“Tell him my name. I bet my reputation precedes me,” she says, grinning. She puts her star away and wraps her arm around me. “Lighten up, Jo. We’re shopping, and it’s always a good time.”
Ranger arrives straight from his first job interview, and I’m grateful for his presence.
“How did it go?” I ask him, reaching up on my toes to kiss his cheek. He’s so tall he still has to lower his head for me. Our relationship has been amazing, and I know without a doubt I’ve made the right choice by fighting to be with him. I have never been this happy before.
“Went well,” he says, saying hello to Faye. “They said they’ll let me know this week.”
“Ranger with a nine-to-five,” Faye says, shaking her head with amusement. “I’m going to be interested to see how that one goes.”
“Why are you here again, Faye?” Ranger asks her, but I can see the affection in his tone. He cares for Faye, and I can see why. She just kind of grows on you.
“Because of my impeccable taste,” she says, pushing between us and entwining her arm with us on each side of her. “I have an hour before I have to pick up Asher from day care and Clover from school, so let’s make this time count.”
Denver, Travis’s cousin, walks out.
“Well, hello,” I hear Faye mutter as he approaches us. I know exactly what she means. Where Travis is light, Denver is dark, with a headful of thick dark hair and eyes the color of whiskey and Coke, dark with a hint of amber.
“Hey, Jo,” he says, eyeing the three of us, Faye’s arms looped through ours like we’re in high school. I detangle myself from her and go and give him a hug.
“Nice to see you again, Denver. This is my fiancé, Ranger, and my friend Faye,” I say, introducing everyone.
“Ranger?” he asks, eyebrows rising. I wince and correct myself, “His name is Cam. Ranger is kind of a nickname.”
“Nice to meet you,” Denver says, shaking Ranger’s hand. He turns to Faye and kisses her hand seductively.
“She’s married with kids.”
“Oh,” he says, letting her hand go and returning his attention to me. “I haven’t seen you since Trav’s last birthday, and all of a sudden you’re getting married and buying furniture for a new house. Sounds like quite the story.”
Travis is such a gossip.
We order all the stuff we need, and on the way out I hear Faye mutter to Ranger, “We should have brought him to Cinderella’s ball. Trust me, it would’ve worked.”
I don’t even ask what she means. I’ve learned that with Faye, sometimes it’s better not to know.
? ? ?
A week later, and we’re finally unpacked. I walk around the house, just taking it all in, pinching myself that this is my life now. I’d be happy living wherever Ranger is, no matter what it looks like, but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the beauty that’s in the home he bought us.
“Jo, what are you doing?” he asks me, giving me a weird look as I touch one of the tables with my finger as I walk past it.
“Admiring our house,” I say, sighing happily. “I still can’t believe we live here. Together. It’s all ours.”
He smiles and takes my hand, leading me to our new bedroom. “I got the job.”
“Did you?” I ask, jumping on him. He instantly lifts me and I wrap my legs around him. “Congratulations, Mr. Accountant.”
“Thanks, babe,” he says, kissing me. “I grew up in a trailer park, and now I’m a fuckin’ accountant, living in this fancy house with the woman of my dreams. Took me a while, but I got here.”
“Will you let me know if you’re ever unhappy?” I ask him, pressing my forehead against him. “Your whole life has changed, and like you’ve done it for me, I’d do it for you, Ranger. So you need to tell me if you ever change your mind about all this.”
“I won’t change my mind,” he says, kissing me briefly. “But I promise to tell you if I’m ever unhappy.”
“Okay,” I say against his lips. “Now are we going to break in our new bed?”
“You bet we are.” He grins, slamming his mouth down on mine.
EPILOGUE
Ranger
Five Years Later
“JO!” I yell through the house, wondering what the hell is going on here. “Why are all the women here? And why the hell are they all dressed as vampires? If I’d have known, I’d have dressed up as Sam from Supernatural and kicked everyone out.”
I hear her sweet laughter as she walks down the stairs. “Ranger, it’s Halloween. I told you we were having the party here about ten times. It’s a vampire theme.”
I narrow my eyes. She’s a vampire too, with fake blood around her lips. First time in my life I’ve never wanted to kiss the crap out of my wife. “Where are all the men?”
“They said they’ll come later,” she says, shrugging. “Apparently they all had something important to do.”
I’ll bet they did.
And thanks to the assholes for not choosing to save me too, instead putting me in the same house as all the women and children, the only man here.
Clover walks past and the tiny vampire hisses at me, exposing little plastic fangs.
Jesus Christ.
Next to walk past is Vinnie and Shayla’s daughter, Alexa, who flashes me a sweet smile. She’s holding hands with Serena, Anna and Arrow’s daughter, who is a spitting image of her mother.
“Where is Isla?” I ask, referring to our three-year-old daughter. Jo calls out her name, and I see my little princess, a cute dark-haired beauty with chubby cheeks and her mother’s blue eyes toddle over with her aunty Faye holding her hand. Every time I see Isla, my heart just melts. I can’t tell you how much having a daughter has softened me. I thought Jo had done that, but Isla . . . I’m like putty in her hands. I see the whole world in a different light now, my daughter has turned my life around and changed my entire world view. She’s also dressed as a mini vampire, wearing a cloak and the same little fangs Clover had.
“Hi, Daddy,” she says, her smile exposing them to me.
“My daughter is dressed as a vampire,” I say, sighing and picking her up in my arms. “Did Aunty Faye do this to you?”
“No,” she answers, giggling. “Mama did.”
Faye smirks at me, her fangs sticking out. She says, “Don’t blame crap on me. I’ll suck your blood,” then walks off. I don’t think Faye will ever grow up, and I like that about her. At the same time, I’m also thankful there is only one of her. Asher comes and stands next to me, the only kid not dressed up.
“Where’s your costume, dude?” I ask him.
He points to the wooden cross on his chest, attached by a black cord around his neck. “I’m a vampire hunter.”
I throw my head back and laugh. What a fuckin’ great kid. “Whose idea was that?”
“Mine,” he says, grinning.
“I had the same idea,” I admit to him.
We share a high five.
“Can you protect Isla though?” I say to him, and he nods quickly, a smile on his face.
Yeah, everyone loves my Isla.
I put Isla down, and she and Jo head to the kitchen for some “blood,” which is apparently red Jell-O.
Yeah, I need to bail.