Chapter 36
Chapter Thirty-Six
KANE - ONE YEAR LATER…
The pier is packed with friends and family, all here for our wedding. The decorations are perfect. The sky is clear. And everyone is present—except for Hank. I want to throttle the man, but I keep my cool. This is important to Timber. Hank delivered her safely to the port, and she wants him to deliver us into marriage.
I hear the drone of a plane engine and look up to see Hank’s floatplane descending toward the water. Finally. The plane skims across the surface, and I watch as Hank expertly maneuvers it to the dock.
He steps out, straightens his bowtie, and flashes an apologetic grin. “Sorry I’m late, folks!” He starts tossing fancy suitcases onto the dock, each one thudding heavily. “But I had to deal with this one.” He points to a woman teetering on her heels as she exits the plane.
She’s wearing a tight, black leather dress that barely covers anything and some kind of shiny wrap that looks more suited for a Hollywood gala than the Alaskan wilderness. She’s clearly struggling to keep her balance on the uneven dock. Her over-the-top wave and bright smile make it obvious she thinks all these people are here to see her.
“Hello, everyone!” she calls out, waving like a beauty queen on parade. “Thank you for the warm welcome!”
She turns to me. “Are you my driver?”
I shake my head. “You’ve got the wrong guy.”
Finn steps forward, already gathering the suitcases to clear the dock. “You’re two days late.”
“I had a medical procedure.”
“You mean Botox and a facial?” my brother asks.
She leans in and whispers, “How did you know?”
“Your agent called,” Finn says.
At the mention of her agent, I know exactly who this is. Business is slow for Finn, and when a Hollywood agent wanted to rent out Finn’s cabin and put Lena Kensington in the wild to up her ratings, Finn took the gig.
“Do you mind?” I ask. “You’re holding up my wedding, and I’d like to get to the forever part of my life.” I point to an empty chair at the back. “Have a seat.”
“Oh, so these people…”
Finn sighs. “Aren’t here for you, sweetheart.”
Lena struts down the dock like it’s a runway, but one of her heels gets caught between the boards. She pulls and tugs, but she’s good and stuck. I laugh to myself because that is exactly who I thought Timber would be—a city girl without a clue. I’m one lucky bastard that she wasn’t .
Finn bends over and tugs, but the heel won’t budge. Finally, he pulls her foot from the shoe and snaps the heel straight off from the sole. “You won’t be needing those here.” He kicks at the heel until it loosens from the crevice and falls into the water.
She looks at him in horror. “These are Louboutins!”
Finn shrugs. “Well, you’ll have to buy Lou another pair.”
As soon as Lena is seated, the wedding music starts. My heart skips a beat as I turn to watch Timber walking down the dock. She’s a vision in her white dress, catching the sunlight with each step. The dress hugs her figure perfectly, flowing gracefully around her legs. Her hair is in soft waves, cascading down her shoulders, with a daisy-chain crown on top. She looks like a woodland goddess, ethereal and stunning.
Her eyes lock onto mine, and in that moment, the world narrows down to just the two of us. Her eyes sparkle with unshed tears, and her smile is radiant, more beautiful than anything I’ve ever seen. She holds a bouquet of wildflowers she picked from our yard this morning.
My dad walks beside her, smiling proudly as he escorts her down the makeshift aisle. The love and approval in his eyes mirror everything inside me. Behind them, Hailey skips with a basket, joyfully tossing daisies, her laughter a sweet song that fills the air.
As Timber gets closer, I notice the little details. The delicate curve of her lip that I’ve kissed so many times. The way a strand of hair has escaped and brushes against her cheek. The slight tremble in her hands as she grips the bouquet. She glances down, almost shyly, then looks back up at me with a look that says she’s exactly where she wants to be.
A lump forms in my throat as emotions swell within me.
This is the woman I love, the woman I’m going to spend the rest of my life with. The thought fills me with a profound sense of joy.
May sits in the front row, wiping tears from her eyes. The guests are all captivated, and it’s not because of the diva sitting in the back row. It’s all because of my future bride.
When she finally reaches me, we take each other’s hands. Her touch is warm and reassuring, an electric connection sparking as if our souls are aligning perfectly in that moment.
“I love you,” I whisper, my voice thick with emotion.
“I love you too,” she replies, her voice steady and full of conviction.
We turn to face Hank, our officiant, ready to begin. I know, without a doubt, that this is the beginning of something extraordinary.
Hank clears his throat and begins the ceremony. “Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today to witness the union of Timber and Kane. But first, let’s all acknowledge that I got her here safely—twice now—and that deserves a round of applause.” The guests laugh and clap.
“We’re here to celebrate love, the kind that weathers storms, both literal and metaphorical,” Hank continues, a mischievous look in his eye. “So, without further ado, let’s get to the fun part. Kane and Timber have prepared their own vows.”
I turn to Timber, taking a deep breath. “Timber, when you first arrived here, I thought you were just another city girl out of her element. But you proved me wrong every single day. You showed me what love, strength, and determination look like. I promise to stand by you, to laugh with you, and to love you with everything I have, even when the seas get rough. You’re my compass, my safe harbor, and I love you more than words can say.”
Timber’s eyes shimmer with tears as she squeezes my hands. “Kane, when I came to town, I was searching for something—my place, my purpose. I found all of that and more with you. You are my anchor and my adventure all at once. I’ll support you, laugh at your jokes even when they’re terrible, and love you fiercely every day. You’ve taught me what it means to truly be home, and I love you with all my heart.”
Every word she says is a reminder of how much we've been through and how much I love her. Tears sting my eyes, but I hold them back, focusing on her face. She’s everything I’ve ever wanted, and her vows reaffirm that I’m the luckiest man in the world.
Hank grins, wiping a fake tear from his eye. “Beautiful, just beautiful. Now, before we wrap this up, there’s someone else who wants to say a few words.”
Hailey steps forward. She looks up at us with wide eyes. “Timber, I promise to share my toys, to help you bake cookies, and to always give you lots of hugs. And Daddy, I will be good and not kiss anyone until I’m thirty-five. I love you both.”
The crowd melts, a collective “aww” sweeping through them. Timber bends down to hug Hailey, and I join in, wrapping them both in my arms.
Hank continues. “Now, by the power vested in me by the great state of Alaska, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Kane, you may kiss your bride.”
I straighten and pull Timber close and kiss her deeply, the cheers of our friends and family ringing in my ears. When we finally pull apart, Hank is there, grinning like a fool.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. Hollister! Now, let’s get to the part where we eat and drink!”
The guests laugh and applaud, and Timber and I turn to face them, hands clasped tightly together. This is it. Our forever starts now, surrounded by the people we love, in the place that brought us together.
“I love you,” she whispers again.
“I love you more.”
As the ceremony ends, Timber walks down the dock toward the community center, her hand tightly in mine. At the end, she pauses and turns, tossing her bouquet over her shoulder. It sails through the air and lands right in Lena’s hands.
“Oh, hell no,” Lena exclaims, holding the bouquet like it’s a live grenade .