Epilogue #2
“Man, I am never getting married,” Decker said.
“Hey, a football keeps you warm at night.” Jude tipped his chin toward his bride.
“I get her.” That lush body, her caring nature, and sense of humor…
Finlay had it all. She was everything to him.
His best friend, his lover, and his partner in life.
“Let’s go see Mom.” Setting Cody on his feet, he headed down the petal-strewn aisle.
“Isn’t she pretty, Dad? She looks like a princess.”
“She’s the most beautiful woman in the world. We’re so lucky to be with her.” Every time he saw her across a crowded room or spotted her in a grocery store, he still got that same hit of attraction. He would never stop wanting her.
As they reached her, she beamed a smile at him. “Jude McKenna, will you marry me?”
“Nothing I want more.” He leaned in to kiss her, but she put a hand on his chest.
“No, sir. We haven’t gotten to that part yet.” Still, her gaze dropped to his mouth, and her tongue made a slow slide along her bottom lip. But she snapped out of it. “I hope you don’t mind the surprise.”
“Not at all.” That was one of the best things about being with her. She kept things fun.
“Good. Because it’s go-time.” She waved at Ava, who set a flower arrangement on the table before heading over.
Halfway down the aisle, she clapped her hands to get everyone moving over to the arbor. “Let’s get these two married.” When she reached the altar, she smoothed Cody’s hair. “You know what you’ve got to do.”
He nodded. “I’m on it.”
“How long have you been planning this?” Jude watched his boy take off. “And how did you keep it a secret when everyone we know was in on it?”
“Well, it’s a funny story. Remember when Willa was in town for that meeting with the Petticoat Rulers?”
“Sure.”
“Well, Knox Holliday happened to be there, too. And we got to talking, and I told her our story. She said to let her know when we’re ready to get married because she’d love to make me a dress.
And it just struck me that I was ready. More than ready.
And then, we all started talking about what kind of wedding I wanted, and her sister-in-law, Stella, was there, so she threw out ideas, and from there…
it all just sort of happened. Honestly, I didn’t plan a single thing. Everyone took a role and ran with it.”
“A role? What do you mean?”
She gestured to the yard. “Gunnar said he’d handle the food, so he talked to Delilah Lua, the executive chef at Wally’s, and then Coco Cavanaugh said she’d make the cake. Knox designed the dress, Wild Heart Florals offered up bouquets… I mean, everyone just pitched in.”
“Why?” It didn’t make sense to him. He barely knew most of these people.
“Well, I mean, I’ve taught most of their kids, and your dad helped grow their businesses.” She touched his arm. “Mostly, I think people see you around town with Cody and think you’re awesome.”
“That makes no sense. I’m like any other dad.”
She smiled, shaking her head. “Remember the photo of you and Cody during the Bamboozled Duck Race? You’re looking all dark and dangerous in your black jeans and boots with your beard and long hair, and there you are with a six-year-old boy on your lap, licking ice cream cones at the lake and watching the duck boats float down the river. ”
He did remember that. What was so special about getting a cone with your boy?
“Well, that photo has more likes and comments than anything else on Calamity’s Splashagram page. But also, I think everyone’s just really happy for us.”
“I don’t know what to say.” He’d felt like an outcast his entire life in Calamity, so to have everyone showing up like this…
“It helps that you haven’t made that scary face in a while, so you’ve given them a chance to get to know you.”
He tugged on his beard. “I guess I should’ve shaved.”
“Nope.” She shook her head. “I love you exactly the way you are. Your beard is sexy. Your bike’s sexy. Your ass is sexy. Everything about you gets me hot and bothered. I love our life, and I want to stand in front of everyone we know and celebrate us becoming a family.”
“I don’t know what to say other than thank you. Thank you for loving me and giving me a true home.” Overwhelmed, all he could do was say, “I love you.”
“And you make me feel it every single day. Not just with your words, but also with the way you make my coffee every morning. And when I forgot my lunch on that field trip to Yellowstone? You left an important meeting to ride out there and bring it to me. You make me feel special and important and…” Her features softened, and she smiled. “Totally, perfectly loved.”
He knew another way to let her know how loved she was, so he yanked her up to his chest and kissed the living daylights out of her.
As always, she melted against him, throwing her arms around his neck and filling his senses with her touch, her taste, and those sexy little moans.
“Oh, honest to God, you two.” Ava pushed them apart and stepped between them. “Give me ten minutes, and then you can make out all you want.”
They pulled apart, but he liked her lips all shiny and wet. Liked the well-loved look in her eyes. “Let’s get a move on, then.”
“Uh, no,” Boone called from the front row. “They can wait till they’re home.”
“There are children present,” Decker said.
“All right. Hush now.” Ava stood under the arch and faced the guests who’d taken their seats.
“Our bride has decided to skip the formality of walking down the aisle to focus on the heart of the matter, the joining of two people to form the greatest bond this world offers, which is the formation of a family.”
Finlay looked at her father. “Sorry, Dad. You can have a dance, though.”
“Hey, I have a front-row seat. All good on my end.” Buck grinned. “Happy for you, sweetheart.”
“It took a community to pull this wedding together, so thank you to everyone who helped,” Ava began.
“We’re here to celebrate the bride and groom’s love, but before I start the ceremony, I’d like to begin with a little story.
” Ava gave him a warm smile. “Jude was six years old when I met him. He was wide-eyed and watchful, barely said more than two words, but he wasn’t hard to read at all.
Because Jude might’ve been scared in that new environment, but he shoved his own feelings aside to take care of his brothers.
And let me tell you, his brothers were four, two, and three months old when they showed up on the doorstep of a biker club. ”
When Finlay reached for his hand, it anchored him. He didn’t know where Ava was going, but he sure as hell didn’t want to visit a childhood of reckless mistakes.
“I knew he was special from the moment I met him,” Ava said. “He was smart, clever, and deeply sensitive. He’s got the biggest heart of anyone I know, and there’s no one else on this earth I’d want to see him with than our dear, sweet, generous, kind Finlay.”
“Oh.” His bride let out a shaky breath. “Thank you.”
“Finlay treats every child in her classroom as if they were her own. She makes them feel like their every thought matters. And she’s an includer.
If she sees someone sitting alone, she’ll invite them to sit at her table.
She’s got the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever known, and there’s no one I’d want to see her with more than Jude. ”
He glanced at his bride to find her beaming that warm, affectionate smile at him. “Sounds like we’re a perfect match.”
“And now, we’ll begin,” Ava said. “Today, two separate lives will become one. Jude, do you take Finlay to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love her, honor her, protect her, and keep her happy for the rest of your lives?”
“Oh, hell yeah,” he blurted out. When their guests laughed, his neck heated, and he said, “Sorry, I wasn’t expecting any of this.” He cleared his throat. “Uh, yes. Yes, I do.”
Ava nodded. “Finlay, do you take Jude to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love him, honor him, protect him, and keep him happy for the rest of your lives?”
“I do.” The two simple words were drenched in emotion.
And he loved it.
“And now for the rings.” Ava looked at the row of seats behind Jude.
“Well, wait a second,” he said. “What about the vows?”
“I didn’t give you a chance to think about them,” Finlay said. “So I figured we’d skip that part. Besides, we live our promises every day anyway.”
“No, I want to say them.” It meant a lot to him.
“But you’re not prepared.”
“I’ve been preparing since the day I asked you to marry me a year and a half ago.”
Finlay grinned with a look that said, Go for it.
He reached for her hands, forming a bridge between them. Leaves shushed, and her long, wavy hair fluttered in the breeze. With her pink lips and rosy cheeks, he was lost in her beauty.
But he’d asked to exchange vows, and he was damn well going to deliver.
“Fee, I wasn’t man enough to ask you out on a date back in high school.
I told myself it was because I didn’t want to ruin your reputation, but the truth was, you intimidated me.
You knew exactly who you were and what you wanted, and nothing would stop you from getting it.
I admired the hell out of you back then—”
“That’s two swear words, Dad,” Cody grumbled from the first row.
“Okay. After the ceremony, you can tell me the two chores of yours I’ll have to do as punishment.”
His brothers and dad laughed.
“Now, where was I?” he asked.
“Telling me how perfect I am.” Finlay’s eyes shone with joy. It was the most beautiful sight he’d ever seen. This woman glowed from within.
“I admired you back then and am completely in awe of the woman you’ve become. You’re the best mom to our boy, the best partner a man could ask for, and I can’t believe I wasted so many years thinking I didn’t deserve you. Instead, I wish I’d made myself good enough for you.”
She leaned in and cupped his cheek. “You’ve always been the man I wanted. Always.”