Epilogue
Ben Bolton adjusted his black bow tie, excitement and anticipation strumming through his veins. He was aware of Reed standing behind him and a sense of deja vu swept over him.
“I feel like I’ve done this before,” he joked with Reed.
“Yeah, me too. And I’m not talking about my wedding, that was over a year ago.” Reed clapped him on the shoulder.
This time around it was just the two of them getting ready.
The wedding party was a lot smaller than when he’d been about to marry Fern.
Today there were no nerves. No doubts. No need to rush out of the room to get air.
He wanted time to pass quickly so that he could go down into the small room and prepare himself for the sight of Clara walking down the aisle toward him.
“I have to say, if it wasn’t for the disaster of your last attempt to get married, you wouldn’t be where you are today, marrying the person you were always supposed to marry.” Reed adjusted the cuffs of his jacket.
“A hundred percent correct, big brother.”
“Have you heard from Fern recently?”
It should’ve been weird to talk about his former fiancée on his wedding day, but over the past six months he had a couple of interactions with Fern and her new husband, the guy she’d been cheating on him with.
They were blissfully happy, and because he was too, there was no need to hold any anger toward her.
In the grand scheme of the thing called life, it didn’t matter.
The outcome worked in both their favors.
“Yeah, she and Rick are still traveling through Europe. Picking up odd jobs and having a great time.”
“It all worked out in the end, didn’t it?”
“It did.” Ben checked his watch—at last. “It’s time, let’s go.”
“Let’s get you married.”
“You ready, sweetie?”
Clara looked over at her dad, his smile big and welcoming, but she didn’t miss the glisten of tears in his blue eyes—eyes so like hers. “Never been more ready for anything in my life.”
Dad laughed but then turned serious. “I’ve never seen you so happy. I know you’re going to have the same type of loving marriage that your mother and I were blessed with. Be happy always, Tinkerbell.”
He kissed her cheek, and Clara took a deep breath, willing back the tears. “Thanks, Dad. I know Mum is smiling down on us.”
“She is, and she’d be so proud and happy you’re wearing her wedding dress.”
“Never any other option. I’ve always wanted to wear her dress.”
She’d been five when she saw her mum’s wedding dress in person.
Her mum took it out of the box to show her, and Clara fell in love with the beaded A-line dress and had begged her mum to let her try it on.
Mum had told her it was too big and when the time was right, she’d let her wear it.
Unfortunately, her mum died when she’d been a teenager, but the second Ben proposed, Dad got the box down for her.
The dress only needed minor alterations, and here she was ready to marry her best friend.
“That’s so beautiful.” Lauren sniffed behind them.
“Mum, is the baby making you cry again?” Charlee piped up before Clara could say anything.
Everyone laughed. Lauren was very emotional due to her pregnancy hormones, and Clara couldn’t wait for her and Ben to start a family.
She wanted to start trying right away, and Ben was onboard with it too.
If she could get pregnant within the next few months, her and Ben’s child would only be a few months younger than Reed and Lauren’s, and she wanted the cousins to grow up together.
“Alright, I’ve waited long enough. I don’t want to wait any longer,” Clara announced and gathered up her bouquet, an exact replica of the bouquet her mum carried on her wedding day.
Her mum may not be there in person, but she was there in so many other ways.
They made their way down the hotel elevator toward the room she and Ben were going to be married in. A calmness settled over her as the doors opened and they were ushered into a small anteroom to await the start of the ceremony.
Lauren fussed with Clara’s dress, along with Charlee’s, the little girl was bouncing on her toes ready to commence her flower girl duties.
The door opened and the hotel employee who showed them into it, smiled. “Everyone is in place.”
They took up their positions, and the doors to the room were opened in a flourish. Clara stood to the side so that she could make her entrance. Charlee and Lauren began their journey down the small aisle, and when they reached halfway it was Clara’s turn.
Ben turned toward them the second she and her dad paused at the entryway. His smile was wide and, even from this distance, she could see the tell-tale sheen of tears.
Their gazes locked on each other, and she floated down the aisle on her dad’s arm. She was sure she smiled at the guests, but all her attention was on her man. Her soulmate. Her forever.
Ben came and met Dad, shaking his hand before sliding his fingers against hers, and together they walked the short distance to where the celebrant stood.
Before the man could even start the ceremony, Ben lifted her veil and framed her face with his hands, the intent of what he was about to do clear on his face.
“Umm, I think you’re supposed to wait to do this,” she said with a laugh.
“Maybe, but we’re unconventional.” He leaned in and kissed her; a sweet kiss that curled her toes.
Behind them their guests laughed and clapped, enjoying the out of order turn of events.
Ben pulled away and rested his forehead against hers. “You look beautiful, Clarabelle. I’m the luckiest man alive.”
Her heart swelled with love for this man. Each day her feelings for Ben grew stronger and stronger. “I love you too, and if you’re the luckiest man, then I’m the luckiest woman.”
The celebrant cleared his throat, and she and Ben turned their attention to him, his smile indulgent. “You two ready to get married?”
They looked back at each other and said at the same time, “More than ready.”