The Epilogue (Trinity Academy 5)

“One last thing.” I hope she can see how much I mean every word as I say, “I love you, my rainbow.”Chapter 10FalconSitting on the beach, Mason, Lake, and I stare at the waves. We came early so we could spend some time together before our families and friends join us for a day in the sun.

Mason suddenly begins to chuckle, then says, “Remember that night Falcon made us hike through the damn woods in the middle of the night?”

Lake begins to laugh. “When you said midnight stroll my ass?” He pats Mason on the back. “You kept grumbling.”

“Yeah, that night,” Mason replies. The smile around his lips soften. “I was so scared our friendship wouldn’t make it back then.”

“We were all worried.” My eyes dance between Mason and Lake. “But look at us now.”

“Yeah.” Lake shakes his head and lets out a sigh. “I still see your asses every Saturday morning.” His shoulders hang, and he takes a deep breath. “And you still can’t surf for shit.”

Mason whacks him upside the head and growls, “Fucker. You live for our Saturday mornings together.”

Lake lets out a burst of laughter, and when Mason raises his hand to whack him again, Lake grabs hold of me as he jumps to my other side, using me as a barrier.

“You can be glad I’m tired from surfing, or I’d climb right over Falcon to beat your ass.”

My shoulders shake as I laugh at them. “Yeah, nothing has changed.”

Mason shakes his head. “Except, we all have kids now.”

“Yep,” I agree, and not being able to resist, I tease him. “Who would’ve thought you of all people would have more than one.”

Not missing a beat, Lake jumps in to have a go at Mason, “Aria is almost five, and I’m still in shock.”

Mason glares at the two of us. “Is today pick on Mason day?”

Grinning, I nod. “Y’all gave me hell last weekend when you spotted that gray hair, so it’s only fair that you get a turn as well.”

Lake looks at my temple, then he frowns. “Did you pull the hair out?”

Turning my gaze back to the ocean, I pretend to not know what he’s talking about. “What hair?”

Mason leans over Lake to get a closer look at my temple as well. “Nah, Lake, don’t worry. I see two more.”

My head snaps in their direction, and I scowl at them. “Stop talking shit. I don’t have any gray hair.”

Lake leans even closer and squints. “Yep, I see them.”

“The way you’re fucking squinting, I’m surprised you can see anything. Is your eyesight going with old age?”

“I still have twenty-twenty vision,” Lake brags.

We go back to staring out over the ocean, and a couple of minutes pass with the sound of the waves crashing to shore.

Lake looks at me, then at Mason. “It’s been nothing short of amazing having the two of you as my best friends.”

His words make us all a little emotional, then Mason grumbles, “I deserve a medal of honor for making it all these years.”

Lake punches him against the shoulder. “Medal of honor, my ass. You’d die without us.”

“Or land his ass in jail because we weren’t there to stop him,” I chuckle.

Lake lets out a bark of laughter, and adds, “Yeah, and Kingsley probably would’ve killed him by now.”

“Ha-ha-fucking-ha.” Mason tries to glare at us, but then a smile splits over his face. “Fuck, I can’t even argue with that ’cause it’s the truth.”

“Daddy!” I hear Fallon’s voice carry over the beach and glance to my left. I watch as my family walks toward me.

Slowly, our friends and family start to arrive, and as the kids begin to chase each other, their laughter fills the air.

“You think the next generation is going to do better than us?” I ask.

Lake nods. “Yeah, they have great parents.”

Aria trips over her feet, but Forest is quick to help her up, and the sight makes us all smile.

“They’ll be fine,” Mason murmurs. “They already have each other’s back.”The End