. Hell, I’d been. From the moment I stepped inside Alchemy Ink and into his sphere, I was enamored.
That feeling hadn’t lessened, and I hoped it never did.
