Second Epilogue
HAILEY
“Mmm… you seminaked, and the pool all to ourselves? I’ll take it,” I said.
“Good. Let’s go. Already asked the staff to open it early especially for us.”
“You knew I was going to wake up at the crack of dawn today?”
“Babe. It’s your brother’s wedding. You’ve been up at the crack of dawn for a week.”
“I have, haven’t I? I just have too much energy.”
“Come on. Let’s work off some of that energy in the pool.”
I looked at him speculatively, wondering why he wasn’t suggesting other activities to burn off the energy.
This was my favorite time of the day to swim in the pool. The morning sun shone directly on us, inundating everything with light.
I couldn’t believe the day of Jace’s wedding was finally here.
The last few months had been a bit of a whirlwind.
I’d gotten back from Houston two weeks ago.
Cameron had been beside himself to have me in LA again, and I was happy to be rid of the drudgery that was corporate PR and dig into my usual Hollywood cases.
The media’s interest in Marion dropped considerably after Reid’s statement, and then reached insignificant levels once news spread that her show wasn’t happening. She wasn’t even getting coverage in trashy gossip outlets, and Macy’s had dropped her exclusive lingerie line.
I had a slight hunch that that hadn’t happened out of the blue.
I also had a slightly bigger hunch that Reid had pulled some strings.
I’d asked exactly once, and he’d exhibited suspicious signs: evasive maneuvers, distracting me with sexy activities.
Honestly, though, I didn’t need to know everything.
The media interest in Reid was slowly fading as well, though I had a hunch it might increase again next year, because he was opening a third hotel.
“What a way to start Saturday,” I murmured after finishing a round of backstroke. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a few waiters laying trays on the pool bar.
“You ordered breakfast?” I asked, thrilled.
“All your favorites.”
“You devil.”
Yum. For some reason, he looked even hotter than usual, which was saying something. My mouth went dry.
“And what did I do to earn that nickname?” His lips curled in a breathtaking smile as he swam to me.
I tilted my head, considering an appropriate answer. “Hmm… something about the way you look in board shorts.”
He laughed. “I can’t be blamed for being too good-looking.”
“Or humble. Can you fasten the knot of my bra?”
He stepped behind me, running his fingers over my bare shoulder blade, then lingering on the patch of skin just under the knot. I shivered, licking my lips.
“I’d rather take it off.”
“See? And you’re wondering what you did to earn that nickname. You, mister, will not make me late to my brother’s wedding.”
If I was honest, being late was impossible; Lori was running everything with an iron fist. But I never knew what this handsome devil could talk me into.
“We have time. There’s something I’ve been meaning to talk to you about.”
“And it has to be right now?”
“Afraid so.”
He took a step back, spun me around. What was going on? My pulse sped up, the muscles in my belly clenched.
“What is it?”
He kissed one of my hands, then brushed his thumbs over my knuckles.
“I’ve been wondering for a while how to best do this.”
“Do what?”
He flashed my favorite wolfish smile, which was when I realized that he was teasing me.
“Reid! What’s going on?”
His smile widened, and he pulled me toward the pool bar, where our breakfast was laid out.
I took stock of all the delicious treats. Hard-boiled eggs with vegetables, pancakes, waffles, fresh orange juice, coffee, apple—
Oh my God.
Right between the coffee and the apple was a small jewelry box with the Bennett Enterprises logo embossed on the clasp. My entire body strummed tight in anticipation. Was he—Oh God, yes, yes, he was. As if in slow motion, I watched him take the jewelry box in one hand.
My vision was blurry before he even opened the lid, but then, at the sight of the beautiful diamond ring, I became wobbly. There went my determination not to shed tears today.
“Hailey, you’re the one, baby. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to share everything this crazy life has in store for us with you. I want to love and spoil you for the rest of our lives. Will you be my wife?”
“God, yes. Yes.”
I nodded, and the second the ring was on my finger, I threw my arms around him, laughing when he lifted me off my feet, kissing me as if he wasn’t planning for us to leave the pool for the next month or so.
I didn’t care about breakfast, being late, or anything in particular, really, except losing myself in this beautiful man. My man.
“I can’t believe I didn’t see any signs,” I whispered.
“Well, that was the point. Jace advised me not to look for a ring from a laptop you have access to. Something about online retargeting spoiling surprises.”
I laughed, because that was exactly how I’d deducted that my baby bro wanted to propose to Brooke.
“Didn’t want to leave anything to chance,” he said.
“Clearly. Wait a second, is this how you won over my brothers at the hospital?”
He smiled mischievously. “What gave me away?”
“Oh, nothing in particular. I’m just finally putting two and two together.”
“Believe it or not, Bianca almost gave me away.”
“Ah, she hasn’t yet mastered the art of subtlety, but don’t you worry. I’ll teach her.”
Bianca was traveling through Europe with their parents, otherwise the three of them would have attended the wedding today as well. I missed that girl. Luckily, she would attend UCLA for college, so she wouldn’t move away.
“I know you will. I love you, Hailey.”
“I love you too. You have no idea how much,” I whispered. “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“Showing me that it’s okay to want things I fear. And that I don’t have to fear loving you.”
Reid skimmed his hands down my side. Yeah… we were definitely going to be a bit late.
“Promise not to ugly cry,” Lori said sternly. The makeup artist had just put the finishing touches on all us girls. We were quite a group. In addition to all of us Connor girls, my Bennett cousins had also arrived.
We were in a small room at the wedding venue. The ceremony was taking place on the same property as the reception, a beautiful location just outside Los Angeles at the foot of the San Gabriel mountains.
We all nodded, but she zeroed in on me.
“Especially you, Hailey.”
I cleared my throat, but what could I say in my defense? Lori usually cried too, but she was discreet, shedding a few tears in silence. I, on the other hand, could become a blubbering mess, which as Val put it, was contagious.
A knock at the open door startled us. Reid stood there, watching us with an amused smile.
“Sorry to interrupt the pep talk, but you told me to come get you girls at ten past three, Lori.”
“Sure, I was just—”
“About to give my girl shit? Can’t let that happen, can I?”
The girls laughed, and I skidded toward Reid, lacing my arm with his.
“Thanks for coming to my rescue.”
“Always.”
“Ah, the perks of having a fiancé.”
My cousin Pippa looked between the two of us with a smile.
“Nice ring you picked there, Reid.” She was the designer at Bennett Enterprises and one of my favorite people in this world.
“Oh, this?” I held up my ring. Everyone laughed.
“Well, you designed it, so I think you might be biased, but I happen to agree with you,” Reid said.
Pippa winked at me. “I’m not supposed to have favorites, but that is my favorite. So, when’s the next Connor wedding? Is it going to be yours or Will’s?”
I laughed. “We haven’t yet set a date. But hey, I’m sure that as soon as we do, Will and Paige will finally set their own too.”
“Anyone up for making bets?” Val asked, rubbing her palms together in excitement.
We all followed Lori’s instructions as we took our seats. I was sitting between Val and Reid. I behaved, only shedding a few small tears… right until the vows.
Reid squeezed my hand, wiping at the corner of my eyes. Oh, damn.
“Don’t hold it in, sweet girl,” he murmured.
“It’s just that… weddings are a bit overwhelming. My parents would have loved this. I feel closer to them on wedding days, as if they’re here, watching over us.”
“I know.”
Oh, God. That was why he’d proposed today.
I wanted to kiss him right here, right now, but it wouldn’t do.
I’d volunteered to hold Carla, who was sleeping peacefully on my right shoulder.
Reid glanced at Carla, then at me. There was that look again.
It promised we’d start working on having our own nugget very, very soon.
I managed to compose myself by the time the ceremony was over, and it was time for group pictures—now I was smiling from ear to ear. Yup, weddings were emotional roller coasters.
“Oh, girl, how are you going to make it through your own wedding?” Val asked.
“With your help, of course. What’s family for if not to save me from myself?”
We took turns congratulating Jace and Brooke, who were both grinning.
“Congratulations to you too,” Jace said.
“Oh, we don’t want to steal your thunder,” I said quickly, even though I was dying to show off my ring and share every single detail of the proposal.
I’d barely kept quiet during the makeup session.
But that was a story better left for a Friday dinner.
Today, we were celebrating Jace and Brooke.
I hugged them both tight but couldn’t monopolize them any longer because there was a long line of guests behind us.
Everything was a whirlwind of activity right until we were officially invited inside the restaurant.
“Oooh, speeches are my favorite part,” I informed Reid when Landon stood up, holding a glass of champagne. Jace had chosen Will as his best man, but he’d asked Landon to be the first to make a speech.
“I just want to say a few words,” he began.
“I’ve waited a long time for this day, to see my baby brother in love.
Brooke, Jace, I am certain you will have a happy marriage.
Embrace all the changes coming your way, enjoy every day next to each other.
I think I speak for Val too when I say it’s been a joy to watch everyone in this family find their way in life and their better halves.
I think Mom and Dad would be proud of all of us.
I’m sure they’re watching us now, smiling, happy that we’re all here. ”
And there I went again with the misty eyes.
Reid laced his hand with mine between the chairs, squeezing it lightly.
I loved him so much. He didn’t let go until all the speeches were over.
After Jace and Brooke delighted us with an intricate choreography I wouldn’t have expected my brother to learn, everyone wanted to dance.
I was the first to stand from our table. Reid sighed, making me laugh.
“We’re dancing, Mr. Broody. I’m not taking no for an answer.”
Chuckling, he rose too. The entire family headed to the dance floor.
The little ones, Carla and Evelyn, were in their dad’s arms. And I had to say, the girls had moves.
Oh, we’d teach the new Connor generation all our tricks.
Meddling? Check. Doing whatever it took to keep the family close?
Double check. Loving without holding anything back?
Hell, yes. We had plenty of wisdom to share when it came to love, loyalty, and life in general.
We danced and laughed the entire night, celebrating the only way we Connors knew how to do things: wholeheartedly.