Page 118 of Here's to Tomorrow

Epilogue

Rae

“Joey Eleanor Tamell, hurry your little butt up! We’re on a schedule!” Hudson yells up the stairs.

It’s New Year’s Eve and Hudson’s taking me “out”. I think I’ve asked about a million times since he told me last week, even enlisting Joey’s help, but the info is locked up tight. He won’t tell me jack shit.

“I’m coming, I’m coming! Geez!” she shouts back, running down the hallway.

“No running, dude.”

“You’re so bossy,” I tell him jokingly.

He shoots me a glare. “Don’t even start, woman. I’ll leave you here.”

“Well, since I have no idea where we’re going, I don’t know if I should be upset by that or not.”

He gives me his stupid smirk again. “Oh, yousoshould.”

I stick my tongue out at him and reach for Joey’s hand. “Come on, bug. I’m sitting in back with you. Your dad’s mean tonight.”

“He’s getting so grouchy in his old age,” she says seriously.

“Oh, sick burn,” I say over my shoulder to Hudson.

“I’ll leave you both here!”

Joey and I just shrug.

After we drop Joey off at Elle’s, making sure to give her extra kisses for the New Year, we head into Boston. I bounce in my seat the entire way, still having no clue where we’re headed. There’s only half an hour left until midnight and I’m starting to wonder if we’re going to be late or not.

“Are we there yet?” I ask impatiently.

Hudson laughs. “You’re worse than Joey.”

“Well, if you would just tell me, I wouldn’t have to ask a million times.”

“Patience. We’re like five minutes away.”

He lied. It’s ten after traffic.

We pull into a jam-packed parking garage and Hudson gets out and opens my door for me.

“Hudson, this is really lame. I’ve been to plenty of parking garages in my life.”

“Shush. Come on. It’s right up the street.”

He lied again. It’s up two streets.

A slow, warm feeling starts low in my gut as we cross an intersection. There’s a small crowd of people milling around and I’m not sure what for. I just happen to glance up at the awning above them.

“HOLY FUCKING SHIT! NO WAY!” I scream loudly, causing nearly everyone on the street to look at us.

Hudson laughs hard.

“No, no, no, no! Are you shitting me?” I turn to him, still yelling.

He shakes his head, that stupid smirk on his face. “Nope. This is real. This isveryreal.”

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