Epilogue 1
Alex
I smoothed my hands down the champagne tulle of my dress, the embroidered starbursts catching the light.
“Need help with the zipper?” Finn came up behind me, wearing dark jeans and a white button-down he’d left open at the collar. His hair was tied back in that messy knot that made me want to pull it out and thread my fingers through the strands while I kissed him senseless.
I turned my back to him, gathering my hair over one shoulder. “Please.”
His fingers were warm at the base of my spine as he pulled the zipper up slowly, his knuckles brushing my skin.
“Beautiful,” he murmured, smoothing his hands over my shoulders as he kissed the back of my neck.
I met his eyes in the mirror, smile pulling at my lips. “The dress or me?”
His thumbs traced small circles against the tulle. “Darlin’ this dress is nothin’ without you in it.”
“Flatterer,” I blushed, turning around.
“Truth speaker,” he corrected with a wink, kissing me lightly.
“Your collar’s twisted.”
He stilled as I reached up to fix it, his amber eyes tracking my movements.
“Hard to believe it’s actually happening tomorrow. Dom getting married.”
“I know.” I worked at the stubborn collar, straightening the fold. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen Enzo so nervous.”
Finn’s mouth quirked. “Dom stress-ate an entire bag of those fancy chips Camila keeps hidden.”
“The truffle ones?”
“Gone in twenty minutes.”
I laughed, smoothing the collar flat against his chest. “Well, at least they’re panicking together.”
“That’s love, I guess,” he caught my hand and brushed his lips over my knuckles. “Speakin’ of which, how did they meet again? I know it was at some party, but Dom’s always vague about the details.”
I stepped back slightly, looking away. “A party, yeah. Why?”
“Just wondering,” he reached for his tan blazer, shrugging it on. “Dom mentioned once that it was some Heliox Universe thing.”
My cheeks warmed. “It might have been the release party for Legends of Heliox.”
Finn’s hands stilled on the jacket’s lapels. “Might have?”
“Okay, fine,” I busied myself with my small purse, avoiding his gaze. “I might have... strategically invited Enzo to a party where I knew Dom would be. And I might have arranged for them to be introduced. By me. Directly.”
The silence stretched long enough that I had to look at him. He was staring at me, disbelief and delight written all over his face.
“You set them up?”
“I didn’t set them up, exactly. I just... facilitated an introduction between two people I thought would get along really well.”
When he didn’t say anything, I turned to him, hands on my hips. “It was shortly after the whole Preston thing. He needed good chaos in his life. Enzo is good chaos.”
“Alex,” he was trying not to grin now as he reached for his boots. “You matchmade our brothers.”
“It’s not like I planned their whole relationship! I just introduced them. They did all the actual falling in love themselves.”
“And then they turned around and did the exact same thing to us,” he laughed, shaking his head.
“Damn.” The realization hit me all at once. “That’s absolutely why they sent me to find you during their engagement party.”
“Again, I apologize for calling you a tight ass.”
“Eh,” I shrugged. “I am what I am. I might as well own it.”
“As long as I get to own it too,” he flashed a wolfish grin, crossing to where I stood, his hands settling on my waist. “Still. Can’t really complain about the results of their meddlin’.”
“No?” I looked up at him.
“Not even a little bit,” he brushed his lips against mine and then stepped back, grabbing the strappy gold heels I’d packed. He set them in front of me and held my elbow while I stepped into them. I held onto his shoulder as he settled on one knee to buckle the ankle straps.
He stood and kissed me again. “You ready?”
I nodded, letting him step back to offer his arm like we were in some old movie, only we were dressed to the nines for my brother’s rehearsal dinner.
Our brothers’ rehearsal dinner.
“Ready,” I grinned, slipping my arm through his.
The September evening had turned golden by the time we stepped outside. Path lights glowed along the walkway to the restaurant, voices and laughter drifting from the direction of the outdoor dining area.
“You nervous about your toast?” I asked as we walked.
“Terrified,” he admitted. “Public speakin’s not really my thing.”
“You’ll be great,” I squeezed his arm. “Just speak from the heart. That’s all anyone wants.”
“Says the woman who probably has hers perfectly memorized.”
“I absolutely do not. I’m going to wing it.”
“Liar.”
“Okay, fine, I have notes.”
He laughed, the sound carrying in the crisp air. Somewhere ahead I heard Tony’s distinctive voice calling out in Spanish.
I tightened my hold on Finn’s arm and took a deep breath.
“Hey,” he slowed our pace. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” I smiled up at him. “Just getting in the right headspace for tonight.”
“Steady, darlin’.”
“Steady.”
He dropped a kiss on my temple as we rounded the corner to where the whole family had gathered.
The outdoor dining area glowed with warmth, café lights crisscrossing overhead, candles flickering on long tables arranged in a wide U-shape, and the fireplaces at either end putting out an impressive amount of heat and light.
The Tetons rose in the distance, their peaks catching the last rosy light of sunset.
“Uncle Finn!” I turned to see Rose break away from a group of kids, her blonde curls bouncing as she ran straight for us.
Finn released my arm and crouched down, catching her as she threw herself at him. “Hey there, Rosie.”
“You look fancy,” she patted the lapels of his jacket with small hands. Then her expression grew serious, the way it did when she had something important to ask her favorite person. “Are you nervous about tomorrow?”
“A little bit,” he admitted. “Why? Are you?”
She nodded, her lower lip pushing out slightly. “What if I drop the flowers? What if I walk too fast or too slow? What if—”
“Rose,” he interrupted gently. “You’ve been practicin’, right?”
“Every day with Mommy and Sadie.”
“Then you know exactly what to do. And you know what? Even if somethin’ goes a little different than planned, it’ll still be perfect. Because the only job you have is to walk down that aisle lookin’ adorable, and sweetie, you’ve already got that covered.”
A small smile tugged at her mouth. She reached up with one finger, touching the scar across the bridge of his nose like she always did. Finn smiled and bumped her nose gently with his, making her giggle.
“You promise?” she asked.
“I promise. And I’ll be right there watchin’, okay? You won’t be alone.”
“Okay,” she wrapped her arms around his neck, and he stood, lifting her easily. “I like your jacket.”
“Thanks, kiddo. I like your dress.”
She beamed at him, then noticed me standing there. “Hi, Aunt Alex! You look like a princess!”
“Thank you, sweetie,” I smoothed one of her curls back from her face. “You look really pretty yourself.”
“Not as pretty as the grooms though,” she pointed across the space to where Dom and Enzo stood greeting guests, adding with a stage whisper. “Uncle Dom said I could call them ‘the grooms’ ‘cause it makes them both smile.”
“That’s ‘cause they like being a team,” Finn set her back down. “Now go find your sister before she eats all the rolls without you.”
Rose giggled and scampered off, and I watched Finn’s face soften as he tracked her progress back to the kids’ table where Sadie was indeed hoarding a basket of rolls.
“That was disgustingly adorable,” I smirked.
“She’s a good kid.” He offered his arm again.
“I mean you, you big soft softie.”
“Come on,” he laughed. “Let’s go say hi to the grooms.”
Dom spotted us first, his face lighting up. “There you are! I was starting to think you two got lost on your way over.”
“Or distracted,” Enzo added with a knowing grin, pulling me into a hug. “Hola, sister. You look stunning.”
“So do you two.” And they did, Dom in a deep burgundy button-down that made his eyes pop, Enzo in cream linen covered in embroidered florals that looked both masculine and elegant. “How are you holding up?”
“Terrified,” Dom grinned. “Excited. Ready for this to finally happen. All of the above?”
“That sounds about right,” Finn clasped his twin’s shoulder. “You ready for your last night as a free man?”
“I’ve been ready since the day I met him,” Dom softened, his gaze landing on Enzo across the few feet between them. “Tomorrow can’t come fast enough.”
“Sap,” Enzo teased, his voice rough.
“Your sap,” Dom corrected.
“My sap,” Enzo agreed, pressing a kiss to Dom’s lips.
“Go get food,” Dom gestured toward the buffet tables set up along one side. “Mom and Tony have been panicking that there won’t be enough even though there’s clearly enough to feed half of Wyoming.”
The buffet was an Argentine asado feast that made my mouth water just looking at it. Grilled meats, chimichurri, roasted vegetables, empanadas, fresh bread, and at least three kinds of salad filled a long row of tables in one side.
“This is amazing,” Finn breathed.
“Wait until you try the asado,” I grinned as he filled both of our plates. “I can’t believe the restaurant let Tony come up to help.”
We found our seats at the head table near Dom and Enzo, surrounded by the comfortable chaos of family. Marcus and Holly wrangled their kids while Tony told some animated story that had half the table laughing, and Mom chatted with Bridget.
Belle slid into the seat next to me, looking impossibly grown up since I’d last seen her in July. “That dress is gorgeous, Aunt Alex. Very celestial.”
“Thank you, honey,” I smiled at her. “How’s school going?”
“Good. I made the volleyball team.”
“That’s wonderful! Are you liking it?”
“Yeah, coach says I have good instincts.” She picked at her food, then looked up at me with her sharp hazel eyes that never missed anything. “Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”