Epilogue
Rory
Summer
The pale pink floral dress clings to my body in the summer heat.
The guests gathered for the wedding sit in anticipation of Willow making her entrance. The wedding is being held in the gardens of a museum, the surroundings lush, green, and colorful.
Music begins, the wedding party starting down the aisle.
Everyone turns to watch, and I smile when I see Mascen with Lylah on his arm. He winks at me, his hair smoothed back and perfectly tamed for once. A feeling of love floods me as I watch him.
I loved him months ago but that feeling has only grown and intensified. We’ve worked hard on our relationship, to build it into something strong and unbreakable. There’s less fear and uncertainty. We’ve both grown so much as people, learning from our mistakes.
The music changes and at the altar Dean straightens, inhaling a breath as he looks down the aisle in anticipation of his wife to be.
I turn to watch Willow reach the end of the aisle, her arm on her father’s. Poor Maddox is already crying, but as I’ve gotten to know Mascen’s dad better I’m not surprised. The guy is a softy.
He only cries harder when he has to give her away, but she’s all smiles, eagerly taking Dean’s hands.
Listening to them exchange their vows my heart feels full, and when I find Mascen looking at me I know we’re both thinking the same thing.
That’s going to be us some day.
Mascen
“Dance with me, Princess.” I pull Rory onto the dance floor despite her protests.
She wipes cake from her lips before wrapping her arms around my shoulders. “They look happy.” She tips her head in the direction of my sister and her new husband.
“They do,” I agree, spinning her around and into my arms.
“Think that will be us some day?” She smiles up at me, her glasses sliding down her nose. She pushes them back up, waiting for my answer.
“Some day? I already married you.”
She sticks her tongue out. “I meant for real .”
“A piece of paper doesn’t make it real, Princess,” I whisper in her ear, swaying to the song. “But yeah, I can see us getting married.”
“Are you happy?” She plays with my hair at the base of my skull.
“More than I’ve ever been.” I kiss the tip of her nose.
“I’ve been thinking about something.” She bites her lip nervously like she doesn’t want to say something.
“What?” I prompt.
She blushes a bit, looking down at our shoes before making eye contact with me again. “That letter you gave me—you said that you were the dragon, the villain of the story, but you’re wrong. You’re my hero, always, but sometimes we can be the bad guy in our own story keeping ourselves from having the life we really want and deserve. But you slayed the dragon and rescued the princess.”
“Hmm,” I hum, mulling over her words. “Interesting. I never thought about it like that.”
“You know the best part?” She gets a small smile, her eyes sparkling.
“What is it?” I dip her in my arms and back up.
“The happy ending, but the ending is always the beginning, one where you get to write a new chapter, one of your choosing.”
I lean down and kiss her, murmuring against her lips, “This chapter is going to be my favorite.”