A Little Secret (The Little Things #4)

Epilogue

EPILOGUE

FINLEY

A few months later…

S ometimes, it blows my mind. How fast time can fly, yet drag at the same time. The last three months have been the hardest of my life. I’ve been in a fog, blindly stumbling through it while juggling classes and friendships and families and work. Now, here we are, in the Bahamas, celebrating the end of spring semester and the boys’ graduation. The guys are playing volleyball in the sand while the rest of us soak up the sunshine.

After spreading out a pink and yellow towel between Dylan’s and Raine’s, I plop down and tug my hair into a messy bun on top of my head.

“Dude, I’m already hot,” I point out.

Fiddling with her black bikini top, Raine says, “You and me both. I love it, though.”

“Me, too.” I lay down and arch my back, stretching out on my towel, when I catch Griffin smirking at me. With a wry grin, I wiggle my fingers at him .

Dylan gags beside me. “He’s still my brother, you know.”

“And he’s still my boyfriend, so, suck it up, buttercup.”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. You’re just lucky I left Frankie at home.”

A shiver races down my spine as I move onto my stomach and rest my chin in my hands, letting the sun hit my back. “And who’s watching your little demon, anyway?”

“Tatum,” Dylan answers. She’s only half paying attention since her gaze is glued to Reeves’ half-naked body as he winds up to serve the volleyball over the net.

Then again, I don’t blame her for being distracted. Those boys are creating quite the stir. People are pausing on their walks, watching the friendly game like it’s an Olympic sport, and the view isn’t too shabby.

Ophelia snorts beside Dylan, stealing my attention. “Then, good luck. Hope you don’t mind buying another frog after my little sister starves Frankie.”

“Hey!” Dylan tosses some sand at Ophelia.

Laughing, Ophelia squeals, “Hey, watch it!”

“You’re the one who joked about my baby’s death, thank you very much.” She blanches and turns to me. “Shit. I didn’t…”

“You’re good,” I rush out. “I know you didn’t mean anything by it.”

“I know, but still. It was super insensitive.”

Reaching toward her, I grab her knee and move it back and forth. “Seriously, you’re fine. I promise. And honestly? It’s nice. To just…be here with you guys, you know? The last few months have been a blur, and I’m excited for a fresh start this next year.”

“I don’t blame you,” Raine offers.

“So, how are things?” Ophelia asks.

I shrug. “They’re good, I guess. Still weird, but…at least I don’t have anyone telling me it’s for the best or my baby’s in a better place or any of that other bullshit. Not that it’s their fault when they say those things,” I add. “But sometimes, I just wish more people would’ve told me, ‘That sucks, and I’m sorry.’ You know?”

“After everything went down with Archer, comments like that were so refreshing. Like sometimes life sucks. And there isn’t a reason for it. It just…sucks.”

“Exactly.” I smile at her. “And I had a few months that sucked, is all. But it is what it is and…it is what it is,” I repeat.

“And how are you and Griff?” Dylan prods.

“We’re good.” A smile hits my lips. “Really good, actually.”

“I’m glad. Now I can cross you off my worry list,” Ophelia replies.

“And who else is on the list?” Raine interjects.

“Let’s see…” Tapping her finger against her chin, Ophelia rattles off names like they’re confetti. “Rory, Jaxon, Tatum, and…not you anymore.” She gives me a smile. “Thank goodness.”

“Glad I can be of service,” I quip. “But what’s wrong with Jax?”

“Technically, nothing, but he’s worried about Rory, who’s basically blacklisted the poor guy, and therefore, I’m worried about both of them,” Ophelia admits. “At least I don’t have to put up with him during practice anymore. He was always checking his phone and asking me to ask Mav for updates and stuff. Honestly, it was sweet. Like he was a big brother and just wanted to make sure she was okay. The problem was, Rory explicitly told me and Mav that we’re not allowed to even utter her name to Jaxon anymore, which made things”—she grimaces—“a little tricky. ”

“Rory’s still MIA?” I prod.

“Not literally,” Dylan answers. “But from what I heard, the girl is either at school or in her room twenty-four-seven, so…”

“Yeah, you aren’t the only one who fell off the face of the earth for a little while. Not to mention Tatum,” Lia adds.

“Where is Tatum?” Dylan interjects. “I’m pretty sure I haven’t seen her since we went to Rowdy’s and she bailed.”

“Yeah…” Ophelia leans closer before glancing at the guys still immersed in their volleyball game. Confirming we don’t have any eavesdroppers, she adds, “After being suspended for drawing a penis in her school’s auditorium, she convinced my parents to ship her off to a year-round boarding school.”

“What?” I screech. “I mean, don’t get me wrong. I know I’ve been a little preoccupied, but seriously? When did this happen?”

“Two weeks ago,” Ophelia answers. “And don’t worry, I was going to tell you?—”

“Good because I’m a sucker for some juicy gossip, and this is gold.” I laugh. “Also, what do you mean she convinced your parents? Isn’t boarding school usually a threat the parents make to keep their kids in line?”

“Are you kidding?” Ophelia laughs. “My parents have been begging Tatum to open up to them for almost a year now. The idea of shipping her off is literally the last thing they want.”

Putting myself in Aunt Blakely and Uncle Theo’s shoes, I sober slightly, drawing Tatum’s name in the sand. “Maybe it’ll be good for her, though,” I offer. “A fresh start. Fresh faces.”

“Maybe,” Ophelia mutters. “Rory’s begging to go, too, but Mav’s parents haven’t given in yet. ”

Dylan pulls her knees to her chest, her eyes wide. “No shit?”

“Yup.” Ophelia pops the p at the end. “Bet you twenty bucks she’ll be there next year, though.”

“Why?” I ask.

“Any excuse to be as far away from Jax as possible.”

“And I repeat, why? Don’t get me wrong. I get it. I get why she’s embarrassed and stuff, but like…it was one rejection from a guy who would be in jail if he returned it in the first place, so…”

“Exactly,” Raine murmurs.

“Besides,” I continue. “Squeaks is gorgeous. If she could just let her silly crush go and move on, she’d realize there are other guys out there who are her age who would treat her like gold.”

“Yeah, and they’d be lining up in an instant to have a shot with her,” Raine adds.

Brushing off the sand from the edge of her blanket, Dylan chimes in, “True. But to be fair, I get it. Rory might not be as shy as I was when I met Reeves, but she has to be feeling like a lost puppy at this point. She followed my brother everywhere, and now…”

“Now, she feels like she has no one,” Raine realizes.

“No one but Tatum,” Ophelia finishes. “My parents said Rory’s the only person Tatum talks to. Not like it’s a daily thing or whatever, but still. That’s why I think Rory’s going to wind up at the same school. Maybe they can be roommates or something.”

Raine shrugs. “I guess we’ll have to wait and see.”

“That’s gotta kill Aunt Mia and Uncle Henry, though,” I point out. “Rory’s all they have left, and after Archer’s death, they have to be hesitant to let Rory live across the country. ”

“True,” Dylan murmurs. “But I also think they’re even more anxious to see their daughter heal, you know?”

I nod. “Yeah. I get it.”

“Me, too,” Raine adds.

Ophelia drags her fingers along the edge of the towel. “Me, too.”

“We should get in the water,” Dylan decides. She peeks at her bare shoulders growing pinker and pinker with every passing second. “I’m roasting.”

On a laugh, Ophelia repeats, “Me, too. Come on.” She stands, wiping the sand off of her, and offers her hand to pull me up.

As I take it, she yanks me to my feet, and I grab Dylan’s hand on my opposite side. Catching onto the trend, Dylan loops her arm through Raine’s, and we all race toward the water’s edge, our feet digging into the sand with every hurried step. Cold water licks at our ankles within seconds, but we don’t stop there. Instead, I yank everyone further into the waves until the last thing I hear is Dylan’s protests.

“My glasses!” Her words are swallowed by the water as I tug us under. Warm, salty ocean envelops us in an instant. When our heads break the surface, laughter ensues, and it’s music to my freaking ears.

“Pickles!” Someone yells. “My pickles!”

What the hell?

I look over at the guys, finding Reeves jogging toward us.

“Dude, we’re in the middle of a game,” Everett calls from behind him.

“Gotta avenge my girlfriend first!”

“Ah, hell.” Griffin drops the volleyball and chases after him, kicking up sand with his footsteps. Gotta give the man credit. He’s good at knowing when he’s needed, and given the fake death glare Reeves is directing at me, I’m gonna say I could use Griffin’s protection.

Dodging Griffin’s pursuit, Reeves argues, “This doesn’t concern you!”

“My girlfriend. My concern.” He lunges for Reeves again, both of them laughing as they play a game of tag like a couple of kids.

“I’m only gonna splash some salt water in her eyes. That’s all,” Reeves quips.

“Yeah, and I’m only gonna make you eat a little bit of sand,” Griff volleys back.

Giving Dylan the side-eye, I ask, “Do you think they’ll ever grow up?”

“Says the girl who just dragged me into the water,” Dylan counters.

“Touché.” I cup my hands around my mouth. “Hey, boys!”

“Yeah?” they return in unison.

“How ‘bout we settle this like grown adults.”

Reeves must be intrigued by my suggestion because he stops his little game of tag with Griffin and crosses his arms, his biceps bulging. Not gonna lie. He's a good-looking dude, but the poor bastard doesn’t hold a candle to the man next to him. Yup. Griffin Thorne has my whole heart, and I’m not sure there’s anything I could’ve done to stop him from stealing it. Not that I would’ve, mind you. He’s pretty freaking perfect, and despite the last few months we’ve endured, I wouldn’t have wanted to survive it with anyone else.

Sporting a lopsided grin making my chest swell every single time it’s directed at me, Griffin prods, “Go on.”

Oh. Right.

“How ‘bout a chicken fight?” I suggest. “Me and Griff against Reeves and Dylan. First girl to land in the water loses.”

“Hey, I wanna play!” Lia interjects. “Mav! Ev! Get down here!”

“You sure you wanna go against me and Ev?” Raine teases beside her.

With a wink, Lia replies, “Yeah, I think I can take you.”

The waves lap at our waists as the boys race toward us like a group of water buffalos, the ocean splashing around them with every step. Okay, describing them as water buffalos is probably a little dramatic. Pretty sure they could star in Baywatch, thanks to their rippling muscles and sunkissed skin, though there’s no need to inflate their egos even more than they already are. But, I digress. Reeves reaches us first. Wrapping his arms around Dylan’s waist, he tackles her into the water like he’s a professional linebacker, and I squeal with laughter.

Okay, now that was funny.

When she comes up sputtering a few seconds later, she slaps his shoulder and wipes at her eyes. “Oliver freaking Reeves! I thought you were coming to avenge me, not replicate the reason for avenging!”

Throwing his head back, Reeves’s chest rumbles with amusement. “Sorry, Pickles. I saw an opportunity, and I took it.”

“Of course you did,” Dylan glares at him, her glasses askew, but the wide smile she’s sporting doesn’t exactly help her case. “Now, get over here so I can climb on your shoulders.”

“And here I thought I’d climb on yours.” His bottom lip juts out in a mock frown.

“Whatever.” Rolling her eyes, Dylan pats his shoulders and tries to shove him down, but he barely budges. “Oh, come on,” she begs .

Giving in, he crouches down so she can climb onto him as Griffin moves toward me.

Wrapping his arms around my waist, he pulls me in for a hug, and I lift my chin, kissing him softly before my attention cuts to Reeves. “And that’s how you treat a lady.”

“Lady.” He scoffs. “You do know we’re talking about Finley, right?”

I flip him off, and he laughs even harder. “Yeah, yeah. Whatever, Fin. Come on. We’re about to take you down. Ain’t that right, Pickles?”

“Bring it on,” Dylan says.

With a smirk, I turn back to Griff. “You know, I almost feel sorry for them.”

“Me, too.” He glances at the couple while the rest of our friends prepare for their own chicken war a few feet away. “Sorry, little sister, but we’re not gonna go easy on you, so if you want to surrender now, we completely understand.”

Dylan’s jaw drops. “Who said you need to go easy on me?”

“I once saw you trip over nothing,” I point out. “You weren’t even walking. You just…fell over like a dead tree.”

With a low laugh, Reeves squeezes Dylan’s calf and cranes his neck back so he can look up at her as she sits on his shoulders, and I’m not going to lie. The adoration in the man’s gaze is adorable as hell.

“It’s okay, Pickles. I won’t let them win,” he promises.

Her face scrunches. “Yeah, well. Neither will I.”

“Sure, you won’t,” Ophelia calls, pointing to me. “Enjoy beating her because after I take care of Raine, you and I are gonna tango, missy.”

“So much talking, so little fighting,” Raine interjects from on Everett’s shoulders. He widens his stance and motions for Ophelia and Maverick to bring it on.

It’s ridiculous and silly, and I’m not gonna lie. I love it. The banter. The sass. The camaraderie. It just might be my favorite thing in the world.

Warm hands hit my waist as Griffin steals my attention. I can see the question in his eyes. The silent check-in. Am I good? It’s what he’s asking. I nod and lift my chin again, waiting for a kiss. When he meets me halfway, I close my eyes and bask in the gentle brush of his lips against mine, knowing it’ll never get old. This. Me. Him. Surrounded by family and friends.

I didn’t know if I’d ever feel this way again. Light. Happy. At home. I didn’t even think it was possible.

And honestly, maybe I never would’ve felt this way again. Without Griffin’s push. Without my family’s support. And it makes me grateful. So damn grateful. That I have these people in my life. People who make me smile. Who make me laugh. Who put up with my bullshit without batting an eye.

And even though there are dark days, and I have no doubt there will be many more in my future, it’s moments like this, surrounded by loved ones, when I realize it’s still worth it. This life. The bumpy ride. The earth-shattering moments. Because if I have this, then it’s enough.

It will always be enough.

And I hope one day, my future children will be able to find the same thing. A support system. A family. A home they can take with them across the world.

But for now? For now, I’m going to bask in the sunshine with my best friends while we play a ridiculous game in the warm ocean and balmy summer breeze.

“All right, Griff.” I pat his shoulder, and he squats down so I can climb onto them. “You and me. Let’s do this.”

“You read my mind.”