Epilogue
GRAHAM
TEN MONTHS LATER
The probability of my heart being any fuller: zero.
But then I look down at my wife.
My wife.
Just hours ago, the woman whose smile can’t be dimmed by a solar eclipse, weaved her fingers with mine as we shared promises to each other to keep for the rest of our lives. We might have been surrounded by our family and friends, but she was all I saw.
I guess not much has changed since the day we met.
When everyone stood and she walked toward me, time stopped. Even on the arm of my big brother—who most definitely shed a tear when she asked him to walk her down the aisle—it was just the two of us. Her simple, white satin dress was molded to her exquisite body, the material rippling like pearlescent water.
Each step she took, brought her closer to becoming mine in a whole new way.
I didn’t attempt to hide my tears and neither did she. Without saying it, we both shared the same thought. This was the moment we had been waiting our entire lives for.
We agreed the ceremony didn’t need to be extravagant, and after saying our vows at the town hall, we went back to my mom’s house to celebrate. Quinn — my wife , because that’s never going to get old—wanted just two things. A bouquet of yellow flowers and a wedding cake made by her.
I’ve never been one to say no to her and she really outdid herself with the four-tiered, half-naked Victoria sponge.
We’re all crowded in the kitchen, laughter from our loved ones filling the air.
A tug on my pant leg has me peering down to find my niece staring up at me with a gap-toothed smile.
“ Uncle Gray . Now that you’re married, will you be having a baby like Daddy and JoJo are?”
Quinn squeezes my hand, curling her lips around her teeth to stop her laughter.
“ Also ,” Lottie continues, “ How are babies made? No one will tell me. Well , Uncle Booth said they come out of your butt.”
I almost choke on my saliva, and thankfully my wife comes to the rescue.
Quinn squats down and bops Lottie on the nose. “ I think the bigger question is, what is your little brother going to be called?”
Lottie scrunches her face in deep thought before shouting, “ Butt -face!” and running away.
Shortly followed by Patrick chasing down Booth for encouraging his daughter.
“ That did not go the way I thought it would.” Quinn laughs as she loops her arm in mine and we walk out into the yard.
My mom and sister went to great lengths to turn this space into something special. Fairy lights are strung up inside a small marquee and heaters are dotted around to fight off the cold. Similar to Quinn’s bouquet, stems of yellow flowers sit in little mason jars on all the tables.
It’s cozy, quaint, and perfectly us.
I pull her away from the small crowd of people, out of earshot, and tug her into me.
“ What name would you pick if we have a boy?” I ask as my hand snakes between us to rest against her lower stomach.
“ Shh ,” she hisses but does a poor job of hiding the ear-splitting grin that takes over her face. “ It won’t be Butt -face, that’s for sure. Anyway , I think it’s a girl.”
This is one of the many reasons my heart couldn’t possibly be fuller.
We found out four days ago, and she’s too early to show yet. It was a surprise, to say the least. But the best surprise we could have ever asked for.
Day after day, she gives me something I hadn’t dreamed would be a part of my future until her.
My lips brush her ear as I bend down. “ How about we get out of here? You said something about lingerie earlier?”
There’s a roguish glint to her caramel eyes, but she shakes her head. “ Later . For now, I want to dance with my husband.”
Fuck . Now that , I will never get tired of.
I tilt my head toward the sky, taking in the canopy of moonlight and stars above us, so similar to the last time we slow danced together. That night was the domino for a lot of things, but ultimately, we reunited stronger than ever. Every day since then, we find new and beautiful things that make us, us.
I was lost before her. Now with her light in my life, it’s impossible not to see our future paved.
The song playing from the speakers changes to “ First Day of My Life ” by Bright Eyes . Everyone watches on as we hold each other close to rock slowly with the music.
Her arms are looped tightly around my waist, with her head on my chest, while my hand rests at the small of her back and the other runs through her silky brown tresses.
“ Thank you for trusting me with your heart, Quinn Sadler .” I feel her smile against my chest. “ Even before we met, I think deep down, I knew you existed. Had you walked into that bar ten years later rather than last year, I would have waited. There isn’t any length of time I wouldn’t wait for you, honey, but I thank all the stars above us now that I didn’t have to.”
She props her chin on my chest, eyes shining bright, and the only sweetness I’ll ever need filling my mouth as I lower my head to kiss her.
She pulls away just an inch and whispers against my lips, “ Never in a million years did I think that a dart aimed at a map would find me my everything. We were always meant to be, Graham . I cannot wait to share the love I have for you with our children and watch them adore you as much as I do.” She brushes away a few tears that fall freely down my cheeks and gives me a smile I’ll remember well after we leave this earth. “ This day is for the record books.”
“ It is. And every day, after today.”
***
Thank you so much for visiting Sutton Bay! I hope you enjoyed Quinn and Graham’s story.