Epilogue - One Year Later
Cole
“Do you have any idea how hard it is to style a dress without high heels?” Holly’s frustrated voice came through the bathroom door of our hotel room. We didn’t normally stay in one of the fancy hotels owned by my father’s company, but today was not a normal day.
I chuckled. “I’m not risking having the woman I love break a leg the same day we say ‘I do.’ You’d be stunning in rain boots. Just come out.”
The door opened, and my jaw dropped. I don’t know what I did to deserve her.
She was dressed in a full-length white gown.
The top and sleeves were delicate lace, and the bottom floated away from her body and skimmed the ground.
Her lipstick was a stunning shade of crimson, and her hair hung in waves around her shoulders.
“How mad will you be if I mess up your lipstick before the ceremony?” I asked.
She sauntered over to me. “About as mad as I’ll be if you don’t ruin it after we get home.”
I groaned. “Let’s just go home now then.”
“Patience.”
I hadn’t realized how lost I was when Holly and I reunited last year.
I’d had all of this money suddenly thrust in my direction, and I didn’t know what to do with it.
I didn’t earn it; I didn’t want it. I had just wanted my simple life to stay the same.
When I’d told Holly this over dinner one day in February, she’d shrugged her shoulders and asked why I didn’t just give it all away.
The fact that she had suggested it told me again that I had the right woman.
It turned out that giving away a billion dollars wasn’t as easy as you would think.
The last thing I wanted was for it to end up in the hands of some scammer or to go to those who didn’t really need it.
We had since fallen into a predictable routine.
I spent my days volunteering and researching charities that I could help with my hands or my money.
Holly continued to teach the third grade.
Her working had raised the odd eyebrow, but it was her choice, and she loved those kids.
We had even talked about having one of our own someday soon.
We had the ceremony in front of the Christmas tree where Holly had lovingly tackled me one year before. We kept it small. Just immediate family and candlelight. After the ceremony was over, I had a surprise for my new bride. “Come on, I have an idea.”
Thank goodness she trusted me, or I never would have gotten her where I needed her to be.
I had her put thermal leggings on under her dress and carefully cover her hair in a shower cap before putting on a helmet and following me outside.
Like I knew she would, she climbed onto my snowmobile between my thighs, and we hit the same trail we’d ridden together on our very first date.
We arrived at the ridge just as the sun was starting to think about setting.
I’d had a local photographer meet us there.
The ceremony was nice, and it was needed to make the marriage official, but I wanted to have vows and a real first kiss here and get a picture to remember it by.
Once she had taken the helmet off and fixed her hair, we stood in the sparkling snow.
“Holly, right here in the most stunning place I know with the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met, I vow to always catch you when you fall, to support your dreams, and to always tell the truth.”
I was rewarded with a genuine smile.
“Well, I vow to love you whether we are rich or poor, to be willing to take a leap of faith, and to make every day together magical. Oh, and I won’t buy any more high heels.”
We kissed before the setting sun, standing almost to our knees in snow.
The photographer captured the moment, but in my mind, it was just the two of us.
Twenty years ago, I had made the mistake of not making this woman mine.
The universe had given me a second chance, and I’d grabbed it with both hands.