Page 114 of Cole

I pushed against his back, getting off the bike a little clumsily. He clung onto me to keep me from falling.

“Let’s get inside then! I can’t wait to start.”

Cole laughed, then climbed off and bent down to pick me up, tossing me over his shoulder. I let out a startled cry.

“You will have time to do all of that,” he murmured, heading toward the door. “After.”

“After?” I repeated as he carried me into the house, and up the stairs.

“Hmm, after.”

epilogue

COLE

One month later

“Yep, I don’t care what anyone says, this has upgraded the entire cabin. The drive out here is officially worth it now,” Gage announced, stepping down into the swirling bubbles of the hot tub sitting on my deck.

A hot tub. Sure, the side deck was the perfect location for it, but I’d resisted putting one in for years.

“You know that’s exactly why he didn’t want to get one, right? Because then you’d be coming around too damn much,” Kenna announced, appearing around the side of the house. She was wearing a bikini, and suddenly Gage was awfully quiet. Mr. Motormouth, speechless; I’d never thought I’d see the day.

“Cat got your tongue?” Issy murmured, sitting down between me and Gage.

I shared a smirk with her as Gage flushed.

“Yeah, right.” He took a slug of beer.

Issy, clearly enjoying being the one in the position to talk shit for once, raised her voice.

“You are red as a tomato, you feeling ok?”

Kenna stepped down into the water and glanced over at Gage.

He turned a scowl in our direction.

Issy laughed and drifted into my side.

“Hey, just think of it as karma,” I told him. He’d spent years teasing everyone else. It was rare to see him squirm.

“Are you feeling ok? Or do you need to be dropped in the sea?” a low, growling voice called across the tub.

Maddox sat with an unimpressed expression, watching his friend squirm.

Kenna made her way to her brother’s side, looking comically tiny next to him. She sank into the bubbles and shot a smug look at Gage.

“I think he needs to be dropped in,” she said. Her eyes locked with Gage’s.

“Fuck you, Brooks,” Gage called to her.

“You wish, buddy,” she replied sweetly.

Isabelle leaned into me, and her hand landed on my thigh.

I looked down at her. “You want to get out now?”

She shook her head. “No. Never. It’s perfect here.” She leaned back and looked up at the sky. It was fully dark, but the moon was full and shining down on us. Marcus was grilling around the side of the house with his friends, and Ari was playing the guitar. Issy’s article had come out and caused a ruckus. She was in talks with a publisher now, looking to expand the story.