Epilogue: The Loft

Chase

I leaned against the wall outside my bedroom, observing the chaos downstairs in the kitchen with a smile. Liam, wearing one of his infamous “sexy cook” aprons, barked instructions at Theo while Knox watched on, not lifting a finger. Haley was taking a break from her task to check on Jackson, who reclined lazily on the couch at her insistence. I never thought I’d see the day when Jackson Hart would allow himself to be ordered around by anyone, much less a woman. Noticing how he smiled up at Haley and snuck a kiss, that day had arrived.

Theo shouted a non-curse when a pot of water boiled over, and Liam shoved him out of the way, mumbling something along the lines of “incompetent idiot.” Penny started chasing her tail in the middle of the kitchen, nearly knocking Theo off his feet. And, still, Knox watched on without moving a muscle to help.

It was shaping up to be the best Thanksgiving ever.

As much as I enjoyed spending the day with Gran or even at Patrick’s house, this year felt special. Maybe it was because the six of us understood how much we had to be thankful for. Haley was back in our lives for good. Douglas was out of the picture. Jackson was expected to make a full recovery after being shot. We finally knew who was behind the mysterious incidents at Zenith. Mr. Jones was safely hidden away. And, the team had even reached a fragile truce with Ethan.

When he’d pulled me aside after dropping the bomb about his involvement with The Elites, I didn’t know what to say. But, as it turned out, I didn’t have to say anything. He’d done all the talking.

“Chase, I need to apologize. You’ve always been there for me, and, more than anything, I regret how I treated you. Deep down, I knew I was making the wrong decision, and you would have been the first one to call me on it. I wasn’t in a place to hear it, so I pushed you away.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen with my job, or hell, my life, but I hope someday we can be friends again. I know it’ll never be the same, but I can’t stand the thought of losing your friendship on top of everything else.”

He walked away without giving me a chance to respond, calling over his shoulder, “If anyone deserves Haley, it’s you. Good luck.”

Not so long ago, his parting words may have urged me to betray the others and try to steal her for myself once and for all. Despite agreeing to what I’d deemed an insane idea from the beginning, I never believed it could actually work. Or that I’d want it to.

That day in my bedroom, everything changed. Hearing Haley confess I wasn’t the only one she loved didn’t devastate me like I expected. Instead, it unlocked something I hadn’t even admitted was sealed up tight—my genuine acceptance of the plan to share her.

Staring into her eyes as she said those three coveted words, I understood what I hadn’t before. Her happiness was now the most important thing in my life. More important than jealousy or social norms or my selfish desire to keep her to myself.

Observing her reaction to Jackson’s injury confirmed what I’d already known by then. Haley was in love with all five of us, and it would be cruel to force her to choose. In the days since, I finally allowed myself to watch her with Liam, Theo, Knox, and Jackson, and I had no doubt they felt the same about her. Who was I to stand in the way of their happiness? I couldn’t do that to Haley or the guys. I wouldn’t.

“Chase, what the Mayflower are you doing standing around? If I have to help, so do you!” Theo met me at the bottom of the stairs with a playful scowl on his face.

“You don’t have to help, Theodore,” Liam hollered. “In fact, please stop helping. I beg you.”

“Don’t call me—”

“Theodore,” Knox, Liam, and I said in unison.

Haley hid her grin, badly, and took Theo by the arm. “Why don’t you and Knox set the table while I help Liam finish up?”

“It’s not my fault the potatoes exploded,” he muttered as he reached for the plates.

I followed Haley into the kitchen and gave her a peck on the lips. Between her flushed skin from standing over the stove and wisps of hair falling around her face, she looked beautiful. I wanted to yank her into the pantry and give her a real kiss, but I refrained, barely.

“What can I do?”

She glanced around the kitchen before turning back to me. “Will you check on the green beans?”

“Anything for you.”

Her answering smile was enough to make me give thanks right then and there that my decisions had led me to this moment. If I had another fifty Thanksgivings just like this one, it still wouldn’t be enough.

I mouthed, I love you, then strode to the stove, a confidence in my steps that hadn’t been there before. Everything was going to work out. I was sure of it.