Lost the Handle (Nashville Assassins: Next Generation #8)

Epilogue Two

Emery

Owen and Evan grin at us as all our siblings surround them. Of course, Aiden is holding Shelli, and it makes me grin to see them like that. I used to think it was weird, but I think it was jealousy all those years ago. I wanted to marry an Adler.

Quinn Adler.

I lean into Quinn as Owen reminisces. “Emery dropped her gloves and threw her stick at Quinn from the goal when he scored on her. I mean, she slung that sucker and got him right upside the head!”

“Mind you, she was the goalie, and it was his job to score on her,” Evan says through laughter. The whole room is in a fit of hysterics too. Even I can’t keep my giggles from spilling out of me. “I think that’s when I knew they would end up together.”

Shelli takes the mic then. “No. It was when he sang ‘Ocean Eyes’ at the chalet that I knew. They both looked so stricken, and I couldn’t look away.”

Aiden leans in. “For me, it was when I heard about him singing to her at Brooks House because she was on a date with Dimitri.”

Everyone laughs loudly at that, and I don’t miss the glare Quinn throws Dimitri’s way. Austen sits in his lap, laughing, as Dimitri holds up his hands. “It wasn’t a date! It was drinks between friends.”

I grin widely at that. I thought I wanted to sleep with Dimitri to get Quinn off my back. It didn’t work. I ended up sleeping with Quinn that night. Before I can look away, though, I notice Flynn staring at an auburn-haired beauty who has Posey’s son in her lap. I lean in and whisper to Quinn, “Who’s that with Zac?”

He looks over and then leans into me, his lips moving against my heated skin. It’s hard to concentrate on what I asked with the fire he stokes coursing through my bloodstream. “That’s Posey’s assistant coach, Luna Morozova. Heard she might be carrying Posey and Boon’s baby.”

My eyes widen. “No shit!”

He grins down at me, passion shining in his blue depths. “Yeah.”

I look back, and I notice Flynn is still staring at her intently. Kind of how Quinn looks at me. I don’t know what is going on there, but I hope it doesn’t mess with Posey and Boon’s plans.

“For me,” Asher says, bringing my attention back to him, “it was when we were kids at a Stanley Cup party, and there were these cupcakes that Audrey Odder had made. Emery loves them, and there was only one left. Quinn was pissed that she grabbed it before he did, but she broke it in half for them. Now, my sister doesn’t share food, so I knew then that they were destined for this moment. Which is why I said it would be only one day before they got back together. Thanks, guys. I lost a lot of money.”

We all laugh at his dismay as Stella takes the mic. “Since it’s only family here, I have no problem sharing this information.”

Stella sends me a sneaky grin, and I eye her skeptically. This isn’t going to be good.

“My sister came home fifteen days ago,” she tells everyone, and damn it, I know where this is going. “When she came home, she told us that she was going to get Quinn back. We tried to save him from the wrath of Emery Elaine Brooks—er, I mean Adler.”

She sends a grin at us, and Quinn hugs me closer to him. “Thank you,” he calls out to her, and she waggles her brows. I can’t help but giggle as Quinn kisses my jaw, his arms tightening around my waist as we listen to Stella’s speech.

I have never felt so complete in my life, but I’m nervous about what Stella is going to say.

“But there is no saving Quinn from Emery. Those two, whoa… I mean, everyone here knows,” she says with a chuckle, and the room explodes in laughter.

I look around at all the smiling faces. Aunt Grace let us use her barn, and between her and our moms, the room is a stunning mixture of black and white and glitz. Sparkling lights hang from the rafters, flowers adorn the tables, and photos of Quinn and me together growing up are everywhere. I hope it’s driving Ava crazy, but that’s the petty part of me. I know she doesn’t care anymore. She has her woman and her money.

And I have my man.

I reach up to cup the back of Quinn’s neck as he kisses my cheek once more. Stella beams as she continues. “Now, there is nothing that my sister can’t do. She is a millionaire at twenty-one, owns two companies, and could probably star in her own murder podcast as the host who did it all, and no one would know.” I smirk at that. She’s not wrong. “But above all that, my sister loves hard, and Quinn has always been the object of her obsession.” She gives me a sweet smile. “She’s told me her whole life that she was going to marry him. And when she came back, I knew she’d succeed. In a matter of nine days, she broke up his engagement to someone else, and now, she has married him.” She laughs along with everyone else.

There are catcalls and applause, and yeah, I’m grinning from ear to ear.

“That’s what Emery is capable of. She is the best person I know, and Quinn, you are one lucky guy to be the center of her world. She’ll love you with a fierceness you’ll be terrified of, but will relish. Just as she cherishes you, please do the same. She’s a hard one, but her love is worth it.”

Quinn squeezes me. “I am well aware.”

I grin, my eyes misting as Stella says, “I couldn’t have picked a better man for my baby sister, and I wish you both a life of love and happiness.” She winks. “Not that Emery will make it easy.”

“No, she won’t!” Owen yells out, and everyone laughs as Quinn kisses me again.

I lean into the kiss, but I pull away when Stella comes over to kiss us both. Quinn takes the mic before kissing my knuckles and bringing me to the center of the room where all our siblings just were. I look at him expectantly as he licks his lips, his eyes only for me.

“As everyone has seen and heard, Emery marches to the beat of her own drum. I had a whole other plan for how our vows would play out, though I couldn’t help but agree to speed things up when it came to becoming her husband.” He squeezes my hand, and I search his eyes for a clue as to what is going on. “For three years, I used music to cope without you,” he tells me, and instantly, my heart kicks up in speed. “Every song I sang and posted on social media was for you, Emery. It was the only way I could reach you, while respecting the space you put between us. Of course, I know now that I should have channeled my inner Emery and just made you be mine.” Everyone chuckles at that, and I choke on a sob. “I enjoyed singing for you, even if I never said you were the reason. But today, and every day after, you’ll always know I’m singing just for you.”

The lights dim, and Benson comes up beside him, strumming his guitar as Quinn’s blue eyes lock with mine. His lips curve as he starts to sing “Always Been You” by Shawn Mendes. I’m in awe of his talent, his voice, the intense way he looks at me as he sings. The song is perfection, and the lyrics he sings speak to my soul. They’re us in the form of music.

My heart swells in my chest as he clutches my hand in his before twirling me and then bringing me back into his arms. I cup his jaw as we dance, the words he sings for me and me only. As I gaze into his eyes, I am so glad I am who I am. That I’m not like our moms, all professional and nurturing, women who have the morals of saints.

That I’m a fucking nutcase—one who is entirely and unequivocally in love with Quinn Adler.

And he loves me just the way I am.