Winning my Best Friend's Girl - Piper Rayne Page 0,86

know you are always first, and I’ll never put our life together in jeopardy.” He kisses me. “And now I’ll have to hear Austin say I told you so.”

I laugh. “What are you talking about?”

“Just that I love you more than all that shit. So much fucking more.”

His lips press to mine, and he dips me for dramatic flair. Our friends clap behind us.

“Just remember I got the two of you together,” Dori says.

My lips vibrate with laughter against his before he asks, “What is she talking about?”

“She’s old. Let her have the credit.”

He pulls me upright. “I love you.”

“Always and forever.”

Epilogue

Kingston

Eighteen months later…

“I’m not sure I can actually do this again,” Stella says while I zip up her wetsuit. I’m going to be sporting a fucking hard-on while we surf the bore tide in Turnagain Arm. This is year two for us and I’ve been anticipating today for three months.

The bore tide only arrives April to October, and the long, slow-going wave can be ridden for over thirty minutes and as long as a mile if you do it right. Last year we only got ten minutes—which was still fucking awesome—and Stella fell in love. With some help from a friend who is a guide, we’re hoping to catch it early today.

“You totally have this. Come on.” I zip up my wetsuit.

We venture through the throngs of weeds to get closer to the water, our boards snug under our arms. We put our boards in and Stella kneels while I stand. With our paddles in hand, we get out, waiting to hear the rush of the water and the slow waves coming to announce the bore tide’s approach.

I lie back on my board, exhausted from my shift last night. Stella’s doing her family practice residency now, so she’s working regular hours. I’m still all over the board.

“Are you going to miss smoke jumping this year?” she asks.

I knew she would. Stella worries too much that she’s not enough excitement for me to quit doing crazy shit.

“No. I told you, I made my peace. I’ll miss the guys, but it was time to move on.” I’m good with my decision. I’m getting older. Plus, I didn’t quit because of the danger aspect as much as it was being away from Stella all the time. One time it was a whole month. Yeah, sorry, I tap out.

“Okay.”

I run my hands through the water to reach her. “I’m not spending my life away from you. We already wasted enough time apart. So stop worrying.”

She nods and I lean in and kiss her lips.

Now I have to figure out if I want to stay in Anchorage or transfer to the Lake Starlight fire department. And without smoke jumping, I have to find a side gig. Lou offered me an in on his contracting business, but I’m not really interested. Denver asked if I wanted to do some things for him, but I’m not sure yet. Lucky for me I have some savings to help me along while I figure it out.

The rush of the water echoes through the air and Stella looks as if she might throw up.

“Relax, baby. I’ll dive in and save you if need be, but you’re badass, remember that.”

She smiles and I kiss her one more time.

“I’m excited and nervous,” she says. She hasn’t fully warmed up to the feeling of doing something out of her comfort zone, but she’s got an A-plus for trying.

The wave approaches. We paddle and paddle until it takes us and another guy—who’s standing and looking like a pro surfer, his paddle barely used. I laugh because that was me years ago, solo or with some buddies, but now I get to share this with Stella. She’s probably searched out every online tip she could find.

We ride the wave for twenty minutes before we lose it. Afterward I lie on my board, reveling in the fact we did it.

“That was amazing. I totally get that rush,” she says.

“You got the adrenaline horny gene like Tank and Samantha?”

She giggles and that’s my clue.

I nod in the opposite direction. “Let’s get going so we can stop at home before heading to the baby shower.”

We paddle back the way we came.

“I think we should ask Sedona to move in with us,” she says.

“Why?” I whine like a child. We recently bought a house by downtown Lake Starlight, and yes, it’s big enough for Sedona and Palmer, but there’s no running around naked if we do that. Her