Epilogue
Emery
Mom got it into her head that before my brothers headed back to college and Isley started his new job in Boulder, before Payton started second grade and Aria started Pre-K, there needed to be a party.
A “farewell to summer” thing to celebrate the whole family before we scattered again.
She’d made the announcement at dinner, but before she could start planning, Payton redirected her attempts.
“We could do it at the event barn, huh, Mimi?”
Mom blinked at her oldest grandchild, completely nonplussed. “But we have all the tables and grills right outside the door here.”
Payton nodded like he agreed but he clearly didn’t.
“But outside has bugs and weather. Auntie Fern has made the event barn so nice.” Pay turned wide, pleading eyes on my sister who fought a smile. “We can do it there, can’t we, Auntie Fern?”
Fern’s mouth twitched and she forced her face into a scowl that she clearly didn’t mean since her eyes were twinkling. “You learned the cow eyes from Kee, didn’t you?”
Keegan was unrepentant. He lifted up off his seat so he could reach across the table and fist bump Pay. Pay didn’t even attempt to hide his grin. I didn’t think he knew he was supposed to.
“Yeah, we can do it at the barn,” Fern grumbled, and made a face that had Pay giggling. “I’m sure I have an opening that will work.”
Which is how we found ourselves at the Event Barn at Blue Creek Ranch on the first Sunday of August instead of crammed into the kitchen at the main house.
Mom had conscripted Nick and the two of them had put on a feast, the buffet tables filled with every breakfast food imaginable and plenty of lunch options too.
It was loud and joyous, and I sat on the edge of the room, taking it all in. Emerson had ventured over half an hour ago, climbed up on my lap, snuggled in, and conked out. I was always honored when he chose me, since he was the king of contact naps, even at not quite two.
The hand in my hair wasn’t a surprise, and before I even tilted my head back, I knew I’d be looking up at the man I loved.
It was still a novel experience, having Ville with me full-time.
He’d shown up the second week of July with most of his worldly possessions and moved right in.
Wren Paxton had moved at lightning speed, and since he had a fleet of lawyers, he left things in their capable hands.
Wren had rented a cabin in the Smoky Mountains to decompress and Ville had come to me. I couldn’t be happier.
Ville bent and kissed me, a soft peck with a promise for later. We couldn’t get enough of each other. I wasn’t mad at it. I hoped it never went away.
“How’d you get nap trapped?” he murmured.
I chuckled, jostling Emerson, who didn’t even budge. “You know him. He was done, so he found me and sacked out. When he wakes up, he’ll be ready to chase after Phinn again.”
Ville did know. Ever since he’d come back, he’d fit himself into our family as easily as breathing.
He was in the process of setting up his security consulting firm, which he could do from here for the most part, and would give him a steady career.
But until that was ready to go, he’d been helping out where he could, which mostly meant keeping different family members company while they worked and sending Wren videos and pictures of his horse.
Most importantly, at the end of the day, when I dragged myself home from the clinic, Ville was there. It didn’t matter what time it was or what my day had been like, Ville was waiting with open arms to squish me back into my body and feed me, then take me to bed and make me scream.
Luke had been a part of this family for so long he felt more like another brother instead of my twin sister’s husband.
But it was almost as though Malachi’s arrival had kicked something off, as first Crew fell in love, and then Hawk.
Now it was my turn. I’d thought all I wanted was to be a doctor, but it turned out that Ville had also been key to my happiness.
I just hadn’t seen it until he’d come back into my life because I’d placed him in a certain box.
As if my thoughts had conjured it, Mal stood up, fidgeted with his glass, then cleared his throat loudly.
Only the people in his immediate vicinity, of which I was one, had heard him.
Before I could say anything, or rather make Ville get everyone’s attention, Dad let out a whistle and we all went silent.
“Thanks,” Mal said, offering my Dad a smile before he took a quick breath. “I want you all to know that I, um…I asked Crew to marry me and he said yes.”
I got my hand up to cover Emerson’s exposed ear just in time, because Mom let out a veritable shriek of joy and raced to hug them both. She held Mal’s face in her hands for a long few moments, speaking quietly to him. Whatever she said made him tear up and hug her again.
After all the hugs and congratulations were done—I’d get them both later when I wasn’t weighed down by a toddler—Mom clapped her hands and asked the question that had to be burning in her brain. “When’s the wedding?”
Crew chuckled, kissed Mal’s temple, and looked Mom right in the eye. “In about two hours.”
There was at least three seconds of dead silence before the room exploded. Fern was already moving, clearly in on it, and getting things set up. Carter was helping, so maybe he knew what was going on too.
Finally Dad whistled again, because that was the only way to get us all to pay attention.
“Explain yourself,” Mom demanded.
“Russ is picking up my mom and Aunt Win at the airport right now. We didn’t—”
“Fiona is coming and you didn’t tell me?” Mom was aghast. “I don’t have anything ready for the Mimi and Nana club!”
“Mother,” Crew chastised, taking over. He tucked Mal against him, and Mal turned into his chest, not loving all the attention. “Focus, please. This is my wedding day.”
“Yes. Yes, of course. But you are being sneaky sneaks.”
That had us all laughing, and Crew let go of Mal to place his hands on Mom’s shoulders. He gave her the barest of shakes which made her snort laugh.
“We didn’t want a big thing. We just want our loved ones here with us, watching us say our vows and pledge out loud what we’ve already pledged in our hearts.
We got the marriage license last week, Carter is officiating, and you all have two hours to get dressed up, if you want.
You don’t have to. We want everyone to be comfortable. ”
“Yes, but, what about a photographer and cake and…” She trailed off when Dad wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek.
“Baby, this is what they want, yeah?”
She nodded quickly, tears filling her eyes, but we all knew they were happy ones.
Crew turned to face our oldest brother. “Bodhi, you’ll be my best man, right?”
“Course.” The response was gruff, and Bodhi walked right over to grab Crew in a clench.
“I’m Daddy’s best man!” Pay announced, running over to crash into Mal’s middle.
“You bet you are,” Mal said, voice sounding a touch clogged. But he caught Hawk’s gaze over his son’s head and asked quietly, “Will you stand up with me and sign?”
Hawk understood the carefully worded request, and he gave his trademark half-smile and a quick nod.
The chatter rose again, and I took the opportunity to gaze up at Ville.
He looked gobsmacked, like it was the last thing he expected to happen today.
It probably was. I was surprised as well, but not entirely.
It was very fitting that Mal wanted something low-key and family centric.
And Crew would give Mal anything he wanted.
“You good, sugar?” I asked, not trying to keep the amusement out of my voice.
He blinked back to himself and then turned his gaze to me. “When we get married, there’s going to be more preparation than this.”
I stood quickly and stepped right into his space, heedless of the toddler’s dead weight on my shoulder.
“You wanna marry me, huh?”
“One day,” he assured me and kissed me.
Two hours later, the entire family and all the hands gathered to watch Mal and Crew say their vows. It was short and sweet, a promise to love and cherish each other until death separated them. The love shining out of them when they kissed had most of us tearing up.
Carter bent down and whispered something to Payton, who giggled and then yelled at the top of his lungs, “My Daddies are married!”
Nick apparently, had been in on it too, because he’d made a cake.
It wasn’t anything extravagant, but it was tastefully decorated and had flowers on top instead of a more traditional topper.
And Mom didn’t need to worry about pictures, because Ora was there with her camera.
Fern’s girlfriend might not have technically been a professional photographer, but she was damn good, and the day would be immortalized.
There wasn’t any dancing, Mal didn’t want that, probably because Crew had no rhythm whatsoever and he didn’t want to be embarrassed. But there was music and laughter, plenty of food, and most of all celebration.
Ville couldn’t seem to keep his hands off me, either holding mine, or touching my back, or wrapping his arms around me. I wasn’t complaining. He could touch me any time he wanted.
That’s how Mom found us a while later, Ville’s arm over my shoulders after he’d pulled our chairs together.
We’d been watching the newlyweds make the circuit and talk to everybody, and had just been waiting for our turn.
But Mom inserted herself into my line of view, and once I caught the expression on her face, I straightened up.
“I will tell you the same thing I told Hawk,” she said, her tone no nonsense. “I want more notice when you two tie the knot.”
I scoffed even though I knew it was going to get me a stern glare. “Come on, Mom. This was very them. And you can’t deny that they're deliriously happy.”
“Yes, well.” She harrumphed and turned her glare on Ville. “You’ll be a good boy, won’t you, Ville?”
I spoke out of the side of my mouth, “Don’t fall for the honeyed tone.”
He ignored me completely. “Yes, ma’am.”
She nodded, her face breaking into a smile. “I knew I was going to keep you the minute I laid eyes on you.”
I leaned sideways, wrapping my arms around him. “Mine.”
“I’m aware, but you’re mine, therefore Ville is too.
That’s how it works.” And then she flounced off, no doubt to impart the same warning to the rest of her children.
If there was one thing Jenn Harrington hated it was being blindsided.
I was certain it was because she always knew everything that was going on, and when she didn’t, she was mad at herself for missing it.
“Yours, huh?”
“Mine,” I repeated as I lifted my gaze to his. He was smiling, and I saw all the love and affection he had for me. I sighed contentedly. “But I’m yours too.”
“I love you,” he murmured and I had just a second to say the words back before he kissed me so that I felt his claim and his promise.
Heart full, I could not be happier.