Epilogue #2
Bryce squeezed my hands and took a deep breath.
“From the moment our eyes met across the room, I knew there was something different about you, and it wasn’t just your cranky ass and foul mouth.
” He winked and everyone chuckled. My heart slowed to only a million beats per minute.
“Everything about you breathed new life into me. You challenged every fiber of my being. Parts of my soul that had never been on fire were all of a sudden firing on all cylinders because of you. Then you gave me the greatest gift of all by feeling the same. I never really thought I had a chance, but the universe had different plans.” He shuffled and laced our fingers.
“When I decided I needed to leave everything behind and return to my roots, I never knew doing so would bring me home in more ways than one. Yes, I returned for myself—I needed my family, I needed the slower pace, and I needed a reset. But I know now I also returned because my heart knew where I needed to be so I could meet the most wonderful, crabby, genuine man I’ve ever known.
“I’m so damn proud of you for tackling your healing. I know you had to do that on your own, but don’t ever forget I’m here. Forever. Even though I didn’t come here looking for it, I know in the depths of my soul I’ve finally found the love of a lifetime.”
“Niiice,” Hudson whispered. Into his mic so everyone had a good laugh.
Luckily, they were laughing so they hopefully didn’t see me about to lose my fuckin’ shit.
“Fuckin’ hell, man.” The sniffle was definitely heard on the mic, and there was no way I could go on without wiping my damn eyes.
“Who the fuck decided to have a weddin’ above a peach orchard? Damn allergies.”
Henry, quiet and unassuming as always, stepped up next to me and handed me a white handkerchief. With a few quick swipes over my eyes and my nose, I figured I was as good as I was gonna get.
Fuck.
Really should have made notes.
“Had you told me when I was sixteen I’d one day fall in love with a man and marry him right here on Riggs family land, I would have flipped you off and cussed you out, but deep down I would have been scared to fuckin’ death someone had figured out my secret.
“For the longest time, I punished myself—some for things I couldn’t control and some for things I could—but it didn’t help.
Punishin’ myself didn’t ease the pain. Didn’t heal the parts deep inside that needed healed.
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that the sayin’, time heals all wounds is a bunch of bullshit.
I should know. I wasted a bunch of years wallowin’ in self-pity hopin’ to heal the broken pieces of me.
In reality, it’s what you do with your time that truly heals those wounds.
And you sometimes have to fuckin’ admit that even when you’re feelin’ healed, those old wounds might still hurt.
“There I was just learnin’ I had to be the love of my own damn life when you waltzed into town and threw me for a loop.
You brought somethin’ to the surface I’d been hidin’ from.
It would have been easy to push it back down, keep wallowin’ in the pit I’d let my life become, but bein’ with you lit a flame deep inside me, and I didn’t want to put it out.
Don’t know if I could’ve ignored it this time around. ”
I took a cleansing breath and closed my eyes, savoring the way Bryce’s hands gripped mine.
“Thank you for standin’ beside me as I worked through all my shit.
” Turning first to Hudson and then to Lance, Henry, and Jack, I said, “Thank you all for puttin’ up with me while I took my damn sweet time fixin’ my shit.
” Looking back at Bryce, I let myself get lost in his eyes.
“You were there for me, and it would have been so easy to let you be the reason I was happy—and you are, don’t misunderstand that—but I knew I had to be happy for myself.
I couldn’t rely on you or anyone else for my happiness, and it means the whole damn fuckin’ world to me that you understood that.
“I’d written off ever being happy, let alone findin’ my forever love.
Then you fuckin’ turned my world upside down.
I used to feel like I wasted the first half of my life, but I know now I was just gearin’ up to spend the rest of my life lovin’ you.
Good shit, bad shit, all the shit—as long as we’re facin’ it together, I have no doubt we’ll be kickin’ ass. ”
I started to pull Bryce in for a kiss, but my damn smartass son put out his hand. “Uh-uh, not just yet.” He cleared his throat. “Well, now. I’m pretty sure we just set the record for the most cuss words in wedding vows ever. Good job, Dad. Proud of you.”
I flipped him the bird.
Hudson just beamed. “If you two would like to put your rings back on, I’ll finish things up all neat and tidy here.”
Bryce pulled my ring from his pocket, and I pulled his from mine.
We slipped them back onto each other’s fingers.
“Well, with the power vested in me from a very reputable and not at all questionable internet site—”
“Hudson,” I growled.
“I’m joking,” Hudson said with a chuckle. “Mostly. Anyway, Dad you can now kiss my new daddy.”
“Fuckin’ hell,” I muttered, but that was all I had time for before Bryce had me in his arms kissing the ever-lovin’ hell out of me.
“Friends, family, and folks,” Hudson said, “may I present to you, Mr. and Mr.”
Everyone clapped and whooped and hollered as we made our way down the tiny aisle. While Bryce and I took pictures with Cassie, Jack and Henry set up the cake and finger foods.
Cassie took one last picture with the sunset behind us. “That’s going to be my favorite one, I can tell.” She checked her phone. “Okay, it’s time for your dance.”
“Love of a Lifetime” started floating across the yard on the cool, crisp breeze. Taking Bryce’s hand, I led him to the middle of what we were calling the dance floor under the twinkly fairy lights.
It was an old song—fuck, an older song…couldn’t call it old because it wasn’t anywhere as close to as old as Bryce and me—but I sure as shit had never heard a song that fit like it did.
“Your vows were great,” Bryce said.
“Thanks, figure I didn’t fuck ’em up too bad.” His lips were soft under mine. “Yours were beautiful.” We swayed slowly to the music. “Dizzy’s watchin’ us.”
Bryce snorted. “She asked if we were wearing our underwear.”
“Fuckin’ hell.” Our lips melted into the warm kiss. “What did you tell her?”
“That we wouldn’t be later.”
My laughter had the guests casting glances our way, but I didn’t give a flyin’ fuck. I’d spend the rest of my damn life laughin’ and lovin’ with Bryce by my side.
~The End~