Chapter 59
Fifty-Nine
Louise
It’s a bittersweet kind of day.
My last big event as a cosplayer, and my favorite one of the year.
It’s big and grand and so much fun. My gown is custom made and bigger than my usual Rapunzel dress.
This one is made with more intricate material and is floor length, with the big crinoline skirt beneath it.
The sleeves are to my wrists and made of sheer organza with lace trim.
Gold filigree adorns the bodice and through the pinks and purples of the skirt.
My hair is more ornately done than my usual braid with flowers, too. Smaller, intricate braids twist through, pulling it away from my face, but leaving the majority of my long hair to be left down. I even have Rapunzel’s tiara tucked onto the top of my head, and my make up is professionally done.
Belle, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Tiana, Elsa and Anna, Merida, Mulan…
the gangs all here in our biggest and best gowns.
The Grand Ballroom at Harbor Bay Inn is decorated, tables are set with gold candelabras and floor length tablecloths.
A four-piece string quartet is in the corner, playing an assortment of Disney songs from the movies.
We’re all ready and waiting for our little princes and princesses to arrive.
“We’re so sad that you’re not coming back next year!” Lillian—Belle, today—says and hugs me tight. “Please make sure to come and see us. No one is going to be a better Rapunzel than you, girl.”
Reagan—our resident Merida—nods in agreement. “Can’t you just come back for this one event?”
“I’ll talk to my new boss,” I laugh, hugging her, too. “You guys won’t even miss me.”
“Pssht,” Amari—Ariel—mutters, rolling her eyes. “We will miss you, so you just make sure to come back. Tell your new boss this one event is nonnegotiable.”
“Sure,” I laugh, nodding again.
“Ohhh, the doors are opening,” Bethany—Cinderella—squeals, rushing over toward the doors. “This is my favorite part!”
We take our places, and within moments we’re surrounded by dozens and dozens of little kids dressed up as their favorite prince or princess. Parents follow, smiling and asking to take pictures, and gently reminding their children to say please and thank you.
I do love my job.
The joy on these little faces… It's what makes it all worth it.
I’m hunkered down, talking to a little girl also dressed as Rapunzel, with a little green Pascal plushie in her hands, when I hear an excited whisper from somewhere behind me, “Dad, Dad, there she is! It’s her! Can we say hi?”
Finishing talking with the little girl in front of me, I wave her goodbye as she goes to find Elsa and Anna, before rising as gracefully as I can, and turning to the next family waiting.
“Ohmygod,” I whisper, my entire body freezing. Tears sting my nose, and I fight like hell to keep my smile on my face and stay in character. “H-hello.”
My little Chloe, bouncing on the balls of her feet, is pulling at her father’s hand.
She’s dressed as Rapunzel, too, her blond hair braided to the side.
Bailey stands next to them in a full-length Cinderella gown, her hair slicked back into a bun.
Abigail grins wide, shrugging her shoulders in her Elsa dress, her own blond hair tied back in a French braid.
They all look incredible.
“Look, Lou—I mean, Rapunzel—” Chloe giggles behind her hand, correcting herself, and then tugs at her dad’s hand again. “Daddy dressed up, too! He says you always call him a grumpy beast, so, that’s who he is!”
And, he certainly is. In full French Rococo style, this man is dressed to the nines just like the Beast from the movie. No mask, but his hair is slicked back, and his beard is slightly fuller than usual, lending him a roguish air.
Those blue eyes that I’ve missed so much haven’t left mine. God, I can’t believe they’re all here!
That’s when I realize Zach is carrying a baby against his chest. A little baby boy, who can’t quite be a year old, dressed as a little prince. My eyes find his again, and I watch as he swallows hard.
So many pieces of the puzzle fall into place. And I understand, even without a word.
“Is this…?” I ask quietly, hardly daring to breathe.
He nods, stepping forward. “This is Declan. He’s the girls’ baby brother.” He clears his throat roughly. “And… my foster son.”
“Zach… he’s perfect,” I whisper, smiling widely. Damn these tears!
He shifts the little boy in his arm again, nodding. “It’s a long story, one that I hope you’ll let me tell you.”
“I can’t wait to hear it,” I say, and I mean it.
Abigail reaches for Declan, and Zach lets her take him. “We’re gonna go say hi to the other princesses.”
“Stay close,” Zach and I both call, and we laugh awkwardly together.
Chloe tugs at my hand, and I lean down so she can hug me tight around the neck. “We missed you.”
“I missed you, more,” I whisper, kissing her cheek. “Go on, go say hi to everyone!”
Straightening, I look up at Zach, who has stepped closer. I want to reach out, to touch him. But… I don’t know why he’s here, so I remain where I am. He might only be here for the girls, and I have to remind myself he may not want to speak to me, after all.
“This is quite the surprise,” I say. “I wasn’t sure if Joel would get the tickets to you, or if you’d come…”
“Abigail said I needed to ‘go big’ with my apology to you, Louise,” he starts, stepping forward to take my hands in his.
The warmth of his hands sends butterflies through my entire body.
“And she was absolutely right. You deserve the biggest apology for how I treated you. For how I hurt you. As someone told me… I was coward. I let the actions of one selfish person let me believe that I couldn’t trust anyone with my girls, or with my heart ever again.
Despite every way that you showed me you were all in.
I doubted your heart, and I can’t ever apologize enough, Louise.
Saying I’m sorry… it doesn’t feel like enough.
But I will say it as many times as I need to. I’m so sorry, Princess.”
God how I’ve missed him. But… Do I trust this? Can I trust him not to disappear again? I don’t know that I could survive it twice.
He releases one of my hands and reaches into his pocket, pulling out the notecard from the flowers I’d sent. My heart trips over itself in my chest. “Did you mean it?”
I nod, fighting the tears back. “Of course I did. I meant all of it, Zach. But…”
Zach steps forward, cupping my cheeks in his palms. He swipes a stray tear off my cheek before it can ruin my carefully applied make up.
“Then let me prove to you that I mean it, too. I know the level of groveling I need to do is… it’s unparalleled.
I fucked up, and I hurt you.” Pressing his forehead to mine, he rolls it back and forth, eyes shut tight.
“I can’t tell you how much I hated myself for being the biggest coward, Louise.
For knowing exactly what my silence was going to do to you, and doing it anyway because I was terrified.
And I don’t blame you for one second if you doubt me, or if I have to spend everyday of the rest of forever proving to you that I’m here to stay.
I will be the last guy you date, Louise,” he breathes, opening his eyes to stare into mine.
He shakes his head then, continuing, “No, fuck that. I will be the one and only guy you marry and spend the rest of your life with. I said locked in, Princess, and I mean it. No more disappearing acts, no more being stood up on dates, no more ghosting. I’m never disappearing again, and I’ll take the next hundred years to prove that to you, if you’ll let me.
If you’ll give me one more chance that I know like hell that I don’t deserve. ”
“You’re going to ruin my make up,” I chastise, more tears sliding down my cheeks.
“As long as the only reason I ruin your make up from here out is for happy tears,” he teases, then presses his mouth to mine. “Or because of other things…”
I laugh again, shaking my head. “Zach…”
“I’m so sorry for hurting you, Louise. I love you,” he whispers against my mouth, and my soul leaves my body. Holy shit. Raising his head, he stares at me. “I—” kiss, “—love—” kiss, “—you.”
“I love you, more,” I whisper back, nodding.
He smiles against my mouth. “We can argue that later, after you’ve moved in with us, at our new place. We needed extra space for an extra kiddo.”
“I guess you did.” Taking a deep breath, I say, “Please don’t ever push me away like that again. Please.”
“Never,” he assures me. “Locked in. For real.”
“For the next hundred years?” I ask, and he nods, laughing.
“For however long you’ll have me, Princess. For however long you’ll have all of us.”
“Forever.”
“Forever,” he agrees.
This time, I believe him. My grumpy beast.
Because once upon a time, I dreamed of a love just like this.