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Epilogue Hartley

one year later

“ Y ou look delicious.” Liza nuzzles between my neck before licking a line from my collarbone up to my lips. “And I’m starving.” Every time I wear a suit, Liza claims it’s not fair because she can’t focus on anything else.

Groaning at the sight of her before me almost causes me to throw her on the bed and forget about the engagement party.

“You’re trouble.” She’s in a strappy champagne colored dress that hits her right above her ankles.

Her hair is tied back into a ponytail with pearls placed strategically across the slicked back area.

Her heels bring her close to my height, but what stops me in my tracks is the desire flaming in her pupils.

The same look we’ve given each other for over a year now.

I never get tired of seeing her like this.

“That’s why you love me, though.” Planting a wet kiss on my cheek, she clicks her heels across the wood floors as she passes around me to grab her purse off the bed. “Can you believe they made it here?”

“No.” Flashbacks of Violet and Ryan’s tumultuous road to where they are now brings back stinging memories full of hurt and betrayal, but I’ve got to give it to the guy.

He’s done everything in his power to fight for her, and I respect it.

On top of that, we’ve all seen him change for the better.

“But, I’m glad they did.” Unable to keep my hands off of her, I sneak up behind and grab her hips, placing my chin on her shoulder as we rock back and forth.

“I’m going to cry watching you walk her down the aisle.”

I chuckle and almost tear up at the thought of walking my baby sister down the aisle in absence of her grandfather. “It’s not for another year, baby, we have time.”

“I know, but it’s going to be so special.”

Liza and I are approaching one year of living together. Mason swore we were crazy moving so quickly, but it felt right so I went for it. We’ve had our good days and bad, but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else except right here with the girl of my dreams.

A soft knock rattles against the door frame, causing Liza to slip from my grip to answer.

“Hey!” Liza squeals as she wraps one of her best friends into a tight hug. Emberly walks hand in hand inside with her new boyfriend, Gage. He’s the second baseman on the Springs U baseball team. We’ve talked a few times and he seems like a chill dude.

“Are you ready for this?” Emberly asks Liza. The girls have been counting down the days until the engagement party for weeks. I’ve been a little less excited at the thought of Violet becoming a married woman soon.

Gage grips Emberly by the hips and kisses her cheek before leaving her side and greeting me. “What’s up, man?”

“The usual. Going to my little sister’s engagement party and trying not to think about the actual wedding day.”

He laughs, sticking his hands in his pockets. “I get it. My sister is still in junior high, but I’m going to be a tyrant when she gets her first boyfriend.”

“Would you two stop going all papa bear and enjoy yourselves!” Liza complains. “This party has taken every ounce of my blood, sweat, and tears to plan, and I'll die if it’s not perfect for Vi.”

“It’s going to be perfect, baby. Ready?” I ask the group before leaving the apartment to drive us to the beach for the party.

Violet wanted to keep it low key, just our closest friends and Ryan’s mom.

Her only request for Liza as her official party planner was to pick a place where she wouldn’t need to wear heels.

As we pull up to the private beach cut-out, I take a deep breath, centering myself for the changes that will come our way this year.

Liza and I are entering our senior year in the fall, and I’d love to find a house for us to buy when I sign my first NFL contract in a new city.

Violet and Ryan are living in the apartment with us until Vi graduates.

“Hart, it’s gorgeous.” Liza grips my arm as I throw the car in park. She admires the sunset hitting the water in such a way that the light reflects off in a rainbow. “She’s going to love it.”

Since Liza wasn’t willing to give up the heels, I retrieved her from the passenger side and guide her through the patchy sand to the tables.

White linens drape across the three long tables with just enough seats for everyone to fit.

Liza leaves my arms to fine tune the bouquets that she set out this morning.

“You outdid yourself.” Walking up to her, I saddle along her side once again.

“I hope she feels the same way. They should be here—” She glances at the rose gold watch on her wrist, a Christmas present that I spent hours picking out to match her aesthetic . “—in about fifteen minutes.”

“You killed it, Liza!” Emberly shouts as her and Gage fight the sand to make it to the tables. The waves crash against the pebbled rock shoreline creating a quaint background soundtrack to the night. “It’s stunning.” Gage lets go of Emberly’s balled up dress allowing it to flow against the sand.

“Parties here!” A familiar voice tumbles in from around the corner. “Who missed me?”

“No one,” Emberly mumbles.

“Be nice,” Gage assures her as he rubs her back. This guy might be too nice to match the energy Em is throwing down today.

Coming into sight, Mason rolls up barefoot with dress pants and a cuffed white dress shirt. Mason’s family is loaded, and he spares no expense on his outfits. In one hand is a plastic cup, halfway downed. Here we go. . .

“Are you drunk?” Liza sneers as she trudges through the sinking sand toward Mason, red hot anger simmering from her cheeks. I follow her to be back up if needed. She isn’t always right, but that’s my girl. And if she stands on something, I’m with her.

“Chill, Liza. It’s a party.” He reeks of alcohol and his pupils are wider than normal. “The happy couple.” He gestures his hand holding a drink toward Emberly and Gage, sloshing some out onto the sand in the process.

Liza powers forward, so close he could taste her breath as she warns. “If you even think about ruining this night for Violet and Ryan, so help me—” She jams her fingers into his chest, spit firing out of those pouty lips. Angry Liza is hot.

“How about I go sit down like a good boy and zip my mouth shut?” His eyes roll as he scoots past her, shakes my hand, then plops into one of the chairs with a white seat cover draped over it.

I grab Liza’s neck and slowly massage out the tension. “Breathe.” I nip her earlobe in the place she likes, granting me the pleasure of seeing the goosebumps rise across her bare arms. “I’ll handle him.”

Leaving my girl to tend to last minute details, I take a seat next to Mason to settle this before Liza throws him out.

Mason hasn’t been himself lately, on or off the field. “No cover ups. No excuses. What’s the problem?”

“Nothing you can fix,” he slurs, steadying himself with his forearm resting on the table. “I messed it up, and now it’s done.”

“Messed up what?”

“That!” he shouts loudly across the empty beach and throws his hand out toward Em and Gage. They’re laughing while dipping their toes in the cool water where the sand meets the waves. “I have to sit here and watch Mr. Perfect with my girl!”

Hunching over and dropping my elbows to my knees, I push his shoulder back to gain his attention. “Emberly isn’t yours, dude. If you want her to be, do something about it.”

“Doing something about it would mess it up more.” His eyes never leave the back of her black hair. Sadness takes over as his mind takes him to the past, away from his current pain.

“Let’s talk when you’re sober.” I stand to walk away. “Oh, and don’t think about pulling anything tonight.”