Page 134 of Just Like That

“Teddy’s my son in every way that matters,” I continued, my voice thick with emotion. “He’s part of me, just like you are. I want you both in my life, Hazel. I want us to be a family, officially. Stay with me. Let’s stop pretending like this is temporary.”

I kissed her, slow and tender, pouring everything I couldn’t say into that moment. She kissed me back, her fingers curling into my shirt, like she was holding on to the anchor I had become for her.

When we pulled back, Teddy had returned, tugging on the hem of Hazel’s dress with a sleepy smile. “Can we go home now?” he asked, his eyes half closed as he leaned against her leg.

Home.

The word settled over me like a warm blanket. I scooped Teddy up into my arms, carrying him as he rested his head on my shoulder. His hands curled into my shirt, and I felt that familiar surge of love I had for him.

He was mine—whether anyone else had anything to do with him or not.

Hazel watched us with a soft smile, her eyes reflecting something deep and sure. This was our family. No more looking for signs. No more waiting for the universe to tell us what to do. We had everything we needed right here.

“Yeah, bud,” I said, my voice full of warmth as I glanced at Hazel, who walked beside me, her hand slipping back into mine. “Let’s go home.”

EPILOGUE

Hazel

The beach wasdark as waves crashed ashore. The sky was a riot of navy and indigo as pinpoints of starlight scattered as far as the eye could see. My wild and restless spirit loved how insignificant the expanse of Lake Michigan could make me feel.

A small fire crackled beside me as I shuffled my tarot deck. The breeze had a biting chill in it, and I pulled my sweater tighter across my chest.

Footsteps drew my attention and I smiled as JP, with his pants cuffed and feet bare, walked toward me.

“Hey, handsome.” I grinned at him as he drew closer.

“Gorgeous.”

My skin heated, not from the fire, but from how special he always made me feel. “He’s out cold up there, but did request a good night kiss when you’re done.”

I smiled and nodded. Having a partner was gloriously unexpected, and JP carried the weight of caretaking seriously. Tuck-ins had become a very big deal in the King–Adams household.

I exhaled a contented sigh and continued shuffling, trying to focus my attention on the deck.

The sound of a picture being taken had me looking up. Shyness crept over me as my cheeks heated. “What are you doing?”

JP shrugged and slipped his phone into the pocket of his pants. “Remembering this moment.”

I looked around. We spent every evening together, some at the house and others, like tonight, at the beach, savoring it before it got too cold to enjoy.

“Why?” I teased.

He paused, considering, before offering a simple shrug. “I don’t know. I guess thirty years from now I want to look back and think,God, we were so young. I want to watch your hair go from copper to silver. I want to watch your laugh lines deepen, knowing I put a few of them there. I want to capture every second, and when you look back at the pictures, I want you to recognize that the love I had for you then is the same unrelenting love I have for you right now.”

I struggled to find any words—to even breathe.

JP sat behind me, plopping a kiss into my hair and wrapping his arms around me. “You okay?” he asked.

I nodded, fighting tears. “Just really happy, that’s all.”

“Good.” He kissed my neck. “So what question are we asking the universe tonight?”

I laughed lightly as my hands split and rearranged the deck. I sighed, “I don’t know. It’s always the same—who am I? What do I need to learn?”

He hummed. “You don’t need those cards to tell you who you are.”

I smirked. “And who am I?”

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