Epilogue
Taylor
The Reception
We’re under the main pavilion by Dean’s cabins. The place is ours for the night and the guys have a huge bonfire going.
It’s crazy how many of these we have.
“Where’s Carly?” I ask, holding a plate of cake.
“Where’s Nick?” Conner counters, his eyebrow arched.
I freeze.
“No way.”
He shrugs.
“No. Way.” I refuse to even go there. It would be crazy. “They probably snuck off to pull a prank on us later.”
Conner’s lip juts out and he nods like that’s also very plausible.
“Wait.” My gaze narrows suspiciously. “Do you know something?”
“Do you know something?”
“If I knew something, and it’s the same something you know, does that mean we can talk about it?”
“Talk about what?” Dean asks, joining the convo.
“Nothing,” we both say at the same time.
Wiggle fingers!
“Hey!” Grace dances over. “Let’s take some pics!” She fluffs my hair and fixes the front of my dress. “Sorry. Content making is never-ending.”
I’m not complaining. She got me this designer dress by pulling strings and I’m the one who came up with the bright idea of posting it all over social media. Not that I think anything will come of it, but hopefully the designer will see how grateful and happy I am in it.
I have two point three seconds to hand my cake over to Dean before Conner is sweeping me into his arms and spinning me around. I stretch out and tip my head back, kicking one leg up.
“You’re so great at this!” Grace squeals, snapping shot after shot.
We pose serious, goofy, and all the ways in between. My mom and dad watch from afar, both laughing when I try to give Conner a piggyback ride.
When the guys all line up and Grace forces them to pose in their fancy suits, I sit back and enjoy the view.
“I’m so happy for you,” Carly says, coming up from the side and sitting next to me. “You guys are going to be so happy.”
“You’re next,” I threaten.
“Nope. Not a chance.” She sips her wine and watches the guys be silly together. Their laughter could cause an avalanche in winter.
Nick chases Bennet around, catches him and picks him up, dragging him back to the group. “No way, princess. We’re doing prom pose now.”
Carly huffs a laugh and shakes her head. “they’ll never grow up.”
“I hope not.”
We fall into silence and I realize how separate Carlys made herself from the rest of us. It makes me homesick for her when she’s within my reach. “Are you staying for a while?”
“Can’t.”
“Hey Carly! Get over here!” Dean yells.
Without another word, she saunters over in her beautiful sapphire blue gown and tosses her hands up. “What?”
Conner and Nick bum rush her and they all end up holding her as she lays across their arms and poses like a sultry minx for Grace.
“Next!” Dean yells after they gently put Carly down on her feet.
Grace backs up. “No! Wait! I’m the photographer!”
“I’ve got it!” mom yells, taking over.
The guys grab Grace and it’s pure mayhem and a lot of laughing.
“Next!” they all yell at once as Conner saunters towards me.
“Oh no.” I get up from my chair and try to run. Squealing and laughing, I make him chase me across the property and he catches me behind Cabin three.
“Got ya.” He pins me against the building and smiles, out of breath.
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I melt into the kiss we share and then…
“Ahh!” I’m flipped into the air and hauled back to the crew.
Once we have enough content for a lifetime, everyone settles down and enjoys the rest of the night. The catering is phenomenal, and the weather stays perfect. By nightfall, the entire sky is glittering with stars.
“You ready to break away?” Conner whispers in my ear.
“Mmm hmm.”
He scoops me into his arms and carries me to the cabin we’ll be in tonight. Our honeymoon is on hold until winter. We’re going to the Caribbean so we can soak up as much sun as we can.
“Oh wow,” Conner and I say at the same time.
“This is a Carly job.” Looking around, I can tell by the way things are perfect but not quite. If Grace had done it, there would be a lot of extra going on in here.
There are petals and candles and a fire going. Blankets by the fireplace and the bed has a million condoms all over it.
Conner points at them and laughs.
There’s a note on the side table next to a remote that says, “Hit play.”
“If a glitter bomb goes off, I’m killing Nick,” Con grumbles, holding the remote.
“Push it.”
Conner braces himself and hits the button, but the only thing that happens is music plays. “Phew!”
The song stops, mid-lyric, and I hold my breath.
“Hey husband, it’s me, your wife. I thought it would be easier to record this because I keep messing up when I try to get it all out in one shot so…”
His gaze swings to me with surprise and confusion.
I glance away and run my fingers along the foot of the bed.
“I’m really proud of you, Conner. Of the man you’ve become. Of the boy you once were.”
He sits on the edge of the bed, his hands dropping to his lap.
“You always go all in and put your whole heart into whatever you do.” I laugh a little in the recording.
“It isn’t in you to half ass anything. But you know what?
That’s my favorite part. Life with you has been such an adventure.
” My voice cracks a little in the recording.
“I’m sorry it wasn’t always happy for you… but…”
I sit next to him and hold his hand.
“It’s made you who you are, Conner Michael Montgomery. All the good. All the bad. All the pain and the joy. Those ingredients made you exactly who you are today, and I wouldn’t want to change a single thing about you, my perfect husband.”
He won’t look at me. He’s staring straight ahead, hopefully letting my words sink in.
“I promise to love you on your worst days and your best. It’s okay if we fight.
It’s okay if we’re quiet. And it’s okay if there are days you want to scream.
It’s okay to feel, Conner. Nothing’s going to hurt you anymore.
You aren’t going to suffocate under the weight of hate ever again.
It’s over now. So breathe, my love. I’ll be your oxygen.
If you falter, I’ll be your rock. That’s what best friends…
soul mates… are for. I love you, Conner. ”
My recording stops, and he pinches the bridge of his nose, his eyes squeezing shut.
“Breathe,” I whisper in his ear, rubbing his back. “Just… breathe.”
Conner exhales and tips his head up. A tear sails down his face.
It’s the last one he’ll ever shed in sadness. I’ll make sure of it.