Epilogue
Two weeks had never gone by faster, Elisabeth thought as she stood before a full-length mirror in one of the upstairs bedrooms at The Chesterfield to take a final, critical look at herself before the biggest moment of her life.
The dress was, indeed, sinfully sexy, clinging to her breasts and fitting tightly to the rest of her.
While it was definitely sexy, it was also simple.
She’d rejected dress after dress for being “too much,” until she found one that was just right.
There was no train, no bows, no frills, and she loved it.
She only hoped Jared wasn’t hoping for something fancier.
That thought summarized all the last-minute nerves she’d experienced as the days flew by in a flurry of activity.
True to his word, he’d left the firm over the strenuous objections of his partners, who would feel his loss painfully in their wallets.
But Jared had stayed focused on the life they had planned for themselves and the partners had finally accepted his resignation.
Elisabeth had given a week’s notice at the shelter and proposed that Aimee be promoted to take her place. The board of directors had agreed, and though they were sad to be losing Elisabeth, they were excited to move forward with Aimee in charge.
Jared had closed on the Chesterfield Estate yesterday and had been ready with all the things they’d ordered from the mainland—and paid a small fortune to have shipped to the island in time for theirs to be the first wedding at the new venue.
Because of the short timeframe, they’d skipped invitations and spread the word digitally like the modern couple they were.
The thought gave Elisabeth a fit of the giggles.
He was modern and hip. She was always trying to catch up and keep up.
She had a feeling that wouldn’t change after they were married, thus her worries about whether she’d be enough for him long term.
As she worked her way through last-minute nerves, she tried to remain oblivious to the photographer who snapped her every expression.
This wasn’t just any photographer. Oh no…
Her fiancé, being the businessman he was, had given exclusive rights to photograph their wedding to one of the top bridal magazines in the world, knowing the images of them and their fantastic wedding venue would bring The Chesterfield more business than they could handle.
Elisabeth had agreed to it because she couldn’t deny it was a brilliant marketing strategy, but with the stipulation that the photographers and magazine team remain in the background during the wedding. So far, they’d been terrific about respecting her boundaries.
A knock on the door preceded her sister and parents into the room.
“Oh, wow,” her sister, Melanie, said as she took in the full ensemble.
Jared had insisted on bringing hair and makeup people to the island for the big day, so she could have all the pampering she would’ve gotten in the city.
Because she wanted to look beautiful for him, she’d chosen not to fight that battle and couldn’t deny his people had done a masterful job.
Her hair was down around her shoulders the way he liked it, in an array of soft curls that were held back from her face by a single clip in the back.
Tiny blooms from the Chesterfield gardens had been artfully woven into the design, and her bridal bouquet was made of white hydrangeas that Alex had cut for her.
As her maid of honor, Mel wore a periwinkle gown she’d chosen for herself and carried deep blue and purple hydrangeas.
“How are things downstairs?” Elisabeth asked her family.
“Everything looks lovely, honey,” her mom said as she dabbed at tears. “I can’t believe how quickly the two of you pulled this off.”
“I can’t take much of the credit,” she said. “It was mostly Jared.”
“He’s a good man,” her dad said gruffly. “He’ll take very good care of my little girl.”
“Yes, he will.” That much she knew for certain, and with that realization went the rest of her nerves. Everything was going to be fine as long as she and Jared faced the challenges that lay ahead together.
“It’s time,” Mel said. “Are you ready?”
Life with Jared would be as far removed from the life she’d imagined for herself as it was possible to get, but she had no doubt it would be a grand adventure. “I’m ready.”
She quite simply took his breath away. Watching Lizzie come to him on the arm of her father, Jared could only stare in amazement at the woman he got to spend the rest of his life with.
It could never have been anyone else, he realized as she approached him, her smile dazzling and confident.
And as requested, her dress was sinfully sexy.
If she hadn’t come back to him, if they hadn’t put things back together, he never would’ve gotten married. That much he knew for sure now.
He’d asked David to stand up for him, in large part because of his friend’s role in ensuring that Lizzie didn’t get away.
The other reason he’d asked David to be his best man was because the good doctor was the first, genuine friend Jared had made since he struck it rich and saw his entire life change almost overnight.
His parents and siblings sat in the front row, watching the proceedings, but he didn’t feel as close to them as he did before money changed everything. One of his goals was to bridge that gap at some point, but not today. No, today was all about Lizzie and their new life together.
When she and her dad reached him, Jared shook her father’s hand, extended his arm to Lizzie and turned to face Judge Frank McCarthy, who’d happily agreed to marry them at the spot they’d chosen overlooking the ocean.
Their guests included the huge band of friends Jenny had introduced them to at the impromptu shower-slash-bachelor party she and Alex had thrown for them the weekend before.
Jared and Lizzie had immediately bonded with Jenny’s crew of island friends, including the McCarthy brothers and their wives/girlfriends/fiancées; Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy; their daughter, Janey, and her husband, Joe; Jared’s decorator friend, Sydney Donovan, and her husband, Luke Harris; the island’s police chief, Blaine Taylor, and his wife, Tiffany; Dan Torrington and his fiancée, Kara Ballard; and Owen Lawry and his fiancée, Laura McCarthy.
Jared and Lizzie had enjoyed them all so much, they’d invited them to join in the wedding festivities.
Lizzie had also insisted on inviting Ned Saunders, the cab driver who’d been so kind to her, and his fiancée, Francine. The posse of new friends was just another reason Jared couldn’t wait to settle into their life on Gansett Island, which would happen after he finally took his wife to Paris.
She held his hand and smiled at him as they listened to Judge McCarthy talk about marriage and commitment and the importance of love and daily laughter before he led them through traditional vows and the exchange of rings.
Then he pronounced them husband and wife, and Jared kissed her, and she kissed him back, and he could honestly say it was, without a doubt, the single best moment of his life.
The elated glow stayed with him through the party that followed—calling it a reception was far too tame for what transpired on the Chesterfield lawn that afternoon.
Jared knew he’d never forget the way she’d smiled all day.
He’d never forget the way she’d felt in his arms as they danced for the first time as husband and wife.
And he’d never forget the way she’d gazed at him with so much love when he carried her up two flights of stairs to the honeymoon suite Sydney had put together for them in record time.
After he carried her over the threshold, he made no move to put her down. Rather he studied her gorgeous face, trying to commit every detail of how she looked right then to memory.
“Happy?” she asked him after a long silence.
“I’ve never been happier in my entire life.”
“Neither have I.”
“I’m going to make you happy every day, Lizzie. I promise.”
“I promise the same thing.”
Smiling, he waggled his brows suggestively. “Wanna fuck?”
She smiled at him but shook her head deliberately.
He froze.
Her hand caressed his face soothingly. “No, Jared. Tonight I want to make love.”
Filled with relief to have all the questions answered and a lifetime to spend with her, he kissed her softly and sweetly. “That I can do, my love. That I can do.”
Turn the page to read about Laura and Owen’s wedding in Gansett After Dark!