Page 78 of My Ex's Roommates
Carter’s words almost made me choke on my beer, heat rushed to my face before I could even process what he’d said. I turned to look at him, my pulse jumping. He wasn’t even watching me—just smirking at the chaos in front of us like he hadn’t just casually dropped a bomb on my entire nervous system
Before I could respond, the speakers crackled to life, and Vance’s voice boomed over the backyard. “Alright, listen up, you bunch of degenerates. Time for the toast!”
Everyone gathered near the grill, beers and wine glasses in hand. Silas lifted his bottle, his gaze landing on me first. “To the best damn team I’ve ever played for, to the friends who have become family, and to the people who make all of this worth it.”
Dylan smirked. “And to Harper, for keeping us all in check.”
Carter chuckled. “And for finally admitting she loves us.”
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t fight the grin that stretched across my face. “Yeah, yeah. Love you idiots, too.”
Casey lifted her glass. “And to second chances. Because without them, none of us would be here tonight.”
Danny nudged her side. “Are you getting sentimental on me, kitten?”
“Shut up, Danny.”
Laughter erupted, and we all clinked glasses, the sound ringing out under the fading light of the setting sun. As I lookedaround at the people who had become my home, I realized I had everything I’d ever wanted.
A family. A future. And a love big enough to hold it all together.
This is our happy ending. Or rather, our happy beginning.
Epilogue II
***Harper***
Five Years Later
“Oh! Folks, it looks like Carter Hayes is down after that hit. Hayes is part of the trio of guys who came out of Alabama a few years ago. And you can see on the field right there, Dylan Cooper and Silas Turner are both running to be by their best friends’ side. These three have been together since their freshman year of college and have made it clear they play together or not at all.” The announcer’s voice faded in and out of my consciousness as I sprinted onto the field. “And that woman there, the one darting to Hayes’ side, is Harper Monroe, the fourth member of their group. The sports medicine specialist involved with the three men has become a star in her own right on the sidelines.”
“I have to wonder, Keith, if she’s running to Hayes’ side as a professional or as his partner. I imagine it’s hard to keep her personal feelings out of it when she sees one of her guys injured.”
I swore and fought past a few giants from the other team to get to Carter. My heart was in my throat, the same way it always was when one of my guys got hurt. They’d been playing professionally for five years and it never got any easier to see one of them hurt. It never would. It should’ve helped that I was always the first one at their sides, making sure they were cared for the best way possible. It was never enough, though. Not with how much I loved them.
There were days when I wondered what it would be like for them to retire. We’d earned enough money to live off of happily for the rest of our lives. We could all retire and move to the beach. Every time I thought it, though, I knew it wasn’t going to happen for another decade probably. They loved the game, almost as much as I did. None of us were ever going to walk away from it entirely.
As I pushed another guy out of my way I thought about the family box upstairs. Our families didn’t get to come to every game but they were all there right then. Samantha and Terry had even brought Kelson and Aimes, despite the two boys being away at college. Mora and Chris were there, still bickering with Casey about her choice to attend with my brothers. Dylan’s parents, Kellie and Mike, had shown up in full support of their son, dressed head to toe in team gear. It was the worst possible time for one of the guys to get injured, with our families watching on helplessly.
“While we’re waiting to hear about Hayes’ injury, Jimmy, let me test your history knowledge. Most people have a hazy recollection of how these men blew up. They were playing for Alabama when their quarterback abandoned them right before the season started. It was nasty business. I watched the gamethey played against USC that year, the big game against their previous quarterback, and that was where they three were born into heroes. They slayed USC that night.”
“I remember, Keith. It was painful to watch.”
“Well, do you remember who that quarterback was?”
I finally reached Carter and dropped to my knees beside him. “What hurts, Carter?”
Dylan and Silas knelt on his other side. Dylan caught my eye and I hesitated when I saw the smile on his face. He elbowed Silas and nodded at me. “Should we tell her so she can relax?”
I scanned Carter and frowned. “Tell me what? Carter, baby, what hurts?”
The infuriating man pulled me into his lap with a laugh. “My heart if you don’t say yes.”
“In the strangest turn of events, Keith, that very quarterback, Jake Callahan, is in the stands today.”
My brain tripped up a bit at hearing such an old name from the past over the loudspeaker but I was too focused on Carter’s smirk and the way their teammates were circling around us. I cupped his face. “What are you talking about? What’s wrong?”
Dylan turned my face to his. “It’s been long enough. We waited for you to graduate and then for you to get settled in your career here. No more waiting. Marry us, Harper.”
