“I love you too.”
Epilogue
Gemma
Six months later…
“Bloody hell, this hallway goes forever. What’s in here, anyway?” Anna calls out as she approaches the open door carrying a large cardboard box labeledMISCELLANEOUS. “It’s so heavy!”
Today is moving day and the gang is in full force. I’ve even enlisted Henry to help.
Max and I got approved for a flat in South Kensington with a gorgeous view of Kensington Gardens. Our first home together.
We decided to lease out Max’s penthouse and start fresh somewhere new. Somewhere unknown to Casey, close to both our jobs, and within walking distance to our friends.
Yes,ourjobs.
After Max missed his flight back to New York, he had a heart-to-heart with Grayson. What began with Grayson losing his shit, quickly shifted to understanding when he realized how much Max missed London and his family. And how much he loves me, of course.
Max did need to return to New York for eight weeks to close out his apartment and transition his responsibilities to his replacement. Those two months apart nearly killed me, but Henry was brilliant and gave me time off to fly over and visit him.
There may have been lots of phone sex involved, too.
The hotel’s opening exceeded everyone’s expectations, so Grayson’s solution to keep Max in the business was to promote him to managing director of the entire Gray Hotel chain. Max still reports to Grayson but runs operations from London, only needing to travel to New York every six to eight weeks. It’s the perfect arrangement. By the time he’s due to leave, I’m usually desperate for some quality time with the girls.
And the best part? I’ve got my own reading room with floor-to-ceilings shelves, all mine, and ready to be filled with every filthy, taboo, smutty romance I can get my hands on.
The place isn’t as modern as Max’s penthouse, but it’s oozing character, which I love. It’s big and bright, but it feels homey.
I’m standing on the balcony admiring the view when Anna shouts again.
“I’m gonna drop it!”
I spin on my feet and see which box she’s carrying. I wrapped it with “fragile” tape specifically to ensure Max and I could keep an eye on it. To make surewehandled it—my bad.
“Here, let me help!” I say, jogging toward her, but it’s too late.
“We’re losing him!” Anna yells as the box bottoms out, the tape ripping.
Max, Henry, April, and James run out of the kitchen to see what all the commotion is about.
We all watch on in horror as a large pile of very obvious, very colorful sex toys spill all over the floor.
Shit.
For a moment, no one says anything. It’s so quiet you could hear a fly fart.
Max and I glance at each other before he closes his eyes in slow motion, sucking in a breath.
Anna blinks down at the mess. “Oh.”
Max whispers a tortured, “Jesus Christ.”
There’s my thick, purple tentacle dildo-slash-doorstop, two pairs of leather handcuffs, a spreader bar, a few butt plugs, variously-shaped vibrators… and I’m pretty sure a bottle of something just rolled under the sofa.
Henry’s gaze darts between Anna, Max, and me, awkwardly waiting to see what happens.
April rests a hand over her five-month bump and covers her mouth with the other. “Gemma!” she says, lifting her brows.
