Epilogue
Adlee
Eleven Months Later
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T he entire Aspen Peak lodge is decorated as festively as it was last year. This year is special, though. It’s my wedding day. Well, it’s sort of been a week-long celebration.
After getting promoted to junior analyst, I’d helped Kelton pick out his new secretary, Jonah. He’s doing great, very smart, and loves going to get Kelton his coffee. Probably so he can flirt with Gabe.
I wave hello at Mr. Laskin and his wife, who are here as a retiree courtesy. Muriel had a cancer scare last summer and he finally realized that life was too short to work yourself to the bone. He’s admittedly been much nicer since he retired. I see him once a month at board meetings, since I myself took a few thousand of my savings and invested it in Fox, and now I’m a shareholder, too. After the board saw the way our stocks soared from the drama, they backed off on pressuring Kelton about our relationship. A few of them even downloaded the app to enjoy Gabe’s indulgent videos.
Kelton made good on his promise and promoted Gabe to chief financial officer—CFO. He’s still got his TikTok channel, he just posts about celebrity gossip now, and is doing very well. He’s also our social media manager.
Kelton proposed on my birthday in April in the Rocky Mountain National Park where we were hiking. We’ve had a short, whirlwind relationship but I have no regrets. Neither does he. We just knew we were “the one” for each other and everyone in our families totally approved.
As for Jet Keystone, he tried a few clap-backs on X, but he was mostly destroyed by Kelton and some help from sassy Gabe. His stocks took a nosedive, but look to be slowly recovering. On one particularly bad stock day for them, Kelton called Jet and offered him an insane amount of money to buy the Keystone ski lodge. Jet wasn’t amused and hung up on him. I don’t think my fiancé is done hounding the jerk for his properties, the same way he’s done to Kelton for years.
“You look absolutely stunning, honey!” Bernice says from behind me as she fluffs my veil. “I always wanted a Christmas wedding myself, but George had insisted on a June wedding. Oh well. I just love the holidays!”
I look at her through the mirror’s reflection. She’s dressed up for the occasion, a pine-green dress with sparkly red jewelry and a red earrings in the shapes of Christmas bulbs that blink on and off.
“Thank you, Bernice. Is the food and everything ready?” I ask.
She finishes making my veil perfect and spins me around. “Do not worry your pretty little head about anything. I’ve got all the details perfected down to the very last crumb.”
I smile and take her chubby hand full of too many rings. “Thank you so much.”
Then, my mom, sister, and niece walk in.
“Alise!” I say, running to hug her and Bella.
“You look like a princess, Auntie,” Bella says.
I smile down at her, then ask my sister, “When did you guys get here?”
“Early this morning.” She puts her fingers to her lips and turns a strange shade of green.
“You just threw up!” Mom says, looking incredulously at her.
“I don’t know why they call it morning sickness when it lasts all day.” Alise shakes her head. “Never had this with her.” She looks down at Bella, who’s in a white satin dress with a green sash.
“I got my flowers ready, Auntie,” she says proudly, holding up her basket.
“That’s great!” I tell her.
“Babies. What a blessing!” Bernice says, putting her hand on Alise’s still mostly-flat stomach.
“It’ll be a blessing if I can stop yakking every ten minutes!” Alise groans.
“It’ll all be worth it, dear,” Bernice replies. “I’m gonna go make sure all the decorations are straight and the gift table is done. See you, soon-to-be Mrs. Fox!” She winks and leaves.
“Nice lady,” Mom comments.
“She is. Very sweet and loves everyone. A real asset to this place.” I look around the small room we were provided to get ready in.
“Are you ready?” Mom asks.
I nod. “As I’ll ever be.” I look at my reflection one last time. It’s a simple white gown that will blend in with the snow at the top of the mountain peak we chose. It’s strapless with some pearl beading on the chest and a simple waist-length veil. I paired it with some pearl jewelry.
“Here, something old,” Mom says, sliding a pearl ring on my right finger. “It was Nana’s. She wanted you to have it.”
I look down at the single pearl perched on a gold setting and get teary. “It’s beautiful. Thank you, Mom.” I remember she gave Alise a necklace from my grandma at her wedding this past summer. Nana loved pearls.
“Well, your groom awaits.” Mom grabs my white faux fur coat and leads me by the hand.
Me, Mom, Dad, Alise, and Bella head outside where a short gondola ride will take us to the mountain peak.
Once inside, an attendant closes the door and tells us to hold on. I look at my sister. She’s still green. “Do not honk in the gondola. I’m not kidding, Ali.”
“Don’t talk about puking,” she groans.
I pull a barf bag from a dispenser on the wall and hand it to her.
Thankfully we arrive vomit-free, and once out, Alise’s husband Mac helps her and me out. We walk a few short feet to where chairs with bows are set up. Kelton and his brother stand at the front, and Kelton looks breathtaking in his tux. Ali, Bella, and Gabe head to the front to stand on my side, Bella tossing rose petals out of her little basket on the way. I couldn’t convince Gabe to wear a matching sage suit, but his bowtie and cummerbund match nicely, along with the boutonniere pinned to his jacket in the matching colors.
“You ready, sweetie?” my dad asks.
I look up into his eyes, so happy he survived that awful heart attack last year and that he’s here to walk me down the aisle.
“I am,” I reply, leaning up to kiss him on the cheek.
Wedding music begins to play through speakers and as I walk, I look around at all the guests. All the shareholders are here. Kelton’s parents sit in the front, smiling at me. Seth’s wife and their kids sit happily watching. All of our coworkers were invited. A few showed up, including Lea. She winks at me as I nod at her. She’s been working for Gabe as promised, but he doesn’t put up with her dumb blonde attitude—which turned out to be just an act. She is here with Matt, her date from the Christmas party last year.
The officiant asks who gives me to be wed to Kelton. My dad hands me off and they shake hands.
He begins the usual wedding jargon, and then tells us to read our vows.
I go first. “Kelton, when we met, I’ll admit to admiring you from afar. I didn’t think you’d even see me, but it turns out, you see me now better than anyone I’ve ever met. I vow to be the best wife I can. To be the best mother to our future children.”
I hear my sister gag from beside me and bite back a smile. She’s not mocking, she probably really needs to puke.
I continue, “I promise to love you through sickness and health. I promise to always stand by your side through the good times and bad. I love you.” I slide his titanium ring on his left finger.
He stares down at our joined hands, then into my face. “Adlee, when we hired you, I purposely stayed far away from you. I knew instantly I wouldn’t be able to handle any attention from you. But I just couldn’t stay away. Your pull was magnetic, and I was powerless to resist you. Your beauty, your brains, your humor. You make me laugh every single day. You were impossible to resist and I am going to spend the rest of my life making sure that beautiful smile stays on your face for as long as we live. I love you.” He slides my diamond-encrusted wedding band on my finger.
“By the power vested in me by the good Lord above and the state of Colorado, I now pronounce you man and wife. Mr. Fox, you may now kiss your bride!”
“I can’t wait,” he whispers so only I can hear. Then, he wraps his arms around me, dips me, and kisses me tastefully but with plenty of tongue.
The crowd cheers and claps. We exit down the aisle before the guests disperse to head back to the lodge for the reception.
Kelton and I, with our families and the bridal party, stay for photos. The photographer gets quite a few of us alone with the gorgeous mountain backdrop and snow-dusted pine trees surrounding us. I take off my fur jacket for a few, telling the photog to hurry because we’re all freezing.
After all the photos are taken, we head back to the lodge for the reception.
Kelton
T his wedding went better than I could have imagined. When I proposed to Adlee on her birthday with that huge rock that’s now sitting on her finger, she’d gone crazy with wedding planning. When I suggested a Christmastime wedding at the lodge, she was immediately intrigued. Bernice, of course, has been super helpful. I don’t know what we’ll do without that quirky lady once she retires.
As I sip champagne, I watch my beautiful wife mingling with everyone. We opted for a large food buffet instead of a sit-down dinner so people could choose what they want. I had them fly in snow crab and lobster, along with shrimp and other delicacies. I grin when Adlee tips her head back and laughs at something Gabriel said. I’m really glad she has such a good friend.
“You did great,” Seth says, walking up to me with Rita by his side.
“Yes, absolutely gorgeous wedding,” Rita gushes before taking a sip of champagne.
“Thank you. I’m so happy it’s over so we can get to the honeymoon.” I grin.
“You doing it here?” Seth asks.
“No, I’ve got a helicopter picking us up in a couple of hours to take us to a secluded cabin outside of Vail,” I answer.
“Yeah? Where did you find it?” Seth asks, picking an olive off his plate and popping it into his mouth.
“I bought it last month. Someone flipped it. It’s cozy but has all the modern amenities, including a hot tub—and it’s on a lake,” I tell him proudly.
Rita gasps. “That sounds amazing.” She looks at Seth. “We’ll be borrowing that.”
I chuckle. “Help yourself—just not for the next two weeks. It’s going to be breathtaking in the summer.”
We chat some more and I excuse myself.
“Hello, beautiful,” I greet as I walk up to my wife. “Be ready to go in an hour, okay?”
She turns and looks up at me. “Yeah? You still not telling me where we’re going?”
“Nope.” I kiss her nose.
An hour later, after all the dancing, cake-cutting, bouquet-tossing, and birdseed-throwing, we say our goodbyes. We head to the roof and exit the roof door running quickly, while the helicopter blades blow our hair and clothes, and hop inside. We buckle in and hold hands on our way to the cabin.
“Gorgeous views,” Adlee comments, staring out the window.
“Yes, it is,” I reply, but I’m only staring at her.
She looks at me. “I love you.”
“I love you, too. So much.” I stroke her cheek and kiss her softly on the lips. She looked so beautiful today. I can’t wait to get her clothes off.
Soon, the pilot announces we’re landing, and he does in a clearing of trees. We unbuckle and disembark the helicopter. He hands us our bags and I grab my wife’s hand, leading her through the trees where the pristine three-bedroom cabin sits perched on the edge of a frozen lake.
After the chopper flies away, I say, “Welcome to your home for the next two weeks.”
Her eyes are wide. “Kelton. This is perfect! You own this?”
“Yes, we do. It’ll be our special vacation home.” I drop our bags at the entryway, then pick her up and carry her over the threshold. She looks up and sees the mistletoe hanging there.
I lean in and kiss her softly. “Welcome home, Mrs. Fox.”
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THE END