As I was writing this last chapter, it struck me hard that I was finally finishing this novel. I would like to thank everyone who has reached this far into the novel. You all had faith in my writing and seemed to have enjoyed reading it as much as I loved writing it or else you wouldn't have made it this far! So thank you, thank you, thank you all so incredibly much.
I hope you enjoy Blake and Ethan's final chapter to their story and I also hope you'll join me in Charlie's and Drew's story next.
You read that right, the next novel I am writing is a spin-off to this series and it's about Tiger and the walking STD (:
<3
Epilogue
Blake's POV
"I can't believe its this warm outside and it's November." Ethan said as I was laying on him outside on our porch.
"Neither can I. It's definitely Global Warming." I said loving the feel of him under me.
"I went to the store today but they didn't have the single jars of Nutella." He said causing me to look at him.
"No way." I replied pouting.
He let out a laugh and kissed my lips.
"So I had to buy the ones that came in packages. You have enough Nutella to last you until the New Year." He responded laughing.
I giggled before slapping his shoulder playfully, "That wasn't funny. You scared me." I replied before placing my head back on his chest.
"Well I know my girl would've been super blown if she didn't have any chocolate so I couldn't walk out of there with nothing." He replied squeezing me tightly against his body as if I weren't glued to him already.
I loved that so much about him.
He felt as if we were never too close to one another.
"Best husband award goes to you." I replied kissing his neck.
"Best friend award goes to me." He said correcting me.
I smiled against his neck and kissed him again before he started to speak.
"How are you feeling?" He asked in that tone that made me weak in my knees.
"I'm okay. Much better now that you get the next week off for Thanksgiving." I replied sighing happily.
Things seemed to have been getting easier for us and I was grateful for that.
I would always have that scar on my heart over my unborn baby but I knew that he or she was with Nana now and they weren't alone.
"You and me both. Your mom has been going crazy over asking me what you want to eat for Thanksgiving because she knows you're kind of disgusted over some smells." He replied chuckling.
"She's a crazy lady but you got to love that woman." I replied smiling.
My mom and Rick had been traveling quite frequently this past month and I've missed her but I completely understood why she followed Rick.
I would follow Ethan anywhere he'd asked me to.
"She made this amazing girl so I guess you do." He replied kissing my temple.
I laughed.
We continued to lay together on the lounge chair for about another half hour or so before I asked for the time.
"We should get going now if we want to make it in time. The sun will start to set in a few minutes." Ethan said getting up but carrying me as he did so.
I giggled as he carried me inside the house.
"You want me to bring Nutella with us?" He asked as he placed me down in the foyer.
I pulled him in so I could kiss him softly, "Aren't you the most thoughtful person." I said smiling against his lips.
"Anything for my wife." He replied before kissing me ever so passionately.
He broke away from the kiss, "I'll go get that and then we'll go. Drew texted me saying that him and Charlie are there." He said before walking to the kitchen.
I put on my sandals and fixed my long sleeved white maxi dress in the process. I also adjusted my charm bracelet and smiled at myself in the mirror like a moron.
"You ready babe?" He asked walking into the foyer.
"Yep. Let's go." I told him taking his hand and placing it in mine as he led us to his car.
The drive to Saint Coastal Lake was only ten minutes.
The second he parked his car beside Drew's, a million butterflies soared in the pit of my stomach.
I loved being at this lake, especially with my three favorite people.
We got out of the car and walked over to where Drew and Charlie were sitting down.
"Took you long enough." Charlie said shooting us a warm smile.
Drew stood up and pulled me in for the biggest hug.
"I've missed you!" He said as he squeezed me tightly.
"And I've missed you crazy boy!" I replied kissing his cheek.
I'd only seen Drew twice since he's been away at College and I've missed being around him all the time.
We all did.
"It's a damn good thing that I only have this year left. It's lonely down there without you guys driving me insane." He said rubbing the back of his neck.
"Awe you miss me don't you?" Charlie said smiling at him.
"You know I do Tiger." Drew said pulling Charlie to him, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
Ethan's arms wrapped around my waist and I laid my head on his shoulder and stared at the sun set over the lake.
A short but soothing silence fell over us as well all looked out at the water and the beautiful sun.
"So Drew's going to the NFL." I said still ecstatic over it. I was incredibly proud of him. There was no other person that deserved for their dreams to be true than Drew. He had worked hard for it.
"And Charlie's so close on becoming that hit-list event planner that everyone wants." Drew said chuckling as he was still holding Charlie.
A smile spread across her face, "And Ethan will be boss of Bradley Enterprises by next month when he graduates. " Charlie stated proudly.
I knew the exact feeling.
Ethan chuckled and the sound caused my chest to tighten.
"And you, Pretty Girl, are a boss with your mama for a damn magazine. Everyone already has it for them." Drew said smiling at me.
I shot him back an even bigger smile.
"I may also be pregnant." I said out loud causing Charlie and Drew to look at me in shock.
Charlie's jaw was dropped and Drew's eyes were twinkling.
I tore my gaze away from them and looked at Ethan who was smiling broadly.
He pecked my lips softly and I bit his lip just to tease him before I directed my gaze back to Charlie and Drew.
"You serious B?" Charlie asked hopeful.
"I'm so serious Char." I replied happily.
"Holy shit! Congrats!" Drew said crawling over to me and giving me-more like tackling me, a huge hug.
"I'm so fucking happy for you Pretty Girl." He said brushing my hair.
"Thank you Superstar." I replied smiling.
"Move, move!! Auntie is coming through!" Charlie said pushing Drew off of me. She then placed her hands on my stomach and crouched her head to where my belly was.
"Okay little guy, when you come out of there, make sure not to take any advice from your daddy because he has no idea what the hell he's doing. Just ask your favorite aunt and there should be no problem." She said to my stomach causing me to laugh.
I had no bump yet as I was only just about two months but Charlie was Charlie.
We all laughed at her, "You do some freaky shit Tiger." Drew said laughing as he congratulated Ethan.
She rolled her eyes, "You deserve nothing but the best Blake. I'm so happy for you." She said giving me a hug.
She let go and then began speaking to Ethan, "And you, mister! I'm so happy that you can finally start using my help on how to change a baby's diaper now!" Charlie said giving him a huge hug.
Ethan chuckled, "Maybe I'll have Drew do it." Ethan said teasingly pulling me back into his arms.
We all laughed except Drew.
"You guys know you'll be asking me to change your kids diapers one day. You'll see." Drew said chuckling.
"No. If anything I'd ask you to do, it would be to lick the shit on a diaper if I ever run out of wipes." Charlie said laughing uncontrollably.
Drew shot her a playful glare, "Unless your baby's shit tastes like Nutella, you're out of luck." He said lying down.
Everyone busted out laughing.
"Speaking of Nutella..." I said pulling out two jars of Nutella and handing one of them to Drew and Charlie along with two spoons.
"And so the crazy cravings of Nutella begins." Charlie said opening the lid to the jar.
"Hey, I can't help it." I said shrugging.
Charlie giggled and ate with Drew while Ethan and I did the same.
"Would you have ever thought that we'd be here, right now, married and having a baby six years ago?" I asked him as I placed my spoon in the jar.
He kissed my forehead before speaking, "I've always imagined us getting old together honestly. From the second I saw you behind that door and we came to this lake, I knew you were different. I may have been a kid but damn was I right. I always knew you were the one." He said causing my eyes to become glossy.
"I'm so happy we found our way back to each other. Through it all, you stole a piece of my heart that would only ever belong to you." I told him kissing his lips lightly.
"You came back to me when you left and then everything made sense to me again. Why I loved you so much and why I never lost hope for us. You are everything to me Blake Bradley." He whispered as he pulled away rubbing our noses together.
"We have a life to build now. Now just ours, but this little guy inside you." He said placing his arms on my stomach.
I laughed, "Oh so it's a boy now?" I said teasingly.
"I have a feeling. But I'd be grateful no matter what he or she turns out to be," he said smiling his gorgeous smile.
"Definitely." I replied before kissing him hard.
He pulled away not long after so we wouldn't get carried away. He pulled my back close to his chest and looked at the water over the lake.
At that moment I knew that what Ethan and I had was everlasting.
Maybe I had always known it but was uncertain that it could be true for me.
But now, I knew it one hundred percent that he was made for me and that we'd live to be together always.
Slowly, but surely, everything was starting to fall back together and I was more than ready to what was planned for not just Ethan and my baby and I, but for Drew and Charlie as well.
"Awe shit Tiger! You got Nutella all over my face and shirt!" Drew whined causing Ethan and I to look at them.
"It was on purpose, dumbass!" Charlie squealed hopping to her feet.
She stuck the spoon back in the Nutella jar and wiped even more chocolate on his face before sprinting off.
Drew laughed humorlessly before shouting, "You did not just do that to me and run away acting like I can't catch you!" Drew said running after her laughing.
"I'd like to see you try!" Charlie replied from a distance laughing.
Ethan and I were left alone but were laughing at how stupid they could be.
"I wonder what's in store for those crazy kids." I replied still laughing.
Ethan was still laughing, "You couldn't have said it any better. They're crazy people. Who knows what the hell is in store for them," he said kissing the back of my head and placing his hands over my stomach.
I smiled as I watched them running around the lake.
It was just like old times.
"Who knows." I replied smiling happily.
The end
Playlist-
-We both Know by Colbie Caillat and Gavin DeGraw (Chapter 13- New Years Eve)
-Don't You Worry Child by Swedish House Mafia (Chapter 13- New Years Eve)
-Heart Attack by Demi Lovato (Chapter 17- Pool Scene)
-All We Are by OneRepublic (Chapter 30- When Blake and Ethan say their goodbyes at the airport)
-The Other Side by Jason Derulo (Chapter 38- Dance scene at the club)
-I Need Your Love by Ellie Goulding (Chapter 38- Dance scene at the club)
-She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5 (Chapter 38- Car scene with Drew, Charlie, and Blake)
-I Knew I Loved You by Savage Garden (Chapter 39- Ethan and Victoria's Dance)
-God Bless the Broken Road by Rascal Flats (Chapter 39- Ethan and Blake dance after the engagement scene)
-The Last Time by Taylor Swift and Gary Lightbody (Chapter 41- Blake's song she listens to about Ethan)
-I Lived by OneRepublic (Chapter 48- Blake's bachelorette party)
- A Thousand Years by Christina Perri (Chapter 49- Blake's song for Ethan at their Wedding)
- I'll Be by Edward McCain (Chapter 49- Ethan's song for Blake at their Wedding)
Not used in the book but what I listened to:
-Best Day Of My Life by Jesse McCartney (Prologue- Not used specifically in the novel)
-Set Fire to the Third Bar by Snow Patrol (Chapter 33- Not used specifically in the novel)
-Why Can't I by Liz Phair (Chapter 37- Not used specifically in the novel/ When Ethan and Blake see each other again when she moves back to VA)
-Two is Better Than One by Boys Like Girls (Chapter 43- Not used specifically in the novel/ the proposal)
-Let it Hurt by Rascal Flatts (Chapter 46- Not used specifically in the novel/ Charlie's grief over Wesley)
That's all for now... thank you again for coming so far with this story. I truly do love all of you crazy souls out there.
xo, dina