EPILOGUE
Easton
Seven months later…
My beautiful wife,
When Avery wanted me to go on a singles cruise with him, I never in my wildest dreams expected to meet my future wife. They say that people are brought into your life for many reasons. I know that you were brought into mine because you were meant to be my forever. It’s funny. I thought I had it all planned out. But you know what they also say? Life doesn’t always go as planned.
I know these last few months have been hard on you. Hearing the news that your one-year scan was clear again made me extremely happy.
Now that you’re feeling better, I want to take out to dinner. Put these cowboy boots on with a cute outfit, and I’ll pick you up at five.
-E
“We still on for tonight?” I asked Avery as I walked up to him behind the bar.
He turned to me. “Yep, plan is in motion.”
“Have you heard from Nicole?”
He shook his head. “No. Have you heard from B.B.?”
“Nope.”
“I’m sure they will both be ready at five.”
I smiled. “They better be. Brooke will probably be confused when she sees me pull up in your truck.”
“And Nic will be too when she sees me in your car.”
I smiled. “It’s gonna be epic.”
Since Brooke’s latest tumor ordeal, we hadn’t had sex once. I missed it—missed being with my wife, but I wasn’t doing this night because I wanted to get laid. I was doing it because I wanted to show my wife I still desired her. If tonight didn’t end in sex, I was okay with that. I just wanted to wrap Brooke in my arms and show her that she was still the love of my life even if we were missing this one piece.
When I was young and stupid, I would have found other women to satisfy my needs. Now, I just used my hand. And I was okay with the fact that I felt like a teenage boy jerking it in the shower. I knew it was temporary.
One day Brooke would be back to her old self. The one I used to fuck in the shower. The one I used to lick her pussy as she lay her head on the bed, her ass in my face. The one I used to fuck on our bathroom counter and the one that I made love to.
Like an ocean that needs the moon, we would figure out what to do just like it used to be.
I was dressed in jeans, black cowboy boots I’d bought at the same time I purchased Brooke’s, a black leather belt and a grey and purple plaid button-up long sleeved shirt. I’d never in my life worn cowboy boots, but I wanted something different—something special. And if I had to wear a getup like it cowboy boots, then I would.
I made my way down the stairs to the main floor of the bar. Avery was leaning against it talking to Traver. I smiled when I saw that he was wearing a grey suit. We rarely dressed in anything but jeans and our work polo shirts. He turned when I assumed he heard the clunking of my boots coming toward him.
“Yee haw!” he shouted.
“Fuck off.” I laughed.
He held up the keys to his truck, and I handed him mine. “Let’s do this.”
We both walked out of the bar to the parking lot. After saying goodbye to Gary, we said goodbye to each other. Life had been getting in the way for both of us, and we wanted to get back to the time where our wives could have a night to enjoy themselves.
Pulling in front of my house, I cut the engine and got out. By the time I rounded the hood, Brooke was walking out the front door. I stopped mid-step, getting my fill of her in a dark grey button-up long sleeved shirt that was left open, revealing a form-fitting white tank top. My gaze traveled down to jeans that hugged every curve and into the cherry colored boots I left for her with my note.
My heart fluttered as she smiled and continued walking toward me. “Why do you have Avery’s truck?” she asked.
I opened the passenger door. “Need something to go with our boots.” I looked nudged my head down, wanting her to see I had on boots too.