Epilogue
“Remember to act surprised,” Avery said. “We’re the only ones—other than the brides and the officiant—who know that it’s a wedding.”
Avery looked up in the mirror as she put her earrings on and saw Taylor behind her. She looked hot in that black velvet jumpsuit. Avery had convinced her to order it a few weeks ago— Just humor me. I promise that if you hate it, I’ll return it for you —and as she’d suspected, it looked incredible on Taylor.
“We look good together,” Taylor said as she looked at their reflections in the mirror. Avery was in a simple, sleek black dress. She hadn’t intended for them to match, but it didn’t really count as matching if they were both just in black, did it? “And I know it’s a surprise, you’ve told me that at least three times today alone, I’m not going to forget!” She wrapped her arms around Avery and kissed the side of her neck. “But I do love being in the know.”
Avery turned around in Taylor’s arms and kissed her on the lips.
“I’m sorry I keep bringing it up. It’s just that the surprise was my idea, and I’m thrilled it’s lasted this long, so I’m paranoid that one of us will blow it before the actual wedding happens.” She turned back around and picked up a lipstick from the dresser and put it in her gold clutch. “Let me just put my shoes on, and I’m ready.” She slid into the strappy gold sandals that she’d worn to countless weddings and events and pulled her faux fur coat out of the closet. “Are you sure this coat isn’t over the top?” she asked Taylor.
Taylor smiled her most lecherous smile.
“Mmm, all I can see when I look at that coat is that time I came over and you greeted me at the door in it and nothing else, so I’m going to say no, absolutely not. But maybe next time we should try that with that coat and those shoes, just to see if I change my mind.”
Avery blushed. She still couldn’t believe she’d actually done that.
“I hadn’t seen you for almost a week! I was getting feral.” She saw a thoughtful look come over Taylor’s face and shook her head. “No, don’t go getting any ideas—you don’t need to disappear for that long again.”
Taylor chuckled as they walked out of their hotel room.
“I didn’t disappear, I was taking that intensive business class Margot made me take, excuse me, encouraged me to take, you know that. Plus, I believe I made you appreciate that move so much that you’ll definitely want to surprise me that way again for no reason at all.”
Avery thought back to that night and let her smile get very wide.
“That you did,” she said.
They walked down to the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor. The party was on the roof deck and started at eight p.m., so they’d gotten a room for the night at the hotel.
“I’m so glad it didn’t rain tonight,” Taylor said.
Avery slid her arm around Taylor’s waist as they got in the elevator.
“Me, too. Obviously, there were many contingency plans for if it did, but I’m glad we—they—didn’t have to worry about that.”
Taylor grinned at her.
“You know, it’s just us in the elevator. You don’t have to pretend like you haven’t been planning this…party.”
Avery touched Taylor’s bottom lip with her fingertip.
“Hmmm, I thought you were going elsewhere when you said that it was just us on this elevator.”
Taylor’s eyes widened.
“Avery Jensen! I’m shocked!”
Avery smirked.
“What can I say, you created a monster.”
The elevator dinged, and two other couples got on, so for the rest of the ride, they chastely held hands and traded very unchaste text messages.
Beth and Greta were there when they got out of the elevator, in their New Year’s Eve best. The four of them exchanged excited looks and quick hugs, and then the two secret brides hugged everyone else and directed them toward the champagne. After they took glasses of champagne and a plateful of snacks, Taylor pulled Avery over to the side of the room.
“Now I’m paranoid that I’m going to spill something,” Taylor said, “and I don’t mean the champagne. So, we’re going to stand over here and sip our champagne and eat some cheese and crackers and be antisocial so that I don’t spoil the you-know-what.”
Avery laughed and lifted her champagne glass to Taylor.
“Standing in the corner and being antisocial is my favorite way to go to a party; I’m so glad I’ve finally lured you over to my side.”
Taylor clinked her glass with Avery’s.
“When I have the hottest woman in the room by my side, what else do I need? Honestly, it’s a little cruel of me to stand here like this with you, since I know everyone in the room is going to look at me and be jealous, but I’ll do anything for you.”
Avery turned to her with a smile.
“And here I was thinking how everyone here will be jealous of me tonight since I’m here with you. I can’t even imagine how many people are going to slide their hotel room keys in that back pocket of yours. I’m going to count them at the end of the night.”
Taylor took Avery’s hand and tucked it into her pocket.
“Just keep your hand right here all night, then no one will get the chance.”
Avery laughed and kissed her softly on the lips.
“You know how much I love you, right?” she asked Taylor.
Taylor leaned forward and kissed her.
“I sure do.”
At nine thirty, Beth came over to Avery.
“Hey, Avery, there’s more champagne downstairs, can you help me get it?”
Avery grinned at her. That was the signal.
“Will do.”
Avery went to the elevator with Beth. Once they got off on Beth’s floor, they giggled like teenagers.
“Taylor knows what she’s supposed to do?” Beth asked.
Avery nodded.
“Don’t worry, she’s got this.”
Twenty minutes later, after getting the couple into their bridal finery and escorting them to the service elevator, Avery got back to the roof and found Taylor. She was in the middle of the party, but Avery saw the way Taylor’s eyes lit up as soon as she saw her. She immediately said something to the person she was talking to and made her way through the crowd to Avery.
“Everything’s set up here,” she said to Avery. She took the microphone out of her pocket and handed it to Avery. “The music will stop at ten oh one on the dot; all they have to do is flip this switch.”
Avery slid back behind the bar and handed the mic to Beth, and returned to Taylor’s side.
“Oh, how were Erica and Sam and the baby?” Taylor had spent the day with them before coming to meet Avery.
Taylor grinned.
“That baby is so fucking cute I can’t even get over it. Erica and Sam are still exhausted, but other than that, they’re doing great. Things are really good between them. I’m so glad.”
Avery put her arm around Taylor.
“Me, too.”
“Though,” Taylor said. “I’m starting to regret that whole ‘year’s supply of diapers’ thing. Do you know how expensive diapers are?”
Avery giggled at the outrage in her voice.
Four minutes later, the music cut, and Beth’s voice boomed out from the speakers.
“Happy New Year, family and friends! Thank you all so much for coming to our New Year’s Eve party to celebrate Greta’s birthday! We’re so grateful that you’re all here, for more than one reason. Because this is more than a party.” Beth and Greta walked out from behind the bar, Beth in a flowy off-white gown, and Greta in a perfectly cut tuxedo. “It’s a wedding. And we’re so thrilled that you’re all here to celebrate with us.”
There was a huge gasp from the crowd. Avery held back a giggle at Taylor’s very dramatic inhale.
Beth handed the microphone to their officiant, her minister godmother, who was already at the front of the room, and they said their vows to many rounds of cheers. As soon as they kissed for the first time as a married couple, their officiant turned around and picked up two champagne glasses, and then handed them to the brides.
“A toast, to Beth and Greta!” she said. “A happy marriage to them!”
The whole crowd raised their glasses.
Three minutes later, Beth and Greta were on the dance floor. Taylor pulled Avery out there to join them.
A few minutes before midnight, Avery stood with Taylor at the railing as they overlooked the party on one side and the view of Napa Valley under the clear, starry sky on the other.
“You know,” Taylor said. “This is maybe my favorite wedding I’ve ever been to. Simple, low-key, a ton of fun. I’m into it. Weddings aren’t so bad if they can be like this.”
Avery grinned at her.
“You see how much I’m broadening your world? First baby showers, then weddings, I can’t wait to see what the next thing is that I’m going to change your mind about.”
Taylor took a sip of champagne.
“Would you maybe want to do this sometime? Like, I don’t know…with me?”
Avery carefully set her glass down on the railing.
“Taylor Cameron, are you proposing to me?”
Taylor shook her head.
“No, absolutely not. I’m not a Neanderthal, I wouldn’t propose at someone else’s wedding; even I know not to do that. When I do it, it’s going to be a surprise.”
“Did you say…when?” Avery asked.
Taylor smiled at her.
“You answer my question first.”
“Yes,” Avery said, without hesitating. “Now you answer mine.”
Taylor set her glass down next to Avery’s and leaned close to her, so close their lips were almost touching.
“Yes.”