Epilogue #2
“Good to hear. I have no interest in marrying a pinniped.” He placed a small velvet box on the table and opened it to reveal a vintage emerald-cut sapphire, deep blue as midnight, flanked by two small diamonds. “However, I am very interested in marrying you. If you’ll have me.”
For a moment, Delilah just stared at the box, then at Jasper, then at the box again.
It was wildly inappropriate, proposing on her sister’s big day like this.
And if he took it back, she would definitely murder him.
There were too many competing thoughts at once, like a sudden five-car pile-up in her head, and the best she could manage was a slight nod.
“A nod, Del?! Oh no, my darling, I’m going to need a bit more than a nod. Is that a yes?”
“Obviously!” She let out a short, shocked laugh. “Did you expect me to make you ask twice?”
“Well, I wondered if you might critique my timing.”
She smiled. “True, your timing is extraordinarily bad. Mama will deem this inappropriate, and Scarlett will be outraged I’ve upstaged her. Which means, I couldn’t possibly love you any more.”
Jasper reached out and pulled her to him, knocking his champagne into her salmon as they kissed.
Someone at the next table saw the embrace. Someone else gasped. Within seconds, the entire reception was cheering, and Jasper was trying to actually get the ring on Delilah’s finger while people crowded around to congratulate them.
“DELILAH!” Scarlett shrieked from across the green. “You got engaged at my wedding?! You’re a social catastrophe, do you know that?” But she was laughing, and Nate was laughing, and the whole town was applauding, and then—
The air in the middle of the dance floor split open like a wound.
The portal was messy and unstable, the edges crackling with energy that suggested it had been opened in a hurry. Through the opening came the unmistakable sounds of chaos: shouting, the crack of musket fire, someone screaming orders in what might have been French.
Luna tumbled through first, followed immediately by Elias, both of them moving with the practiced efficiency of people who’d done this too many times to count.
She spun around and snapped the portal shut, abruptly cutting off the noise and leaving only the stunned silence of the small-town wedding reception.
“Sorry!” Luna called out, breathless and grinning. “Sorry, we’re fine, everything’s fine—”
“Was that a battle?!” Belinda Chatterjee stood up so fast her chair fell over. “Were you in some sort of shooting war?”
“Yeah but they weren’t shooting at us.” Luna brushed dust off her jacket. “We just kind of, uh . . .”
“Got caught in the middle,” Elias finished for her. They grinned at one another, two happy partners whose lives had become a series of in-jokes that no outsiders could ever share. “Long story.”
“You’re late,” Scarlett noted.
“Sorry, sis. Save-the-date cards and time travelers don’t really mix.” Luna and Elias were dusty, exhilarated, and ravenous. They dove for the empty seats at the head table, tearing into the meal like a pair of underfed wolverines.
“My gods, when did you goofballs last eat?” Scarlett slid into the chair beside Luna, smiling like nothing had happened at all. Between sisters, some things don’t require explanations.
“Unclear,” Luna said around a mouthful of bread. “What year is it?”
“You’re the worst—you know that?”
“I know. Your wedding is beautiful, by the way.”
“My wedding was beautiful, but you wouldn’t know.”
“Jeez, I said sorry!”
Delilah stretched out her arm, mock-casually showing off her engagement ring. “You better be on time for the next one, that’s all I’m saying.”
* * *
Later—much later—the music softened. Some guests drifted away. Others lingered, unwilling to let the night end.
Luna sat with her sisters at a table at the edge of the crowd. The three watched in silence as young Violet efficiently directed a group of far-older staff members in busing tables and general tidying.
“Look at her,” Scarlett said with pride. “She’s terrifying.”
Del nodded. “She’s going to work out fine.”
“Who’s going to work out?” Luna asked. “At what? I’m totally behind here.”
“That’s what constant travel will do. Scarlett and I have been training Violet to help manage the Stargazer.”
Luna blinked. “Violet? Polly’s Violet? The kid?”
“Not really a kid anymore. And she’s alarmingly competent.” Delilah leaned back in her chair. “She’s meticulous about the reservation book, and she doesn’t take shit from anyone. Last week she made a guest cry just by looking at them.”
“But that seems bad, right?” Luna said. “I distinctly remember Mama telling me that making guests cry is bad?”
“Not in this instance.” Scarlett reached for a nearby bottle of champagne to fill her sisters’ glasses. “The guest was being a complete ass to one of the cleaning staff. Violet stared at him until he apologized and fled the inn, leaving a massive tip. It was beautiful.”
“You’re right, though, Luna,” Delilah admitted. “We do need to work on her people skills. Violet’s still learning the difference between good scary and bad scary. But honestly? After dealing with your haiku reservations, I can work with any kind of scary.”
“As always, dear sister, you are rude but fair.” Luna looked around the green until her gaze found Elias. He was standing in a group that included Nate, Jasper, and surprisingly, the tall magician in the grey suit. They were deep in conversation, Elias gesturing animatedly about something.
She watched him fondly for a moment, then drained her glass and stood.
“I should rescue those poor men from whatever story Elias is inventing. But listen, Scar, I’m so sorry we missed your big moment.
” She leaned down and kissed her sister on the top of her elaborate bridal hairdo.
“I’m so happy for you and Nate, I really am.
And Del—” another head kiss “—I promise I’ll try to be on time for the next one. ”
Delilah harrumphed. “That promise and ten bucks will get me a venti latte.” But then she looked up at her baby sister and said kindly, “I love you, you little flake. Don’t stay away too long. Oak Haven’s much less exciting without you around.”
“I love you both. We’ll be back soon.” Luna strode backwards across the green, blowing kisses at her sisters.
She reached the men just in time to hear Elias say: “—which is how we ended up accidentally preventing a duel between a very drunk Continental Army officer and a magician who was also very drunk.”
“I feel like there’s more to that story,” Nate said.
“There absolutely is,” Luna confirmed, sliding under Elias’s arm. “But it’s classified.”
“Everything’s classified with you two,” Jasper observed.
“Not true,” Elias protested. “Some things are just . . . inadvisable to discuss in mixed temporal company.” He gently stroked Luna’s cheek—an intimate gesture for such a public setting. “Shall we go?”
She nodded. They said their goodbyes to the men and ventured to the dance floor, where Luna opened a fresh portal in one balletic gesture.
On the far side of the portal, the canals of Venice sparkled with torchlight and music.
Masked revelers danced through the streets, their laughter echoing off ancient stone.
“Wait,” Jerusha called out. “What about the third Melrose wedding? When can we expect that?”
Luna and Elias gazed at each other, both smiling slyly.
“We’re very busy people,” she said. “I’m not sure when we’ll find the time.”
Jerusha folded her arms across her chest. “I’d just like to point out that I’m well past 120 years old. I don’t have forever, you know.”
“Funny,” Elias said, “because we do.”
He wrapped Luna up in a warm embrace. And as they kissed, they leaned backwards, trust-falling into the portal and whatever came next.