by Chloe Liese
Willa nods and grins. “Yep, go see.”
Making my way around the kitchen island and toward the deck, I drag open the door. All of them glance at me, stepping back and parting the way, so I can see Aiden. “What is it?” I ask.
Aiden shakes his head and slides his hands beneath his glasses, wiping his eyes. “Your brothers…” He shakes his head again, a laugh leaving him.
Viggo steps up and says, “When things were hard for you two, we tried to tell Aiden we were there for him. And in our ass-backward way, we tried to show him, too. But we’ve realized through…you know…everything that happened since vacation, Aiden needed to know that truth not just our way, but his way, too.”
“So,” Axel says, “we pooled resources.”
“And did a little reading,” Ryder adds.
Ren smiles wide. “And we are now proud to join as tiny but still technically—"
“Angel investors,” Oliver says brightly, handing me the envelope that Aiden held loosely in his hand. “Meaning the Bergman brothers now have a vested interest in our brother’s work. God help you, Aiden.”
“First time anyone would ever use ‘angel’ and ‘Bergman brothers’ in the same sentence,” Viggo points out.
“You guys…” I open the envelope and read its contents, smiling to myself. Aiden’s not hard up for money for the app anymore. He and Dan secured their principal investor, so this is…this is a gesture. Not a hefty financial investment, but rather an investment of love and belief and pride. I sniffle as I stare at the paper, understanding exactly why Aiden’s laughing and tearing up. “You guys really are too much.”
Aiden drops his hands, meeting my eyes. His are bright and shining, wet with tears.
“Why are you crying?” Oliver asks, his gaze ricocheting between us. “What’s wrong?”
I move to Aiden’s side and lock hands with him. “Nothing. You’re just…knuckleheads, all of you. Lovable, impossible knuckleheads.”
Aiden takes the envelope from my hand, running his fingers over his name written on the outside. “You didn’t have to do this, guys, but…it means a lot.” He peers up at them and smiles tearily. “Thank you.”
“Ah shit,” Ryder mutters, wiping his eyes. “I’m crying.”
Viggo wipes his eyes. “Damn. Me, too.”
“Group hug!” Oliver yells.
Axel groans. “Guys, do we have to—”
Ren smashes us all together in his massive wingspan.
“Love you guys,” Aiden says quietly.
A chorus of I love you toos echoes around us.
“Hugs!” Willa yells, throwing open the sliding door. “I love hugs. Let me in on this.”
The pile of people grows, until Aiden and I are surrounded by every Bergman and the people we love. I hear my dad’s booming chuckle, Ziggy’s shriek when someone nudges her tickle spot, Frankie’s grumbling about personal space, and Mom’s smoky laugh.
As Aiden’s eyes meet mine, I smile. And in the heart of the chaos, he steals a slow, quiet kiss.
“Let’s go!” Dad calls when we break apart. “Mom’s got soup on. Games until dinner.”
Everyone trundles in, spreading over the massive sofa we have in the house that seats all of us. And the smell of Mom’s cooking, the sounds of laughter as we play rounds and rounds of increasingly ridiculous charades, the pure joy of sharing all of this with Aiden nearly overwhelms me.
“How you doin’, Frey?” he whispers from our spot on the sofa.
I peer up at him. “Wonderful. You?”
He smiles down at me, running his hand along my side. “Great.” He flexes his arm that’s now out of its cast. “A healthy body. You in my arms. It’s a good life.”
Leaning close, I press a kiss to his lips. “It is.”
“Okay,” Willa says, accepting from Oliver the basket full of folded papers we’re using for clues. She performs an impressive sleight of hand, extracting a paper from her sleeve that she almost convinces even me she’s chosen from the basket, before she hands it to Rooney. “You’re up next, Roo.”
“How about my air guitar?” Aiden mutters, sneaking a soft kiss behind my ear.
I laugh and slip an arm around his waist, resting my head on his shoulder. “Nailed it.”
“See?” he says, a warm grin brightening his face. “I’m getting better.”
“Yes,” I whisper, before we share a quick kiss. “But even if you never did, I’d love you, just as you are.”
“Okay.” Rooney stands and shakes out her arms. Her honey-blonde hair is in a haphazard ponytail, her blue-green eyes sparkling and feisty, her cheeks flushed pink. She’s at home among the Bergmans—wildly competitive and way too invested in games.
“Okaaaay…” Viggo drags out the word, poised with the timer. “Go!”
Rooney opens the paper and stares at it. She scrunches her eyes, then snaps them open. Urgently, she stares at us women, tapping her lips.
“Lips!” Ziggy shouts.
Frankie gives her a What the hell? look. “Uh…mouth?”
Rooney shakes her head and claps her hands in irritation.
Willa frowns at her. “Talk? Blab?”
Rooney throws her head back on a mute groan.
“It’s kiss,” Aiden whispers in my ear.
I grin. “Oh, I know. We all do. You and the Bergman brothers aren’t the only ones who can meddle.”
“Damn.” He whistles quietly. “I’m impressed.”
“Time’s almost up!” Viggo yells.
Growling in frustration, Rooney swivels and faces Axel where he stands, leaning against the threshold, watching her. She marches toward him, throws her arms around his neck, and crushes her mouth to his.
“Kiss!” I scream, right as time ends.
All the men gape in shock.
Rooney jumps back, as if hearing the word made her realize what she’s done. She stares up at my brother, bringing a shaky hand to her lips. “Axel, I-I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean… That is, I shouldn’t have… I’m just viciously competitive and I…”
Axel stands, silent, staring at Rooney’s mouth. Then, slowly, he takes a step closer, his hand a whisper away from touching hers. She holds his gaze, breathless, wide-eyed.
“I think…” he says hoarsely.
Rooney leans a fraction closer. “You think…?”
Ax swallows roughly as his fingertips brush hers. “I think…I have a new appreciation for charades.”
Laughter erupts in the room.
“Hey,” Ren says to Frankie. “Want to guess my charade, too?” He taps his mouth.
Frankie rolls her eyes, but her grin is wider than the moon outside as she pulls him close.
“Me too!” Willa yells, launching herself onto Ryder.
When I turn to Aiden, ready to demand my own charades guess, he springs up from the couch and hustles toward the sound system. There’s a moment’s silence before the catchiest damn party song hits the speakers. Aiden dials up the music, then turns to face me, hand out.
I laugh as I stand and take his hand before Aiden sweeps me into his arms, straight to a dip, and kisses me thoroughly.
“Aiden MacCormack,” I say on a smile. “You would take our meddling and run with it, you incorrigible matchmaker.”
“I’m a man besotted. Can you blame me for wanting to spread the love?” He lifts me upright and twirls me close.
Mom dances her way in from the kitchen, then pulls Dad to his feet. As everyone joins in, music fills the room, jostling elbows and bumped knees, twirls and dips and shrieks of laughter echoing around us. Running to the lights, Oliver dims them as Viggo stands on the coffee table, pulls two handfuls of glitter from his pockets, and sets them on the ceiling fan. Ollie flips the switch to turn it on, bathing us in a sea of rainbow confetti that sparkles in the soft glowing lights.
Everything around us glitters, iridescent and magical, but I hardly notice. All I see is the man I wrap my arms around and kiss like my world is the space between us, this moment, loving him.
THE END
Freya and Aiden’s story is over, but this isn’t the last time you’ll see them. Axel and (Yes! Finally!) Rooney’s story is next.
Acknowledgments
True to its subject matter, this book was a challenge. It took much longer than its predecessors. It required discipline and patience and more than a handful of good cry sessions and harsh bouts of anxiety. But it’s here, and I’m grateful. I’m proud of it.
It would not have been possible without a group of women who text me at 6 am, Monday through Friday, reminding me that showing up to my goals before the sun is up, when the coffee’s not ready and the words are slow in coming doesn’t have to be lonely, that friendships born in dark times and group texts can fill your emotional cup. It would not have been possible without my genuine, unrelenting cheerleader and neurodiverse sister, Mazey, who gets it. She gets it. She also helped me take Esmerelda from a wordless menace to the foul-mouthed parrot she was meant to be. It would not have been possible without Jen, who read Aiden’s prologue months ago and told me it gave her chills, who encouraged me every time I doubted myself, who cackled at the funny parts, and who gave me the perfect wisdom I needed for how to honor the complexity of Aiden’s family. It would not have been possible without Katie, who always speaks to me so honestly and tells me exactly what I need to hear, without Kristen falling in love with Aiden and helping me trust my choices and voice.
Through this story, I’ve tried to honor the complexity and difficulty of long-term partnership and marriage, of deciding when and how to expand a family, particularly in a relationship when neurodiversity and mental health challenges are at play. I’ve tried to honor the people who will open this book and whose marriages have teetered on the brink of plummeting, who now live out the daily commitment to keep it safe and alive. I tried not to sugarcoat the work of marriage, because I know personally just how hard it is. And I feel I would be remiss if I didn’t also say:
To those who read this book and wish they’d made it through like Freya and Aiden, to those whose committed relationships have ended, I’m sorry it hurts. I’m sorry it didn’t unfold the way you hoped the day you promised each other everything. But please know you haven’t failed. You’ve learned. You’ve grown. It just so happens you didn’t grow together and what you learned took you new and separate places. Let yourself grieve. Let yourself feel relieved. Release your guilt and shame. Be gentle with yourself, and when you’re ready, accept nothing less than deep friendship and kindest love.
To those whose long-term partnerships are suffering: loving someone, sharing partnership with them, should never ever come at the cost of your true self; healthy sacrifice and compromise are essential, but if you’re staring in that mirror each morning and you’re looking at a ghost of yourself, something has to change—and that change has to be your partnership, so that you recognize yourself again, so that you thrive once more and live truthfully. You will always be worth more than preserving a system that oppresses and hurts you. Loving someone should never make you hide; it should never break you. You are worth it—your joy and authentic life are worth it. Always.
To those who have traversed dark valleys and climbed to stunning heights, you have my deepest admiration, and I’m happy for you. Know that you have done something incredible: you have found a way to be you, for your partner to be them, for you both to be an “us” that fits and shares love, together. That is a gift. A hard won gift. I hope you soak it up, the wonder of that hard won gift—your ever after always.
XO,
Chloe
About the Author
Chloe writes inclusive romance because she believes everyone deserves a love story. Portraying underrepresented experiences, her romances embrace humor, heart, and heat, with a dash of nerdiness for good measure. She's an avid reader, lover of leggings, and can't eat enough mint chocolate ice cream.
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Books by Chloe Liese
The Bergman Brothers Novels
Only When It’s Us (#1)
Always Only You (#2)
Ever After Always (#3)
The Tough Love Series
He’s a Brute (Nairne & Zed, #1)
She’s a Spitfire (Nairne & Zed, #2)
They’re a Match (Nairne & Zed, #3)
They’re Strictly Friends (Elodie & Lucas, Spinoff #1)