Epilogue
It was finally the day of the wedding, and I was excited about seeing the hard work Mycah and I had done to make her day special.
I spent the last few months getting to know Koda on a deeper level, and I was easily integrated into his family life.
I had an open invitation to their family dinners, along with my dad and Diamond.
Our fathers had become best friends, and they went to the cigar bar or played golf together at least every other week if not more often.
It had always been just Diamond and me, but Mycah and Karma had become like sisters to me. The four of us would get our nails done and have lunch twice a month. I loved the bond we had, and no matter what, they would always be my girls.
Koda and I had been living in bliss. I thought about Miles at times, but I was happy with Koda. That man showed me so much love that some days I didn’t know what to do with it.
For so long, I closed my heart off to love, but Koda came and opened it up.
He asked me to make room for him, and he worked for that spot.
It didn’t matter how many meetings he had a day, or what he had going on; he always made time for me.
Like clockwork, he came to my office to eat lunch with me.
Every night, we had dinner together at one of our houses.
He catered to my needs before I even got a chance to ask.
If my day was bad, Koda was there with a bag of apples and a jar of peanut butter.
Every time I got a new client, he celebrated me.
When I finished a project, he celebrated me.
I did the same for him though. When the hotel was nominated for an award, I planned a party for him, then we had another party when he won.
I helped him plan an employee dinner for the workers once a month.
They were already happy with their work environment, but we both wanted them to remain that way.
It wasn’t just about the big things either.
The small things mattered to us just as much.
Like when we would lay in bed and talk while I ran my fingers through his beard as he rubbed my butt or my stomach.
I walked with him some mornings, but I hated it because it was too early, so on the days I didn’t, we took walks after dinner.
Most of the time, they were near the water.
When either of us got a new pair of sneakers, we got a pair for the other. We just constantly did things for each other, and it wasn’t a competition.
The wedding was being held in the rose garden of the hotel, so I stayed the night with Koda.
Since he was the best man, he went to spend time with Kairo, but not before he put me through the mattress.
That man fucked me so good, I went back to sleep.
Once I woke up, I got myself together for the day.
I wanted to get down there before everyone else so I could check on things, then I would meet the girls in the suite they rented for the day.
I wasn’t in the wedding party, but I found a dress to match their colors so I could match with Koda.
As I put my shoes on, my phone went off. A warm feeling went through me when I saw that it was Koda.
Koda:
Good afternoon, baby. I’m sure you’re getting ready. I’ll see you soon.
Me:
I am and I can’t wait to see you all dressed up.
I loved it when Koda had to dress up. That edgy look he carried dressed in a suit was something to marvel at.
I put the finishing touches on my look, then headed down to the garden.
Everything was set up the way Mycah and I planned. There were big vases filled with red roses that lined the makeshift aisle. A red-and-black balloon arch was behind where the pastor would stand.
Each chair was covered with red or black linen covers.
The wedding was scheduled to start around dusk, so there were tea light candles placed in between the rose vases, and they would be lit right before the ceremony started.
I was pleased with the outcome, so I went to check on the ballroom to make sure that was the way I wanted.
The ballroom was the same theme as the wedding, with black tablecloths and red satin ribbons on the table and chairs. More red roses filled the room. I made sure the special chairs I ordered for the bride and groom were delivered and placed the way I wanted them.
Once I saw that everything was as it should be, I headed upstairs to see the girls.
I knocked on the door and smiled when Mycah’s best friend, Chanel, came to the door.
She was the maid of honor, so she would be the one walking down the aisle with Koda.
She assured me she wasn’t interested in Koda, but I didn’t need her to do that.
I was very secure in my relationship, but I understood it.
We didn’t know each other prior to the first wedding rehearsal, and she wanted to make sure there were no issues.
I assured her that there was none, and since then, we’d been cool.
“Hey, girl. I love this dress on you.” I complimented her when she stepped back to give me space to enter.
“Thanks. You look pretty.”
I walked into the room and greeted Karma, before walking over to Mycah.
“Hey.” I hugged and kissed Mycah’s cheek. “How are you feeling? Are you nervous?”
“I am, but a good nervous.”
“I just came to say hi and to let you know that everything turned out perfectly. Thank you for trusting me.”
“Of course. We are family now.” We shared a hug, then we all shared a drink before I left to go downstairs while they continued getting ready.
As I walked through the lobby, I felt a pair of arms around my waist.
“Damn, if I had time, I’d take you back upstairs and do some things to you,” Koda whispered in my ear before he kissed it.
“Well, we don’t have time for that now, but we’ll have plenty of time for it later,” I told him as I turned around to hug him. His tie was a little crooked, so I fixed it. “You look handsome.”
“And you already know you look good enough to eat,” he said, then licked his lips.
“Thank you. I’m sure you have to get ready for the ceremony.”
We stood in the middle of the lobby in each other’s arms, not caring about anyone else around us. I was sure his staff was used to it by now, because Koda never hesitated to show affection, no matter where we were.
“I do, but I wanted to lay eyes on you. I was on my way up to the suite, but Karma told me you had come down already.” He pecked my lips. “Are you going to save me a dance?”
“Of course, I am.”
We shared another kiss, then Koda walked toward the elevator bank, while I went to the garden to take my seat.
It didn’t take long for the guests to arrive, since it was a small, intimate wedding. I stayed more toward the back just in case I needed to fix or adjust something at the last minute.
My stomach fluttered when Koda walked down the aisle and winked at me. I couldn’t keep my eyes off him as the wedding proceeded.
It turned out to be a beautiful ceremony, and there wasn’t a dry eye in that garden. I thought it was so cute that they had their dogs and Karisma in the wedding as well.
When the wedding was over, everyone went to the ballroom, while the wedding party took pictures.
After the bride and groom were introduced and we had dinner, Koda and I found ourselves on the dance floor.
“For you to not have that much time, you did the damn thing with this wedding,” Koda said as he held me around my waist.
“She had a lot of it done, so it wasn’t that hard for me to add on to it.”
“Regardless, you still did well.”
“Thank you.” I laid my head on his chest as we swayed to the music.
Out the corner of my eye, I spotted Karma’s best friend and some girl. I guessed that was the girl they mentioned him having.
“I don’t know why he brought that girl here knowing he don’t like her like that,” Koda said once he saw what I did. “They both act like they not into each other like that, but we all see it. I’m staying out of it, though. I got my own stuff to worry about.” He looked down at me.
“Oh yeah, like what?”
As far as I knew, Koda and I didn’t have any problems, and things at work had been going well for him.
“Like telling you how much I love you.”
My heart thudded in my chest because this was the first time he said that. I felt it every day, but hearing him say it was something different.
“Baby, I love you too.” I reached up to kiss him.
“You think you would want this one day?” he asked as he looked around the room.
“What, a wedding?” He nodded. “Yeah, I would.”
“Good. It’s coming one day. I don’t want anyone else but you, Avalon.”
“And I don’t want anyone else but you, Koda.”
We spent the rest of the night mingling, dancing, and having a good time with his family. I didn’t think I would ever find love again, but Koda’s love was everything I needed.
Fin