Page 39 of Heat & Hard Candies

I was the luckiest bastard in the world.

epilogue

LAUNA—A FEW MONTHS LATER

“It’s time,”Molly said, her expression serious. “Do you have the EpiPen?” She looked at Erin.

“Right here.” Erin lifted it off the countertop, swinging it lazily.

“Not a fucking chance.” Kyle plucked it from my redheaded friend.

As much as I liked the other Survival girls, I’d gotten much closer to Molly and Erin than them. It helped that Kyle had become really good friends with Cameron and Rhett, too, so we all had fun.

And considering that all three of us couples had been elected to lead the Society together shortly after Kenna’s wedding?

Even more closeness had ensued.

The Society as a whole had been so inspired watching Kyle fight for the other men that he’d become an automatic choice for the third leading seat. I was just there because I was with him.

But, I did work well with the other girls.

And though I’d always love my research, Iwaspassionate about the game shows. Constantly brain-storming new things for them was a ton of fun.

“You want us to believeyou’regoing to stab her with that thing?” Erin asked, her voice skeptical as she gestured to the EpiPen Kyle had snagged.

“If the alternative is watching her airway close up after she eats real pasta, you can be damn sure I’ll stab her.” He looked at me. “Carefully.”

“I believe you,” I promised.

“She’s not going to have a reaction to this. Faedon’thave allergies,” Cameron said. He’d been saying as much for months, but all of us ignored him. He was technically the Society’s leader, alongside Molly, but that didn’t make him our boss.

“Just eat the damn spaghetti already,” Rhett huffed, gesturing to the bowl in Molly’s hands.

“You don’t have to do this,” she reminded me, flat-out ignoring her mate and Erin’s for the moment.

“I want to,” I said, accepting the bowl when she handed it to me.

“Should we chant?” Erin checked.

“Of course we should chant,” Kyle said, making a fist with the hand that didn’t hold the EpiPen. “Laun-a. Laun-a. Laun-a.”

Everyone joined in.

My face was burning, but I couldn’t stop myself from grinning.

And even though it was absolutely ridiculous, I wrapped my fork inrealpasta and lifted the bite to my mouth.

Cheers and whoops erupted as I took a bite, groaning.

It wasso muchbetter than the gluten-free stuff.

“Well?” Erin demanded.

“Give her a few minutes,” Molly warned.

I chewed and swallowed.

Cameron turned on music while we waited.

Kyle plopped down on the kitchen bench beside me, the Epi-Pen at the ready.

After a few minutes, I let out a pent-up breath. “My throat’s not closing. My stomach’s not turning. I think we’re good.”

Everyone cheered again, and Cam declared, “Let’s bring out the ice cream!”

My mouth watered, and I couldn’t wipe the grin off my face.

I wasmadeto be a fae.

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