Epilogue
The phone call to my dad went off without a hitch, and everyone is flying in on different days at different times. Clara was able to fly in early, and we have been running around, tying up all the loose ends before the big day tomorrow. It took three dress shops to find Clara’s bridesmaid dress and another two to find mine. It took two jewelry shops to find Coop”s ring, and he said that he and King picked out the perfect ring for me, but he won’t show me until the ceremony. Georgie has assured me that she has seen it and confirms that I will love it. Georgie has finished the wedding cake, but I am also not allowed to see it until the wedding, but I am sure it will be fabulous. If her delicious baked goods are anything in comparison to the wedding cake, I am going to look fat in my dress by the end of it all.
I haven’t seen Coop in two days; his friends are keeping him locked away so we don’t run off and elope. So here I am, at the cottage hotel room where it all started. Except instead of building forts and hiding from storms, I am sitting next to Clara on the bed while we eat my new favorite soup and noodles, reminiscing about all of our shared shenanigans over the years.
“I cannot believe you are getting married tomorrow, Molls,” she rests her head on my shoulder, and I lean my head on hers as we stare at the wedding dress hanging on the doorframe of the bathroom door.
“I know. Me neither, but I can’t wait. These last few days have gone by slower than any turtle I have ever seen.” Clara turns her head and looks up at me, rolling her eyes.
“Oh brother. You are going to make me sick with all of your ooey, gooey, lovey-dovey stuff. Let’s go to sleep so I don’t have to hear you anymore.” She pops up out of bed and heads for the bathroom, while I gather the leftover takeout and reverently stick it into the fridge, making a note to come back and get it after the wedding so it doesn’t go to waste.
“Oh, come on, Clara. I’ve had to hear you talking about Dusty the past few days, so don’t give me your bull-crap.” I enter the bathroom, and she’s washing her face, so I bump her with my butt, scooting her over so I can brush my teeth.
“Hey! I’m going to get soap in my eyes.” She’s feeling around for the water, so I let her squeeze in again. We finish getting ready for bed and crawl under the covers, just as a text comes through my new phone, lighting up the darkness.
Coop: Hey Sunshine, are you still awake?
Molly: Yeah. We decided to go to bed, so Clara doesn’t have to hear me talk about you anymore. I think she is sick of me.
Coop: Lol! King went to bed too. He couldn’t handle my constant whining. Apparently I was whining.
Molly: Well, at least you are a cute whiner.
Coop: Hey… I’m not a whiner. I’m a weiner. Remember?
Molly: Haha! I forgot I called you a weiner.
Coop: You said I kicked you in your weenis, and then you called me a weiner.
Molly: I did, didn’t I? I’m awesome.
Coop: Yeah. You are pretty awesome. Hey awesome. Can you come outside really quick?
Molly: Wait… You’re outside?
I try not to squeal as I slide out of bed. “Where are you going?” Clara rolls over to face me.
“Coop’s outside and wants to see me really quick.” I am so anxious to see him that I am bouncing on my toes.
“Ugh, fine. But if you’re not back in five minutes, I’m calling in the calvary. Aka, Coop’s dad. He gave me his phone number and told me to call him if you two break the rules.” She makes a gagging sound as she rolls back over.
I head for the door and open it, stepping outside into the inky black night, the sound of waves crashing in the distance and the smell of saltwater in the air. Before I even have a chance to take another step, I am swept off my feet. I clutch at Coop’s shirt as he spins me around again and again, the sound of his laughter vibrating in my ear.
“I missed you, Sunshine. So much. I can’t wait to marry you tomorrow.” He sets me down on my feet and gives me the most achingly tender kiss, leaving me breathless and wanting more. When I open my eyes, he is gone, and I watch his truck roll away.
“You’re still a brat,” I yell at the retreating tail lights. He slams on his breaks, and the truck starts to back up, and I screech as he puts the truck in park and gets out, stomping toward me with a smile on his face.
“No… Coop. I’m sorry. You’re not a bra–,” but before I can get out my apology, he scoops me up into his arms again, blowing raspberries on my neck, my cheek, and anywhere else he can reach, making me giggle louder than I should at this time of night.
He sets me back down on the ground and gives me a quick little peck before bopping me on the nose. “At least I’m your brat, Sunshine. Now go get your beauty sleep.” He heads back to his truck, and I watch him until his taillights disappear in the distance before heading back inside. I crawl under the covers and fall asleep with thoughts of tomorrow and that kiss dancing through my head.
King has the ring, my brown linen suit has been steamed to perfection by Georgie, and my hair is pulled back into the man bun that Molly loves so much. Am I forgetting anything? I don’t think I am forgetting anything. Crap, my vows. I had them on King’s table yesterday, but they aren’t there now. “King, have you seen my vows? I can’t find them.”
King comes out of his bedroom, Georgie on his tail, and they both look like they had been ready at one point, but their clothes are wrinkled and… I don’t want to think about it anymore.
“What’s wrong, Coop? Georgie asks, trying, but failing, to hide her swollen lips and mussed hair from my eyes.
“Oh geez. I knew I shouldn’t have stayed with you guys.” I give them both a look of disgust before I remember why I yelled for them.
“I can’t find my vows. I left them on the table yesterday, but now they are gone.” King mutters something under his breath, something that sounds like “Stupid llama.” Before he looks at me, guilt written across his face.
“I think Prince Harry got your vows, Coop.” The look I have on my face must reflect confusion, because King feels the need to continue with his explanation.
“Yesterday, the stupid llama got into the pool again. So after I got him out, I tied him up outside, next to the window.” My brain is still not registering why that would result in the llama eating my vows, so King keeps going. “Coop… the window was open, and it just so happens to be by the table. Comprendo?” My hand flies to my face, and I sit down hard on the chair behind me.
“Ah… no! I am going to kill that llama, King. I worked on those vows all week! What am I going to do now?”
King crouches down so that he is eye level with me, and Georgie stands behind him, resting her hand on his back. “First of all, no one is going to kill that llama except for me. I don’t understand how he keeps getting out of his pen. Second, just say whatever words come to you. You wrote them down, which means they are still up there somewhere.” He taps my temple and stands up. “Me and Georgie need to finish getting ready. See you in five…,” He looks over at Georgie, and she smiles. “Maybe ten minutes?” And then they disappear into their room.
“Get a room.” I yell after them. Oh, wait. That’s exactly what they did.
I got here early. I couldn’t wait any longer. But Clara won’t let me out of the cabin of the boat and is currently baby-guarding the entrance, so I can’t see anything. “Come on, Clara. It’s five minutes till. Please just let me out of here.” Clara tsks her tongue at me and waves her finger back and forth.
“Nope. I have strict instructions not to let you out of here until Georgie comes to get y–.” She doesn’t get a chance to finish because someone knocks on the door and she spins around to open it, cracking it open just enough for the message to be relayed.
“Alright, I guess you can come out now. Everyone is ready for you.” Clara points with her thumb toward the door. Coop’s dad, Sam, picked my dad up from the airport this afternoon, so he should be here with his girlfriend Lindsay.
I take a deep breath and smooth out my wedding dress, taking one last look in the mirror. The dress we found is perfect. It has lacy capped sleeves with a matching bust that ends in an empire waist style, with flowy fabric that tapers out from the waist and pools at the bottom. I chose to go barefoot for our beachy wedding. I always hated shoes anyway. My hair is braided into an elegant braid that wraps from the front to the back and continues around my hair like a crown, and there are little pieces of baby’s breath placed throughout, giving it a whimsical appearance.
I give Clara a small smile and step out onto the deck, and my eyes take in the deck railing, wrapped in white chiffon fabric, the theme of baby’s breath continuing in clumps around the boat. My eyes continue toward the bow of the boat, where people are seated and conversing quietly with one another while waiting for the ceremony to begin, and that is when my eyes catch on Coop’s. While I have been taking in all of the decorations, he has been watching me, patiently waiting for me to notice him. How could I not notice him? I’ve never seen Coop in a suit, but it’s doing strange things to my insides, and I kind of wish no one was here right now so I could marry the man in private and lure him below deck, like a siren. But there he is, in all of his beautiful, man-bun, tan-skinned glory, and he is about to be mine forever. He smiles at me, and his face is beaming, and the rest of the scene blurs in that moment because I no longer see the guests or the decorations. I only see him.
The moment she steps out of the cabin, it’s like someone punches me in the gut, because all the air whooshes out of me, and I’m left feeling dizzy and lightheaded. She’s gorgeous. She has always been gorgeous, but that dress… and her hair… Did I mention that dress? She starts walking toward me, and I feel like it”s my birthday and I am getting the best gift in the world. She stops in front of me, and before the judge can begin the ceremony, she presses her lips to mine and wraps her arms around my neck.
“Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today,” and that is all I remember of the words the judge says, because it is my turn now.
“Molly Thatcher. You are the most infuriating woman I have ever known, and I love that part of you.” The audience chuckles. “I love every part of you so much that I feel like a piece of me is missing when you aren’t around. I can’t wait to start my life with you. Our future children will be blessed to have you as their mother, and I will thank the good Lord for the rest of my life for crashing us together on that island.” The audience laughs again. “I love you, Sunshine.”
Holy crap? How do I even follow something like that? I throw my arms around his neck and pull his face toward me. “I love you too, Cooper Heyes,” and I don’t get a chance to even say anything else because the judge, taking my close proximity to Coop as a hint, pronounces us husband and wife. Coop gives a holler and a whoop before pulling me to him and kissing me with no remorse for who is watching, before he pulls away and whispers in my ear, “I love you more, Mrs. Heyes.”
The End
But wait… there’s more… Want to find out what happens after the wedding? Continue to the prologue for the spinoff series ‘Harboring Hearts’.