THE FINALE BOOK ONE - EPILOGUE

Kelsey sat in the passenger seat of Ares Tesla the following night as they zipped along to Modesto. He’d asked her to come with him to see his family. He’d said they were as much hers as they were his, that they would love her as much as he did. Even now, it made her tear up.

“I’m so proud of you for taking this step. I know how hard it is.”

Ares picked up her hand to kiss her knuckles. It was such a beautiful gesture, one she could never have imagined a month ago. But

she’d dreamed of it a million times.

“With you by my side, it’s not hard.” He twined his fingers with hers on the console. “I want to know my brother and sister better.

And it’s time to reconnect with my mother. I’m ready to start a new life with a new family.” He gave her the look that melted her

heart every single time…and heated her straight through. “And with you. Especially with you.”

She knew her heart was shining in her eyes. “I wonder what everyone will say about us being together.”

“They’ll ask why it took so long. Especially Sally. I’m pretty sure if we didn’t get our act together soon, she was going to lock us in a

bedroom and not let us out until we found our happily ever after.”

“She didn’t just adopt you and the other Bevericks,” Kelsey said in a soft voice. “She adopted me too, a fully grown woman who

was desperate for a family. For a home.” Kelsey lifted her eyes back to Ares. “Our family is going to be as happy as theirs.”

“It is. Because we’ve learned from the best.”

He pulled over to the curb a few moments later where all three members of the Lowells family were outside waiting by the short

hedge around the small lawn in front of Tessa’s house. A flower box edged the porch, ready for spring flowers in a few months.

Kelsey and Ares were received with smiles all around and hugs from Tyler and Kathy, then they all trooped inside.

“Have you eaten dinner?” Tessa had obviously wanted to hug Ares too, but she’d held herself back.

“We have,” Ares said. “But I brought dessert.” He set a pink bakery box on the kitchen table. “Mrs. M’s trifle is legendary.”

“How lovely. I’ve put coffee on.”

Kathy flipped open the bakery box. “Oh my God. It looks like a billion calories.” She laughed. “I’ll just have to run an extra five

miles tomorrow, because I’m not missing this.”

“Need some help, Mom?” Tyler asked, then automatically helped her get down the mugs, setting them on a plastic tray.

The house wasn’t large, with an L-shape for dining, kitchen, and family room. There was no formal living room, but Kelsey thought

rooms that didn’t get used except on formal occasions were a waste of space anyway. Everything was neat and clean, the tile counter

sparkling, though it had a couple of cracks in it. The appliances were older, but who cared as long as everything worked? The place

was homey, and that was the most important thing.

Tyler carried the tray of mugs, bowls, a cow-shaped creamer jug, and a sugar pot into the family room, setting it on the coffee table.

Tessa brought the coffee carafe, and Kathy followed up with the trifle.

“Would you like to do the honors, Ares, since you brought the dessert?” Theresa held out a big serving spoon.

“You go ahead, Mom.”

She faltered, her hand trembling as she looked at him in shock. Then with joy. Her eyes shone with moisture as she smiled and said,

“All right, dear. Big piece or little?”

“Huge,” he said. “We’re celebrating.” He grinned at Kathy. “All the calories are free tonight.”

Sitting next to him on the sofa, Kathy leaned over to kiss his cheek. “Thank you, big brother.” Kelsey knew the show of affection

had nothing to do with the cake and everything to do with their mother.

After Tyler had poured coffee and passed around the cream and sugar, Ares held up his mug. “I’d like to make a toast.” They all

raised their mugs as he said, “First, to our mother. You did a fabulous job of raising your children.”

“Oh Ares.” A tear slid down Tessa’s cheek. “I didn’t raise you.”

“You did for nine years. Then you let me stay with Sally and George, who finished the job. I will be forever grateful for that

opportunity to become the man I am.” Tessa swiped at the tears streaming down her face, and then he reached for her hand. “I know

now that you did the absolute best you could in difficult circumstances and that you made the only choice you felt you could at the

time. I don’t want you to feel guilty about that anymore. I had a great life with George and Sally, and I’m looking forward to an even

better life going forward, with you in it, along with my brother and sister.”

Kelsey was so proud of Ares that her heart felt close to bursting with love.

He raised his mug again. “To Tyler and Kathy. I’m honored to have you as my brother and sister, and I want to get to know you both

much better.”

They clinked their mugs with his, and Kelsey thought Kathy might start crying too. Even Tyler’s eyes had grown shiny.

“Thanks for not kicking us out the day we showed up at your house uninvited.” Tyler grinned and lifted his mug higher. “To family.”

Ares grin was a mirror to his brother’s. “To family.”

They all cheered.

“One more toast.” He turned and faced her. “To Kelsey. The woman I love with all my heart. You have been my friend, my best

friend, for years. I’m damned glad that by the time I finally woke up and realized I couldn’t live without you, I hadn’t lost you.

Because you’re everything to me. Everything.”

Kelsey didn’t think twice—she simply leaned over and kissed him right there in front of his family.

“It’s about time,” Kathy said, as if she’d known they belonged together that very first day she’d met them.

“I’m so happy for you both.” Theresa squeezed Kelsey’s hand.

“Me too.” Tyler’s grin was even wider now as he held his cup aloft in another toast.

“You’re all as lucky as I am to have her.” Ares looked at Kelsey with all his emotions in his gaze.

Pretty soon, she’d be crying buckets too.

Then Ares reached into his pocket, and when his hand reappeared, Kelsey recognized the plastic T-Rex on his palm. And her tears

fell for this big, beautiful, wonderful, forgiving man.

“You remember this little guy, Mom?” He handed the trinket to her.

“Oh Ares,” she whispered, grabbing a napkin to blot her eyes as she held the dinosaur close to her heart. “You kept it?”

“I’ve never been able to let it go,” Ares said as he reached for Kelsey’s hand.

“The Field Museum in Chicago,” his mother told Kathy and Tyler. “We went to see the dinosaurs.”

“It was the best day ever,” he said, punctuating the words with a squeeze of Kelsey’s hand. “We’re going to have a lot more of them

from now on.”

“Yes. We will.” His mother sniffed and used the napkin to dry her eyes, her gaze finally bright and alive.

Kelsey’s heart bloomed with love. She was so proud of Ares. He’d banished his shadows, and in doing so, he’d banished his

mother’s too.

“I’ve been thinking,” Ares said, looking at his mother, his arm anchoring Kelsey to him. “Modesto is too far out. Would you consider

a job closer to the Bay Area?”

“You want me closer?” She looked like she’d just been given yet another of the greatest gifts in the world.

“I do. Very much. Although, I understand that you feel a great loyalty to your employer’s company since he was such a help to you.”

“You’ve said it’s just not the same since Hudson died,” Kathy reminded her. “It would be great if you lived closer to Tyler and me.”

“My friends would love to meet you,” Ares said gently. “You’d like them all. And I’d be there every step of the way with you,

finding you a great job, helping you sell this house, or rent it out, if that’s what you’d like to do.”

Ares would take care of everything, Kelsey knew. And leaving Modesto would also help get Tessa away from any temptation to let

Paul back in her life.

“Why don’t you take some time to think about it?” Ares said, obviously working hard to let her come to it in her own time.

But Tyler wasn’t afraid to push. “It’s time, Mom. You stayed there because you liked working with Hudson, but he’s gone.”

“I know,” she said. “But adjusting to a new company…” Tessa didn’t have to finish the thought. Change was frightening.

“We’ll all help you find the right fit,” Kathy said. “I bet Ares has a million contacts. You could even live with me, if you’d like.”

Tessa looked at them all, and her arms moved as if she wanted to throw them around her entire family. And when Ares moved into

them, Kelsey felt his forgiveness envelope his mother, final and complete.

It was all she could ever have hoped for him.

And for herself, to be loved by this beautiful man.

* * *

They gobbled the trifle down to the bare bowl and finished the carafe of coffee. Peace settled over Ares as he surveyed his new family.

Pure love for—and from—Kelsey had melted his icy heart.

“I’ve got a present for you, to say thank you for all you did for us.” Kathy reached down beside the sofa to produce a flat box. She

leaned over to lay the gift on his lap. “I hope you like it.”

The box was fairly heavy, and he tore off the paper. He hadn’t needed anything in return for what he’d done to chase off Tessa’s

abuser, but the offering warmed him.

He lifted the lid to reveal a collage photo frame filled with pictures. He gaped at Kathy. “Where did you get all these?”

“I told Sally what I wanted to do, and we went through her photo books when you left for the hotel after Yahtzee.”

“What a beautiful idea.” Kelsey leaned over to look, her scent weaving magic around him. “You guys sure were hotties even back

then.”

Front and center was a photo of the Bevericks taken shortly before they’d all left Chicago. Their hair was longer, and he and Perseus

weren’t nearly as well built yet, but they’d just made their pact and were ready to take the world by storm.

The other pictures were in a satellite around the center, including one of the Beischel—George, Sally, Hector, and Hera—and a photo

of Sally and George on their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary just a couple of years ago. Kathy had also included a shot of herself and Tyler when they were about ten. His hair was longer than he wore it now, hers shorter. Right below was a photo of Sally and

Tessa from the past weekend, the two women who had helped shape him.

“Thank you.” He was beyond touched. “You couldn’t have given me anything better.”

“It was Tyler’s idea. But I collected the photos. It’s a family portrait. All your family.” Kathy’s words showed her understanding of

how important the Baddrick clan was to him, while also bringing to light his future. His brother, sister, and mother weren’t eclipsing

anything, they were extending.

Then he saw the photo in the upper right. Kelsey was seated next to him on Sally’s sofa, the Yahtzee dice in her hand. She was

laughing at something he’d said, her gaze on him, her love for him written in her smile, her laughter.

Just as his love for her—the love he’d thought he needed to keep secret, even from himself—was written on his face.

Kathy had obviously seen it too, capturing the moment with her cell phone.

Kelsey traced the edge of the picture. “That’s a nice one,” she said softly. Her voice and her touch, the heat of her body beside him,

the slight lift of her gaze to his, showed she also recognized the emotions shining through.

His feelings had been there all along, deep inside. He’d lost his way for a very long time. But now he was found.

In front of his family, he declared himself again. “I love you, Kelsey.”

As she said the words back against his lips, he kissed her, and his family cheered beside them. He would say it, think it, feel it every

day for the rest of his life. He would thank God or the universe or whatever power was in charge for allowing him to finally see how

much he needed her.

And he would be forever thankful that he hadn’t been able to resist the sweet, sexy, wild woman who tempted him so.

Because they were meant to be.