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EPILOGUE

ALANA

One Month Later

“Did you have a good birthday?” I ask Jace.

We just got home from the trampoline park, where we all celebrated him turning the big number six.

At first, Jace was just going to have the party at his house, until our boy asked to invite his whole class from kindergarten, and even with it being summer, everyone seemed to turn up.

I guess that happens when you’ve been with the same class since pre-school, and you go to a private school as well.

“The best! It was so much fun. Do you think we could go back again?” We’re all sitting on the couch; really, Keller is lying in the chair, his feet propped up on the matching ottoman, head tipped back, and he’s either resting his eyes or sleeping.

That leaves me and Jace up and still moving, though I’m sure it’s because he’s still coming off a sugar rush.

As for me, I’m lamenting over all of the presents that need to be put away.

Right now, they’re overtaking the foyer.

By the way Keller dumped them and sat down, I’d say he’s not concerned in the least.

“I don’t see why not. I’m thinking we wore your dad out. What do you think?” Jace’s head goes to my shoulder; a tired yawn escapes him.

“I think so, but he is older, like, way older than you are.” God, I love this kid, so sweet and great for the ego. Keller isn’t that much older than me—thirty-three to my twenty-seven.

“I heard that, stinkpot,” Keller responds but doesn’t lift his head to say so.

“That’s okay. It’s the truth. Hey, Alana?” Jace asks.

“Yes?” I run my fingers through his hair. Jace’s head is in the crook of my arm.

“There’s one present I didn’t get that I’d really like.

Do you know what that is?” I rack my brain, trying to figure out what he could be talking about.

Jace is probably the humblest kid you could find.

Rather than material things, he’d go on adventures, like the one we’re going on next week.

Keller and he have a tradition. This year, Jace picked the Grand Canyon.

We’re going to fly out west, land in Nevada, rent a small motorhome, and drive around to sight-see as much as we can.

Of course, there’s another surprise when we come back home.

I found a puppy that Keller and I decided on, something not as big as Tim, Tanner and Marlie’s Golden Retriever, yet not a teeny tiny poodle either.

It’s why we settled on a Border Collie. The downside was that the male puppy we put a deposit on wasn’t going to be ready until closer to the middle of summer.

It kind of worked out so we could be stress free on vacation, though it’s going to be hard to get him potty trained by the time school is back in session.

“I have no idea. Didn’t you get everything you wanted at your party?”

“Well, yeah, but this isn’t a present-present. Dad, will you wake up? I need your help for this part.” I’m at a loss for words, watching as Keller gets up, clearly not sleeping like he had me fooled with. I watch as he opens the drawer to the end table and hands papers to Jace.

“What’s going on?” I ask.

“Jace has something important he wants to ask you, seeing as you’ve already put a dent on our wedding plans, making all our lives easy.

He’d like to ask you something.” Keller isn’t wrong.

With us living in Florida, we can have a wedding any time of the year.

Summer means sweating, which made the decision easy to celebrate our wedding in November, when the weather is crisper and cooler.

“Alana, I’d really like to call you my mom, and with dad marrying you, I want us all to be a family.” I don’t get past anything besides hearing Jace say he wants to call me his mom.

“Oh gosh, Jace, that’s… wow. I have no words, honey.

It’s the sweetest, kindest, most amazing thing anyone could ever ask me, and I would be honored to be your mom with or without the papers.

You are my greatest gift.” I wrap him up in my arms. Tears are streaming down my face.

I’m a blubbering mess, and that’s when I feel Keller’s arms come up behind us where we’re sitting on the couch.

We fall back, his arms there to hold us through the saddest but also the happiest times.

“Thank you, Mom,” Jace says, and I swear to God, the water works start right back up, and this time there’s no control.

“No, Jace, thank you. Thank you so much for trusting me to be a part of your life forever.” I kiss the top of his head, cherishing this moment.

“Alright, but that doesn’t mean you get to steal your mom from me. No cavorting behind my back on movie nights either. I’ll cut you off on ice cream,” Keller lightens the mood.

“If you cut me off, I’ll just call Nana. Not like mom wouldn’t sneak me some anyway, you know.”

“Jace isn’t wrong. We women run the world,” I tell Keller. He steals a kiss from me, soft and sweet with so much depth behind it that I know this was the life I’ve always dreamed of, and I’m a very lucky girl to live it.