Epilogue
“I’m impressed,” Braedon said, setting the box marked kitchen on the island. “You made it three whole months before you caved.”
Addison glared at her brother. “Shut up, I didn’t cave. It was my idea. I was sleeping here all the time anyway.”
“You lost me twenty dollars, by the way. I had you holding out for another week.”
“Who won?” she asked. Not that she cared. She got a kick out of all the pools Leonidas ran.
“Devon did.” He plopped on the couch, stretching his legs out on the ottoman.
“Did he really?”
He stared at her suspiciously. “Did you know what week he bet on? Is that why you agreed to move in?”
She threw her head back and laughed. “No, I didn’t know. I didn’t even know there was a pool.” She tossed a stress ball she found in one of the boxes at his head. “Aren’t you supposed to be helping carry in boxes?”
“I did.” He pointed at the box he’d carried in.
“One box is not helping. Go help!”
He groaned dramatically but pushed up from the couch. “But I’m retired.”
“Just because you retired from the Navy, doesn’t mean you qualify for AARP! Go!”
“Fine! You’re a horrible sister!”
She grinned after him as he stomped out the door. She loved having him so close. Even though they’d rented an apartment together not far from downtown, she had spent most of her time at Devon’s house—now their house. Moving her stuff from the apartment to the carriage house was a technicality.
“How can you have so many boxes of shoes?” Braedon asked, coming back in. “You wore a uniform for thirteen years. Why do you need all these shoes?”
“You realize I didn’t wear a uniform twenty-four seven, right?”
“You know Devon’s going to kick you right back out when he sees all your shoes.”
She rolled her eyes and continued to unpack the box she was working on.
“What am I going to do when I see all her shoes?” Devon set a box on the dining room table. “This is the last one.”
“You’re going to kick her out when you see all her shoes,” Braedon said.
Devon joined her in the kitchen, pressing her back against the counter and threading his hand through the hair at the nape of her neck. “I like her shoes.”
She grinned up at him. He always had his hands on her if they were near each other. It surprised her how much she loved it and how often she found herself seeking out his touch.
Wrapping her arms around his waist, she raised her face for a kiss. He didn’t disappoint. He never did.
Braedon made gagging sounds, which made her smile even more. Before Devon, she’d never smiled and kissed at the same time.
“I’m interviewing contractors tomorrow,” Braedon called.
Devon lifted his head slightly—“Okay”—and went right back to kissing her.
“One of them’s a troll. He might demand your first-born as payment.”
Devon’s shoulders shook as he laughed.
“Okay,” she said.
