The Grand Duel (The Grand Men #4)

Epilogue

Lissie

Three years later...

“ Y ou’re tired.”

Feeling heavy-eyed and in need of this day to end, I peer up at Charlie and smile. “I’m okay. I’ve been looking forward to tonight all week.”

With my exams coming up, I’ve been busy studying most evenings, leaving Charles and the dogs a little lost.

They tend to follow me from room to room with sad eyes.

All three of them.

“I went shopping especially for you at lunch today.”

“You did?”

I nod. “Uh-huh.”

His smirk is soft, boyish. “What did you buy—for me.”

“That’s a surprise. If you’re well behaved between now and home, you might get lucky, and I’ll show you.”

“Baby, I hope you’ve not wasted our money on new underwear because I’m not sure I’ve got the patience tonight.” He looks over at me, his handsome face momentarily taking my breath away. “And I’ve been a good boy all week.”

I smile. “You have. That is true. Do you not want a little treat?”

“Just you.” His eyes go between me and the road. “Just you, Lis.”

I drop my head to the side. “It’s nice underwear, Charles. You need to see it before you make such rash decisions.”

He looks over at me, and I see the idea sparking in his eyes. “You know what would work really well for the both of us?”

My lips twist, and he smiles.

“A quickie. We don’t even have to leave the car. It’s been a long week. It’ll take me minutes. I’ll go inside, run you a bath, and cook us tea—having already satisfied my needs—and then I’ll join you in the tub with a bottle of your favourite, and you can slip into your new underwear after. I’ll take all night long with you, baby.”

I chuckle, the promise in his words making a fire ignite beneath my skin. “You’ve really thought about that, haven’t you.”

“All week long.”

I look down at my phone when it starts ringing in my lap. “It’s Ellis.”

Charlie rolls his eyes and looks toward the road.

“Hey, Ellis, you okay?” I ask, answering the phone.

“Auntie Lissie?”

“Yes, Ellis?”

“Dad won’t let me have ice cream because I didn’t finish my tea. Can you come and get me?”

I smile, looking up at Charles. “Why haven’t you finished your tea?”

“I ate most of it. It’s stew, and I hate stew. The meat is chewy.” He sighs his dramatic six-year-old sigh and goes quiet.

Charles shakes his head at me.

“Put Dad on the phone and go get some pj’s packed.”

“Yes!”

“Lis?” Charlie says in disbelief.

I pull the phone away and give Charlie a look. “One more night won’t hurt.”

“I can promise you it will hurt me very much.”

“We can’t say no to them!”

“Them? Sammy, too?”

There’s rustling on the phone, and then, “Hello?”

I tame my smile and focus on Mason.

“Hey, it’s Lissie. Am I okay to steal the kids away for the night?”

“Did that little bugger ring you?”

I bite my lip. “No, I was supposed to ask in the week, but it’s been mental at home. Ave, too, if Scar doesn’t mind.”

“Yeah,” he sighs. “If you want them, of course you can. I can drop them over?”

“Could you? We’ll head to Elliot and Lucy’s to get the twins now and then be back at the cottage. We shouldn’t be long.”

“Alright, see you in a bit.”

I hang up and glance up at my beautiful man.

“All five of them, Lis? Tonight was supposed to be my night with you.”

“They won’t always want to come for sleepovers, Charlie. They’ll grow up and think we’re the weird auntie and uncle eventually. You have forever to be greedy with me.”

He peers down at me, his face softening as our eyes meet.

It’s all it ever takes.

Half a second, maybe even less, and that love, understanding, and promise is solidified in one single look.

Because if there’s anything that means more to me than Charles Aldridge, it’s the children we’ll forever treat as our own.

And the man who loves me knows that.

What started with an argument between Ellis, Sammy, and a permanent marker has materialised into all of us having moustaches drawn on our faces—all but Ave and Charlie, but they’re next.

“Ellis, that feels huge,” I tell him, whipping up the handheld mirror from the worktop and widening my eyes at the reflection. “It’s wonky!”

I lower the mirror to find the children all laughing. Ellis, Sammy, Ralph, and Elsie all bent over in hysterics as they look at one another.

“You look funny!” Sammy tells me, his teary eyes sparkling now we’re all matching.

“Well, so do you,” I throw back, getting up off my knees.

“Can we have ice cream now?” Ellis asks, and I nod, rolling my eyes as I ruffle his dark hair.

I turn and walk into the living room, looking for Charlie. Only, when my eyes land on him, I come to a stop.

He’s on his haunches, Ave at his side, and in his hand is the photograph that normally sits atop our mantelpiece.

“Who’s that?” Charlie asks.

“Daddy,” Ave tells him proudly.

“It is Daddy.” He looks down at the picture of Lance on holiday, one of our favourites we’ve found over the years. “And who does Daddy love more than anyone in the world?”

I swallow the lump in my throat as Ave points to her chest.

“That’s right, Ave. You.”

He leans in and kisses her hair. “I know you’re scared about starting school, but you’re a Sullivan.”

“What does that mean, Uncle Charlie?”

“It means that you are strong.”

My heart breaks watching them, seeing the bond they’ve built and embraced over the years.

“It means that you can overcome anything that stands in your way.”

Ave looks up at her uncle and smiles, her shoulders dropping.

“Auntie Lissie, why’s there an empty ice cream pot in the freezer?”

I look toward Ellis at the same time Charlie does, frowning when the pot he’s shaking rattles.

“What’s—”

“Don’t open that!” Charlie yells in a panic.

Although Ellis already has the lid popped off, his brow gathering as he fishes out whatever’s inside.

His attention goes to Charlie. “It’s a wedding ring.”

My head whips in the direction of the man on the other side of the room, where he stands with his eyes closed.

I look between the two of them: Ellis, with his ridiculous moustache, who now has the diamond ring on his finger and is holding his hand up, smiling, and Charles, who looks thoroughly defeated.

My heart flips in my chest at the sight of the ring, at where it was and the way it’s been found.

“Lis,” Charlie tries, walking across the room and looking down at me.

I smile in shock. “Is that one of those rings?”

He sighs. “Of course it’s one of those rings. I planned to give it to you this weekend… or, ask you.”

I bite my lip, trying to tame my excitement. “Ask me what, Charles?”

His eyes spark as he stares at me, and the look, this moment, it tells me everything I’ll ever need to know.

That he loves me—moustache and all.

“If you’d be my wife.”

The children go bonkers at my back, Ave and Ellis leading the younger children into a frenzy of excitement.

Charlie shakes his head at the chaos, but his eyes don’t leave me. “Baby, I had the best proposal planned for you.” He swipes his thumb over my upper lip.

I smile, my eyes burning as tears well. “Maybe you got it wrong.” I look down when Ralph grabs my leg with his small hands, Luna barking a second later. I chuckle, peering up at the beautiful man in front of me. “Because I’m pretty sure this is exactly how it’s meant to be,” I whisper, my voice betraying me.

He nods, leaning in to kiss my forehead, keeping close and his voice low. “Will you marry me, Lissie girl?”

I anchor my gaze, staring up at him as I nod. “I’d marry you then, now, tomorrow, forever.” A tear slips free as his eyes flick between my own. “Yes, Charles. Of course I’ll?—”

I shriek as I’m lifted, my hands clinching on to his neck as I’m spun, the room becoming a blur of a life I never believed could belong to me. One with love, and promise, and children, and hope.

One with him.

We spend the rest of the night searching the floorboards for my engagement ring, Ellis apologising five thousand times over, and Charles telling him it’s fine and that it’s not his fault whilst looking at me like his world is spinning out of control.

And if that’s not the epitome of us—of all partnerships, maybe. The art of not being fine with that one person, in the presence of your love, because you know that they have you so completely that you can take off the mask and show them.

“Found it!”

Charlie springs up and takes the ring from Ave, coming right back to me the second he has it.

“This stays here for life. You never let these kids touch it again, got it?”

I chuckle, flexing my fingers as I stare down at the ring. “So romantic, Charles.”

“Hey.” He takes my chin and tips my head before leaning down and sealing his lips over mine. He takes my face between his strong hands, deepening the kiss, not letting me go until I’m breathless and filled with his love. He holds me tightly to him as he inches his head back, brushing his nose to mine. “I love you, Lis.” He smiles, then adds, “Well and truly infatuated, baby.”

Charlie

Five years later...

We’re in Bora Bora for our annual holiday with our family, sitting out on the terrace around the dining table.

Mason, Nina, Elliot, Lucy, Lance, Scarlet, Megan, Stan, and all of the children. Although they managed to convince Vinny to take them to the beach after dinner, and haven’t returned since.

I look down when the warmth of a hand curls around mine, my eyes falling on my beautiful wife.

Lissie Aldridge is the woman I never dared to dream of. Someone I never expected—never wanted, in honesty—and someone I could now never be without.

I always knew she wasn’t like anyone I’d ever met, yet she’s spent the past eight years of our relationship showing me exactly who she is.

A district judge under the Magistrates courts, my Lissie girl, under the appointment of the king, on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor, realised her dreams. Chased them down amid her mother’s illness and ensured she’d make it.

She found peace with her mother in the final years of her illness, reconnecting with her parents. And whilst she isn’t in contact with her dad now, I know she loves him. Deep down, in that beautifully wicked heart of hers, he holds space I’ll never be able to fill.

Elton House is now a children’s care home, established and funded by Lissie herself.

“Did I tell you that you look utterly beautiful tonight, baby?”

Her lips twist as she leans in and kisses my mouth. “You did. You were a little distracted at the time.”

“Did I happen to be on my knees?”

“You did.”

I grin, kissing her gently. “I remember now,” I whisper. “Probably should get an early night tonight.”

She chuckles, standing from her seat and moving to sit on my lap. Her arm goes around my neck, and I slide my hands around her body. “We’ve been first to bed all week. We’re here with our friends.”

“They don’t care,” I say, gesturing at where our friends sit around the dinner table. “You know how I feel about sharing you.”

She nods, as if only agreeing to appease me. “I know, Charles. I hate sharing you, too.”

I smooth my hand down her calf, my lips teasing her neck. “So we can get an early night?”

“No.”

I groan, and she smiles against my cheek before kissing it.

“But we can have a really, really late one. And then tomorrow”—she slips her hand into my shirt, her eyes locked on mine—“we can wake up slow. We’ll lock the doors so the kids can’t find us. You can have me all to yourself, baby.”

“How about tomorrow we don’t leave the room,” I whisper into her ear, my cock hardening at the thought. “At all.”

“Now you’re making me want an early night,” she hums, kissing me.

Then my work here is just about done. “Lissie girl,” I tut. “Do I need to teach you to share your toys?”

The sound of crystal being tapped infiltrates my plan, her laughter. “Alright, quiet down.”

Lissie looks towards Mason, but I don’t. Can’t. My eyes stay on her, my nose dusting her cheek.

“Who put you in charge, Lowell,” Elliot quips.

“He’s the bossman , isn’t he?” Lance adds, and I inch my head back, watching as Lance smirks across the table at his brother-in-law, Scarlet slotted in under his arm.

“I just wanted to thank you all. Assholes .”

“Sorry, Mase, go on,” Elliot tells him, sitting back in the seat.

Mason shakes his head, sighing. “I just wanted to thank you all,” he repeats. “It’s been the best week, and I don’t think the idea of leaving this place has ever felt quite this heavy.” He pauses, looking around at us all. “I know we’ll come back here for years to come and live a million more memories together, but tonight, whilst we’re all finally present, I want to mark it. Lance, you missed so much when you were gone, and yet this week, it’s been as if you were never absent, and I think that’s a testament to you and the man you are. The way you’ve spent these last few years working to make sure that you can sit here at this table and smile along with us. There’s no better man for the role you take on in this life. In this group. And without getting too fucking drippy, I’m proud of you.”

Lissie drops her head to the side of my face, her hand wiping a tear from her cheek.

“You okay, Lissie girl?”

She nods.

“Girls, I’ll never fully understand you. Fucking hell, I think you get more immature the older you get,” he adds with a smile. “But honestly, I can’t gloss over or not address how we would be nothing in this world without the five of you. The job you do as businesswomen, as mothers and wives—as friends—should be studied. You challenge us, hold us to standards we’ll probably never meet, and love us relentlessly. We lucked out that night in The Pearl when we met you three, and then you took my sister in when no one else would.”

I shake my head, not helping my smile.

“Thanks, Mase,” Scarlet says, grinning just as wide.

“Lissie, you know how we feel about you and your place in this group. You shouldn’t fit the way you do, and we never thought we’d need more space at the table. Romeo over there was far too set in his ways. But if anyone was going to pull up a chair, we should have known she was going to be pretty special. And that you are. I hope you know that this family is yours, and I regret to inform you only now, but you don’t get to leave. Ever.”

My wife nods, sniffling.

I stare at my best friend, my own eyes burning.

“Alright, who’s next?”

Emotion-filled laughter rings out.

“Stan. I won’t lie, but there was a time I begged Megs to come back home to us. And as my wife will forever remind me, I’m quite often wrong.”

“Always wrong, Mase,” Nina tells him.

He nods in agreement, looking fondly down at her. “As one of the most selfless people I know, Megs deserved a piece of her own happiness. I don’t need to thank you for the smile you’ve put on her face. But thank you,” he adds earnestly.

Stan nods his head at him.

“I didn’t plan to delve into each one of you like this…” He chuckles humourlessly, looking to the table. “At all, actually. But I think that is pretty reminiscent of the way this table was formed. Circumstances brought each one of us together. From the young boy I shared my childhood with and still call my best friend to this day to the two lads we met as men at college. My wife, who I’d give my last breath for. My sister, who I don’t deserve, but…yeah. You girls. Stan. We’ve all been through it, some more than most, but always together. And we’re here now—the other side. We might not have meant to be what we are, but we are. No matter how dysfunctional that may be at times.” Mason looks around at us all, taking his time. “So, thank you. There’s probably a couple hundred chapters to our story, some messy and unnecessary, and some that are a little bit happier, but only one of them truly matters. This one.”

I blink over and over, emotion silencing the entire table.

“How about a toast?” Nina eventually says, lifting her glass as she rolls her lips. “To family.”

We each reach for and lift our glasses.

The Lowells.

The Montgomerys.

The Lowell-Sullivans.

The Dukes.

And us, my wife and me.

The Aldridges.

And then we toast. “To family.”

The End