Epilogue
. . .
Finn
Reese and I had never done anything by the book.
We’d been the best of friends long before we were ever lovers.
We didn’t become lovers until we were fake dating.
She moved out of my house after she found out she was pregnant.
And we were having a wedding that everyone thought was a Sunday dinner.
Oh, yeah, and we were also going to announce that we were having a baby, too.
Being conventional was boring.
I was a big believer in trusting your gut. If it feels right. If it feels good.
Do it.
Hugh and Lila had brought in boxes of food, and we were setting it up on the kitchen island. My parents were asking me a slew of questions about when I was leaving next week to start shooting Big Sky Ranch, but I wasn’t ready to answer all their questions just yet. I had bigger things on my mind.
Much better things.
The fact that I was going to marry the only girl, the only woman I’d ever loved. And this wasn’t a casual kind of love. This was an I’ll burn down the world for you kind of love. The kind that you know is forever.
Georgia and Maddox were talking to Reese’s parents.
Brinkley and Lincoln were home for a couple of weeks as he’d wrapped up his season. They’d made it to the Super Bowl, and though they didn’t walk away with the win, it was still an amazing year for the Thunderbirds.
My brother-in-law was one hell of a player.
Cage was currently trying to explain to me why he brought a fucking pig to my house for Sunday dinner.
“Dude, I can’t make this shit up. Maxine is fixated on me now. If I don’t bring her with me, she goes batshit crazy. Martha and Joe better get home soon because I’m done with piggy daycare.”
“Ridiculous. I think you like it. She’s the only woman you seem to want to spend time with.” I smirked because guess what? I didn’t fucking care that he brought a pig to my house, which technically meant that he’d brought a pig to my wedding.
He just didn’t know it yet.
“I’m done with women for a while.”
“Yeah? Does that have anything to do with the story that just broke on the internet?”
“I have no idea what you’re referring to.” He smirked. He knew. He’d texted me about it an hour ago.
“Well, I just saw it. Do you think it’s true?” Brinkley asked, looking around like what we were talking about was a top-secret mission for the FBI.
“It’s public record. And where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire,” I said.
“Are we talking about Presley Duncan?” Hugh asked as he walked into the huddle.
“I believe that’s Presley Wellington. And no, we aren’t talking about it.” Cage cleared his throat.
“Right. Because it’s no big deal that the love of your life’s world has just imploded. Why would we talk about that?” Brinkley raised a brow.
“Oh, I heard.” Georgia shoved her head into our little circle and whispered, “What a douche potato. How do you cheat on Presley Duncan? She’s the whole package. Smart, beautiful, and she was the only person who could ever put Cage in his place.”
“For the last time, her name is Presley Wellington. Let’s not refer to her as the love of my life because that makes it sound like my life is over. I’ve got Gracie and Maxine. I’m doing just fine.”
“Ah, a five-year-old and a pig,” I teased. “And I don’t know that she’ll be going by that last name with the scandal around her husband. I’m guessing she’ll be taking her maiden name back and leaving that—what did you call him, Georgie?”
“A douche potato.”
“Don’t ruin the potato by putting a douche in front of it. This conversation is over.” My older brother hissed just as Lila walked over.
“Are we talking about Presley Duncan?”
We all started laughing because Cage threw his hands in the air and groaned.
“Yes, baby,” Hugh said as he stroked the hair away from her face.
“Well, Mrs. Runither came into the restaurant right when I was leaving, and Hugh was loading the car with all the food. She told me Presley’s dad is in the hospital. He had a stroke. When it rains, it sure does pour, huh? I feel terrible for her. We’ll drop some food off for the family tomorrow.”
I glanced at Cage and noticed the way his jaw clenched. The way his shoulders stiffened. He could deny that he cared all he wanted, but we all knew that he still did. Even if they’d had a horrible breakup and completely cut one another out of their lives.
I knew my brother.
He was worried about her.
“Keep me posted on Frank, please.” Cage cleared his throat.
Reese came in, carrying Gracie in her arms. She was wearing a white dress covered in little flowers that ran down to the floor with her boots beneath it. She had her cowboy hat on her head, and her gaze locked with mine.
“You ready to do this, Chewy?”
“I love when you call Uncle Finny Chewy.” Gracie’s head fell back in laughter as she jumped down to her feet.
“All right, we have a little surprise for everyone before we eat. Come on outside. It won’t take too long.
Bring your jackets if you’re cold.” I sent a quick text to Father Davis, who was waiting for us down by the water, before sending a text to my cousin Everly, because I had a few surprises for everyone today.
With Reese’s hand in mine, we led our families down through the field and into the pines. The timing, well, it was perfect.
Just the way we wanted it.
The sun was getting ready to go to sleep, and we were going to say our vows right before it did.
Under the last bit of citrine-colored sunshine.
“Look how gorgeous that sunset is,” Georgia said as she and Maddox walked beside us.
“It’s something.” Maddox glanced over at me like he was trying to figure out what I was up to.
My parents and Reese’s parents were talking a mile a minute and never questioned why we were all going for a walk.
Brinkley, on the other hand… She never missed a beat.
“What’s going on, Finny?”
“You know what, Brinks? You’re going to have to wait to find out.”
“That is never okay with me,” she huffed, and Lincoln wrapped his arms around her from behind and chuckled as we made our way through the pines.
It was quiet, which surprised me, considering there was a small group waiting for us just a few feet away.
When we came through the other end of the tree line, there stood all my cousins and their husbands and their kids.
Reese’s cousins were there, as well, but considering they were a small group of four, the Thomas family was large.
I didn’t know how they’d kept all the kids so quiet, but they had.
Dylan was there, holding baby Hugh, with Wolf standing beside her.
“Oh my word. What are you all doing here?” my mother gasped, and everyone started hugging one another.
“We have no idea. Finny said we needed to be here, and we came.” Dylan shrugged. “Although, we didn’t know we wouldn’t be allowed in the house and that we’d be hidden out in the trees like criminals.”
Wolf barked out a laugh. “We’re on a beach, baby. We’re hardly being hidden like criminals.”
“I peed in the trees already. It feels a bit scandalous when you’re wearing a dress and carrying a newborn.” She raised a brow.
“Don’t act like it’s your first time peeing in public,” Everly said over her laughter as she hugged me. “Happy to be here for whatever this is, Finny.”
“We’re so happy you included us.” Ashlan kissed my cheek.
“Fine. We’re happy to be here,” Dylan said as she kissed my cheek, and Reese gushed over the baby.
“Listen, if it’s important to you, it’s important to us,” Vivi said, giving me a hug while holding her little girl in her arms. She was adorable and looked just like her mama.
Uncle Jack made his rounds, shaking everyone’s hands, and Cage gave up and tied Maxine to the tree before crossing his arms over his chest. “Can you tell us why we’re all down here now, please?”
Reese looked at me, and I reached for her hands, moving to stand in front of the group. I called out to Father Davis, and he came walking out from the other side of the pine trees, and everyone’s eyes widened when they saw him.
“We wanted you all to be here today because we’re getting married.” I put my hands up before anyone could say anything. “We wanted to do it last week, but it was important for us to have you here.”
“This is exactly what we want for our special day. Surrounded by the people we love, in our favorite place, at our favorite time of day,” Reese said, smiling up at me.
“Before sunset,” I said, winking at her. “So, thanks for being here. Let’s do this.”
There were some whistles, and everyone clapped their hands and watched as we stood in front of Father Davis.
He did a short intro and said that we would each be reading our vows to one another. He motioned for Reese to go first.
“Finnegan Charles ‘Chewy’ Reynolds, you were my fairy tale before I even knew it. You have been my best friend and my ride or die for my entire life. You were there when I was delivered the worst news of my life and learned I had cancer.” Her voice shook, and a tear streamed down her cheek.
A lump formed in my throat, but I squeezed her hands and nodded.
Because together, we could and would get through anything.
“And somehow, you made that awful day my most memorable New Year’s Eve.
You have celebrated my wins and picked me up during my losses.
You have cheered me on through every up and down in my life.
You have shown me what real love is and that I should chase every dream that I have.
But I’ve come to learn that the only thing I really want to chase is the cute boy in the baseball cap who rides horses like he was born to and then goes off and becomes a big movie star.
You are my dream come true, Finn Reynolds.
I have loved you since my earliest memory, and I will love you for as long as I’m on this earth. ”
There were sniffs and gasps, and Reese didn’t even try to stop the tears from falling.
“Damn, girl, you’re a hard act to follow,” I said as the group erupted in laughter.