Chapter Twenty-Eight
Four Months Later
Tyler
The only thing that kept us from going to the courthouse the night after the pier was that Mae had always wanted a Christmas wedding.
So, here we stood with her sisters standing behind her, holding their rose bouquets, while the most beautiful bride stood before me as the pastor looked at Mae and then me.
“Do you take Mae Evans to be your lawfully wedded wife?” he began. “To have and to hold until death do you part?”
I held Mae’s hands in mine and nodded. “I do.”
“And Mae Evans, do you take Tyler Grant to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold until death do you part?”
Mae flashed a wicked grin. “I do, and forever after, too. There’s no getting away from me.”
I laughed and shook my head as the guests chuckled and Mae squeezed my hands.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the groom.”
Mae’s eyes lit up, and her hands cupped my face while my hands slid around her waist. Her mouth pressed to mine as I kissed her tenderly, my hand falling to her belly.
“You’ve made me the happiest woman in the galaxy,” she whispered between one more kiss.
“You’ve made me the luckiest man in the universe.”
Mae smiled as we turned to our guests and walked down the aisle as husband and wife for the first time with Dottie barking behind us as Brad let her go from the leash.
I looked at Mae and the beautiful dress she chose, cascading over her pregnant belly with a white faux fur stole around her shoulders. The matching Mayflower earrings and pendant on display spoke volumes about what we believed now.
We’d grown up on the small island of Marigold, being thrust at each other whenever fate had its way, but we didn’t listen.
Curiosity Bay was a quaint little town where everyone knew everyone else, good and bad. I’d always felt like the boy from the other side of the tracks, while the Evans family felt unattainable through no fault of their own.
But the things we all clung to in various forms had been hopes and dreams that could be built when fate collided in the perfect package.
I held Mae’s hand in mine as we wandered slowly to the reception hall, and I remembered what my dad had told me the day I left for college.
Mae’s too good for you. Besides, they’re nothing like us. They’ve built their lives on nothing but the shakiness of dreams. Just wait. They’ll all crumble one day, and us Grants will be there to laugh and pick up the pieces. Just forget about them. Blood is thicker than water.
His words made me sick for months, as if their being spoken aloud could somehow wreak havoc on the only people who”d truly cared for me.
So, I stayed away until fate couldn’t handle it anymore.
I kept those vicious words inside, and they ate me up until I could no longer dream my own dreams.
But that all changed the moment I saw Mae through the window of her coffee shop. Fate wasn’t allowing my dad to control my story, but I knew I had to take control if I wanted a happy ending.
We slowed near the photographer as I pulled Mae into me. “You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me, Mayflower.”
“I don’t know how you make me feel like the luckiest woman alive.” A dreamy look swept through her eyes, and my heart squeezed at the thought that I’d finally won.
I smiled, brushing her hair away from her cheek as the photographer took our photos. “Just remember you said that to me when you’re in labor. I saw that process once, and it looked really… bad. Like super painful. All kinds of things were said.”
Mae laughed so hard I swore I felt our baby kicking, and I loved every second of it.
As the double doors opened, the DJ announced our arrival, and the guests clapped as we walked by the long line of well-wishers.
It was a dream come true, and if the walls came crumbling down, at least I was with the woman I loved because we’d find a way through it all.
“Tell me this,” Mae asked as the bar opened and the buffet line rolled out.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Why does Audrey look so miserable?” she asked, pointing at a table across the banquet room.
With all the centerpieces and floral arrangements Mae had picked, it was hard to spot her sister. The room had somehow turned into a winter wonderland of white roses and twinkling lights.
It was perfectly perfect unless you needed to find a friend or relative.
Mae squeezed my hand and wove us through the sea of round tables until we managed to get to Audrey’s.
Mae’s sister looked up at me and scowled. “You know MacGregor?”
I glanced at Mae, uncertain where this was going. “Yeah. We played baseball together back in college. Why?”
Audrey pressed her lips together. “No reason. Everything’s fine. Go enjoy the wedding.”
Mae glanced at me with a smile and shrugged.
“It doesn’t sound like everything is okay, Audrey.” I tried again. “Do I need to kick him out? You know I totally would for you. Did he do something or…?”
Audrey smiled and shook her head. “No. Sorry. I just… it’s a long story, and I never expected to see him again, especially at a wedding. At a family wedding.”
Mae shook her head. “Now, you have to tell me what’s going on. I’ve never heard of a MacGregor, and certainly not one who would get you this riled up.”
Audrey scowled. “I’m not riled up.”
My brows arched. “That’s not riled up?”
Mae shook her head as Audrey chuckled and said, “Oh, I’ll show you riled up.”
I glanced toward the bar where MacGregor was getting a drink and turned my attention back to Audrey. “You’re family. If I need to ask him to politely—”
Audrey’s cheeks flushed, and she shook her head. “No. Forget any of this happened and go enjoy the party. I’m just happy and emotional and…”
Mae touched her belly and smiled at her sister. “If you’re sure.”
“Positive. Now, go.” Audrey smiled as Mae pulled me away to the buffet line.
“Under normal circumstances, I’d stick around for the details, but I’m starving. I know they say you don’t need to eat for two, and they’re right. I need to eat for the army I’m building inside,” Mae explained, and I realized that when people said a wedding felt like a whirlwind, it was true.
I chuckled as Mae’s parents, Theo and Cynthia, ushered us in front of them at the buffet line.
“So, you’re telling me you need two pieces of prime rib.”
“And double the mashed potatoes.” She waggled her brows, and I fell a little harder for my pregnant wife.
“Welcome to the family, officially.” Theo handed me two plates. “This is such a great day for the Evanses. I’m a patient man, but this really took a long time to play out.”
Mae’s mom chuckled and nodded in agreement as the caterer cut a thick slice of prime rib and laid it on the plate. “Two, actually.”
“Sure thing,” he said, nodding as he sliced another for my wife.
My wife.
I couldn’t believe I was finally married to the woman of my dreams. Those very dreams I was told to discard. It was an amazing feeling to fall so deeply in love with Mae and yet wake up every morning, falling even deeper in love.
Mae scowled and took her plate from me, adding another scoop of potatoes since I’d apparently gone too light.
Her mom chuckled. “A sign of things to come,” her mom explained. “When I was pregnant with Mae, I ate everything in sight and anything that wasn’t glued down. No joke. I once ate thirteen tacos.”
“I’m impressed.”
Her mom laughed. “You should be, but it also comes as a warning.”
Mae’s dad chuckled, and we whisked ourselves away again.
I followed Mae to our table and sat down next to her. She rested her head on my shoulder and let out a wistful sigh. “Tonight has been incredible, and I’m so grateful our daughter is here for it.” Mae straightened up as I touched my hand to her belly.
“I don’t think she’s going to remember much, but that’s what the photographer’s for,” I teased.
Mae happily sliced her meat and took a bite before having some sparkling cider the server brought over.
“Tyler, you’ve made my dreams come true,” she said softly.
“Mae, I’m sorry for not acting sooner. For going away.”
Mae looked at me and shook her head. “Don’t be. Don’t you see? Everything happened for a reason, all for this.” She touched her belly and smiled. “Our daughter, this particular daughter, at this particular time, was meant to be. She might be the one to change the world. If you’d stayed on Marigold, none of this would have happened how and when it was meant to be. I firmly believe it.”
I looked into my wife’s eyes and nodded in awe at the woman I married.
“Not bad for a woman who didn’t believe in all those romantic and fanciful notions like your mom and sisters.”
She smiled. “I think I felt shafted. Like I knew I was supposed to be with you, but then it all just went sideways, and I felt silly for even letting myself dare to imagine.”
“Imagine what?”
“That I could fall for an amazing boy, and he’d fall for me.” She shrugged. “I knew logically, it was a stretch as a teenager, but I think I believed so much harder than even my mom and siblings that when it didn’t happen, I was… crushed.” She let out a blissful sigh. “My teenage dreams had been completely crushed.”
“And to think all those years, I felt guilty for being tempted. If only you knew how hard I’d fallen.” I laughed, shaking my head. “But I think Brad knew.”
“Did someone say my name?” Brad joked, coming up with a beer in his hand.
“Great job as best man,” I told him.
“Was Paul bent out of shape?” he whispered.
“Uh, no, because he thinks he’s best man too.” I grinned.
Brad frowned. “But I’m actually best man, right?”
I nodded and chuckled. “Totally.”
Brad lifted his beer to cheers with my champagne, and I toasted as Mae chuckled next to me.
“No hard feelings with how things turned out?” I joked.
“Let’s just say I’m glad you didn’t listen to any of my threats. I’m glad to have you as part of the family.”
I laughed. “Thanks for not beating me up.”
“Absolutely.” Brad took a sip of beer and wandered off as Mae studied me.
“I love you, Tyler. Our daughter will be so lucky to have you as her father.”
Hearing those words come from the woman of my dreams wiped away every doubt I’d ever had, and I knew I’d finally become the man I was meant to be, thanks to my Mayflower.
I’d die happy one day.
***