Page 163 of Keeping Score

“Or,” Maggie emphasized, “maybe it’s the hormones.”

I laughed, pulling Maggie to my side so I could wrap an arm around her as we watched Cassie try to blubber out an excuse.

“Plus the fact that Liam’s been extra glued to your side lately—a seemingly impossible task, but then again, my brother’s always been an overachiever.”

Liam rolled his eyes, and before Cassie could stammer out a retort, he leaned down to kiss her cheek, instantly setting her at ease.

“It’s okay, baby,” he said. “We wanted to tell them anyway.”

“Yes, but not now! We stole their thunder!”

“First of all, you did not steal my thunder, because I announced it,” Maggie said. “Second, we’re all a family. And I don’t want there to be any more hiding things from family.”

“In that case,” I interjected, a little sheepishly. “I should let everyone know that I decided not to move to Michigan.”

Everyone stared at me blankly.

“Yeah, babe.” Maggie laughed. “I think we figured that since we just got engaged.”

“No,” I corrected, “I mean before that. I decided not to go.”

“When?” Maggie blinked. “Why?”

“When we were skating together,” I said to Liam. “I realized the same thing Maggie’s saying—we’re a family, and, well, families are supposed to stick together, aren’t they?”

“Yeah.” Maggie nodded, for once no witty comment to be made in response. “They are.”

“Don’t cry again, Cass.” I stared at our friend whose behavior lately suddenly made sense with Maggie’s revelation.

“I’m not. I’m not.” She waved us away. “I’m just so happy that everything worked out.”

“It was always going to,” Liam said. “You think Brody’s the type to ever give up on things?”

“I guess I wore down both of the Brynn siblings, huh? I infiltrated my way into your heavily guarded hearts, and now, here you are. Stuck with me, forever.”

I grinned between them both, as Liam rolled his eyes and Maggie shook her head but gripped my hand all the more tightly.

“Let’s get out of here,” Liam said, nodding toward the exit. “I’m sure you guys will want to get back to your own house.”

Maggie and I laughed at his subtle approach of evicting us from his house.

Fine by me. Maggie and I had a life to rebuild together.

“Don’t be rude, Liam,” Cassie said as they headed toward the exit.

“I’m not being rude, Cass,” he said, and then his words were lost to me, my mind too focused on processing the present moment all around.

We walked out of the arena together into the sweet air of a spring evening. The buds were blooming with new beginnings and the city lights twinkled, as if Boston itself were welcoming me home. Or reminding me that it always had been.

Liam and Cassie a few steps ahead of us, their voices filling the air. Maggie’s hand in mine, the weight of a promise we’d spent the rest of our lives fulfilling. I ran a finger along her ring finger, where I’d put the engagement ring on as soon as we got home.

This city. These people. This girl beside me who I had given my heart to so long ago.

This was all I’d ever need.

Epilogue

Maggie