Epilogue Bree
ONE YEAR LATER…
The dress hung on the back of the bathroom door where I’d put it three hours ago.
Green, because anything else felt sacrilegious to the Sullivan line, even for our version of a wedding ceremony. It was St. Patrick’s Day. We had to wear green. Simple as that.
I needed to walk down the aisle of Nana’s pub in green to honor her and our traditions. I checked the train on the dress, second-guessing whether it would tangle on a barstool. The last thing I needed was to trip because of something so simple. Talk about bad luck.
Clara let out an aaaagh and the thwack that followed told me she’d thrown her sippy cup out of the playpen. Again. I’d memorized the sound after the fifty million times she’d done it.
“You’re not helping.” I wagged a finger at her and retrieved the cup.
She giggled and made gimme hands, flopping onto her back and rolling onto her belly, then to her back with a squeal. Her wide, gummy grin showed a single tooth breaking through, and she grabbed the teething ring shaped like a shamrock Finn had bought her last week.
My hands shook when I reached for the dress. Not from fear. I knew what I was doing. I wanted this. No. They shook from the sheer overwhelm of standing on the edge of having everything and not being sure if it was real.
A year with my men and Clara, and I still pinched myself sometimes to make sure I hadn’t dreamed it all up.
I pulled the dress off the hanger and stepped into it, easing the straps over my shoulders and sliding the zipper up the side.
I couldn’t help checking my reflection in the mirror.
My hair had grown out long enough to style, and I’d twisted it into a few spiral curls that framed my face.
I looked like a woman in love and ready to promise forever to her men.
All three of them.
“Well.” I turned to Clara. “What do you think?”
Her eyes squinted together, and she made that aaagh sound again before hurling the shamrock over the edge of the playpen.
A knock on the door sent me forward to scoop Clara into my arms and unlock the door.
Tammy stood on the other side, wearing a pair of sparkly green tights and a shimmery green shirt. She looked me over, her approval shining in her eyes. “You look beautiful.”
My throat tightened. “Thank you for doing this.”
“Doing what? Walking you down the aisle.” She stepped into the apartment and closed the door.
“Bree, I’ve known you since you were born.
Your mother would’ve wanted it, and your grandmother would’ve insisted on it if she couldn’t do it herself.
I’m not about to let either one of them have a reason to haunt me. ”
“True.” I laughed when Clara tugged one of my curls, her eyes going wide with wonder when it sprang back into place. “Let’s do this before you pull all my curls out.”
Clara giggled and clapped, then bounced against my arm. Yep, she definitely wouldn’t let me hold her much longer.
Thankfully, everyone downstairs would look out for her during the ceremony.
I picked up the bouquet of white roses and greenery from Nana’s garden that Ronan had put together for me this morning and pressed it to my nose.
Tammy opened the door, and music started downstairs.
I took a breath, held it, then followed Tammy onto the landing. She hooked her arm around my elbow, and we descended together.
Ronan, Finn, Declan, and I had decorated ourselves, and even though I’d been part of every decision, the sight of all of it together took my breath away.
Declan, Ronan, and Finn waited for me in front of the fireplace. They wore black tuxedos with green vests and green pocket squares, the three of them looking delicious enough to eat up right there.
Later.
I made my way across the entire pub, one slow step at a time. Clara babbled and lunged for Ronan when I reached him. He grinned and took her from me, then stepped to the side just enough for us to stand in a semi-circle in front of a man in a black suit.
Father MacKenna lowered his glasses to the bridge of his nose.
We’d asked him to officiate the ceremony, assuring him we knew it would not be recognized by the state or the church but that we felt we deserved the chance to have a ceremony anyway. “We’re gathered here today…”
I partially tuned him out, except for the times when I needed to speak. I was too busy reveling in my good fortune and ogling my men. They really did look delicious.
We all spoke our vows our own way. Nothing traditional or from any template but from our hearts.
Finn took my hands. “I promise to love you. Every day. In all the ways you need and the ways you don’t even know you need. I promise to show up and stay when things are complicated.”
Declan went next. “I promise to protect you and Clara and whatever else we build together. I promise this pub will always be a place you can call home, a place of hope and peace. I promise to love you for all of my days.”
Ronan didn’t look at anyone else when he took his place in front of me. “I thought I was done with love. I’m so glad I was wrong. I promise to build a life with you that’s worth the risk of loving someone this much. I promise to be a presence you can count on.”
I’d written my vows down and read them over and over until I memorized every line.
They still fled my mind as soon as I opened my mouth. But my heart spoke for me. “I promise to build a life here that Mom and Nana Maeve would appreciate. I promise to love all three of you with my whole heart and without apology. I promise to trust that what we have is worth fighting for.”
Father MacKenna closed out the ceremony with the traditional ‘you may kiss the bride.”
Everyone in the pub joined in with the music, singing and laughing as we kissed, then turned and faced them.
Finn hooked an arm around my waist and kissed me a second time, which caused a rising cheer from his fire station buddies and a groan from Declan and Ronan.
Family. That was what I’d created.
I returned Finn’s kiss, and a breathless anticipation for later swirled in my stomach.
“Your mother would have loved this.” One of the women who’d been close with Bethany stood off to the side. She held her arms loose over her stomach. “Thanks for letting me come.”
Bethany had left Clover Hill not long after my return last year.
Her friends had all come and apologized to me, and despite the pain they’d caused, I forgave them.
If we were going to move forward in this town, I had to let it go.
I would if they would, and so far no one said a single bad thing about us.
Everyone who could packed into the pub for the ceremony.
The party spilled out into the patio and the front sidewalk, and we’d hired several competent people to run the pub so we didn’t have to deal with any responsibilities today.
Ronan pulled me into a dance as the music slowed. “You look incredible.”
“You too.” I ran my hand over the green silk poking out of his breast pocket. “Any chance you can wear this tonight?”
“I think I can make that happen. Any chance we can kick all these people out and go upstairs?” He arched a brow. “Say the word.”
“Tempting, but not yet.” I leaned into his chest, resting my ear over his heart. “This is more than I ever dreamed possible.”
His chest rumbled an agreement without words.
We danced and laughed for five hours straight. People came and went in waves, but the party never stopped. Every single person congratulated us, and there was not a single sarcastic, hurtful word spoken. They really had accepted us.
It had taken me a while to fully believe it, but today proved it once and for all.
By the time Declan shooed the last people out the door and locked up, my feet ached from dancing and my cheeks and ribs from laughing.
They ushered me up the stairs so fast I almost tripped. Ronan caught me, sweeping me into his arms and carrying me the last few steps.
“Clara’s with the Hoopers. They’ll bring her back in the morning.” Finn tugged his green bowtie loose and shoved it into his pocket.
I sank into Ronan’s embrace and kissed the side of his neck. The Hoopers oldest daughter had proved to be an excellent babysitter. I didn’t let Clara out of my sight often, but we’d wanted this one night just the four of us without any distractions.
I had a secret to tell them, and I was pretty sure what their reaction would be.
Definitely did not want any distractions tonight. I wiggled my feet when we entered the apartment. “Put me down, please.”
Ronan complied, lowering my feet slowly but not letting go. He spun me around so my back pressed into his chest and rained kisses down my neck and bare shoulder.
I shuddered as desire roared up. “I have some news.”
They all went still.
I couldn’t leave them with that kind of anticipation for long, so I took a deep breath and blurted it out. “I have a second little good luck charm growing inside me.” I cupped my hands around my belly.
“A baby?” Finn dropped to his knees in front of me and kissed my naval. “Oh, love. Prepare to be spoiled out of your mind.”
He didn’t remind me that they’d missed this last time, and when he looked up at me with adoration and love in his eyes, I knew he wasn’t even thinking about it.
They loved me, mistakes and all. And I loved them. So, so much.
I placed my hands on Finn’s shoulders and bent to kiss him.
Ronan and Declan closed in behind me, and all that we were, all the love and joy that bound us together, spiraled into a heat that warmed my entire body.
I hadn’t wanted to come back here, but nothing made me happier than the world we made for ourselves.
Loved being claimed in Clover Hill?
Your next obsession is waiting in Naughty Ride — and this time, there’s no escape.
The first time it happens, I’m backed against a pool table in a crowded biker clubhouse.
Three outlaw bikers closing in like I’m a Christmas treat they can’t wait to unwrap.
Read Naughty Ride here.
Binge read the entire series here.