Epilogue
Fisher
I learned to be fearful, but I’m still fearless.
My girlfriend says I’m intense. She’s probably right. She also loves that about me.
Nathalie and Keaghan are the best part of life and the reason I needed to learn how to love and enjoy life to its fullest. It seems like jumping from a cliff wasn’t living as much as it was just burning adrenaline.
Life is about sharing moments with the people you love.
Nat found her calling. Pediatrics. She applied to a pediatric pulmonary fellowship. It combines her passion with her dad’s specialty. Elroy Brennan is trying his best to be a good father and grandfather. Fallon Brennan disowned him and hasn’t talked to Nathalie either. It’s sad because she and her husband are missing this special moment. The day when the new offices of Luna Harbor Medical practice open.
“It’s okay if you choose to be a doctor like Mommy or Grandpa,” I say to Keaghan as we watch them cut the red ribbon.
“Mama.” Keagh says, pointing at Nat and stretching his arms.
“We have to wait. She’s busy with the official opening, but…remember what we planned?” I wave the flowers we brought. “After, you’re going to walk to her and give her these flowers.”
“Otay.” He nods.
I set him on the floor and give him the arrangement, making sure the note and box are inside. “Time to shine, buddy.”
He wobbles a few steps until he bumps into Elroy. He looks at him, and before he has the chance to pick him up, he taps Nat. “I think he’s looking for you.”
“Mama!” He shows her the flowers.
She squats. “Are they for me?”
He nods vigorously, then turns to look at me. I show him two thumbs up.
Nat grins, taking the flowers and dropping the box. In two strides, I pick it up and open it. “I think you almost lost this, my lady.”
She covers her mouth at the sight of the sapphire ring.
I clear my throat, drop on one knee, and hope to remember the speech. “I fell madly in love with the way you laugh. The way you care for every creature. The way you heal bodies, hearts, and even souls. I’ve spent part of my life saving others. I never thought I needed someone to save me, but I’m thankful that you came into my life. You mend parts of me I didn’t know were broken and others I never thought could be repaired. You saved me from the darkness, and I’m thankful that even with all my flaws, you accepted me.
“I adore the way you love Keaghan. I couldn’t ask for a better mother for him, and I’ll always be grateful for that. We’re already a family, but I’d be honored if you’ll accept to be my wife, and well, make it official. We’ve been living in sin for more than a year.”
“Oh, he was almost there and he had to fuck it up,” Nando growls.
Nat rolls her eyes at him and hugs my neck. “I’d love to marry you. I love you, Fisher Hannigan.”
“Love you, Mama,” Keaghan says.
She picks him up and hugs him tight. “I love you from here to infinity, Keagh.”
“To ’finity, Daddy!”
I pick him up and fly him around before handing him back to Nat and kissing her hard. I’m not sure what kind of life I’ll live, but what matters is that I have them by my side.
Excerpt
I hope you enjoyed Maybe It’s You. Keep reading for an excerpt of Maybe It’s You a snippet into Siobahn and Iskander’s story. An excerpt of Finally You (Manelik and Nydia’s story.
Also Call You Mine, Beacon and Grace’s story.
Call You Mine
I’ve known about the Aldridge brothers all my life. I’m best friends with the youngest, Beacon Kirk Aldridge. We’ve known each other since…well, I wasn’t even born when he moved to Mercer Island, Washington, where all of my family lives.
You could say we’ve been inseparable since the beginning of time. We’re talking about having embarrassing pictures of the two of us covered in finger paint, swimming in a kiddie pool, and taking naps together. There are videos of us playing music together. Well, it’s not music. It’s just noises a two-year-old—that’d be me—and a four-year-old can make at that age.
Summers together were the best, except for that one week when he had to visit his father. I missed him so much. He’d come back talking about his brothers. They were older. He wanted to bring them home so they could be a family. When I think about that boy asking, “But why can’t we live together?” my heart shrinks. He wanted them to be a part of his life. He looked up to them until they stopped going to Baker’s Creek; and it was just him.
Who are his brothers?
He likes to categorize them by assholiness. I’m not kidding. That’s how he does it. Number one is Henry. The guy owns one of the best hotel chains in the world. Number two is Hayes. He’s one of the best orthopedic doctors in the world. Number three is Pierce. He’s a lawyer—bloodsucking asshole. Number four is Vance. He’s a former ranger. Number five is Mills. He’s not really an asshole—or maybe he lost his title because his son, Arden, is super cute. We adore him.
Number six is Carter. He died when he was twenty-one. Carter was his favorite brother.
I’m not a fan of those guys—or his parents.
His dad dying and leaving a will where he forces his sons to spend eighteen months in Baker’s Creek was bad. You know what’s worse? Beacon doesn’t like nonsense. Good luck keeping him in one place for that long.
While he’s gone, I’m taking this time to find a boyfriend. Without the man around who likes to swat away any prospect like a fly, I might be able to finally meet Mr. Right.
Continue Reading Call You Mine …
Maybe It’s You
Siobhan
Eighteen to twenty-four months.
All bridal magazines insist that a bride should organize a wedding within that time frame. According to my bridal planner, today I should have a light breakfast. Instead, I’m eating wafer cookies dipped in chocolate chip lavender flavored ice cream.
I should be practicing the vows I’ll say during the wedding. Not today. Today I’m reading articles on how to move on and move forward.
Did I write the vows according to the deadline?
No, I thought about writing a book called, The Ways I Hate You.
Since I don’t plan to wallow in self-pity today, I’m figuring out how I will overcome the bitterness. I’m over Ronald Seymour. He can enjoy his life in Atlanta with his beautiful Southern Belle wife, his minivan, and his two-point-six children. I’m over the cheating bastard.
“Would you pay a guy ten thousand dollars to give you relationship advice?”
Nydia, my best friend and roommate, turns her attention from her yoga mat toward me. “Is he going to find me a husband that cooks, cleans the house, does laundry, and has a sexy voice that he’ll use to read me romance books at night?”