55. Epilogue
Epilogue
Layne
“I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
I looked from Kingsley to Keaton, who sat next to me on a wooden garden chair, holding my hands. We were gathered in the lush backyard of our temporary home with a handful of friends and family as Kingsley officiated our wedding. Dark clouds in the sky indicated it would rain soon, but the warm breeze tugging at the white silk twill dress Blake had made for me felt just right.
Our old house had burned down completely, and with it, most of our possessions. It didn’t matter, though. What mattered was that we’d made it out alive. The property was currently being cleared, so a new home could be built.
“You may now kiss the bride,” Kingsley concluded.
Keaton and I both rose, his blue eyes so intense that anticipation bubbled up in my stomach. For a sweet moment, I forgot about the symptoms simmering under the surface. He leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. It was a tender and passionate kiss, one filled with the promise of staying by my side in health and in sickness. Our audience clapped and whooped.
Keaton eased back and rested his forehead against mine. “I love you, Layne.”
The words took me by surprise—not because I didn’t know he loved me, but because he actually said them out loud. Uncontrollable joy flooded me. “I love you too, Keaton.”
“I was wrong,” he said.
“About what?”
“Hearing ‘I love you’ is better than the roar of my Elysium.”
I chuckled. “I’m glad to hear that.”
“And I forgive you.”
“For what?”
“Pushing me off the roof.”
Now I full-on laughed. “I’m so sorry I did that, but I’d do it again any time. It was kind of fun, actually.”
Growling, he swooped me up, eliciting more cackling from me. “Maybe you’re the one who should get baptized.” He carried me down the grassy “aisle” past the others to the pool, all while singing Gold Digger by Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx in an obnoxiously high tone.
When he finally let me down, my cheeks were wet from laughing tears.
“My turn.” Blake squeezed between us and wrapped me into a tight hug. “Congratulations!”
“Thank you.” I hugged her back. She looked gorgeous in that navy dress and her straight blonde hair cut just past her shoulders. “For just being here. I know, I know, I’ve said—”
“Are you kidding? Not even the Apocalypse would’ve stopped me from showing up.”
As she moved on to congratulate Keaton, Tripp came up to me and pulled me into a bear hug. “If he gets out of line, just say the word.”
I huffed. “Maybe we should have held the wedding while you guys were deployed after all.”
“Then who would’ve carried you down the aisle, Holzchopf ?”
“ S?lber Holzchopf .” A smile stole onto my face. Instead of having me walk, Tripp had carried me to Keaton to preserve my energy.
“Thanks for everything,” I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. Jasmin hadn’t been able to come because her youngest was sick, so Tripp representing our family meant all the more.
He let me go. “Sorry I wasn’t always there for you. Just know that I care a lot about you.”
“I know.”
Smirking, he tousled my hair, then moved on to Keaton. He pointed two fingers at his eyes, then one at my husband, who nodded his understanding. Yeah, the two probably would never become friends, but as long as they didn’t rip each other’s heads off, I wouldn’t complain.
Wentworth ambled up to us. “Didn’t invite the Dragon?”
“Didn’t want to come,” Keaton said.
“I heard she practically begged you to come back.”
“She did.”
“But not as CEO?”
“Not for now.” Reaching over, Keaton squeezed the back of my neck. “I want to focus on Bunny’s health.”
I smiled at him. He’d even managed to talk Regina into starting the Monroe Foundation. Since Aaron wouldn’t return any time soon—the trials had yet to take place, but chances that he’d get a long sentence were high—she was now the sole CEO and owner of Lincoln Grady Distillery.
“Good for you.” Wentworth made room for Tatum, and after he, Sean, Alfie, Dalton, and Xavier had also congratulated us, Kingsley stepped up to Keaton.
“Are you ready to get baptized?”
My husband rubbed his hands together. “Let’s do this.”
He climbed into the pool, suit and all, with Kingsley and Dalton joining him.
Kingsley placed a hand on Keaton’s head. “Father, we come before You today to give a new life into Your hands. Help Keaton navigate his new life as a Christian and let him grow in his faith, always relying on You and putting You first.” He looked at Keaton. “Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?”
“I do.”
“Do you accept Him as your Lord and Savior?”
Keaton nodded. “Yes, I want Jesus Christ to be my Lord and Savior.”
“Then I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
Kingsley and Dalton lowered Keaton back until he was fully submerged under water, then brought him back up. Keaton raised his fists into the air and let out a roar.
A huge grin on his face, Alfie jumped up and down at the edge of the pool. He was such a sweet, young man, and the bond he had with Keaton was moving.
The same joy Alfie displayed swept over me. I hopped into the pool, the lightweight fabric of my dress floating around me as I swam to Keaton. When he scooped me into his arms, I hugged him so tightly he probably couldn’t breathe anymore.
“Easy there,” he chuckled.
But I couldn’t let him go. My husband was saved. God had worked a true miracle.
I leaned back so I could look at Keaton. “This is the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
“Yeah, me too.” His eyes radiated a light I’d never seen before.
I pressed my mouth to his, and this time, the kiss wasn’t sweet anymore. It was deep and demanding. I wrapped my legs around his waist—which was no problem thanks to the modest split on the front of my dress—my arms around his neck, and tangled my hands in his hair.
Keaton broke away. “Okay, everybody, time for you to go home.” The gruffness in his voice made it clear he wasn’t kidding, and our friends and family got the cue and filed out.
And then it was just Keaton and me.
“You need to rest,” he said at my lips. His eyelids were heavy, indicating how much strength it cost him to drag himself back into this presence of mind.
I groaned. “I don’t want to.”
“I don’t want you to either, but I need you to be well-rested for what’s to come.”
“Fifteen minutes, not a second longer.”
He nodded. “Deal.”
With me still clinging to him, he carried me out of the pool and into the house. A moment later, I found myself cocooned in a plush bathrobe and curled up in bed, while Keaton retreated to the living room.
There would always be moments where he couldn’t be with me because I needed to rest. He would never fully understand how debilitating the fatigue was or what it was like to always be in pain.
And that was okay, because God did. My Maker saw every tear I cried and the battles I fought no one else knew about. He was my Anchor in the storm, and my Prince of Peace when the world drowned in chaos. Whatever life threw my way, He was there with me.
The alarm of my phone went off. My fifteen minutes of rest were over. I scrambled out of bed and ripped the door open—
And nearly collided with a wall of muscles. Keaton was leaning against the frame, shirtless and looking down at me. “Hey, gorgeous.”
I laughed. “Have you been standing here the entire time?”
“Just making sure you’re not going anywhere.” A hand propped against the frame over my head, he leaned in, bringing his lips to my ear. “I’m here to cash in that rain check you took at our first wedding, but I think we’re past kissing.”
His low voice sent a shiver through me. “I agree. Guess we’re about to find out if you’re really the perfect husband you claim to be.”
“Oh, baby, you’re about to find out so much more.” He grabbed my hips and lifted me. My legs automatically slung around him as he claimed my lips while carrying me to the bed.
I didn’t need any more convincing—God had given me the perfect husband.
Keaton lowered me onto the mattress, his powerful body hovering over me. “You know, I’m the gold digger now,” he murmured at my lips.
“How so?”
“Because you’re the treasure in our relationship.”
I chuckled. “In that case I hope I won’t end up in a pawn shop.”
“Nah, you can’t be sold.” He kissed me again. “You’re invaluable.