Love Roulette

Epilogue

Epilogue
MASON

"Dad, I don't think this is a good idea." I glance down at Maisie from the ladder as she nibbles nervously on her bottom lip with her phone gripped tightly in her hands. I glare at the electronic device. She's been glued to it every single day for the past couple of weeks, constantly typing rapidly at whoever she is replying to.

"Butterfly, it's fine," I reassure my only daughter who huffs and goes back to typing on her phone. "Hey, give your old man some attention. Who are you even messaging?" I climb down the ladder and question her.

Maisie locks her phone and avoids answering the question. "Maisie," I speak out in a low warning tone and my eyes widen when she rolls her eyes at me. "Hey!"

"It's just Josie." She mumbles, avoiding eye contact with me and I don't believe for one second she is messaging her best friend who lives down the road from us.

"Oh really?" I raise my eyebrows just as her phone lights up with a notification with not just one name, but two.

Oh, Jesus.

Oh my God.

Oh no!

Hell to the no!

"You're grounded!" I point a finger at her and her eyes widen in shock. Shock because I have never grounded her in her entire life. Never had the balls to, even when she was a little shit in her younger days. Can only blame myself because she is an exact replica of me.

"Grounded for talking to Josie?" She raises her brows, with her hand sitting sassily on her hip. Her big brown eyes just like mine sparkle with mischief and I huff.

"Fine, you're not grounded but you will tell me who you are messaging." I urge and she shrugs a shoulder.

"But I did tell you, Dad." She speaks sweetly, fluttering her long lashes. "I'm messaging Josie."

"But you're not though."

"I am."

"You're not."

"I am."

"You're not."

"I am."

"What the fuck is that?!" Gunner points up at the baby pink birthday banner outside our house, with our wife's beautiful self planted on it for everybody to see. Our sixteen-year-old son, Gage steps up next to Gunner staring up at the banner with furrowed eyebrows.

The pair both have their arms crossed over their chest, both giving a disapproving look at what Maisie and I planned. Although Maisie is being a little traitor at the moment.

"Dad, what have you done?" Gage asks me and I point to the banner like it isn't obvious.

"Duh, it's your mother's birthday, Gage. Get with it." He looks at Gunner and Gunner looks down at him. To say these two are the same would be an understatement. Gage is more serious than me and he's not even eighteen! But that's why I love him. The boy has a strong head screwed onto his shoulders.

"She will like it," I say in a determined voice. She has to surely.

"Dad." Maisie looks at me with worried eyes and that's never a good sign because she's usually always on board with everything I have planned so for her not to be on board with this is concerning me.

"Mason." Gunner nods his head in the direction away from our kids and I follow him until they are out of hearing distance.

"What?" I tilt my head and Gunner rubs the back of his neck with a tight smile.