Epilogue
Louise
TWO and a HALF YEARS LATER
The sun is shining in the garden, golden rays filtering through the towering maple trees along the edges of the property.
The peonies and hydrangeas are in full bloom, the pinks and purples and blues the perfect backdrop.
Because today, I get to marry my grumpy beast of a prince. Right here in the garden, surrounded by our families and close friends, just like the four of us talked about so many years ago.
Darci steps toward us, her chiffon gown in berry floating around her as she walks. The dark pink is stunning against her dark hair, left down in waves against her collarbones.
Sienna, camera in hand, flits around us, snapping photos. Her rose pink, velvet dress hugs her tall frame like a second skin, her light chestnut brown hair tied in a loose updo at the back of her neck. Her wedding band glitters on her finger as the sunlight catches it.
Grandma Jude, walking with Declan, stops to let him bend over to smell a bush of peonies. In his little three-year-old excitement, I can just hear his little voice exclaim, “Gamma, smell!”
“Here, take a drink of water,” Mom insists, handing me a bottle of water as she stops next to me, which I take gratefully. “Are you ready?”
Nodding, I inhale deeply, then exhale slowly.
“Zach is anxiously waiting for you,” Lydia says as she walks up, taking my hand in hers and squeezing it. “I’ve had to tell Chloe she can’t tell him what your dress looks like about a hundred times today already."
Laughing, I nod. “She’s been so excited for him to see it since we picked it out.”
Striding around the high cedar bushes that separate us from our small gathering of guests and the ceremony site, Andi smiles broadly. “It’s time! Are you ready to get married?”
“Fuck yes,” I laugh, nodding. She hands me my bouquet of peonies, the stems wrapped in a length of fabric that once belonged to one of my dad’s shirts. I’m grateful I get to carry him with me today. “Let’s go.”
At a cue from Andi, the music shifts, and we’re off. I’m pretty sure I disassociate during the bridal party entrance, because then it’s my turn.
I decided to walk by myself, because I didn’t want to be given away to Zach.
Because I’m not being given to him. No, I’m choosing Zach with every step, every breath, every beat of my heart. It all belongs to him.
The first bars of an instrumental version of Beauty and the Beast start, and I step around the cedars and find Zach at the end of the short aisle waiting for me, all four of our kids at his side.
I know just when he recognizes the song, too, because he tilts his head at me, and then his chin wobbles, just a little.
Joel grips his shoulder from where he’s standing behind him as best man, and I watch as Zach takes a deep, shuddering breath in as I make my way closer.
Xander, Chief, Nate, and Tommy flank him as well, all looking sharp in their light, sand colored suit pants and white button-down shirts.
Abigail, Bailey, Chloe, and Declan all wait for me to reach the front row before stepping forward, just like we’d rehearsed to stand on either side of me.
Abi holds Declan’s hand to my right, Bails and Chloe on my left, and together they lead me the last few steps to Zach, and Chief slides out of line, taking his place as our officiant.
“Hi, Princess,” Zach breathes when I stop in front of him, his blue eyes sparkling with moisture. He shakes his head, smiling from ear to ear. He raises one hand to his face, covering his mouth and jaw. “You’re stunning.”
“Do you love it?” I whisper as Chief asks our small gathering of family and friends to sit. Zach nods, his gaze dropping to look me over from head to toe again.
“I love you,” he whispers back, and the laugh that escapes me is broken with unshed tears.
“Love you, more,” I breathe.
“Hey now, y’all are supposed to wait for me,” Chief chastises teasingly, and we both apologize while our guests laugh.
But we don’t actually mean it. Not really. We’re in a bit of a hurry, after all.
Not that anyone knows it, yet.
By the time Chief is pronouncing us husband and wife, I’m fairly bouncing on the balls of my feet.
Zach doesn’t wait for Chief to tell him he can kiss his bride, either.
Wrapping one arm around my waist, he pulls me in and drops his mouth to mine. And I can’t help but laugh against his mouth when Chief sighs in exasperation, “So impatient.”
“Hi, Wife,” Zach whispers, grinning against my lips.
And damn do I love the way that sounds.
Zach
Champagne flute in hand, I watch as Tessa heads over to my wife, handing it to her. I’m mid conversation with Xander and Joel when my wife’s eyes find mine, widening.
Excusing myself from my brothers, I step up beside Louise and lean in to kiss her soundly. The champagne flute passes from her fingers to mine, and then it’s deposited on the closest tabletop while no one is looking.
“Thank you,” she mouths, and I nod, glancing around.
“Very sneaky,” Sienna whispers from behind us, and I grimace. Fuck. Guess I wasn’t as good at hiding that as I thought. “You can’t hide shit from a photographer.”
Louise blushes a vivid pink, glancing at her sister.
“You might as well just tell everyone,” she mutters, pretending to fiddle with the buttons on her camera. “You’re not going to be able to fool everyone all night by passing off every glass of champagne or shot sent your way—”
I look down at my wife—my fucking wife—and she just shrugs, grinning. “We said after the wedding…”
“Yeah, I thought you meant more than an hour after,” I laugh, but shake my head. “Where are the girls?”
“I’ll round them up,” Sienna says, and I blow out an exhale.
Louise slides her arm around my waist, tucking herself into my side the way she does when she needs a little extra attention.
I knew I had a lot of work to do to earn back Lou’s trust after what I did, so we took our time, did things slowly.
We decided she would wait out her year lease before making any decisions, and honestly, it was what we all needed.
She needed to know I meant what I said, that I wasn’t going anywhere, for real this time.
My kids needed time to grieve, heal, and learn how to trust again… and so did I.
Not that she didn’t end up in my bed more nights than she was in her own… but I digress.
Moving Louise into our home on the day that her lease expired was also what we all needed. We were ready for the next phase of this life to start. It was also the night I properly proposed, with the help of our four kids.
Lou tucks her head under my chin, but then tilts her face up to me, and I take the chance to kiss her slowly, thoroughly. God I love this woman.
And on the days that her insecurity rears its head, on the days that her fear and worry take over, I make good on my promise to her to make sure she knows I’m here to stay.
Locked in. I can’t imagine what my life would look like without the beautiful girl next to me, loving me, loving my kids… our kids.
Sienna sends the kids to us and then my wife’s boss is standing near the dance floor, tapping lightly on a champagne flute. “Hey, everybody, I think Zach and Louise would like your attention for just a moment.”
Oh fuck. Alright. Ready or not.
Louise bites her lower lip and glances up at me, and then she calls out to our guests, “Thank you all so much for being here with us today. Today has truly been a dream come true.” Taking her hand in mine, I squeeze it, then bring the back of her hand to my lips to press a kiss there.
She smiles radiantly up at me, and I nod.
“We also want you all to be the first to know… we’re adding another little girl to the family! ”
“Ohmygod!”
“I knew it!”
“You owe me fifty bucks, fucker.”
“Between you and Xander, you’ll have a fucking baseball team!”
Chloe, now almost nine, races toward us, her eyes wide and mouth dropped open. “My wish! My birthday wish is coming true!”
Tilting my head to the side, I ask, “What are you talking about?”
Chloe beams up at us both. “The wish I made on the birthday cake when we met Lou the first time. You told me I couldn’t wish for a baby sister… or a baby brother… You didn’t say I couldn’t wish for both…” She points to Declan, then back at Louise. “And now it’s finally happening!”
I laugh out loud, shaking my head. Dammit, she’s right.
Holding my wife close to my side, I look around at everything this life brought me. And can’t believe I almost gave it all up. This once in a lifetime kind of fairytale that I didn’t even believe existed. Not until Louise.
Leaning down, I press a kiss to her lips. “I love you.”
Louise smiles against my mouth. “I love you, more.”
“For a hundred years?” I ask.
“For a lifetime.”
I’ll take it.