“What?” Caroline says, sitting up.
“Next stop,” I tell them. “New York.”
Epilogue One
Caroline
Six Months Later
“What time are you going to be home?” I ask Justin, turning in the bed. He’s on another road trip, and I’m not liking anything about him being gone right now. I mean, I thought it would be okay, a couple of games here and there, but the past two weeks have been brutal. He’s been on the road, and the past two games have been crazy to watch, especially with him being in Edmonton and facing his old team.
“Does someone miss me?” he says, his voice low, and I roll my eyes.
“Yup, Dylan,” I say, ignoring his laugh. “The bed is cold.”
“I’ll be home tomorrow night,” he says. “I have to go.”
“Love you,” I say, and he disconnects, and I toss my phone on the empty side of the bed. I throw the white cover off me and walk to Dylan’s bedroom. One thing that Justin did when he signed the contract with New York was get Zoe to get us a house. I was thinking maybe a nice two-story house, but when he brought me to see it, and we drove through the front gates, my mouth dropped to the ground.
Then he opened the front door, and the sweeping staircase made me fall in love. I didn’t even know what to say. There was no way that I could help pay for this house. When he showed us the backyard, I cried. He held me in his arms while Dylan jumped into the pool fully dressed. I’m not even going to go into how much everything in the house cost. He sent me with Zara and Zoe and his credit card, and when I saw the price of the furniture, I felt sick and went back home with no furniture. But of course Zara and Zoe told him everything that I did like, and just like that, it was delivered without me even having a say.
I walk down the long-carpeted hallway to Dylan’s room and peek my head in. He sleeps like a starfish in his king-size bed. His room is decked out in New York colors. I walk in and turn off the television and then go back downstairs to the kitchen. I make sure all the doors are locked and set the alarm. Walking back upstairs, I pass all the framed pictures on the wall. A picture of the three of us in the middle and then small pictures all around from everyone in the family. Turning off the lights I slide into our custom-made king-size bed, then put my phone on the bedside table next to a picture of us and then Dylan’s school picture.
I close my eyes and think about how far Dylan’s come. He’s in a private school now, he’s excelling at hockey to the level that his coaches are over the moon. Plus, he’s started to grow like a weed, and he’s going to be able to go up two levels, which people are saying is unheard of. He laughs all the time and eats more food than he’s ever eaten. He’s also just blended into the Stone family as if he was born a Stone. It takes me a couple of minutes to fall asleep.
“Sweetheart.” I hear him whisper, and at first, I think I’m dreaming, but then he buries his face in my neck.
“You’re home,” I say, opening my eyes and seeing him. My hand comes out to touch his face. “I missed you.”
He smiles. “I missed you more.” He pulls me to him, and my leg hitches over his hip like it always does. His hand roams up my back, his fingertips giving me goose bumps, and he rips the shirt over my head and throws it over my head to the floor. “You were wearing my shirt.”
“Yeah,” I say of the tossed shirt. I always wear his shirts when he’s away so I can smell him. My hands reach up to cup my tits, and he bends to take a nipple into his mouth.
“Sensitive,” I hiss, and he flips me over on my back, and my legs open for him. I grip his cock in my hand, and I move my panties to the side. He slides in, and my back arches up. “Missed you.” Wrapping my legs around his waist, I add, “So much.”
He holds himself up on his arms, our lips lingering over each other. “Love you,” he whispers, and my hand goes between us, and I play with my clit while he fucks me slowly, his tongue coming out to lick my lips. My tongue coming out to wrap with his. “Need you there.”
“I’m there,” I say. With him, I’m always there. “Right there.” I lean up and kiss the necklace around his neck that I gave him, and he never takes it off. He pounds into me harder now, and I’m coming apart and tightening my legs around his waist. “Justin,” I say while he kisses me and then buries his face into my neck. My fingers are going through his hair, and I play with the long ends. “Don’t move,” I say, enjoying him on me.
“I’m going to crush you,” he says, and I moan when he gets off me and goes into the bathroom. He comes back with a rag like he always does. He walks back to the bathroom and tosses the rag and comes back and wraps his arms around me.
I turn to him, and I’m just so happy he’s home. “Hmm,” I say, cuddling into him and leaning up to kiss under his chin. “Hi.”
He brings me closer. “Hi,” he says softly. “Sweetheart.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming home?” I ask.
“We were supposed to come home tomorrow,” he starts and yawns. “But after the game, everyone just wanted to get home.”
“Night,” I say, my eyes closing now. “Love you.”
“Forever,” he says softly, and then the sound of his snores fills the room.
“And ever,” I whisper to him and fall asleep in his arms.
Epilogue Two
Justin
Four months later
“Give me a kiss.” I walk to Caroline as she zips up the cooler for us to take on the boat. This is our first day on official vacation. My summer camp just wrapped up, and I surprised them with a getaway up north, joining the rest of the family.
“Be safe,” she says and kisses me softly. “And can you text me.”
“Yes,” I say. “Have fun with my sisters.”
“You know how much I love shopping,” she says. “Do you think it’s bad if I say I have a headache?”
“You know my sisters,” I say. After moving to New York, they went above and beyond to make her feel at home. Including inviting her to every single girls’ night they had until she slowly started feeling comfortable about it. If they wanted to go out and eat, she was always game, but shopping, not so much. Even though she had her own money now, and I gave her my credit card, she never ever bought anything. Enter Zara, who would just send her boxes of clothes every single month.
“Fine,” she hisses. “I’ll go, and I might even buy something this time.”
I put my hands up. “Even if you don’t, I’m sure someone will get you something.”
“Your sister sent me a purse the other week,” she says. “It was two thousand dollars.”
“I mean, it’s not that bad,” I say, trying not to laugh.
“An evening purse, Justin,” she shrieks. “I don’t even go out.”
“I take you out plenty,” I say, and she rolls her eyes. “Dylan!” I yell back for him, and he comes down the stairs, and I swear he grew overnight.