Page 138 of Beneath the Surface

Epilogue #2

Five Years Later

“Mase, you better get in here and get your kids!” I holler through the back door of our home. “I gotta go!”

Mason comes rushing in through the back patio, being chased by my baby Chase, both of them doused with water and breathing heavy, knocking over Mason’s easel on their way to the kitchen.

While I know Mason enjoyed being a stay-at-home dad, I convinced him to pick back up a paintbrush. Told him that it’s never too late to live out your dreams. When you know, you know. And he knew he was meant to be an artist at eleven years old.

I laugh at the look on his face, adjusting our toddler on my hip, and glancing back at our twins, Kylie and Katie, eating breakfast at the kitchen table.

“You sure you can handle things?” I ask.

Mason scoffs, wiping his sopping hair back from his eyes. “Please. They’remykids, just because this one is a heathen, doesn’t mean I can’t handle the rest.” His hand ruffles Chase’s hair, who cackles next to him.

“Dad’s just mad that I’m better at water gun fights.”

Mason narrows his eyes. “Itaughtyou everything you know.”

Chase shrugs, walking over to me and taking Ashlynn, our two-year-old, from my arms, smooching her on the cheek. My chest pulls tight as I watch him love on his baby sister. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll help Dad manage while you’re gone.”

Mason grins as he walks toward me, kissing me on the lips. “How long are you gone for again?”

I smile back, scrunching my nose at how wet he is. “Just a few days. I’ll be back after the runway show.”

While I fit back in relatively seamlessly with almost everyone, Blakely was someone I had a hard time relating to. But then three years ago, when she was shopping for her wedding dress, things changed.

She didn’t like anything she tried, so I stepped in and helped her create one, reigniting my forgotten passion.

Fashion.

After that, it was game over. She sat me down three weeks later, told me she was expanding her brand to include a clothing line, and she wanted me to be the designer. I resisted at first, feeling completely unqualified. But once I gave in, I’ve never looked back.

I work from home most days, and every once in a while, I get to travel to the greatest cities in the world, seeing my designs being modeled on a runway.

Blakely would normally be going with me, but she’s busy at home with her and Jax’s brand-new baby. A little boy they named James.

Derek and Mr. Carson have bonded, all three of us going to weekly meetings together, and sometimes we attend the Nar-Anon meetings that Chase runs on Sundays. I’m so grateful for the way Derek has seamlessly blended with everyone. One day, I’ll convince him to move to Sugarlake.

As for Becca and Eli? They got married on a beautiful day in May, in Florida of all places. Unlike Chase and Lee’s wedding, theirs was anevent.

NBA stars, college basketball teams, and hundreds of people I’ve never even heard of in attendance. Becca’s parents weren’t invited. It came out four years ago that her father was involved inmultipleaffairs, some with married women. And that was just more than this small town could accept, so after being publicly shamed, he and his wife left town, and Becca hasn’t heard from them since.

She doesn’t seem to mind.

Leaving one more peck on Mason’s lips, I back away, throwing my purse over my shoulder and grabbing my suitcase. “Don’t forget Becca’s coming to pick the twins up at three, so they can go to cheer practice with her girls.”

Mason groans. “They’refive. Why do they need to be in cheer with Becca’s crazy daughters?”

I grin. “Because they like it.”

He rubs his hands over his face. “Okay.”

After bringing in all my kids for hugs and kisses, I tamp down the melancholy that always wraps around my heart when I have to leave them, knowing they’re in good hands while I’m gone.

After all, it takes a village to raise a family, and I’ve got the best damn village around.

Mason follows me to the entry, gripping my hips and pushing me up against the door. “Missme while you’re gone,” he rumbles in my ear. Then he smacks me on the ass, making me jump. He was rough last night, our CNC role-play leaving bruises that will last the whole trip.

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