Page 95 of Perfectly Us

That light inside him shines brighter now.

Epilogue

Shiloh

15 Years Later

The silver band on my left hand catches the sun as I sit by the pool. I glide a finger across the ring and smile at what it represents.

Alex and I have been married for seven years, and my chest still flutters when I think about it. When I think about him.

“Shi!” Alex calls from the pool, his voice deeper than when we first met. His light brown hair is cropped shorter now, and his slender frame is more toned, less boyish. But his personality is still as vibrant. Magnetic. “You comin’ in? I promise not to dunk you.”

“Liar.” I stand from the lawn chair.

He cocks a smile and shoots it my way.

“Come on, Uncle Shiloh,” Miguel says, tugging on my arm. He’s the spitting image of Ruben. The ten-year-old proceeds to drag me toward the water.

“That’s not fair! I want to play with Uncle Shiloh.” Gabriela crosses her arms, pouting.

Melody rubs sunscreen on her daughter’s nose before grinning at me. “Good luck with these two.”

She and Ruben got married when they found out she was pregnant with Miguel at twenty-three. They had some ups and downs while Ruben was going through med school and fought a lot, but they came out on the other side stronger than ever.

“Abuela!” Gabby shouts as her grandparents arrive. I’m forgotten as she runs to her grandma, who always has delicious snacks.

“Mama Maria!” Alex shouts from the pool right before Ruben jumps on top of him, submerging him beneath the water.

Maria shakes her head at them before hugging me. She’s become like a second mom to me over the years, just as she has with Alex.

“Are Amy and Clayton coming?” Maria asks.

Alex’s parents.

Things with them are a lot better now than they were when Alex and I first started dating. It took about a year before Clayton and Amy invited me over to their house. That first dinner with them was awkward as hell, and Alex didn’t want to stay long, but it was a big first step. I wouldn’t say I was close with his parents by any means, but I can see that they love Alex, even if they have a strange way of showing it.

“No,” Alex answers, breaking free from Ruben. “Mom has a class, and Dad’s fishin’ with some buddies.”

I catch the sadness in Alex’s eyes for a brief moment, but then a smile surfaces. He’s used to it by now. But still. I plan to wrap him in my arms later and show him just how loved and cherished he is.

My dad and Jesse arrive a few minutes later. They just got back from a cruise to the Bahamas, and both are sporting tans, though Dad is a bit more on the crispy side because he can’t tan for shit.

“You look like a lobster,” I say to my dad.

Jesse throws his head back with a laugh. The sun brings out red tones in his blond hair, pairing well with the golden glow of his new tan.

Dad lightly elbows Jesse in the ribs and calls him an ass before doing the same to me. They’ve been married for eleven years and seem to fall more in love every day.

I can relate. I feel the same way about a certain stalker husband of mine.

“Hey, Mr. Walker,” Alex says, swimming up to the edge of the pool and wiggling his eyebrows at my dad.

Dad rolls his eyes, and Jesse laughs. So do I.

“How’s the café?” Jesse asks me.

“Good. Business is picking up big-time. I had to hire a few more people.”