Page 122 of Hendrix
My boy was named James Tristan Bouchard.
Perfect, just like him.
Maybe one day, my son’s last name would change along with mine, but I was in no hurry. Hendrix asked me if I wanted to pack some things, take the baby, fly to Vegas, and just do it, but I said no. I’d been married twice, and both relationships ended in disaster. I wasn’t ready, and neither was he—though he insisted he was—go figure.
But it was time to do things differently. A wedding didn’t automatically equate to love.
Love equated to love, and luckily, we had that in abundance.
EPILOGUE
HENDRIX
Three Months Later
John Stone stoodstrong with his legs astride and his hands on his hips, surveying the kids running around and screaming like lunatics.
“Fuckin’ petting zoo,” he rumbled, shaking his head disbelievingly. “Why the fuck didn’t I think of that? Look at ‘em; they’re happy as pigs rollin’ in shit. A genius idea that, Will. You’ve got an entire day of fun right there just with a few llamas and goddamned ostriches.”
Dad motioned to the expanse of lawn down the side of the hotel, where volunteers were walking small horses up and down with kids strapped to their backs wearing an array of brightly colored cowboy hats. “Think the pony rides are goin’ down better, John. The kids love it. Little Addie girl’s in her goddamned element.”
I smoothed my hand over JT’s little blue baker-boy cap and grinned at his cute baptism outfit. He looked cool as fuck in his little blue and white suit. Anna had a little chunky cardigan made especially for him with our ‘Property of the Speed Demons Virginia’ patch on the back, and I fucking loved it.
The tinkle of kids’ laughter drifted toward us.
I glanced over at Addie, who giggled with some of her new friends from town.
She was healthy and happy after the Ace incident. In fact, I think she saw it all as a big adventure. Anna, Freya, and Carina had since taught her about stranger danger. I wished her dad would’ve taken more of an interest, but he was still wallowing in his grief. Still, Addie and her brothers were surrounded by love and care, and I knew we’d bring Fender around eventually—or at least I hoped.
John’s eyes skidded over across the grass, and his lips pursed while his eyes narrowed.
“Look at his face,” Colt whispered from beside me. “He’s jealous as fuck he didn’t think of it. The best that old cheapskate ever came up with was that deathtrap playground. The remnants of that slide they had to cut Atlas’s ass out of are still laying in the yard. Sunny’s little face goes white every time she sees it. Layla’s convinced it’s the reason she’s terrified of heights. Poor kid's scarred for life.”
My gaze veered toward the back of the hotel, where Sunny and Kadence were flinging themselves around doing TikTok dances. Sunny’s little sister Willow was trying to copy them, but at the age of six, she didn’t have the same finesse as her teenage sister.
Gopher walked past them with a friendly grin, carrying a crate of Lucky Shamrock cider. Sunny’s body locked, and she whipped around to face Kady, blushing and giving her big eyes.
“Fuck!” Bowie muttered. “Where’s my fuckin’ gun?”
Cash laughed.
Breaker’s lips twitched.
Kai—who at fifteen was already almost as tall as his dad—glared at my prospect like he wanted to rip his throat out.
Atlas hooted and clapped him on the back before adjusting his daughter, Lola, on his hip. “Two years, and she’ll be dating.”
Kai grunted.
Bowie nodded at Lola. “Twelve years and so will she.”
Atlas snarled.
“Horsey!” Lola cried, stretching her arms out toward the petting zoo. “Lola wants horsey!”
“Take her to see the Llamas,” Dad suggested, throwing John a triumphant grin. “Poor little thing’s desperate to pet the animals.”
John’s lips thinned, and he folded his arms across his chest.
