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katdvs · 6 years

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Lucas Friar moved back to Texas at 17, now he’s running for Mayor of Rosewood Springs so best friend Zay and little sister Gigi decide he needs a little help from a political consultant. Riley Matthews found her calling, she found a fiancé, but she never expected to find herself here, of all places.

Cross-posted to FF.net | Soundtrack | Past Chapters

Author Note: So, here it is, the final chapter of Thunder Chasing The Wind. I want to thank you all for reading this, asking about when this chapter would come. I know I’ve been secluded in a way the last few months. I’m just taking life one day at a time, through the good, and the bad. XOXOXO—Kat

-dancing in the dark-

Riley reached over in the bed, feeling for her husband’s body, yet she found nothing except the cool bedsheets, revealing his absence. Opening her eyes, she allowed them to adjust to the darkness for a moment before she surveyed their bedroom. He had to be around here somewhere, right? She couldn’t recall the landline ringing, or either of their cells.

Slipping out of the bed she checked the bathroom, only to find no sign of him there, she went to the hall, seeing a light coming from Zay’s room. She slowly pushed the door open, not sure what she would find going on in the middle of the night, only to discover her husband painting the room a pale purple, already having painted one wall a pale yellow. “Mayor Friar, what are you doing?”

He jumped at the sound of her voice, before turning to her, “I haven’t been sworn in just yet, but I’m painting the nursery.”

“I was sure you’d have the blue paint out.” She teased as he crossed to her, a quick kiss on the lips. “I reached for you in bed and you were gone.”

“I wanted to surprise you, and get it done without help from our parents. Only chance I had to do it was tonight.” He slipped his arms around her holding her close, “But I would much rather be snuggled in bed with you.”

“How did I get so lucky?”

“Maya threw you into my lap years ago.” He smirked as she playfully slapped him.

“I might as well get up and get things started.” Riley yawned, “If I don’t your Mom will never let me hear the end of it.”

“You get started, I’ll finish this up, and then I’ll come down and we’ll have breakfast before we get invaded by everyone else okay?”

“Sounds wonderful.” Riley felt his hand squeeze hers before she left to the kitchen, their first Thanksgiving together, both their families together, treating it more like a wedding reception than a traditional Thanksgiving meal.

The day she stepped foot in Texas she’d been scared, terrified really that everything she felt for him would come rushing back.

It had, but she’d also fallen in love with who he was now, who he’d become during their separation, the years apart made her even more thankful for him and everything they were building together.

As she set the oven to preheat, she could see the morning sun just starting to peek out over the horizon, washing the day in a colorful glow. That summer day she’d never imagined this was how she’d be spending her Thanksgiving, she never could’ve imagined being pregnant with twins either, but here she was. Married to Lucas Friar, veterinarian, newly elected mayor, the only man to ever make her feel like anything and everything was possible.

She started pulling items from the fridge to wash, prep, when she heard the creak of the stairs signaling that Lucas was on his way down. When she looked up, she could see the mischievous glint in his eye as he moved towards her.

“You know what I realized just now?”

“What?” Her body trembled when he brushed the hair away from her eyes.

“That you and I are the only two in this house right now, that my parents and yours are both safely asleep in their little RVs, my sister is at Deacons, Zay is at his own place, anyone else visiting is stowed away at the guest cabins at the resort.”

A smile crossed her lips, “I can’t remember the last time we were really alone.”

He lifted her up onto the kitchen island, his hands running under her tank top, “We only have a little bit of time before we’re not alone anymore, we should take advantage of it.” His lips found the sweet spot on her neck.

Riley felt her body arch towards him, desperate for more. She didn’t feel sick for the first time in weeks, she could finally enjoy his touch again as she raked her fingers in his hair, “Yes, please, take whatever you want.”

Lucas chuckled before his hand fell to her pajama bottoms, coaxing her out of them before his hands ran over her bare legs.

Riley leaned back when she felt his touch, needing as much of him as possible.

Another thing she could be thankful for, just how sturdy Lucas had made the kitchen island.

Lucas looked at the young man who had led him into his office. Suddenly he was taken back to his middle school days, one when he was forced to sit on a tiny chair and got lectured by a young boy.

Now he was a man, he’d grown tall—almost as tall as Lucas was, and now he stood before him.

Lucas sat in the chair across from his desk as his brother-in-law leaned against it, and for a moment he wasn’t sure which of his parents he was channeling, and which one terrified him more.

“Riley is my sister, I am her only brother.” Auggie Matthews crossed his arms as he looked at the man his sister had loved for as long as he himself could remember. “Whatever you do, don’t hurt my sister.”

He couldn’t control the chuckle that escaped from his lips, “Auggie, my intentions have never been to hurt her. I love her, I always have. I always will. I married her, we’re having children together. I promise you, I’m not going to hurt her.”

“Good, because if you do, you’ll have to deal with me.” Auggie warned, and for a moment Lucas felt a chill rip through his body.

Rachel pulled the box out of the trunk of her car, starting to stumble when she felt a set of hands on her waist.

“Let me help.” the male voice was calm, familiar, a wave of energy shot through her as she looked behind her to see her dear friend, former roommate, and the one person who got her in a way no one else had. “Eric, what, I didn't know you would be here.”

He flashed her a smile, “And miss my niches Thanksgiving wedding reception?”

Rachel missed his touch the moment he stepped back. She'd seen him plenty of times over the years, but he was always the same sweetheart he had always been. Occasionally she would wonder what if she'd picked him over Jack, but then they wouldn't be here now. She might not have gone on to become a Doctor, or him the Speaker of the House.

“So, what's in the box?” Eric kept an eye on her as they walked to the porch, preparing to help her up the steps but instead she started to move to the back of the house.

“Gender reveal. Lucas and Riley are anxious to know if they're having girls or boys. We'll right now I'm the only one who knows.” She set the box up on the patio table. “When did you get in?”

“Arrived last night with Cory and Topanga.” He looked around at the ranch property, “it's beautiful here.”

“It’s quiet and you're used to the noise of DC.”

“Maybe so.” He gave her a smile, “So um, I think we’ve got some apple cider, want some?”

“I would love some.” Rachel felt the blush on her cheeks when he smiled at her, as his hand fell to the small of her back as they moved up the back steps and in through the dining room.

Zay looked around the Wild Z before studying Eddie who sat across the bar from him.

“You don’t have to do this you know.” Eddie watched as Zay uncapped the pen.

“Yeah I do.” He dragged the black ink over the paper as he signed his name, taking a deep breath as he recapped the pen, took the keys out of his pocket and put them on the bar. “I came back to Rosewood Springs, to Texas when my dream died. I need to find a new dream.”

Eddie collected the paperwork, removing an envelope and sliding it over to Zay, “Wasn’t this bar your dream?”

“I honestly don’t know.” Zay ran a hand over his hair, “Um listen, the apartment upstairs is furnished, looks really good thanks to Gloria May.”

Eddie looked up from his briefcase, “What is it between you?”

“We’re friends, never romantic, I’ll never look at her the way you do, and she’ll never look at me the way she does at you.” He leaned against the bar top, “Romance her, take her to dinner, take her on a picnic, fall head over heels in love with her, marry her, have a family, the two of you have it written all over your faces.”

“I plan to do all of that.” Eddie confessed, “As long as she’ll allow me to.”

“She will.” Zay took in a deep breath, “I’m just going to clear out a few things, I’ll see you at the Friars for dinner.”

“Yeah, you will.” Eddie rose from the stool, “Good luck Zay, with whatever it is you do.”

“Thanks, I have a feeling I’m going to need it.” Zay went towards the back before turning to Eddie, “You haven’t told anyone about this yet, have you?”

“No, the only ones who know about this are the ones who signed these papers.”

“Good, thank you.”

“Have you ever seen anything like this?” Bonnie leaned against the entry of the kitchen, hugging a mug of hot apple cider before looking to Topanga.

“Never” Topanga watched as Riley and Lucas moved around the kitchen in perfect synchronization.

The two even moved together to pause from preparing dinner to stop for a quick kiss.

“They’re worse than me and Cory.” Topanga shook her body before turning away, seeing Eric coming in the dining room doors with Rachel, “Your sister is here.”

Bonnie looked away from the kitchen, “She looks rather cozy with your brother-in-law.”

“They are old friends.” Topanga tilted her head, part of her had always wondered if perhaps Eric had ever given up romantically on Rachel, or if perhaps a part of him had held out for her, yearned for her. It was then she saw the way Rachel laughed at something he said, the way her lips formed a smile.

Bonnie sighed, “I honestly always thought she had a thing for him. Just the way she would talk about him compared to the other guy.”

“Jack, yeah, I don’t know, Hunter men have a certain charm I suppose.” Topanga continued to study her old friends, “How weird is it though that Rachel was our friend in college, and then Lucas and Riley end up together.”

“The world works in mysterious ways.” Bonnie shrugged as she looked over to see Cory and Grady with their heads together, “What do you think those two are up to?”

“Whatever it is, I don’t want to know.” Topanga sighed before looking back at the kitchen, “I’m afraid to offer to help, she already snapped at me.”

“Yeah, but they want to prove they can do this on their own, so let’s not fight it. Besides next year they’ll be begging for help when they have two little ones crawling around to keep track of.”

“Point taken.” Topanga lifted her mug up with a nod before taking another sip.

Gigi stood outside the barn, taking a moment to collect herself before she opened the door and stepped in. He was exactly where she thought he would be, sitting on a bale of hay, looking out at the property just as he did whenever he needed to think. “You know the party is inside, right?”

“Yeah, I just wanted to get a real good look at this place.” Zay kept his gaze forward.

Gigi sat next to him, “You make it sound like you’re leaving.”

He turned to her, those green eyes of her filled with a hope he could never fulfill, “I am,” He watched as her eyes turned murky, “I’m leaving Rosewood Springs, I um, I realized that I need to figure some stuff out, and Texas as a whole has been holding me back.”

“Is this because I chose Deacon over you?”

“It’s that I even made it be a choice you had to make.” Zay pushed himself to his feet with a sigh, “I’ve been here for so long Gi, it’s like one long pause on my life. I didn’t know what to do, where to go after my injury. I’ve been shuffling along, waiting, anticipating that life would provide me with the answers. I could never give you what you wanted from me, because Zay in Rosewood Springs, isn’t the man I’m meant to be. I think deep down you knew that, in a way you pushed me to discover that, pushed me to discover who I am. I don’t think I’ve known for a very long time who that was. I’m not Zay the dancer, I was Zay the owner of the Wild Z.”

“You sold the bar?” Gigi couldn’t believe it, who would buy the bar, why would he sell it?

“Yeah, I sold it. I’m leaving town, I’m leaving Texas. I’m going to travel for a while, see if I can find a place where I fit and finally feel like me again.”

“Lucas doesn’t know yet, does he?”

“No, not yet, I’m going to tell him tonight, before I leave, before he can talk me out of it.” He sat beside Gigi and took her hand, “You are going to have an amazing life with Deacon, he loves you more than I ever could. Just please, I am begging you don’t lose yourself and sabotage everything good in your life.”

Gigi leaned over, her lips gently planting a kiss on his cheek, “I promise, just be safe Zay.”

“I will” He closed his eyes, trying to remember the feel of her lips on him.

She stood up, brushing the hay from her skirt, “Who did you sell the bar to?”

Zay smirked, “Oh, that’s a great story.”

“You haven’t told Topanga, have you?” Grady watched as Cory lifted a load of wood into the firepit.

Cory shrugged, “Not exactly, I mean we’ve discussed it before, she knows it’s coming.”

“But was she expecting it before becoming a grandmother?”

“Probably not,” Cory looked around him at the perfectly landscaped backyard that Lucas had created, “You think she’s not thinking about it? Besides, it’s a new adventure, and I want to watch my grandchildren grow up.”

“Yeah but this? Do Lucas and Riley know about it?” Grady started to arrange the wood in the firepit.

“I haven’t told them, I have to tell Topanga first.” Cory turned back to Grady, “This is going to be good for all of us.”

Grady chuckled, “Why do I feel like we’re both going to get chewed out by our wives for this?”

“Why would you get chewed out for this?”

“Because I knew about it, and Bonnie is going to raise hell over this—that’s just the way she is.”

“Maybe she’ll be distracted by planning Gigi’s wedding.”

“We can only hope, but you know once that wedding is done she’s going to be all about being Grandmother of the year.”

“Yeah, but she’ll be up against Topanga and she’s not going to just roll over and let Bonnie take that title.”

Grady sighed before sitting in on the bench, “You realize your daughter isn’t going to put up with this right?”

“If Riley could control anything, don’t you think she would’ve at this point? In all reality she can put her foot down when she needs to.” Cory reminded her.

Grady nodded, “So are we getting Grandson’s or Granddaughter’s?”

Cory smirked, “I think he’s going to need a bucket for all the shoes.”

“Yeah do you know how many pairs of shoes I had to buy for that boy?” Grady shook his head.

“Yeah, that was every time I caught him in Riley’s room.” Cory chuckled.

“I think it might be boys.”

“Want to make a wager?”

‘Okay, what are you thinking?”

“If I’m right you partner with me.”

“And if I’m right?” Grady rubbed his hands together as a smile crossed his lips, “I get to be Grandpa, and you have to be Grampy.”

“Deal.” Cory put his hand out for them to shake.

The meal had been devoured over stories of the early years of Riley and Lucas’ courtship, which led to stories about Cory and Topanga, as well as Bonnie and Grady respectfully.

Topanga and Bonnie set up a champagne toast on the back patio, the fire pit was a blaze as everyone gathered around the box that Rachel had brought with her.

“Are you sure you want to know this?” Riley’s eyes studied Lucas as a smile crossed his lips.

“I’m feeling good.” He couldn’t let her know that his confidence about it being boys was faltering.

She leaned in close to him, “You’re nervous.”

“Am not.”

“Yes, you are, I can see it in your eyes.” She squeezed his hand, “Whatever color the balloons maybe you are going to be an amazing father.”

“You are blinded by love and hormones.”

“Your fault on both counts.” She smirked.

“It takes two to tango.” He teased just before Cory put his arms around him and Riley.

“Okay you two, time for the big reveal.”

Panic rose through Lucas, “He knows, what do you know?”

“I know nothing.” He hissed.

“Wait, did Cory admit to not knowing something?” Eric called from across the patio.

“Hush you” Cory glared at his brother while Zay chuckled off to the side knowing he would miss moments like this.

“Can we do this already?” Riley’s voice shaking as her eyes landed on the box.

“Yes, I want to know if its nieces or nephews.” Auggie called out.

Everyone laughed as Riley and Lucas moved towards the box. The air felt thick and smoky as excited energy wrapped around them.

“Okay here we go.” Riley’s words were soft, just for Lucas as they put their hands on the lid.

Everyone grew silent as they pulled the lid off, the pink balloons floating out with two Mylar balloons proudly saying, “It’s a girl” rose, the bundle highlighted by the glow of the Texas sunset.

Lucas was white as the color drained from his face. Eddie and Deacon catching him just in time before he could crash on the concrete patio.

“Yes!” Cory cheered, breaking the silence as Riley checked that her husband was okay.

“What are you hollering about?” Topanga stared at her husband in disbelief.

“I’m really excited to have granddaughters.”

“What bet did you make?” her eyes drilled into his.

“Nothing” panic squeaked in his voice before he ran off into the fields with no one even chasing after him.

Lucas opened his eyes, the sunset glow behind Riley in front of his eyes. He was silent for a moment as he soaked in her ethereal image, “Girls?”

“Yes, girls, you okay cowboy?”

Lucas started to stand before getting dizzy again, Zay helping to catch him. “I will be.”

“You’ll be fine, no one is going to mess with the Friar girls.” Zay snickered.

“Yeah, don’t worry Big Brother, most guys in town were terrified of you and that’s why I only dated Tyler in high school. These girls, also have a scary mother watching out for them.”

“Hey now!” Riley stared at her sister-in-law, “What do you mean by that?”

Gigi held her hands up as she backed away slowly, “Just that this year’s bake-off will live on for years to come, no one is going to mess with Mrs. Friar and her girls.”

“You know, I remember the first time I heard Dad freak out about Lucas,” Auggie walked into the kitchen where Riley was setting up desserts, “It was like he knew that you found your other half.”

Riley looked over to her brother, “What ever happened with you and Ava?”

Auggie looked at the spread his sister created, “We ran our course, she was never the one like Mom feared.”

“You’ve found someone one, haven’t you?”

“Jenny Lewis, she was in my class growing up.” Auggie blushed, “I ran into her a few months ago, and we just sparked. Don’t tell mom, but we’re moving in together.”

Riley’s eyes went wide, “No way, really?”

“Yeah, we’re looking for a place in the New Year, I’m not going to run off and elope in the Grand Canyon or anything.” He teased.

Riley put one final desert down, the chocolate cherry cake, “Could you imagine trying to plan a wedding with Bonnie and Mom? Besides, I got my dream wedding, and my dream man.”

“Remember that, when your daughters get engaged.” Auggie smirked, “I can’t wait for Dad to react to that one day.”

Riley tossed a dishtowel at her brother, “Hey at least he’ll be in New York with you. Aug, you know you can’t hide Jenny forever, right?”

“I know, but I have to find the right way to introduce her to Mom.”

“Bring her by the bakery, just coffee on a Saturday afternoon, all you need to do is make it simple. Don’t over think it, and don’t stress her out about Mom.”

“Good point.” He nodded, twisting the dishtowel in his hands, “When you saw Lucas again, when did you know?”

“That he was the one?”

Auggie nodded.

“Part of me knew the second I saw him, but it was actually when he took my engagement ring off because I was having an allergic reaction, I knew, in my soul that the only man ever meant to put a ring on this finger was him.”

Auggie chuckled, “And you fought it didn’t you.”

“Not very well, especially since the next day I kissed him in the church, claiming him as mine for the whole town to see.” Riley shook her head at the memory, the moment of jealousy had coursed through her.

“He’s a good man, he loves you. He has always loved you.” Auggie looked up at Riley, “When you guys were in middle school, after you all got back from that disastrous Texas trip, I knew. I warned him not to hurt you, and I saw him struggle for months to do what he thought you wanted him to do. I’m glad you two finally figured this all our Riles, I can’t wait to be an Uncle, and I know you and Lucas are going to have a lifetime of happiness ahead of you.”

Riley felt the tears burning her eyes before she pulled her baby brother who now towered over her in for a hug, “You are the best little brother in the world, you know that? And these girls are going to be so very lucky to have you as an Uncle. And if Jenny Lewis is as amazing as you think, I can’t wait to welcome her into this weird, wild family. “

“Thank you, you’re the best big sister I could’ve ever had. You’re going to be an amazing Mom to these girls.”

Lucas was sitting on the front porch, wrapping his mind around the reveal. Girls, he and Riley were going to have little girls.

“Here, I figure you might need this.” Zay handed him the glass of whiskey before setting the bottle down next to him as he sat on the front step next to his best friend.

Lucas took a long sip before releasing a sigh, “Girls Zay, girls. You’re going to love watching this.”

Zay swirled the whiskey in his glass, watching the amber liquid for a moment before he took a sip, “I’m not going to be around for it, at least not for a while.”

“What do you mean?”

“I have to go find myself.” He continued to swirl his drink, “You’re married to the love of your life, you’re going to be a Dad, you’re the new Mayor, I think my purpose here is done.”

“What about the Wild Z, that was your dream.”

“Not really, it was a little, it was something, but never my dream. I’ll never have my dream, I won’t be a star on Broadway, or a pro on Dancing with The Stars, I’m not sure what it is I want, and I need to find that. Everything I’ve been doing the last few months, has been me trying to realize that.”

“Where are you going to go?” Lucas studied his friend, how was he going to survive without him?

“New York for a little bit, and then I’ll see where I go, what I do. I’ll be back, I gotta see those beautiful girls you’re going to have.”

“Zay, I can’t take on the Wild Z myself now.” Lucas hoped this would get him to stay.

Zay sucked in his lips for a moment before he looked back to Lucas, “I sold my half of the bar this morning.”

“To who, Gloria May?”

The smirk crossed over Zay’s lips, “Your Father-in-Law.”

Lucas blinked not once, not twice, but several times. “What did you say?”

Zay slowly rose from the steps, “Cory, he bought the Wild Z. Eddie handled the whole thing. I’m leaving town tonight. And, um, yeah, you’re now partners with your father-in-law in the bar.”

“What the hell were you thinking Zay?”

“I was thinking that he paid me more than what the bar is worth, and I was hoping you wouldn’t find out until I had left town.”

“Topanga!” Lucas’ voice echoed through the first floor as Zay’s eyes went wide.

The front door opened with his Mother in-law, Wife, and Gloria May looking at them, “What’s going on?”

“Cory bought Zay’s half of the bar, why didn’t you warn me?”

Topanga took a moment, “Cory Matthews, you bought a bar?”

Riley came over to them, “Why would you sell my father the bar?”

Zay could see a mixture of anger and sadness on Riley, “Well Cotton Candy Face, I have to figure out who I am. Actually, you kind of told me to do this, so I’m doing it.”

“I didn’t say sell the bar to my Dad.” Riley paused for a moment, “Wait, who the hell is going to run it? Dad!”

Lucas watched as he and Zay were left alone on the porch, “You’re leaving us with both our parents around. We’re never going to survive.”

Zay chuckled, “The parents will balance each other out. Besides I know you two are building guest houses for them so they’re close but not in the house.”

“What are you even going to do in New York?”

“Help Farkle out with his campaign, bug Maya, annoy the shit out of Charlie and Corn Chip Dave.”

“That I can get behind.” Lucas sighed, “And then what?”

“I’ll figure it out, that’s what this is about Lucas.”

Lucas made a fist, pounding the column of the porch, “I don’t know how to do this adult thing without you.”

“Yes, you do, you’ve got Riley. I won’t stay away forever, I promise.” Zay looked around the ranch, “I’ll be back, I have to see you deal with the daughters.”

“Girls, see you have to come back.”

“I will, but I have to leave for a while.”

Lucas shook his head, “You’ll always have a place to stay here, you know, that right?”

“Oh yeah, I know. Even when you and Riley have this house filled with half a dozen kids.”

“Let’s survive this pregnancy first before we think about four more.”

“Okay deal.”

Riley rubbed her forehead after she put her toothbrush away, feeling her husband come up behind her. “This was not the way I expected today to go.”

“You knew it was girls all along.” Lucas teased as his hands splayed over her growing abdomen.

She swatted them away, “Not that, the whole thing with my Dad buying the Wild Z, what the hell is he thinking?”

“That he wants to be around to see me trying to handle girls. He thinks it’s going to be entertaining.” Lucas watched as Riley moved to the bed. “I was thinking about names, what do you think about Alexis, or Calliope?”

“No” Riley scrunched her face up, “they don’t go together.”

“How cutesy do you want to get with their names?” He pulled the sheets back on his side of the bed.

“They don’t have to be cutesy, or anything like Rose and Lily, but they should fit in a way that sounds good.” She got into bed, “Calliope, really?”

“What’s wrong, it’s a pretty name.” Lucas sighed, “Okay, Gabriella?”

“Lucas we don’t have to come up with names right now, we still have a few months.” She reminded him as she tried to get comfortable.

“Jacqueline, Molly?”

“Lucas, write them down. I’ll veto them in the morning.”

“Josephine, Harper?”

Riley sat up, taking a pillow in her hand before batting her husband with it, “Go to sleep.”

“Peggy and Sharon?” He held the pillow a mischievous smile on his lips as he studied his wife.

“Go to sleep.”

“Cora, Persephone?”

Riley rubbed her forehead, “I love you, but I am exhausted. We have lots of time to think up names.” She paused, “And for someone who thought we were having boys until those pink balloons came out of that box you sure have a lot of girl names rolling off your tongue.”

“Kimberly, Amelia?” He smiled as he leaned over her kissing her, “I’m inspired now.”

Riley felt her body melt into him as he settled over her, “We’ll start looking up names tomorrow.”

“Okay” he began to kiss her neck. “I’m thankful for you, our life, our future.”

“You sure you’re up for this?”

“Very sure” he kissed her deeply, feeling her body arching into his as they stripped each other of their pajamas, slowly making love.

Riley sat on the front porch, it was late, the sky was filled with stars, she had a blanket wrapped around her body. She could hear the creak of the door open, she didn’t need to turn around to know it was her husband joining her.

Lucas wrapped his arms around her from behind, breathing in the scent of her hair, “I was so mad at Zay when he brought you here, but it was the smartest thing he’s probably done in years.”

Riley chuckled, “I was livid at him.” She confessed as she relaxed in his arms before he twirled her to face him. “Lucas, what are you doing.”

“Well,” he pulled her close to him, “Technically today was our wedding reception, right? I haven’t danced with my wife yet.”

She felt him lead her around to no music, until a moment later she realized he was humming their song, Perfect. She felt a chill as he danced her around on the porch. “I was terrified that day I stepped out of my car and realized I was here, at your house. I wanted to get out of here as quickly as I could.”

“I wanted you out of here as quickly as possible.” He confessed, “I saw you, and I knew I was in trouble. I tried to pretend it was lust, but when I was helping you with that allergic reaction, I knew my heart was the problem.”

“We grew into the people we needed to be so we could be together.”

“And look at us now, married, with babies on the way, and I’m in business with your father.”

Riley chuckled, “I am livid at Zay for that.”

“I think right now, he’s more worried about the wrath of your Mom, than anyone else.”

“Yeah, probably.” She kissed her husband with a quick peck, “Time to get back to bed.”

“Thank you for our dance, it was perfect.” He smirked.

“You are cheesy, has anyone ever told you that Lucas?”

“Maybe once or twice.” He chuckled before leading her back into the house.

Down the driveway Zay sat in his truck, watching his two old friends have their dance on the porch. A proud smile on his face, “My work here is done, New York City, what will you have in store for me?”

He turned the engine on, brought his headlights up, and pulled out of the driveway, knowing it wouldn’t be the last time he was at the ranch in Rosewood Springs, but that it would be a while before he saw it again. He waved farewell, even though he knew his friends were in bed, but it brought him a comfort as he drove into the night, an uncertain future ahead of him.

#thunder chasing the wind #riley matthews #lucas friar #rucas #rucas fanfic #girl meets world #zay babineaux #gigi friar #final chapter

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