Falling for Ezra Thomas (Life With the Thomas Brothers #4)

25. Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five

Lorelai

Two months later…

“Hey, I got the mail. Did you remember to put it on hold or send it to my place?” Vivien asks when she enters the front door of the apartment we’ve shared for years. She waves the single letter at me and grins. It’s from Ezra.

“Uh, yeah. I’m having it diverted to your place until I figure out what my address will be. It should only be a few things like bank statements and the like,” I say.

She hands me the letter and brushes her dark hair from her face. It’s been a long and tiring day, but we’re almost done with the last load of things to send to the storage unit.

“I can’t believe we’re both married,” she says. “And to twins. I gotta say, for all the years we’ve known the Thomases, I never thought it would go like this.”

“Hey, we’re catches,” Beck teases. “I don’t know how you never saw it coming. It was destiny for you two to marry someone in our family.”

“Yeah, but you two?” I ask, still a little shocked myself. I fidget with the wedding band on my left hand and smile.

Beck grins and lifts the last box. “I mean, I guess you’re right about that, but are you disappointed?”

My husband’s identical twin, my sister’s husband, waits while she and I think it over.

“Oh, come on,” he teases.

“Nah, not disappointed at all,” Vivien says and kisses his cheek.

“Me either. You’re the one stuck with the Mays sisters for eternity,” I say.

“I could think of worse people.” Beck shrugs as best as he can with a heavy box.

“Yeah, but half of this awesome-quad will be all the way in Georgia. I can’t believe you’re leaving,” Vivien says, fighting tears again. I know the second I get on the plane, I’ll break down, but my husband is waiting for me. And I miss him. I’m ready to begin our life together, take on this new mission, and see what life has in store for us.

“I won’t be gone forever, and you’re coming to visit in the fall. Besides, it’s driving distance and I’m sure you’ll see me all the time.”

“I know, but it still feels so strange. How am I supposed to keep this Thomas clan in line by myself?” my sister whines.

“You have Ella and Emma, and maybe if you work really hard, you can get Luna back too. You’ve got this, and if it gets to be too much, just jump in the car and come visit.” I grasp her shoulders and pull her into a hug.

“What about me?” Beck asks, feigning offense.

I sigh and open one arm. He drops the box and joins the hug. “I guess you can bring this one with you. He’s not so grumpy anymore.”

“You haven’t woken up with him in the morning. He’s abominable before coffee,” Vivien teases. “But I love him, and I know you’ll be back, eventually.”

“And I’m not even leaving yet. I’m stuck living with Mom and Dad until the moving truck comes next week.”

“And don’t think I won’t be there every single day. It’s just that everything is changing so much and so fast.” Vivien frowns again and Beck squeezes us harder.

“Yeah. My parents have it in their head that we started something, and now all ten of their sons are destined to meet and marry amazing women this year.” Beck rolls his eyes and wiggles free from the hug to retrieve my box.

“I love her, but your mother can be delusional when it comes to love,” I admit as we step outside.

“I’m sorry, were you not present for her linguistic acrobatics that got you and my brother married literally one weekend after me? One second you were planning a fall wedding, and the next she was dragging you to the pastor.” Beck gives me a moment to ponder that drastic change of events. He’s right. Somehow, telling our parents our plans turned into a small wedding ceremony at the church.

I shrug. “Well, she’s good at it. I’ll give her that, but I don’t regret a second of it.” I shut the door behind us, turn to lock it, and freeze.

It hits me harder now, all at once. This is the last time Vivien and I will lock the door to our apartment. It’s not ours anymore, and it seems to occur to her at the same time. I look her way and we make eye contact. Her frown turns into the smallest smile and she nods.

“This is really it,” I whisper and turn the key. “It’s…” I don’t know what else to say.

“It’s the beginning of the rest of our lives, and even though we’re going to stray a little, I have a good feeling we can’t stay away from Coldstone Creek for long. This place is home.” Beck’s tone is soft and comforting, and I know it’s not only for our benefit. Ezra moving away has been hard on him, too, but it’s obvious God has matched us up with the right people to help us get through the hard parts.

With a deep breath, I take my sister’s hand and we walk away from everything we’ve known for the past couple of years. Now that they’re back from their honeymoon and have finalized the purchase, Beck and Vivien will move into their new house. I’ll relocate to Georgia to be with Ezra. The other power couples in town are settling down, making plans, and if my suspicion is correct, Luna will be back in the fold soon enough. I hope. Which means Rafe might move to Chatswain City, eventually.

Beck loads my box into his car and slams the door. “Anyone wanna stop for ice cream on the way to your parents’ house?”

Vivien’s smile spreads wider, and she skips a little. My baby sister is happy, and that’s all I can ask for. It’s what I need to know, so that moving is okay for me, too. And I’m ready to explore this next chapter in my life with Ezra, the man I’m pretty sure will always make my heart skip the same way my sister’s does when Beck enters a room.

I don’t realize I’m standing still, smiling like a doofus until Vivien nudges me.

“Come on, sis. Let’s get ice cream with sprinkles then go raid Mom and Dad’s pantry for old times’ sake.”

I giggle and slide into the back seat of Beck’s car, envisioning driving our parents insane one last time before embarking on the adventure of a lifetime.