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Their date options would always be limited. But not impossible. Between the two of them, she didn’t think anything was impossible.
He turned and kissed her temple, inhaling her in that way he had that always made her shiver. “You and me. No matter what the future holds.”
Bonus Epilogue
Ten years later
“Mom! Mom! Did you see me score my goal?”
Jenna gritted her teeth as her six-year-old daughter opened the door to the minivan and jumped inside, hand in hand with her bestie, River Bollinger.
Mark was right behind them. Jenna relaxed as he quickly shut the door once they were all inside.
For ten years, he’d been closing doors quickly for her. He never tested her, never tried to push her to keep the door open and tough it out.
And she loved the man just as much for it now as she had at the beginning.
She pulled Megan in for a hug. “You know I saw it! I watched the whole game!”
Megan grinned, her green eyes so much like her father’s squinting at the screen in front of Jenna. “Show me, show me!”
Mark smiled and handed Megan and River juice boxes as Jenna pulled up the footage of the goal.
Jenna had been wrong. She’d been wrong about so many things all those years ago when she told Mark it couldn’t work-long term between them.
She’d been wrong to think Mark would tire of dealing with her agoraphobia.
She’d been wrong to think she couldn’t have a family and participate actively in their lives.
She’d been wrong to think her friends in Oak Creek would demand more than she could give.
Case in point, the fact that Charlie Bollinger had been sitting in the van with Jenna for the game—cooler full ofmedicinalbeers to ensure they survived the tedium of watching six-year-olds attempt soccer. As she had every game this season.
And that was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to Jenna’s friends.
They’d built an overhang at the back door of the Eagle’s Nest so she could walk from her vehicle into the building without fear overtaking her, giving her a place to go out whenever she wanted.
They set up the pop-up drive-in movie location outside of town every single weekend in the summer so she could hang out with everyone.
They’d piled into her and Mark’s new house for their wedding eight years ago—determined she would have a stress-free day she could enjoy and they could participate in.
They’d gone out of their way to make sure she was included and comfortable. Because they were family. Not related by blood, but by something more important: choice.
She chose these people, and they chose her right back.
They’d helped her when Mark’s peripheral neuropathy had taken a turn for the worse just after Megan was born and Jenna needed help. And celebrated with them when he’d gotten better.
And not a single one of them demanded a thing in return, although she and Mark had tried to do their part too. Mark had worked tirelessly designing and building the expansion of Linear Tactical. Jenna continued to use her talent with computers to assist where needed.
Including teaching the elementary school kids in town computer basics via video call each week. Not only how to use their electronics, but how recognize and report predators who might attempt to prey on them. Chemical subjectification wasn’t the only means of human trafficking, and Jenna would do whatever she could to keep the next generation safe.
“I didn’t score a goal, Mommy,” River said, slumping onto her mother’s lap.
Charlie hugged her. “Next time, kid. Don’t worry, your turn is coming.”
Megan nodded solemnly. “We’ll keep practicing, Riv. Don’t worry.”
River’s eyes lit up. “And Ethan and Jess will be home in a couple weeks. He’ll help too!”
