The Girl Next Door
The Boy Next Door Epilogue

Five years later...

"Hey beautiful, I was wondering if I could buy you a drink?"

I swing around at the bar only to replace Colton standing next to me. A grin tips the edges of my lips as I shake my head. "Sorry, I'm afraid not. I'm waiting for my fiancé." I lift my hand to show off the glittering diamond that now sits on my second finger. His bright blue gaze drops to my left hand before flickering up again. "Wow. He's a lucky guy."

I shrug before closing the distance between us and whispering, "Honestly, I'm the lucky one. I can't imagine my life without him."

Colton's face softens. "I'm pretty sure he feels the same way."

His hand rises to cup my cheek before he leans in and brushes his lips across mine. I tilt my face to give him better access. As soon as I open, his tongue slips inside my mouth to tangle with my own. That first touch is all it takes for the crowded restaurant to fall away and then it's just the two of us. It doesn't matter if I'm sitting at the bar in Marco's, waiting to meet friends for dinner. Colton has always had this kind of effect on me, and I don't see it changing anytime soon.

"All right, you two," a deep voice interrupts, "break it up."

We splinter apart only to replace Mia and Beck. Bright smiles wreath their faces. A few people turn their heads and stare, immediately recognizing the dark-haired quarterback. He's become something of a hometown hero.

I jump off my bar stool and throw my arms around my bestie. It's been so long since we've been able to get together. She's busy in San Francisco, practicing law. Even though she works for Beck's father, Mia still puts in sixty-hour weeks. It doesn't leave time for much else.

"You look amazing!" I cry, tugging her close and squeezing tight. I've missed her so damn much.

"You, too!"

I draw away just enough for my gaze to skim down the length of her before settling on her slightly rounded belly. "I can't believe you're five months pregnant!"

Her hand flutters to the baby bump as her face lights up. "That makes two of us."

I untangle myself from Mia before stepping closer to her husband, Beck, and giving him a hug. "Congratulations, Papa."

"Thanks!" He's all smiles as I pull away. "We're excited for the munchkin to arrive."

My gaze bounces between the pair of them. It seems crazy that they're having a baby. She's the first of my friends to do so. "Have you found out what the s*x is yet?"

"Yup, but we're keeping it a secret until the baby shower." Her eyes sparkle as she glances at her husband. "Beck is planning a big reveal. He's even hired a party planner to make it over-the-top."

"Hey," he chimes in, "if we're gonna do this, we're doing it up right."

There was a time when Beck used to plan massive pool parties. And now he's organizing baby reveals? It's enough to make me laugh.

"Oh, come on!" I narrow my eyes. "You won't even tell your bestie? How about a clue? Just one."

She presses her lips together and shakes her head. "Sorry. I've been sworn to secrecy for the time being."

"Damn," I say with a mock pout. "And I can't even get you drunk to pry the information out of you." Honestly, I don't care what the gender is. I'm thrilled for both of them. And me, of course. I get to be an aunt.

Laughter falls from her lips. "You only have to wait a couple of months and then the cat will be out of the bag."

Colton wraps his arms around me from behind as Mia's gaze falls to my left hand before zeroing in on the ring.

Her brows rise. "Looks like I'm not the only one with exciting news!" She grabs my hand to get a better look at the sparkler now adorning it. "When did this happen?"

"Last weekend." I twist in Colton's arms to meet his stare. "He surprised me with a four-day trip to the Bahamas and that's when he proposed."

"That's so romantic," Mia says with a sigh.

It really was. Colton spoke with the owner of my dance studio and asked her to give me a couple of days off. Then he secretly packed our bags and had them waiting in the car. When I woke up Thursday morning, he asked if I wanted to run a few errands. It's only when we ended up at the airport that he told me he'd planned a trip for us.

I mean, come on-how can you not totally love a man like that?

Colton asking me to be his wife was the cherry on top of an already amazing sundae. And I've been floating on cloud nine ever since. There are times when I think back to college and how we broke up sophomore year. As much as I tried to move on from the blond heartbreaker, I couldn't do it.

"Maybe we can plan a trip for the four of us before the baby is born," Beck adds.

"That would be amazing." I love the idea of spending some quality time with my bestie.

"Yeah!" Mia adds. "That would be so much fun. One final hoorah before sleeping through the night becomes a thing of the past."

The guys grab drinks from the bar as Colton peppers Beck with questions regarding the NFL. It's been four years, and his career is still going strong. His agent just renegotiated a lucrative deal with San Francisco.

I pull Mia to the side and give her another hug. "I'm so happy for you, girl."

"Right back at you!"

I glance at our significant others and shake my head. "When we were in high school, could you have imagined our lives turning out like this?"

"Nope." She snorts. "Not in a million years did I ever think I'd be married and expecting a baby with Beckett Hollingsworth."

I can't help the laughter that escapes from my lips. No, I'm sure she didn't. There was a time when Mia could barely tolerate being in the same room with Beck. "I think everything turned out the way it was supposed to." "It did." Her dark eyes turn dreamy. "Work is good, married life is even better, and this baby," she places both palms on her belly, "will be everything to us."

My heart melts. They're going to make the best parents.

"How about you?" She tilts her head. "Are you doing well?"

My gaze settles on Colton. The man who will one day be my husband. A little thrill slides through me at the thought. "Yeah, I am. Somehow, I managed to get everything I ever wanted."

"I think we both did."

"Hey," Beck says, cutting into our conversation, "what are you two talking about over there?"

"Nothing," we say in unison before offering up matching grins.

Colton shakes his head. "Somehow, I doubt that."

My fiancé closes the distance between us before encircling me in his arms. "Love you, babe," he whispers in my ear.

"I love you, too." More than I ever dreamed possible.

"I can't wait to be your husband."

"I can't wait to be your wife." The thought gives me butterflies. I'm so excited to plan our wedding.

My gaze lands on the couple standing next to us. Beck has Mia wrapped up in his arms as one hand protectively cradles her belly. The love they have for each other is obvious.

Next to our families, these are the two people who matter most. Make that three-who could forget about baby Hollingsworth?

I'm so excited to discover what the future has in store for all of us.

If it's anything like the past couple of years, it'll be amazing.

How could it not be, when I get to marry the love of my life? The End