Epilogue
Ally – three months on
Once again, autumn rolled into the Highlands, bringing golden leaves and fierce storms. Luckily, I had a castle over my head, so nothing could dampen my spirits.
Not on my wedding day.
With the lasses taking the castle’s solar, we men set up in the tower where Gordain used to have his apartment, following the setup from Callum’s wedding. That day seemed so long ago now.
“I can’t believe my last brother is getting married.
It’s hard to even agree with myself that you’re a man and a lad no more.
” Callum sat heavily on the bed, his kilt folding over his lap and his pale hair messed from running his fingers through it.
“I want ye to go back to being wee again. A chapter of our lives is over.”
“Between us, we’ve got enough bairns to stress ye out for years to come. Can ye imagine the trouble these two are going to cause when they’re bigger? Let alone their sisters.” I gestured to Lennox and Sebastian, half-dressed and running amok around the rooms.
Callum sighed, his emotions close to the surface.
All morning, he’d been stomping around like a bear with a sore head, alternating huffing at us with wistful laments.
“Aye, that’s the truth. But there’s a point I wanted to make, while we’re in the same room together and before the ceremony starts.
I’m so proud of ye. All of ye.” He raised his voice to gain the attention of Wasp, Gordain, and James across the room.
The three men stopped their conversations and gave our chief his audience.
“Ten years ago, all five of us were bachelors. Over the decade, I’ve watched each of ye turn into fine men, husbands, and fathers to your bairns.
James, you and Beth are raising a fine boy in Seb and a wee spitfire of a lass in Isobel.
Gordain, you and Ella made the most beautiful sweetheart in Viola.
Wasp, your and Taylor’s newborn boy, Cameron, is the bonniest lad.
Ally, you and Scarlet make us all proud with Cait every day.
My three are lucky to have such strong kin, and I’m honoured to call ye my brothers and my friends. ”
I peered at him. “Are ye going to cry?”
Wasp burst out laughing. “Aye, I think he is. Quick, someone film him.”
“Ah, Christ.” Callum threw out an arm, his typical frown installed once more. “There was I, trying to share a moment with ye all. This was special to me. You’ve ruined it now.”
We laughed harder.
Every part of my wedding was special, from the drubbing I took when they kidnapped me for bridegroom trials two nights ago, much to Cait and Scarlet’s delight, to the wealth of congratulations and excitement that had come with extending the invite to our wedding, to the family tartan we wore with pride now.
Callum had it right. And I had my own words to say.
“Cal, I’m teasing, and I shouldn’t because ye made all this possible.
Now I have a few words to say. This is my and Scarlet’s day, but aye, it’s the end of an era of us as single men.
Every one of us has taken ye, Callum, as our role model and we all have thanks to give.
We had the worst example in our da, and James in his uncle, but then we all had the best. Ye stepped up, and I know I wouldn’t be half the man I am today without ye to follow. ”
A series of “Ayes” and “Hear hears” came from the other men.
Callum only stared. I had him in a corner and I loved it.
“Ye showed us how to solve problems and how to resolve our fights. Ye taught us to be proud and to defend what we loved. Ye tolerated my antics and, Christ, ye literally carried me when I fell. I consider myself blessed to be your brother. We all do.”
“Alasdair, stop! I’ll be sobbing like a bairn.” Callum pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s been a privilege to help ye grow. You’re a fine man, and I’m so proud.”
Fuck. Tears pricked my eyes. I needed to wrap this up.
“Scarlet and Cait have ye to thank for the family man I am. So, on their behalf, and as the last of the McRae brothers to graduate to becoming a married, responsible, man, ye have my gratitude. Love ye, brother.”
Callum leapt to his feet and grabbed me in a bear hug. I slapped his back. Both of us gave unmanly snuffles, and then we were surrounded by a wall of our brothers in one big group hug. Five men and two boys. Kilted, cared for, and full of family love.
We broke apart, each of us retreating to examine our shoes or our phones, mumbling about time getting on.
Then we were ready, and I led the way to the flower-strewn great hall, welcoming guests, hugging family, and for once being the centre of attention for a good reason.
Scarlet
My sister stepped back, running a critical eye over me from the tiny white flowers wound into my hair to the hem of my elegant Vera Wang dress. Mom stood the other side, her finger tapping her chin. Then, as one, they both gave a decided nod.
“Perfect,” Mom stated.
“Beautiful,” Mathilda confirmed.
I blew out a relieved breath, shaking out my hands, my French-tipped nails long dried. “Are you sure? I’m nervous. Why? I’m never nervous.”
Not in the boardroom, not up against hardnosed suppliers, but today my role was a brand-new one. I’d only ever be a bride once. For some reason, that had me trembling.
The rest of the wedding party had already descended from the solar to the great hall where, in minutes, my wedding would be starting.
Dad stood at the door, ashen since the moment he’d walked in and seen me in my gown.
Beneath him, Cait sat on his shoes, scrunching up the petals in her flower basket.
She was going to lead the posse of little girls from our family who would walk the aisle ahead of me.
“Ma!” she announced, waving. Petals flew.
“Yes, baby. I’m almost ready. Then you can toddle to Daddy. He’s going to think you look so cute!” I told my daughter. Her tiny pink dress was all flounce, and I was more than happy for her to steal the show.
“He’s going to bawl over her then stare at you,” my sister said. “Everyone is going to cry at this wedding. You wait and see.”
“Bridal party, we’re ready when you’re ready!” Wasp’s voice hailed us up the stairs.
Ally couldn’t decide on one best man, so they’d divided up the responsibilities between the brothers.
All attention fell on me. I flexed my feet in my gorgeous white stilettos and collected my bouquet from the table.
White peonies mingled with tiny pale-pink lily of the valley.
Mathilda had chosen them, saying with my bright-red hair and the stunning red of the engagement ring Ally had bought me, I had no need for any further colour.
The benefits of having a wedding planner for a sister—I had the best opinions on hand.
She was right, I loved everything about today.
I sucked in a fortifying breath. “Let’s get down there. I’m getting married!”
Mom scooped up Cait and disappeared down the stairs, Mathilda following. Then Dad offered his arm, and we carefully descended the steep steps to the bedroom hall. At the end, the wooden staircase led straight into the great hall where we’d join the aisle and make our way to my fiancé.
Dad paused before we got to the doorway. “I’ve done something and I’m worried you’ll be cross at me.”
I eyed him. “What?”
“Your house. I bought it for you. From Callum. As a wedding gift.”
I gaped. “You did what?”
“You were talking about using your own money, and Alasdair was going to use his. How about you both keep it to spend on your daughter. Good schools don’t come cheap. Neither does university. And if she wants to specialise, you’ll need to have extra put away.”
What was he talking about?
“Cait’s not even two. Why are you worried about her education?” Then I got what he was doing. Trying to reason away his impulsive act. Unlike with Hong Kong, this time, it was a safe gamble. I flung my arms around his neck, emotion flooding in. “You bought us our house! Dad!”
He hugged me in return. “Yes, well. Don’t cry. Your mother warned me not to ruin your makeup.”
I nodded, rapidly trying to stem the tears. “Thank you. That’s a wonderful gift. Ally will be over the moon.”
“No, thank you for letting me be your father.”
Ah, damn. This time, I let a tear fall. Dad handed me his handkerchief, and we took a moment to compose ourselves, then we hugged again and moved to the steps.
At our entrance, gasps came, soft orchestral music started, courtesy of Ella, and we descended to the great hall.
Every pillar was bound in white flower garlands. Every person dressed to the nines.
I tried to keep it together, I really did, but the cooing over Cait and the other flower girls had me snuffling and leaning on Dad, then there was laughter as Cait saw Ally and flew down the aisle to him, yelling at the top of her voice and dropping her flower basket in the rush.
He picked her up and gave her a kiss before handing her off to Wasp.
Then he saw me, and the shock on his face was my final straw.
Ally grabbed Callum’s shoulder and stared.
I soaked him in, with his tartan, and his smart waistcoat and jacket, his hair falling over his forehead and his eyes for me alone.
He’d always been the most handsome man I’d ever met, but he was made of happiness, and his heart was the purest, so ready to love. It shone from him now, drawing me in.
We’d spent the past two nights apart. I missed him, worse than when I had worked away. The wedding preparations had been so exciting, but what did that matter when I couldn’t share it with my best friend?
Clutching Dad and dabbing my eyes, I finished the journey, then I gave him one last hug, turned to Ally, and fell into his arms.
“God, I missed you! I feel like I’m about to faint,” I whispered. “How do people do this?”
“Scar,” he replied, low and sweet, holding me so tight I couldn’t breathe. “Ah, darling, I’m in so much trouble.”
“What happened?” I pulled away an inch and examined his face.
His green-eyed gaze held mine. “Ye look so beautiful, there’s no way I’m going to be able to stop myself from yelling it to the room. Actually, what the hell.”
He twisted so he faced the crowd. “Have ye seen my bride, everyone? Doesn’t she look incredible?”
Laughter, cheers, and whistles followed.
I snickered, my overwhelm receding. “How about my Highlander?” I yelled. “How do you like him in a kilt?”
“Sexy!” someone shouted amid the same roars and chuckles.
Ally grinned at me, and all was right with the world again. He did that. He held me up. My nerves had gone, and all I wanted was to have this man as my husband.
“Are you ready?” the celebrant asked.
“We are,” we both said together.
The rest went like clockwork. We promised our love for the other, our faithfulness, and our protection. We exchanged rings and said “I do” and we kissed until our friends yelled for us to stop.
The party that followed raised the roof.
With Cait attending another sleepover, Ally and I got to enjoy the antics of our drunk friends and family.
Toby brought his mom, Shellie and Tara came with their families, my friends from London made the trip.
The Bankses came, Sawney, Ailsa, and their children, too.
Everywhere we looked, friendly faces wished us well.
Then, when the fuss died down, a sober friend drove us to the loch house. In a couple of days, we were taking Cait on honeymoon with us, but until then, we had golden silence and rare privacy.
“Mrs Storm McRae, wait there a moment,” Ally said, then he picked me up and carried me over the threshold of our home.
He held me to him all the way up to our bedroom.
“How do I get this all off ye?” he said, hunting for a zip on my dress. “It’s all I’ve wanted to do all night.”
“Hold up. I have a work issue to handle now,” I said, biting my tongue to stop from laughing.
Ally raised his head. “Ye must be joking.”
“Nope. I need to talk to you about my diary for the next year or two.”
“Scarlet, if ye think that for one second, we’re talking business on our wedding night—”
“I want a baby,” I interrupted, my mirth falling away to raw emotion. “Maybe not right now, but in the future. I want Cait to be a big sister and I want to grow our family. It’s working, isn’t it? The balance we’ve found? The only question is, whether you want it, too.”
Ally stared, then he threw back his head and howled.
“More bairns? Aye! I do! Ah, lass.” His mouth found mine again in a soft kiss that tasted of champagne and pure love.
“If it was just the three of us, I’d be content, but this is the best wedding present ye could ever have given me. Can we start now?”
“You love me. That’s the greatest gift I could ever want. Let’s get to work.”
The End.