18. Epilogue
Epilogue
Amelia
“Everything is ready.” Maddie rushes into the bridal room, rocking the heck out of her blue dress and her six-month baby bump. She gets to work fluffing my hair and checking my train.
“I wasn’t worried.” I smile reassuringly at her.
“Really? Because you invited Caleb’s dad, Liam, and a bunch of FBI agents. That’s just asking for trouble.”
I look at her now. “Did Thane come?”
“No,” Maddie says. “Thank goodness.”
I suppose that is for the best. Caleb will be happy since he didn’t want me to invite Thane in the first place.
“Are Sean and Gus ready to walk down the aisle?”
She raises a brow. “They are going to eat the flower petals and pee on the aisle.”
Probably. But I couldn’t imagine getting married without my favorite duo.
There’s a knock on the door and Connor pokes his head in. “Ready, sis?”
“I was born ready.”
“You were born premature, that’s why you’re so short.”
“Your jokes are getting worse. Maddie, how early can we check him into the retirement center?”
“Okay, come on. No time for sibling rivalry; we have a wedding to attend.” Maddie ushers us out of the bridal room and down the hall to where the ceremony is taking place.
Sean and Gus bark when they see me and try to race for me, but Liam holds them back with a terrified expression. For a man in control of everything, it’s absolutely hilarious how afraid he is of animals, which is why Caleb was happy to stick him with this job. Something about Liam putting glue on his office chair.
Their work partnership is going well. Sarcasm very much intended.
“Sit,” Liam says so timidly the dogs don’t obey. Though to his credit, they rarely do. I hide my laugh behind my bouquet.
The music begins playing, and I patiently wait with Connor while Maddie and Liam lead the way down the aisle.
“You sure you want to do this?” Connor asks, gently rubbing my hand that rests on his arm. “I’ll be your getaway driver.”
“The only place I’m running is into that man’s arms.” I grin, catching sight of Caleb at the front of the event center. My eyes find him and they never stray. He wipes a tear off his cheek and my heart beats in double time as Connor and I start down the aisle. I may not have my parents here, but I have everything else I’ve ever wanted.
I feel like I’m floating as I close the distance between us. Connor hands me off and Caleb takes both of my hands, kissing each of them. I’m ready to begin my life with him.
Riiiippp.
I gasp, torn from the moment as Sean tears the sheer fabric from the wedding arch.
“Bad dog,” Liam hisses, but his attempts to grab Sean are unsuccessful, and he loses Gus, who jumps onto the officiant.
Two FBI agents rush forward to save my wedding, but one bonks heads with Liam, who falls backward into the arch. The whole thing comes down in shattered pieces of cheap plywood.
The last board hits the ground to shocked silence.
All eyes turn to me. Caleb looks absolutely tortured. I can’t help it, I laugh.
“Life is messy. But I choose messy. I choose real. I choose you.” I grab his face and kiss him.
He kisses me back like our wedding isn’t literally falling down around us.
“I guess we are going in reverse,” the officiant chuckles.
“Sounds like the way we live our lives.”
“As long as it’s together,” Caleb whispers.
“Always.”