Page 43 of Right Next Door (Stone Family #3)
Epilogue
I an, Taryn, Griffin, Roman text thread:
Roman
Hey.
Roman
Can you meet me at our house tomorrow?
Taryn
I’m sorry. What??
Taryn
Who are you addressing this to?
Roman
All of you.
Brother, where’ve you been? No one’s heard from you in months.
Roman
I know. I’m sorry. I was trying to get my shit together.
Roman
I’m sorry.
It’s okay.
Griffin
It’s really not. You haven’t talked to anyone in a year, and suddenly, you want us to come to you? No.
Taryn
I’m still confused about all of this.
Taryn
Whose house?
Roman
Our house. Our old house.
Mom’s house?
Roman
Yes.
Griffin
What the fuck is going on?
Roman
I need to see you. I need to talk to you.
Roman
In person.
Ian, Griffin, Taryn text thread:
Griffin
What the fuck is going on?
Taryn
I have no idea.
He’s clearly trying to make amends.
Taryn
By meeting at our old house?
Taryn
To do what?
We’ll find out when we get there.
Griffin
What the actual fuck?
Ian, Taryn, Griffin, Roman text thread:
Rome, we’ll be there.
What time?
Roman
Ten?
Okay.
Ian, Griffin, Taryn text thread:
Griffin
What the actual fuck?
We’re not going to turn our backs on him.
He needs to see us. So we’re going to see him.
Griffin
I don’t like it. I don’t have a good feeling about it.
Suddenly you have feelings about shit?
Griffin
Shut the fuck up. I’m already pissed about all this.
You better be there tomorrow.
Griffin
Of course I’m gonna be there.
Griffin
Finally get to tell that little shit off in person.
Go get Andi to suck your dick and calm down. We’re going to see our little brother for the first time in years. Don’t pretend like you don’t want to.
Griffin
You’re too calm about this. Has Nicole sucked your brain out of your dick?
Actually, yeah. I’ve got nothing left in me after this morning.
Griffin
Dirty old man.
Show up tomorrow.
Griffin
I will.
You too, Tar.
Taryn
Oh, now you’re going to include me in the conversation after all the dick-sucking talk is over? Great. Thanks.
Hey, you’ve got a bigger dick than both of us. Hope Dante likes it.
Taryn
He does. That man would suck anything I asked.
Griffin
Fucking stop. I can’t stand either one of you.
Love you too.
Almost a year from when I texted Roman a picture of it, Griffin, Taryn, and I stand outside of our old house. Aside from the big SUV parked in the drive and the missing For Sale sign, it looks exactly the same—in desperate need of some love.
“What are we supposed to do?” Taryn asks, looking around at the quiet neighborhood. “Wait for him to show up?”
Griffin checks his watch. “It’s 10:01. Where is he?”
Of course he’s annoyed that it’s one minute after ten o’clock and Roman hasn’t appeared. Although as I stare at the front door of the house, something tells me he’s already here. I ignore my brother and sister squabbling behind me to make my way up the walk and ring the doorbell.
“What are you doing?” Griffin asks at the same time Taryn says, “I’m texting him.”
A moment later, the door swings open, revealing my baby brother. My heart stops, breath catches. Vaguely, I note Griffin and Taryn quieting in stunned silence.
Roman doesn’t move at first, brow pinched, eyes squinted.
He’s nervous. My little brother, whom I haven’t seen in years, is nervous I’ll be mad.
So, I do the only logical thing and throw myself at him, wrapping my arms around him.
Once his surprise wears off, he exhales harshly and grips me back, his hands digging into my spine like he doesn’t want to let go.
But I feel Griffin and Taryn behind me, their trepidation palpable. When Roman and I finally let go of each other, he eyes our brother and sister, and I know their welcome will probably be a lot different.
Although before anyone can greet each other, a small head pops up beside Roman with bouncing chestnut curls and big brown eyes, staring up at us.
My brain doesn’t compute. Apparently neither do Griffin’s or Taryn’s until Roman clears his throat. “This…is my daughter.”
“What the fuck?” Griffin, Taryn, and I say at the same time.
The little girl puts on a cute little pout, her fist on her hip. “Yeah, Daddy. What the fuck?”
I’m so glad you came along on this journey with Ian and Nicole!
And you can pre-order the fourth and final book in the Stone Family series here , starring your new favorite grumpy bad boy.