Epilogue
Three months after my father's arrest, I quickly blinked to hide my tears as I stared at Penelope.
My best friend was getting married. She took my breath away.
Her pretty, white, silk wedding dress clung to her curves, emphasizing the swell of her baby bump.
She looked so happy, and I was grateful for that.
I had seen Jessop not too long ago, and he looked handsome in his navy-blue suit and sky-blue button-down shirt. He was clean-shaven with a trimmed haircut. He smelled good, though not quite as good as Carlisle. But then again, I was partial to the sexy oldest Hallen.
There was a knock at the door, and I opened it to find a smiling Rosie. She quickly hugged me, entered the room, and stopped when she saw Pen. Her breath caught, and then she burst into tears. I had to fight back my own.
"You look... I... I can't find the words to describe you. Beautiful seems inadequate."
I wrapped an arm around Rosie and said, "No more tears. I, for one, do not want to look like a panda in the wedding photos."
Rosie cleared her throat. "I came upstairs to tell you they're ready for you."
Pen swallowed hard and held out her hands. We each took one. "I can't believe I’m about to marry Jessop.”
"Wait until you see him." Rosie smirked. "He's almost as handsome as Rhodes." She waggled her brows.
"How long are you staying?”
"He has a game tomorrow night, so we're flying to meet the team in Florida right after the wedding." Rosie grinned. "Dodge is with us. He's doing well, although the injury is taking longer to heal than he'd like. The doctor won't clear him yet, which isn't going over well."
"He was hurt really badly. I'm not surprised he's still on medical leave." I shook my head. "I'm glad he came to the wedding with you.
"Oh!" Rosie's eyes popped wide open, causing Pen to glance over as if something were wrong. Rosie shook her head. "Nothing's wrong. Sorry. I just remembered that the sheriff and his partner, Chester, are here. Levi is with Scott downstairs. Bernie's son, Scott. He took you to dinner. That Scott."
“Oh, we finally get to meet Chester!” I chuckled. "We know about Scott and Levi, though. I think it’s sweet. They've been dating."
"That's hot," Rosie replied. "I mean, two men, you know?"
I rolled my eyes. "Don't we have a wedding to get to?"
Pen and Rosie snickered.
My brother stilled beside me when he caught sight of Penelope. Lionel walked her down the aisle, grinning wider than I'd ever seen. He had saved Penelope, Jessop, and Tallulah once before. He was a good friend to everyone, which is why Penelope wanted him beside her today.
It was her maid of honor who had my attention. Tallulah James had been a thorn in my side for a long time. Her glossy hair, sweet curves, and sexy legs had always held my attention. If I had anything to do with it, she would be walking down the aisle toward me very soon.
Patience wasn't one of my virtues, but everything would be over soon, and then Tallulah James would know exactly how much I wanted her. There would be no mistaking my intentions from that moment on.
The End