Page 122 of Soup Sandwich

“Good. Because if you show up here in ninety days or even before that with one more infraction, I will have no choice but to intervene and pull Miss Barrows from your home. For now, this court is adjourned.”

He bangs his gavel, and I leap out of my seat, flying at Layla, hauling her body up and into mine, and slamming my lips down on hers. It happens so fast I’m not even aware I’ve done it until I feel the warm, sweet breath of her gasp against my lips.

I steal a quick taste and then murmur, “Thank you,” against her mouth, against her lips as fierce, unshakable joy swirls through me like a tonic. “I love you. So fucking much. You never cease to amaze me.”

She smiles against my lips. “All this time I was so afraid to fall in love again, but the truth is, I think I was always waiting for you.”

I kiss her again, my hands in her hair, holding her to me. Never wanting to let her go.

Part of me is tempted to ask her to be my fiancée for real. I want to marry her and have babies with her, and watch Katy become a sister-aunt of sorts, but I’m getting ahead of myself, and I let the thoughts slowly fade away.

For now at least.

I give her one last kiss and then turn to find my friends. To find Lenox and grab the big man to bring him in for a hug.

“Thank you, brother. I owe you one. I owe you a million.”

“It’s what I do.”

I laugh because it’s true. It’s what he does. And he’s damn good at it. I have no idea where I’d be without him. Where any of us would be without each other.

“If there’s ever anything I can do for you…”

He claps my shoulder, a smile on his face. “I know. Shut up already.”

I snicker and decide to leave it at that, hugging my friends and thanking them for being with me on this wild ride.

It’s not settled. I have ninety days, and yes, things could go wrong. With the way my life has been going lately, things could go very wrong.

But there are no more lies to strangle me or prevent me from keeping my girl. And no matter what, I know Katy isn’t going to end up where she shouldn’t be.

We leave the courtroom, and Katy is standing outside the door holding a strange woman’s hand, but the moment she sees me coming for her, her face lights up and she tears herself away, running straight for me. I swoop her up into my arms and hug her fiercely against my chest.

I kiss her forehead. “Ready to go home?” I can’t contain my smile.

She beams at me. “Ready.”

I turn to Layla. “What about you?”

“Definitely ready.”

Layla takes my hand, and we all head out of the courthouse.

No more lies. No more sneaking around. No more hiding what should never have had to be hidden. It’s us. Forever.

EPILOGUE 1

Ninety Days Later

If you didn’t already knowthis, life can change with every beat of your heart. Seconds aren’t even necessary. A blink of an eye or an intake of breath might be all that’s required. A rash decision. An impulsive move. And bam… your life will never be the same.

In the last ninety days, a lot has happened.

Murphy didn’t wait until she was formally kicked out to leave school. She dropped out before simulator lab that very next day, and I can’t say I was sad about it. Last I heard from the group chats, no one has spoken to her since, and I haven’t bothered to look her up to see where she landed.

I also haven’t heard from Patrick since he walked out of the restaurant, though I have no doubt I’ll run into him since he too is doing clerkships and will be back on campus for classes starting in January.

Then there’s Mrs. Bible.