Page 127 of It's Always Sonny

“I’m all in,” I say. “I know we need to figure out how to be a couple again, but I’m willing to put the work to make this last forever.”

“So am I.” She sounds so happy, I could break into song. She leans her face into my neck and kisses me tenderly right below the ear. “You are my sunshine.”

“Groan,” I say.

“You love cheese.”

“No, I love salt. You love cheese.”

“Cheese contains salt.”

“You’re talking to an Italian. Mozzarella and ricotta don’t have salt.”

“Oh, stop it. You’re Italian, you’re not a culinary artist.”

“You have no idea how I’ve spent the offseason! I could have gone to cooking school.”

“Did you?”

“No, but I watched every season of Iron Chef and Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.”

“I’m not saying you’re wrong, but I’m going to need to see your bona fides.”

“Are you asking me to cook for you?”

“Obviously. I hate cooking.”

“Tomorrow night, then.” I say and kiss her mouth shut.

“Okay,” she says, her lips against mine.

Growing up, I thought I’d never find a place where I belonged. I acted like a nomad and a wanderer because it was safer not to care than it was to care and be ripped from a place I loved again. But from the minute I laid eyes on Parker Jane, I knew what home felt like. Having to say goodbye after so many goodbyes in my life felt like enough to break me. I managed to survive and even thrive, but until I saw her again, I never realized how empty I had become.

Nonna was right. You can be happy alone, but you can’t be complete. Or at least I can’t. Holding PJ now is like finding all the missing pieces of my heart and putting them back together. Except, like with my knee injury years ago, my heart is stronger than ever. It could beat forever.

And it will.

For her.

With her.

I am home.

Epilogue

Two Months Later

PARKER

This day is too important to leave to anyone else, so for what feels like the five hundredth time since I moved to Sugar Maple, South Carolina, I’m running point on a wedding at the farm.

“Aren’t you Bob’s best man?” Ash asks Sonny, who’s been with me as I set everything in motion.

“Yeah, yeah, I’ll go in just a sec,” he says. “PJ looks too hot in this dress.”

And I really do.

In true Nonna fashion, she did the unexpected and decided to have a maid of honor and for Bob to have a best man.

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