by Piper Rayne
I crinkle my forehead. “No, I didn’t. I’ve got you here and Brady right here.” I point to both spots and Jasper grasps my hand in his.
“If we’re really going to put this behind us, we need to add your leaf on there too, Lennon.”
My heart swells with joy and I think it might be in danger of bursting through my chest.
“So, can we put this all behind us?”
I gaze into his eyes and know that with all the love and affection I see there, I’ll never feel like I’m not enough again. I nod slowly and then go about the business of making myself a permanent mark in the lives of the two boys I love most.
Epilogue
It’s been two months and Jasper’s tattoo has healed nicely. Brady went back to talking to him—once I moved in.
Yep, I’m out of my hellhole of an apartment and living in Jasper’s condo. At first it was scary because what if we don’t make it? I mean do the research, many couples don’t. But I like to think there’s something special between us. And Brady comes first, before us, that’s the agreement we made.
Speaking of, Brady’s hand slides into mine as we walk down the sidewalk, all three of us exhausted from another day spent at the zoo.
He looks up to me, eyeing the pin on my shirt, and then falls back to my side. I made a mistake giving Jasper the pin back and I’ll never hurt Brady like that again. Jasper had returned the pin to him and explained why I felt the need to return it at the time. The first night after we reconciled, I tucked Brady in before Jasper came to read him a story and I told him how much it means to me that he gave me the pin and that I was sorry I hadn’t kept it.
Like most six-year-olds, he was able to forgive easily with no hurt feelings, but he checks up every once in awhile, wanting to know where it is.
“Coffee,” I whine as we approach a Starbucks.
“There’s nothing there for me,” Brady says.
“How about a cookie?” I bribe and he smiles.
“Cookie? On top of the popcorn, pretzel, and nachos at the zoo?” Jasper’s back to his stick-in-the-mud status, but he’s my stick in the mud. “You’re cleaning up the puke,” he says as I open the door to my nirvana, letting the aroma of coffee beans infiltrate my veins.
“I’ve done it once. I think I can handle it again,” I say with confidence I really feel.
“It truly is a sick obsession you have with this place,” Jasper says, passing by me. “Sit down and I’ll get the coffees.”
Brady and I don’t object, finding a table by the window. We talk about the elephants, the lions and how exactly the momma kangaroo gets that baby that’s in her pouch.
“Um, I’m not sure,” I lie because surely I am not the one who should be having this conversation with him.
“One day it just shows up?” Brady asks and I check on Jasper who’s paying the cashier.
“Well, the mommy and daddy…” I start, realizing that’s a bad path to go down. I look up to the ceiling.
“So you and Daddy will have a baby who shows up one day?”
“Okay…” Shit. Where’s the Parenting for Dummies book now?
“People say you’re half your mom and half your dad. What does that mean?” he continues on.
I pat his hand, about to rip the cookie from Jasper’s hands as he chitchats with the barista, pointing to things in the glass case.
Seriously?
“Lennon, are you my mommy?” he asks and my eyes shoot to him.
In the months that I’ve been with his father, he’s alluded to it, but never asked.
“Because Sara at school asked if I had two dads when I told her I didn’t have a mommy.” He smiles proudly. “I told her I had a daddy and a Lennon.”
I smile back at him, wetness filling my eyes. “I will always be your Lennon.”
“But not my mommy?” His lips turn down slightly but he’s not in full-on pout mode.
I glance over and Jasper’s waiting for the coffee. “Jasper!” I call out and he smiles, holding his finger up. Understanding that he’s useless in this moment, I look at Brady for a minute. “Technically, according to the law, I’m not your mom. I can’t be your mom until your daddy and I get married. Well, if we get married.” Treat the kid like an adult, I tell myself. None of this ‘hoo-haa’ and ‘dinky’ shit. Call it what it is, a vagina and a penis.
“So once you get married, then you’re my mommy,” he clarifies and I give it to the kid, he’s inquisitive.
“Yes.”
“Do you want to marry my dad?” he asks and of course, now Jasper’s finally coming over with the cookie.
He’s almost to us and I smile, eager for Brady to have his cookie so the spotlight can be removed from over my head.
“Mr. Banks,” the barista calls out and he stops.
No! I need the cookie.
He turns back around, grabs his coffee and moves to the station and then waves me over because his hands are overfilled with the entire collection of bakery treats.
It’s an exit and I’ll take it. “I’ll be right back. You stay here,” I say to Brady, thankful for at least some time to think of answers.
Jasper’s getting his coffee ready, stirring the sugar as he focuses on Brady behind me.
“You complain about a cookie and then buy all this,” I comment, scooping all the baked goods in my hands.
“Leave those, just grab your coffee when she calls your name.”
“Speaking of which, I’m very disappointed by your choice of name. Tell me we haven’t lost the spark already,” I joke, my hip resting on the coffee station.
“Cut me some slack, it’s been a long day. I promise to knock your socks off the next time.” He bends down, kissing my lips.
“You’re off the hook for today only. But you still have to woo me,” I call out as he passes me by and I wait for my coffee.
Not only does he not do the name thing but he gets his coffee first. If this is what relationships are about, then I understand why people complain about them.
A lifetime later—okay, not a lifetime, but it feels like it—the barista comes over to the counter and I step forward, knowing it’s for me.
“Mrs. Banks,” she calls out and places it on the counter.
Oh, my God, is Natalie here? We’re getting along better these days, but she’s not the type of surprise I’d appreciate.
I scan the small cafe, but no one is getting up and I don’t see Natalie anywhere. Glancing over my shoulder, I see the table where Brady and Jasper were is empty. Just the pile of pastry items and one lone coffee sit there. Brady must have had to go to the bathroom.
So I wait and watch the coffee cup sit there.
“Are you going to get your coffee?” Jasper says from behind me, his voice soft and loving.
I turn to find him and Brady on bended knee.
“What?” I ask, looking down at my cut-off shorts and tank top that says ‘Jesus Loves This Hot Mess.’ Not exactly ready to be proposed to.
“Lennon, we love you.”
“Yes,” Brady adds.
“We want you to spend the rest of your life with us.”
“Yes,” Brady says.
“We promise to put the toilet seat down and not drink out of the cartons.”
“Yes,” Brady says, slowly leaning to the side, growing tired of being on his knee.
“We promise to worship you. To love you. To protect you.”
“Yes.” Brady nods and loses his balance.
“Will you marry us?” Jasper asks and the few people in the cafe all “aww.”
“I have to take both of you?” I joke, staring between them.
“Afraid so. Package deal.” Jasper smiles.
“What if I only want the little one?”
Jasper looks down to a smiling Brady and shrugs.
“Then I’ll be heartbroken.” He covers his heart with his hand.
“What do you say? Do we let him live with us?” I say to Brady. “Can I be your mommy and his wife?” I turn
the tables and Brady runs over to me, and I squat to catch him. His arms are so tight around my neck I’m almost terrified of finding my next breath.
“You’re my mommy first,” Brady says softly.
Jasper comes over and wraps his arms around us. “I’ll be second place this time.” He kisses my temple and then finds my lips, giving me a nice, short kiss that still makes me tingle from my head to my toes.
We both stand after a minute and Jasper picks up the coffee. “So, I have no ring. I wasn’t planning on this until I walked up to that barista. I saw you and Brady and somehow I knew. You’re our missing piece.” He holds it out to me. “So do you accept your coffee, Mrs. Banks?”
“Every morning for the rest of my life.”
Brady finally unwraps himself from me and I let him down. He runs over to the table of goodies.
“You pick the date and in the meantime, I’ll make sure you have one hell of a rock on that left finger,” Jasper says, clearly surprised himself about the impromptu proposal. I’d have it no other way.
“Why not now?” I ask. “I mean, why wait? All I need is you and Brady there. We can do a reception or something for friends and family some other time.”
Jasper looks down at me, unsure if I’m serious.
“I’m serious, Jasper. Let’s just elope. The three of us can go somewhere.”
His full of life smile spreads across his lips.
“Let’s go, Mrs. Banks.” He holds his hand out for me.
I take it and he grips mine in his much larger one and I know I’m never letting go ever again. He’s stuck with me for all eternity.
“Lead the way, Mr. Banks.”
It’s so hard to say goodbye … but, wait, you don’t have to!
In our next series, The Single Dad’s Club, cameos of the couples from the Modern Love Series are PROMISED! Make sure you’re on our newsletter list, and add the books to your Goodreads TBR.
www.thesingledadsclub.com
Real Deal (5.15.17)
Dirty Talker (6.12.17)
Sexy Beast (7.17.17)
Did you miss Whitney and Cole’s story in The Bartender?
Don’t fret, CLICK HERE.
What about Tahlia and Lucas from The Boxer? They’re ready when you are, CLICK HERE.
THE BRUSH-OFF
The Prequel to The Bartender
Acknowledgements
We have to admit, we’re a little sad that this series is com- ing to a close. This gang has been so fun to write and we hope you enjoyed seeing the softer side to Lennon as much as we enjoyed writing it. But if you head into our next series (The Single Dad’s Club) you’re going to see some cameos from your favorite Modern Love couples. Ooops! Were we supposed to keep that a secret? Oh well.
If you made it this far in the series we’re going to take a guess and say, “You like us! You really like us!” Sally Field’s Oscar speech anyone!? No? Anyway, we were blown away with how open and accepting readers were of the new (but not new) kids on the block. We didn’t anticipate all the enthusiasm readers have shown us and to say we’re grateful is an understatement. This is a tough, tough market and it’s near impossible to get noticed and having you shout your praise from the rooftops has helped so, so much! Each and every one of you is a special unicorn to us. *throws unicorn glitter on all of you*
We have to thank the team behind The Banker
Djordje Grbic, our Cover Designer
RJ Locksley, our Editor
Behind the Writer, our Proof Reader
Linda Russell, our PR from Sassy Savvy Fabulous
Give Me Books, our promotional company
Blogs, who carved out scheduling time to promote us and/
or read and review the book
IndieSage PR—Our Web Designer
Michelle New—Our graphics gal extraordinaire
Type A Formatting—Formatting the paperback
First Readers—Heather and Angela
And, of course . . . we thank each other. Because two heads are better than one. (Lennon just popped in and is dying to make a double penetration joke at that but we’ll resist). ;)
Thank you again! We can’t wait for you to meet our single dads—Marcus, Dane and Garrett!
xoxo Piper & Rayne
About the Author
Piper Rayne, or Piper and Rayne, whichever you prefer because we’re not one author, we’re two. Yep, you get two established authors for the price of one. You might be wondering if you know us? Maybe you’ll read our books and figure it out. Maybe you won’t. Does it really matter?
We aren’t trying to stamp ourselves with a top-secret label. We wanted to write without apology. We wanted to not be pigeon holed into a specific outline. We wanted to give readers a story without them assuming how the story will flow. Everyone has their favorite authors, right? And when you pick up their books, you expect something from them. Whether it’s an alpha male, heavy angst, a happily ever after, there’s something you are absolutely certain the book will contain. Heck, we’re readers, too, we get it.
What can we tell you about ourselves? We both have kindle’s full of one-clickable books. We're both married to husbands who drive us to drink. We're both chauffeurs to our kids. Most of all, we love hot heroes and quirky heroines that make us laugh, and we hope you do, too.
Be one of our unicorns: http://eepurl.com/cjhba5
www.piperrayne.com
@piperraynerocks
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Also by Piper Rayne
The Modern Love World
The Bartender
The Boxer
The Banker
The Single Dad’s Club
Real Deal (5.15.17)
Dirty Talker (6.12.17)
Sexy Beast (7.17.17)
