He studies my face. My tear-streaked cheeks and red eyes say all the things that I can’t right now for fear of bursting out into tears. I don’t want that. I just want to enjoy this beautiful, perfect moment that he’s given me.
Ethan leans back in his chair. “Come sit. Have a drink with me.”
Bending to open the bottom drawer, he sets a familiar bottle of scotch on the desk between us. The bottle that started it all. I take a seat across from him, and he pours two paper cups worth. Our fingers brush when he passes one to me, sending a spark straight through me.
“To the next chapter,” Ethan says softly.
I meet his eyes and lift my cup. “The next chapter.”
The scotch burns a familiar trail down my throat and lingers on my tongue. We sip from our small cups in comfortable silence, both savoring this moment and anticipating what comes next.
When our tiny paper cups are empty, Ethan stands. He rounds the desk and holds out his hand. “Come home with me.”
“Yes,” I respond a little too eagerly.
As we leave the office, his hand finds mine, and just before the elevator doors close, he bends to kiss me. It’s unhurried and certain, sealing us back together.
When we break apart, Ethan rests his forehead against mine. His voice is low, teasing. “So, does this new chapter involve loincloths?”
I laugh, the sound amplified by the small quarters of the elevator. “It definitely does.”
He hums his approval against my mouth, brushing another kiss to my lips.
“I love you, Ethan.”
“I love you too, Margot.”
The elevator doors slide open, and together, we step forward.
Epilogue
Six Months Later
The backyard is full of laughter and squeals when Ethan and I walk through the gate, his hand lightly grazing the small of my back. Sophia spots us instantly. Her little face lights up as she breaks away from the heard of children running circles through the yard with big bubble wands.
“Uncle Ethan!” she yells, barreling toward us. “Aunt Margot!”
Ethan smiles, crouches, and catches Sophia with a little grunt as she collides with his chest. He scoops her up and spins her around once before returning her to the ground.
“Happy birthday, kiddo,” he tells her.
“Thank you!”
I echo the sentiment, and Sophia turns towards me, outstretching her arms. When I bend over, she wraps them around my neck in the sweetest little hug. Then she’s grabbing my hand, tugging me towards the pastel castle-shaped bounce house in the middle of the yard.
Ethan laughs and interjects. “Later, munchkin. We’ve got to say hi to everyone first.”
“Okay,” Sophia huffs dramatically, but it’s all for show. Not even a millisecond later, she’s flinging herself back into the shuffle of the other kids, laughing as a bubble pops right on top of her head.
While Ethan watches her with a big grin, I watch him with a single thought in my head: I wonder what type of dad he’ll be. We’ve talked about the future—marriage, kids, all of it. Not as an abstract concept or a ‘maybe one day’ either; we’ve discussed the details and already started making plans. But if I’ve learned anything over the past year of my life, it’s that even the best laid plans can be thrown off course.
“Ready to make the rounds?” Ethan asks casually.
I nod, and he grabs my hand, leading me further into Rachel’s backyard. Of course, saying hi to everyone includes Rachel. She’s by the food table, arranging cupcakes as we approach. When she looks up, her smile is warm and genuine.
“Hey guys,” she says, pulling me into a hug I don’t expect. “Glad you could make it.”
She smells faintly of citrus and sunscreen. When she releases me and takes a step back, her hand slips into the one belonging to a tall man in aviators. Rachel introduces him as Daniel, her boyfriend, and the word slides easily into the conversation, like it’s been waiting to be spoken for a while now.