Epilogue
Three Years Later
With a smile on my face, I stare in the mirror as Cora does up the buttons on the back of my dress. The photographer snaps photos as the rest of the girls ooh and ahh around us.
Today I officially become Mrs. Wyatt Scott.
It doesn’t feel real.
In the last four years, so many things have happened.
I met the man of my dreams and had one hell of a senior year.
It was filled with laughs and tears, but Wyatt stood by me the whole time.
Then Wyatt and I graduated before we moved to Boston so he could play for the Foxes.
I was lucky enough to find a job at Boston General as a floor nurse.
I’m hoping soon I will be able to take on a new challenge.
I want to become a wound care nurse, but I need to get my certifications first.
For a moment, I contemplated staying behind since the drive wasn’t far, but Will was adamant that I go.
He didn’t want me hanging around because he was there.
Still, I didn’t like leaving him behind even if it was only a short way away.
We had been together so long that it felt weird not living with him.
Speaking of him, he and Rachelle are still happily together. Every time I see them, my heart aches. If it wasn’t for Wyatt’s meddling and Dad being sick, they might not have ever met. Which is crazy to think about.
Grace and Peyton both moved to Boston when I did. For a minute we all lived in the same building before we decided to find houses. Now instead of being neighbors, we live in the same neighborhood, and when the guys play out of state, we have watch parties at one of our houses.
Cora and Kellan took off to the West Coast, where they are both thriving.
I miss her like crazy, but we make up for not being able to see each other every day in person by video chatting every chance we get.
Selfishly I hope that Kellan gets traded to the Foxes so we can all live close to each other again.
Last but not least, Emery, Alissa, and Brett live not too far from us. She’s still training for the Olympics, which are rapidly approaching, and Brett is still her biggest fan. When he’s not coaching, he’s at the rink with her, cheering her on. It’s ridiculously sweet to watch.
When the guys are in town, we make sure to have a family dinner every Sunday so we can spend time with each other, and all those years ago when I said I couldn’t wait to see Wyatt with Alissa?
Well, let’s just say it’s better than I could have imagined.
Watching him with his goddaughter is an ovary explosion.
Through it all, I still miss my dad, but it has gotten easier. I just wish he was here for days like today.
“There you go,” Cora says, bringing me back into the present.
“Seriously, Lyla, you look amazing,” Grace says.
“That dress was made for you,” Emery agrees.
“Wyatt’s going to hate the buttons when he has to undo them tonight, but he’s going to swallow his tongue.” Peyton winks, making us all laugh.
Alissa comes over and looks up at me. “You look like a princess.”
“I do?” I gasp as I kneel in front of her. “Guess what? So do you.”
Alissa laughs as she runs over to her mom.
“Are you going to say thank you to Aunt Lyla for complimenting you?” Emery asks her.
“Thank you, Aunt Lyla.”
Hearing her call me “aunt” will never get old and makes my heart clench every time. It makes me want one of my own.
My hands go to my stomach instinctively. My own little wedding gift for my future husband. I found out this morning we are expecting. I couldn’t be happier. Come March, we will have a baby of our own.
“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” I tell her, trying to hold back my tears.
“Can I get a few more photos of you as a group?” the photographer asks.
For twenty minutes she moves us around, posing us how she wants before there is a knock at the door.
“Thank God, I don’t know if I can smile anymore,” Peyton mumbles as she goes to answer the door.
I can’t help but laugh at her comment. She’s not wrong.
Peyton slams the door shut and leans against it.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, suddenly feeling nervous.
“Nothing, but your brother is out there, and he wants to talk to you privately. Do you want to see him?” she asks.
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?” I wave her away from the door.
“We will meet you out there,” Grace says as she squeezes my shoulder as she passes by me.
“Come on, Elise. This is for just them,” Emery tells the photographer, ushering her toward the door.
“I’ll see you out there,” Cora says.
“See you,” I murmur.
Once the girls are gone, Will steps in. When he looks up at me, his eyes go wide and he freezes.
“I kind of wish I asked the photographer to stay to catch your reaction,” I say nervously as I run my hands along my hips.
“Lyla, you look…like Mom.”
I squeeze my eyes shut to ward off the tears. It’s hard mourning, barely remembering because they died when you were little. I thought I had buried those pieces of me a long time ago, but this whole wedding process reminded me that not only am I fatherless, but motherless as well.
“Seriously, don’t make me cry. The makeup artist said my mascara would hold, but I don’t want to chance it,” I mutter, making him laugh.
Will shuts the door completely and walks over to me. I wrap my arms around his waist as he pulls me into a hug. For a moment, we just hold each other.
Will clears his throat and steps back. “I have something for you.”
I watch as he pulls a necklace out of his pocket, and he hands it over.
“What’s this?” I ask as I take it.
“It was Mom’s. She wore it on her and Dad’s wedding day,” he says, blowing me away.
“How did you…”
“Dad gave it to me for safekeeping when his mind started failing. He wanted to make sure you would have it when it came time for you to get married. I think he always knew he wouldn’t be here for it.” He shrugs.
I hand the necklace back to him and turn around. Wordlessly, he fastens the necklace for me.
“I wish he were here,” I say as I fight back the tears.
Will’s hands come up and rest on my shoulders. “Me too. I miss him.”
“He should be walking me down the aisle.”
“He should be, but instead you get me,” he jokes.
“I love you. If it can’t be him, I am glad it’s you.”
“I love you more,” he whispers, pressing a kiss to my temple.
After several moments of silence, he steps back.
I turn to look at myself in the mirror, reassuring myself that my makeup still looks okay.
Will clears his throat. “So are you sure you want to marry Wyatt?”
I roll my eyes and fight back a smile. “Please, if I tried to run now, you would throw me over your shoulder and carry me down the aisle yourself.”
He shrugs. “Can’t blame me for liking the guy.”
There’s a soft knock on the door before it’s cracked open.
“It’s time,” the wedding planner says.
Will nods before turning back to me. “You ready to do this?”
“I’ve never been more ready to do anything,” I say truthfully as I weave my arm through his.
Because marrying Wyatt Scott is the easiest thing I’ve ever done.
“It’s good to see you,” Reagan says as she stops near me.
“Congratulations,” her husband, Garrett, says.
“Thanks for coming, guys.”
“We wouldn’t miss it.”
I watch as they head into the chapel and take a deep breath.
Today’s the day.
A year ago I proposed to Lyla after a game of laser tag. It wasn’t how I was planning, but it just popped out. Thankfully my woman rolled with it and said yes while we were surrounded by our closest friends.
We went back and forth about what kind of wedding we would want. Lyla and I both agreed early on not to do anything too massive where we really didn’t have parents or relatives that would pressure us into doing things traditionally.
The more we thought about it, though, the more we realized that we wanted to celebrate with those who mattered. Then one thing led to another and into today. The guest list was bigger than we thought it would be, but that’s okay.
As long as I get to marry her.
My heart feels as if it’s going to beat out of my chest. Not because I’m nervous to finally marry Lyla, but because of all the people that are about to be looking right at me.
And to think, this is considered a small wedding.
“You good, man?” Clay murmurs.
“I’m ready to get this started,” I confess.
Beckett chuckles under his breath. “I told you, you should have run away to the courthouse like we did.”
He’s not wrong, and the thing is, Lyla would have jumped to get married in private, but because of my job it wasn’t possible. So instead, we are going all out.
“It’s time to head up front while I get the bride,” the wedding planner says.
“Is everything okay? I saw her brother slip into her room a few minutes ago.”
The wedding planner smiles. “Everything is great. He just wanted a few minutes with his sister.”
I nod as she takes off.
“We will see you down at the other end, buddy,” Kellan says as he slaps my shoulder.
“You got this,” Brett tells me.
Nodding, I pass through the doors and into the chapel. Everyone shifts in their seats, watching me as I make my way to the front.
“Good day for a wedding, Mr. Scott,” the preacher says as I come to a stop next to him.
“I couldn’t agree more, and before I forget, thank you for doing this.”
“It’s no problem, son. It’s all a part of the job.” He smiles.
Music starts, and I turn toward the front.
I watch as each of the guys guides their woman down the aisle to stand alongside us.
When we were planning our wedding, Lyla knew she wanted Cora to be her maid of honor but I couldn’t decide between the guys.
So I told them to figure it out. Instead of drawing straws, they decided to play for it.
Not on the ice, but with video games. Three rounds, whoever the winner was at the end would be my best man.
“I should be standing there,” Beckett mumbles as Kellan stands next to me as my best man.
“Should have played better,” Kellan says quietly as he shrugs.
“Pretty sure you cheated,” Brett says.
“Shhh,” Clay scolds them from the middle of the lineup.
“Everyone, please rise,” the preacher says.
As everyone does as he asks, the music changes. My heart races the entire time, and when the door opens, I feel myself go lightheaded.
“Don’t fucking go down on me,” Kellan hisses under his breath as he catches me.
She’s fucking stunning and literally takes my breath away.
I’ve dreamed of this day for years and now it’s about to happen.
Lyla walks toward me while holding onto her brother with a smile on her face. I step forward and wait for her at the bottom of the stairs.
When they reach me, I reach out and shake Will’s hand.
“Keep her safe?” he asks, emotions bleeding through his words.
“Always,” I tell him.
“Who gives this woman away?” the preacher asks.
Will rolls his shoulders back and clears his throat. “I do.”
I take her hand as Will moves to sit down in the front row next to Rachelle, and we move up to our spot.
“I really want to kiss you right now,” I confess without thinking about it.
The preachers microphone picks it up and the crowd begins to chuckle as I cringe.
“Not yet, buddy,” Kellan teases.
“So impatient,” Lyla quips, making me chuckle.
“Since these two are so eager to make this official, let’s jump right in,” the preacher says.
As he talks, my eyes don’t move away from my girl. I swear as I stare at her, everything calms. I don’t care about the people watching us intently or worry that I might fuck this up. All that matters is her.
This is finally happening. After all the planning and plotting, she’s about to become my wife. I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with her.
“Now, Wyatt, repeat after me. I, Wyatt, take you, Lyla, to be my wedded wife. I promise to be faithful to you and honest with you. I will respect, trust, and care for you. I will share my life with you. I will forsake all others and be yours alone as long as we both shall live.”
I repeat the words, sentence by sentence, back to her with conviction. When I’m done, a tear rolls down her cheek, and I can’t help but reach out and catch it.
“Don’t cry, baby,” I murmur softly, making her smile.
When Lyla repeats the words back to me, it hits me harder than I expect it to.
Don’t cry. Don’t fucking cry, I repeat through my mind as my eyes well.
“You may kiss the bride!” the preacher says loudly before stepping away.
I pull Lyla into my arms and kiss her as our friends and family cheer around us.
For seven long years, I’ve been waiting for this moment, and I don’t know if it could get much better than this.
Only months later when our child is born do I realize that it can keep getting better and better.