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Epilogue One
Six Months Later
Logan
Thecrowdgoeswildas the Heartwood U football team comes out on top against their biggest rivals. Summer and Cory cheer beside me, but I’m focused on the field, watching as Dani makes her way onto the turf. She’s wearing a tight black pantsuit with a white silk camisole underneath, and paired with her hair in a bun and glasses, she’s giving off a hot librarian vibe that I am definitely here for. But I can’t touch her. She’s in work mode, and it’s her last official day as Dwayne’s babysitter.Thank God.
The season may not be over, but the little fucker is actually half decent, and really stepped up over the past six months. So, after today, they’re taking him off parole, giving him a chance to go it alone. Meaning, I’m finally getting my girl back. Not that she’s ever been away from me, but I’d kind of like to be the one accompanying her to important work events, and after today, I finally can.
“You ready to go?” Summer asks with a sassy grin. Her eyes flash to where Dani stands on the sidelines, talking to someone from the media.
“Yep,” I say, popping the p. “I’m good.”
“I’ll bet you are,” she jokes, as she drags me along.
After watching Summer and Cory drive away, I get comfortable in my Jeep and wait, knowing it’ll be at least another hour before Dani’s done. I could go home, but Liam’s with my mom—his grandmother—and I can’t stand an empty house anymore. So much has changed in the last six months.
I listen to some tunes as the parking lot clears out around me, and when I’m completely lost in the music, a throat clears, getting my instant attention.
When I look down at Dani, she raises an eyebrow, a suppressed smile in place.
“Are you free?” I ask, raising an eyebrow right back.
Her answering smile is all I need, but she nods anyway, just to confirm it. “No more babysitting the football player. I’mfree.”
“Yeah, baby.” Jumping to the ground, I lift her into my arms and spin her around as she giggles.
“Let’s celebrate,” I say, pausing for dramatic effect before adding, “at the courthouse.”
Dani freezes before leaning back and pushing against my chest, forcing me to put her down. “What did you say?”
Biting back a smile, I grab her shoulders and wait until she’s looking me in the eye. “It’s time we made it official. It’s time for you to become Mrs. Taylor so we can start the process of you adopting Liam.”
“Again, what?”
I can’t help but chuckle at the shocked expression on her face. You’d think this was coming out of the blue. “Come on, Dani. We’ve talked about this very thingmanytimes. You want to adopt Liam, right? This just makes it an easier process.”
“I do. And yes, we have discussed it, but I didn’t expect it today. I look like a librarian.”
My lips pull into a smirk as I bounce my eyebrows. “Yeah, you do. And it’s perfect.”
Dani rolls her eyes before storming around to the passenger door and jumping in. “You’re being ridiculous. Take me home.”
I nod with a suppressed smile even though she’s not looking my way. “Your wish is my command.”
Liam’s home by the time we get there, and he runs straight into Dani’s arms the second we walk through the door, just like he has every day since he moved in with us back in May. Actually, I suppose you’d say we all moved in together since we were all living apart before that. It’s been kind of a whirlwind to say the least, but somehow, it’s working.
“Did she say yes?” Liam asks, an eager grin lighting up his features as he looks at me over Dani’s shoulder.
Dani’s wide eyes flash to mine as she turns, and I’ve got to say, I’m a little shocked she thought I’d drop it that easily. That’s not like me at all. Nope, I was just waiting for my extra ammunition, and he nailed the target.
“I don’t know, buddy. Why don’t you ask her?” I say with a pointed look in Dani’s direction, as my mom appears in the entry.
Liam beams up at me and pulls out of Dani’s grasp. “Will you marry Dad?” he says, shocking us all into silence. My heart slams in my chest as emotion clogs my throat. Because that wasn’t part of the plan. TheDadbit. He’s never actually called me that, preferring to call us both by nicknames or first names or “hey you,” but never Mom or Dad. I don’t make a big deal out of it—even though I want to rush into his arms and hug him until he yells at me to stop—because he doesn’t like any attention on him, and this is no exception. Plus, he knows what he said, and by the small grin he’s aiming my way as he takes in my watery eyes and genuine smile, he knows what it means to me.
So, with a hand to my heart, I give him a brief nod and turn my gaze back to Dani just in time to see her subtly wipe the tears from her eyes.
“Yes,” she says quietly when Liam looks her way. “Yes, I’ll marry your dad.”
