Epilogue
A few months later…
WEST
We’re already late for our own party when Eden’s phone lights up. She lets out an annoyed sigh, because she’s in the middle of fixing her tiara and has had to bat my hands away from her at least five times already.
She looks so damn hot. In a short white dress that barely skims her thighs. Autumn insists she wears it as the almost “bride–to-be”.
“What is it?” I murmur, leaning over her mostly as an excuse to kiss the dip of her neck again. She smells like roses in summertime.
“The family group chat.” She rolls her eyes. “Honestly, shouldn’t they all be at The Salty Dog by now waiting for our arrival?”
It’s taken us this long to reschedule the bachelor and bachelorette parties we promised everybody. Mostly because I had to fly to L.A. for meetings with Vin’s lawyers. Every penny has been repaid, every tentacle he has ever had wrapped around me has been cut.
And while I was there, I visited Leona’s grave. Told her about Eden. It felt good telling her I was going to be okay. That I was sorry.
This time, we decided to combine our celebrations. One big party. Which is fine by me, because I don’t want to spend the night without my wife.
Another message pops up.
Zach: So I flew back TWICE for this bachelor party and Wyatt still hasn’t bothered to show up? What an asshole.
Hudson: He’s busy. Running a business.
Asher: The ocean needs him. It gets “salty” when he’s gone.
Autumn: Good god, you’re all terrible. And why aren’t you all at The Salty Dog? Only Parker and I are here.
Zach: Ask Wyatt why he’s not here. He’s the one you should be complaining to.
Wyatt:
Zach: Wow. One finger. Beats a thumb I guess.
Asher: At least his priorities are clear.
Autumn: Okay, Jesse and Bennett are here “pregaming.” Whatever that means? They’re talking about getting strippers. HELP.
Zach: Strippers? That’s interesting. Bet Wyatt’s kicking himself for not coming now.
Autumn: CAN YOU ALL STOP TYPING and get yourselves to the damn party.
Eden laughs so hard she nearly drops the phone, her curls bouncing, her cheeks pink. And help me, that dress she’s wearing should be outlawed. My hand finds her hip almost on instinct, sliding under the hem as I press my mouth to her ear.
“You know,” I murmur, “if half of them aren’t there yet, that means we have a bit of time.”
Her breath hitches. “They’re all scared of Autumn. We have five minutes at best.”
“Five minutes is enough.” I turn her toward me, and the laugh dies on her lips as I kiss her, deep and hungry, her body softening into mine like she was made for it.
When we break apart, she’s breathless, her eyes bright.
“There’s no way you can do it in five minutes,” she points out.
And she’s right, because I like to savor this woman.
Long nights in bed together. Tangled in each others bodies.
Which is easier now that Bennett has moved out and is rooming with Jesse, the two of them living their best single lives.
I still grin, never one to walk away from a challenge. “I could get you off in two if I wanted. But I wasn’t talking about sex.” For once.
Instead of pulling her clothes off, I pull the small box from my pocket, my heart pounding harder than it ever has before.
I had the ring designed months ago. A single diamond, pear set, sparkling and clear.
Not mined, but recycled. The band is simple.
Perfect for the woman I love. It was ready last week, and it’s been burning a hole in my pocket ever since.
I drop to my knee, making her blink. And when she sees the ring box, and puts her hand on her chest.
“Will you do me the honor of marrying me?” I say, my voice thick. “Again. No Vegas chapels, no contracts, no pretending. Just us, standing in front of your crazy family, vowing that we choose each other forever.”
Her lips part, her eyes glistening as she stares at me. Then she whispers, “Yes please. I’d love to.” She leans toward me, watching me closely, as I put the ring on her finger. It slides neatly into place beside the others.
She laughs softly, brushing a tear from her cheek. “Guess I’m wearing all of them. Every promise you’ve ever made me.”
My throat burns. How does she always know what to say to stun me into silence?
Her phone buzzes again.
“Autumn just threatened to start stripping herself,” Eden says, wrinkling her nose.
“She’s seven months pregnant.”
“I think that means we should go now.” She pouts, looking at her hand again, her brand-new ring gleaming in the light. “Hey, do you think we can miss our own party?”
“I think your family will hunt us down if we do.”
“You’re right.” She wrinkles her nose. “I guess we can make it quick, right? ‘Hello, thanks for coming, goodbye, I want to be the one coming’.”
I laugh at how dirty she can be. And God help me, I’ll follow her anywhere. Because this woman is all I need.
EDEN
The Salty Dog is already a hive of activity when we finally walk through the door. Pink and silver balloons are taped to the walls, streamers draped across the rafters, and someone has hung a sparkly “Almost Mrs.” banner right above the bar.
“That should say Definitely Mrs.,” West mutters under his breath. “I should tear it down.”
His hand tightens around mine as I beam up at him.
“Don’t you dare. This is amazing.”
He checks his watch, then looks down at me with a raised brow. “Thirty minutes. That’s all I’m giving this.”
I squeeze his hand. “We’ll see.” I love the way he always wants me. The moment he arrives back from wherever his latest meeting is, he puts his bag down, kicks his shoes off, then carries me up to bed.
And it always takes a lot longer than five minutes.
As we step into the throng, the karaoke machine is already blaring. Jesse and Bennett are on the tiny stage, arms wrapped around each other as they scream their way through “Like a Virgin”. The crowd is howling, drinks spilling as people clap and whistle.
“Oh my God,” I laugh, covering my mouth. “Are they seriously—”
“Yes,” West mutters, dragging a hand over his face. “And no, I am not singing with them.”
“Killjoy,” I whisper, grinning, because his jaw is tight and his eyes are locked on me like I’m the only thing in the room.
Autumn and Skyler are running the show from behind the bar, Skyler telling Autumn to enjoy the party instead of carrying trays of food to the tables.
Parker is already trying to take the tray from her, but she bats him away, muttering about being pregnant not useless.
Hudson is leaning against the bar, arms folded, pretending he’s too cool for karaoke even though his foot is tapping along to the music. Asher, on the other hand, looks like he wants to disappear as Francie drags him closer to the stage, clapping wildly in time with the music.
It’s pure, messy Fitzgerald chaos. And I love it the same way I love all of them.
West watches us with a look that says he’d rather be anywhere else. But his hand never leaves mine. Every time I tug him toward someone to say hello, he follows. Every time I laugh, his thumb brushes over my knuckles like he’s reminding himself I’m still here.
“Twenty-five minutes,” he murmurs again in my ear, low enough so only I can hear.
I tilt my head up at him, biting back a smile. “Shut up. You’re already having fun.”
His lips twitch. “I’m watching you have fun. That’s enough.”
God, he’s so sweet sometimes. No wonder I adore him.
Before I can reply, the door bursts open, slamming against the wall. Zach strides in, suitcase in hand, his expression stormy as he scans the decorations. “Well at least there’s a party this time.”
“Zach!” I squeal, running over to throw my arms around him. “You came back!” I can’t remember the last time I saw him, and I’m stupidly touched he actually interrupted his constant flights around the world to be here.
Again.
He hugs me once, awkward and stiff, then mutters, “What’s with all the decorations? I thought you were already married.”
“We are,” I say at exactly the same time as West says, “Yeah, but we’re doing it again.”
Zach looks from me to West. “You can tell me about it later. And we need to get Wyatt here somehow.”
“One beer, for my absent brother,” Autumn says, trying to lean over the counter to hug Zach, her swollen belly stopping her. “Ah, damn. I hate this. I keep thinking if I just suck it in this thing will go flat for me.”
Zach laughs and does the leaning in for them both, kissing her cheek. “Hey sis. You’re looking beautiful.”
She beams. “Hey big bro.”
West slides his hand around my waist. “You happy?” he asks me.
“I really am,” I agree.
“That’s good. Because you have twenty minutes left to enjoy the party.”
But of course it takes longer than that.
More like two hours pass before we finally run out into the night, leaving behind the chaos of Parker and Autumn singing “Time of My Life”.
Hudson and Skyler are attempting to Dirty Dance for all to see, as Bennett and Jesse flirt with a crowd of older women who work for Hudson at the hotel.
Seeing my family looking so happy makes my heart full.
“I can’t believe I had to drag you off the dance floor,” I tell West as we step into the cool night air. My cheeks are aching from smiling, and my voice sounds like I smoke two packs a day after all that singing. “You even sang Karaoke. Admit it, you had fun.”
He stops and looks me dead in the eye. “I made a promise to always be honest with you.” He says it so solemnly that my stomach twists for a second. “So I have to tell you that no, it wasn’t fun and it will never, ever happen again.”
The corner of his mouth tilts and I can’t help but kiss it softly. “You’re such a liar. You’d do it if I asked you to.”
His eyes darken. “I would.” He pulls me close and I curl my arms around him. “Come on, let’s go home.”
The drive back to the North House takes way too long. I end up curled around West, my finger sliping between the gaps of his shirt buttons, telling him exactly what I’m going to do to him when we get home.
I’m surprised he doesn’t hit the curb. But also grateful. I like my husband all in one piece.
We barely make it through the front door before West has me pinned against the wall, his mouth crashing onto mine like he’s starved. I laugh against his lips, breathless. “I thought you were a gentleman.”
“You married the wrong guy if that’s what you wanted,” he growls, his hands sliding up my thighs, lifting me like I weigh nothing. My legs lock around him, his jeans rough against my bare skin.
“Oh, I think I chose pretty well. Nobody else can sing Taylor Swift like you can,” I whisper, biting his lip.
Our clothes go everywhere. His shirt buttons ping across the floor, my dress gets yanked over my head, the tiara sent flying, and our shoes are abandoned who knows where. He stumbles us over to the sofa, kissing me like he’ll never stop.
And when it’s over, and we’re panting against each other, I rest my head against his chest, smiling as he plays with my hair.
“It’s a good thing Bennett doesn’t live here anymore,” I say. “He’d have to gouge his eyes out if he walked through the door right now.”
“If he walked through the door right now, I’d gouge his eyes out,” West murmurs. “Because he’ll have seen you naked.”
“Ooh, are you feeling possessive tonight?” I ask him, smiling because I like it a bit too much.
“For you, always.” He kisses my lips, my throat, my shoulder. Then he looks at me, his gaze clear and sure. “I love you, Eden. With every part of me. You make me better. You make everything better.”
My smile widens. “I love you too,” I tell him. “Because you make me dirty.”
He laughs loudly, wrapping me up in his arms like he can’t bear to let me go. And I don’t want him to. Not ever.
Because I’m exactly where I want to be.
Thank you for reading, I hope you loved Eden and West!