“Honey, I’m home!” Nessa yells, her key turning in the lock as she pushes the door open with a flourish.
And promptly gasps when her eyes lock on Royce’s as he stands in only his boxers, a bowl of cereal in his hand and the spoon suspended in the air like he’s frozen.
I last for only a second before laughing and running around the counter to hug my best friend.
“I missed you!” I squeal, wrapping her in a death grip as she tries to peer over my shoulder at my mostly naked boyfriend.
“Go put some pants on, Roy!” I yell, hearing the cereal bowl hit the table a second later.
“He has pants here?” she hisses.
“And a toothbrush!” he calls back.
“You fell in love and didn’t tell me?!” Nessa barks and I laugh.
“Who said I’m in love?” I tease.
“You did this morning when I had my tongue?—”
“Shut it, Roy!” I yell as Nessa doubles over.
“Be nice to me or I’ll tell her about that thing that happened that she’s gonna be pissed about,” he yells back, and Nessa straightens so fast I have to take a step back to prevent myself from colliding with her.
“What did he just say?” she asks me before yelling, “What did you just say? Royce! Get back out here!”
He chuckles, emerging a minute later as I slide a cup of coffee across the counter to her.
“Nice,” Nessa says, taking in his Tennessee Tornadoes shirt that has “Property of Kinsley Dane” printed on the back. “Seriously, I can’t believe you fell in love and didn’t tell me.”
“You were busy,” I respond with a shrug and her face falls. “Ness, you were doing big life-changing things, between Remi and Jensen and how much I knew you’d been struggling with whether to keep playing.” I hitch my thumb toward Royce and smirk. “And I was teaching this guy about orgasms.”
Nessa cackles and Royce blushes the adorable shade of pink I love so much.
“Better get used to it, babe,” Nessa tells him and he nods.
“I’ve already been kicked out of bed plenty when you call.”
“But now we’re friends so you can stay.”
Royce opens his mouth and closes it, lifting a shoulder and letting it drop as he takes a sip of his coffee. “Cool.”
“He’s adorable,” Nessa coos and I laugh.
“I know,” I say, wrapping my arms around his waist. “I think I’ll keep him.”
“Wow,” Nessa whispers, pulling my attention back to her. “We did it.”
“What?” I ask, not letting go.
“We found love in the most unexpected ways.”
We sure did.
BONUS EPILOGUE
ROYCE
ONE YEAR LATER
