Chapter 21 #2
“Today is not the day for the past. It’s the day to celebrate your future together.
Let me just say that I came here because…
” He cleared his throat and took a deep breath.
“I coerced my brother to tell me everything. I am ashamed of how I treated you, my son, and I came in hopes that someday you can forgive me. You deserved my support, and I regret that I didn’t give you what you needed during your difficult time. ”
There was no way to hold back my tears after the emotional tsunami I’d just experienced, what with my debut wedding falling apart, only to become one of the most beautiful ceremonies I’d ever witnessed that then culminated in my marriage to my person. No one could blame me, and I didn’t care.
“Thank you,” I said to him. Kendall handed me the handkerchief that had held the rings, and I used it to wipe at my eyes. “I appreciate what you’ve said, but I would like to talk to you about it—”
“Later. Today is for celebrating your marriage to a man I can see truly loves you. I’m happy for you both.”
“Thanks, Dad. Thank you for being persistent.”
He gave me a little bow with a knowing smile.
Yeah, I got that from him.
“Thank you,” Kendall said to him. “I hope you’ll consider staying and getting to know some of our friends today. I look forward to speaking to you soon.”
“Thank you for the invitation. I will stay for a bit, and then I’ll call you in a few days and ask for a time to meet that works for you both. I’m here for an extended stay, and I’m assuming the two of you will take some sort of honeymoon?”
“I… Wow. This is the epitome of spontaneous. I don’t know. Husband?”
Kendall beamed. “We’ll have to discuss it, Mr. Warren. After you’ve had something to eat and about a gallon of water. You look like you’re about to drop, baby.”
“Now that you mention it, I could absolutely use some water—and get out of this coat at the very least.”
Mom led Dad away, and I hoped she was doing it because she wanted to, not because she was trying to save me from more awkward moments.
“Dad!”
Shay ran up and hugged Kendall, then she turned to me, and we spun around with the force of her hug.
“I’m going to have so much fun telling people my stepdad is only six years older than me.”
Kendall groaned, and Shay and I cracked up, fist-bumping each other.
“Can we at least hold off on the age jokes for the rest of my wedding day, daughter?”
“Absolutely. And I wanted to tell you, I texted Alberto, and whenever you two want to sneak away for a honeymoon, he and I will handle Chez Warren’s inhabitants. You two need to have some time alone after all you’ve been through.”
That sounded heavenly. I wondered where Kendall would let me take him.
He turned to me and smiled. “We’ll have to discuss our options.”
“I have some ideas,” I said, thinking I had the absolute perfect idea, but it would likely take some time to set up.
“I love your ideas,” he said, scooping me up in his arms and kissing me.
“Oh, ew. The HR rules still apply here. We’re in a workplace event.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” Kendall said. “But it can’t be helped. How about Francis lets you off the clock, so I can kiss him silly, and we can make googly eyes at each other for the rest of the night?”
She groaned. “Fine. Go ahead, and be gross. I’m still on the clock, though. Francis, you can go do whatever. I’ll handle everything. You set this event up so well, I barely have anything to do.”
“Thanks, Shay. Love you.” I held my arms open for another hug, and she came enthusiastically.
“Love you, too, Francis. I’m so glad you’re my family.”
Her words had a heft behind them that I wouldn’t take for granted.
“I’m honored to be your family. Thank you.”
She stepped back, smiled at me, raised an eyebrow at Kendall, and then stomped off in a huff.
“So much drama,” he said.
“Yeah, but you heard her. She’s really happy for us.”
“I’m so grateful she’s here. Thank you for taking her on. Thank you for supporting us both as we worked on living in the same place again. You really are pretty great at this whole dream-granting thing.”
I rolled my eyes and linked my fingers behind his neck. “Oh, just wait ’til we’re done here. I have so many dreams to grant you, my love.”
Kendall groaned, and his next kiss was downright sinful. I didn’t know if we were going to make it through the rest of the festivities. We might not be married in the eyes of the law, but I was ready to consummate this marriage in all kinds of barely legal ways.
We finally started to climb the steps to my bedroom around one in the morning.
Mom and Judy moved back to their cottage, since it wasn’t needed for the bridal suite—thank God—and we miraculously had the house to ourselves.
The best thing about it being a local wedding was that there weren’t a bunch of out-of-towners who needed places to stay.
“Oh! Your surprise! With all the chaos, I almost forgot. Come on, we have to go.”
His crestfallen expression let me know he was just as anxious as I was to be alone and in bed, but too many things had gotten in the way of me being able to show him.
“I’m all for surprises, but are you sure this one can’t wait until we’re rested?”
“I’ve waited long enough,” I said, not sure where I was getting the energy, either.
I turned off the alarm and took him out the back slider and down the path toward the gazebo.
“What is happening?” Kendall asked, the exhaustion evident in his voice.
Thank goodness I’d been able to get Kimo to come out here and set this up while we were in the tent dancing our hearts out. He’d left it open just in case we happened to be over here before I was ready for Kendall to see it.
“Where are you going?” he asked when I went to the opening in our lovely, custom-made fence.
I reached around and pulled the gate closed, straining a little under its weight.
He’d used lightweight materials, but it was still a big piece of metal.
I locked the gate in place and turned to grin at him.
I stepped to the side, held out my hands, and gave a big, “Ta-daaaaa. Oh.” I switched on the flashlight on my phone. “Ta-da!”
He stared at the gate for a long moment until recognition hit him—and he absolutely melted.
“Oh my God… It’s John Wayne!”
I’d asked Kimo to recreate our first encounter, the tortoise breakout, followed by our reunion, the bananas… it was all there. Us on either side of John Wayne, with me holding out the bunch of bananas to Kendall.
“He did such a great job with the rest of the fence, with the flowers and palm fronds on the metal panels, but for the gate, I wanted you to have a bit of art dedicated to Chez Warren. See?” I did a Vanna White hand gesture to the words Welcome to Chez Warren, Pardners at the top of the gate, amongst the palm fronds.
“You did all this for me?” He approached and took me into his arms, kissing my head.
“I mean, mostly I did it for John Wayne, but… I guess for you. Happy birthday or whatever.”
It was his turn to pinch me.
“Ow,” I said, pouting up at him. “Is this the response I can expect to future matrimonial gifts?” I couldn’t pull off pretending to be hurt, though. I was so blissed out, all I could do was smile and laugh. I’d come here to live the dream, and, boy, was I living it now.
“I can’t believe we got married.”
“You can’t believe it?” I said, and nibbled on his chin. “I thought the best thing that would come out of today was not murdering anyone or allowing anyone to be murdered on my property.”
“You turned a major disappointment into something really beautiful. Was it your idea or Evelyn’s?”
“She thought of having her son and wife renew their vows. That was really moving. The Deevers were sad, but they understood where Todd and Karen were coming from. I suggested they open it up to others, since so many of the people coming to the wedding know each other so well. Maybe part of me was trying to resurrect my belief that marriage can be a beautiful thing.” I laughed.
“It must have done the trick, because here we are.”
“We are,” Kendall breathed. “And we can take care of the legal part whenever you’re ready. We can make all the pertinent decisions as soon or as late as you want. In no way was I trying to pressure you.”
“You didn’t at all,” I said, cupping his face. “I wanted this. I want this. I know there are things to work out, but let’s take tonight, at the very least, to celebrate us.”
“I like that plan.”
What started out as sweet kisses in the moonlight grew heated in a hurry.