Epilogue
Tate
Three years later
My legs ache from being on my feet all day for surgery. Jesus, I’m so tired. I yawn wide as I pull into the garage of my townhome. All the lights are off, so I lean my head against the wheel for a moment. That moment turns into accidentally falling asleep for a couple of minutes, because I come awake to a gentle hand gently shaking me awake.
“Sweetheart, come on.”
And then I’m getting manhandled out of the car and carried into the house. I squeak softly, then bury my face in Sully’s neck.
“I could’ve walked,” I mumble softly.
“Yes, but this is way more fun.”
I won’t argue with him there. Our cat, Sasha, meows from the second-floor landing as Sully expertly carries me up the stairs. Shamefully, this isn’t the first time this has occurred. Nor will it be the last.
Two years ago, after Sully’s final season in Seattle, he promptly, and without prodding, moved his entire life toPortland. My empty and scary house suddenly felt a lot more like home than it had ever felt. Sully filled my life with color after so many years of black and white. It took him a little while, but he finally found a software engineering job with a start-up that he’s really excited about. I love seeing Sully excited for something, love listening to him talk, I just really fucking love Sully. I think I have since that first conversation at dusk in Tuscany. He’s owned my heart since that very moment.
Instead of carrying me to the bed, Sully marches right to the bathroom. The smell of lavender and vanilla fills the air. I sigh in bliss because that means he used my absolute favorite bath salts. Sully sets me on my feet, undresses me quickly, then guides me into the tub. Instead of joining me, he sits by the edge of the claw-foot tub and tenderly runs his fingers through my hair. I close my eyes in bliss at the feeling. God, I might fall asleep again.
“Don’t fall asleep,” Sully teases.
“I won’t,” I mumble, but I might. It will be a close call.
“I wanna ask you something.”
“Sure, but no, I don't want another cat. Sasha is enough and I don’t think she’d do well with a sibling.”
Sully chuckles and scratches at my scalp. “Not what I was going to ask.”
I roll my hand in indication for him to go on. “Please go on, then.”
“We never talked about marriage,” Sully says, apropos of nothing.
Now I’m wide awake. I open my eyes, turn my head, and stare at him. “No, we haven’t.”
“Well, I was filling some forms out today at the new company, for life insurance, and I put you down as the beneficiary. But then it asked what you are to me and my only option was partner… and I like that word a lot, but I kind of thinkI’d like husband a lot more. And I don’t know if you’ll ever be at the right place to go down that road again, but just know that when you’re ready, I’ll be waiting.”
My breath catches in my chest halfway through his speech. My sweet Sully. He doesn’t meet my eyes, just continues to scratch at my scalp, then dip his hand into the water to rub at my sore knee.
“Hey, baby, look at me?”
Sully lifts his shy gaze to look at me. “Yeah?”
“I’d marry you today if you want, any day, whenever. I’ve never been afraid of being yours.”
Sully grins, that wide and beautiful smile that still makes my heart do dizzying loops in my chest. He climbs into the tub with me fully clothed, splashing water all over the place, and kisses me breathless.
“Let’s go, right now,” Sully mumbles against my lips.
I laugh against his mouth. “It’s after ten at night, they’re closed.”
Sully grins, leans back to sit in the tub, and pulls me up to straddle him. “We’ll just have to get started on the wedding night. Practice. Tomorrow we’ll go to the courthouse.”
I laugh as he kisses me again. Three years ago, I wasn’t even sure love existed for me anymore. Now I’ve got this man that loves me with every bit of his soul. And to think it all started with just a little fling.
