Page 18 of Served

“When we love again,” Felix continues, his voice full of emotion, “it doesn’t diminish what came before. Rather, it gives it new meaning. It transforms loss into legacy.”

I press my palm to my mouth, trying to stifle a sob as understanding washes over me. Moving forward doesn’t mean forgetting Jason—it means honoring him by living fully, the way he would have wanted.

The way Felix lives.

The rest of the ceremony passes in a blur. Speeches. The sixty-second moment of silence. The local high school band playing “Taps” as the sun hits its zenith. Finally, raising the flag back to full staff, symbolizing our resilience.

After the service ends, people disperse, drifting either to the refreshment tables or the tribute wall. Children weave through the crowd. Felix is surrounded by well-wishers, his speech having clearly moved many people here. I wait, heart pounding, until he’s finally alone.

When I approach, his eyes brighten, though his smile remains cautious.

“Your speech was beautiful,” I say. “I mean it. Jason would’ve been dabbing at his eyes and complaining about allergies.”

“Sounds like Gordy.” His voice is rough.

I take a deep breath. “I’ll always miss him, Felix. There will be days when grief hits me sideways, when I need to talk about him, need to remember him.”

“Of course.” His gaze is steady, patient. “I’d never stop you from doing that. I want to remember him, too.”

“This past week with you...” I pause, struggling to find the right words. “It’s been wonderful. But I think I’ve been so focused on what I lost that I haven’t been able to see what might be possible. Now, though… Now I see you,” I whisper, stepping closer. “I’ll warn you, I might need to take things slowly, but I don’t want to let this—us—slip away.”

His hand finds mine, warm and solid. “Slow works for me, Letty. I’m not going anywhere.”

I rise onto my toes, gripping the lapels of his uniform jacket, and press my lips to his, not caring who sees us. His arms wrap around me, lifting me clear off the ground as he kisses me back so hard that it makes my knees weak.

When we finally break apart, I’m crying, but they’re different tears than the ones I’ve shed since Jason died. These are, at last, tears of release.

As Felix holds me tightly to him, I whisper the words I’ve been waiting to say.

“I’m ready to start loving again.”

EPILOGUE - FELIX

SEVEN MONTHS LATER

The snow falls in fat, lazy flakes as I steer my truck carefully down Main Street, Letty’s hand warm on my thigh. Deepwood Mountain looks like a snow globe tonight—every storefront festooned with twinkling lights, wreaths hung on lampposts, the air chilly and fresh.

She’s wearing a red sweater dress that clings to every sinful curve, her dark hair twisted up into a messy bun with a few strands escaping, like she’s just rolled out of bed. My bed.

“Pull over,” Letty whispers, her hand sliding up my thigh. “Right now.”

I swallow, scanning the deserted mountain road. “We’re already running late.”

We’re on the back road heading to Ellie’s for Christmas Eve dinner—nothing but snow-dusted pines and the occasional flicker of distant headlights. Letty’s been driving me crazy all week, wearing my flannel shirts without a damn thing underneath, straddling my lap while I was trying to fix the food truck’s fryer, her breath hot in my ear as she whispered, “Later.”

“Just five minutes.” Her voice has that husky edge that always makes my cock thicken in my jeans. “Maybe ten.”

When Letty gets that searing, mischievous look in her eyes, I’m helpless to resist. I pull over onto a side road, tires crunching on fresh snow. The minute we’re parked, she’s undoing her seatbelt and leaning over the center console.

“Letty, what are you?—”

“Early Christmas present,” she purrs, her fingers unbuckling my belt with impressive speed. “Some unwrapping required.”

I groan as her hand slides into my jeans, finding me already rock-hard. “Your sister will know exactly why we’re late.”

“So?” She licks her lips, her dark eyes gleaming in the dashboard lights. “I’ve been thinking about you and your cock all day.”

Seven months together, and she still surprises me. Seven months of building something real and solid together. Seven months of the most perfect goddamn happiness I’ve ever known.

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