39. Ari
THIRTY-NINE
ARI
It was hard not to reminisce.
Everything around me was beautiful. From the ceremony with the sea breeze as the guest of honor, to the flower arrangements everywhere I looked—handled masterfully by Santiago’s parents, as I was told—to the gentle fairy lights—in white and pink, of course—that floated over the reception venue like fireflies.
It was like a scene from a movie. One of those cheesy rom-coms with a terrible script and contrived plot that still managed to make you tear up at the end.
Only this end was real, which made it all the more precious.
So of course, I reminisced. Especially when the couple took to the dancefloor for their first dance, it was impossible not to think about my first dance with Evan.
My wedding had felt like a dream too. Something surreal.
Something I thought would never happen in a million years, especially for guys like Evan and me.
And yet it had. And we’d lived an even dreamier life together for nearly ten mind-blowing years.
No matter what happened after, no matter the pain, the grief, the trauma, no one could take that away from me.
“May I have this dance?”
I blinked and looked to my side, at Wyatt. The fairy lights danced in his eyes, giving them an ethereal glow, and I blinked several times before I noticed the outstretched hand.
“Wh-what?” I asked.
Wyatt chuckled and pointed to Hwan and Parker.
“A dance? May I have one?” he repeated, and I blinked again.
I looked around us, at all the people sitting at their tables and watching the happy couple and then back to Wyatt.
“If you’re sure.” I took his hand, and he led me to the empty dance floor.
Even if no one had paid us any mind before, they definitely were now. And yet I couldn’t take my eyes off him. He hadn’t stopped surprising me since the day he kissed me in front of the whole island.
Instead of backing down into the closet, into the privacy of our own bedroom, he’d taken a step out into the spotlight, not missing a chance to be involved, to be part of something bigger than himself. Bigger than us.
It had been a magical few weeks. Liberating. Dream-like. And every day he’d do something that made me more and more certain that there was no one better to be with than him. Making certain that I’d found my person for a second time in this life.
In all fairness, I didn’t think there was anyone more surprised about this change than Wyatt himself.
It was like he’d been sleepwalking his entire life, and all of a sudden, he’d woken up.
Or at least that was how he’d described it last night, when we spent the evening in bed rehearsing his stuff for today.
He held on to me, squeezed my hand, and we glided across the dancefloor, next to the married couple who didn’t seem to mind sharing the spotlight.
For a moment it felt like it was our wedding, but of course, it was too soon for that.
I didn’t even know if I wanted to get married again, but spending my life with Wyatt? That I was sure about.
“You’re so handsome tonight,” he whispered, staring right at me, and I got a little dizzy.
I missed a step, and I laughed for a second before I thanked him.
“We make a sexy couple,” I said.
He laughed too. “I think so.”
Everything turned blurry until all I could see was him and only him. It felt like I was on a rollercoaster ride that I didn’t want to get off of.
“How are you feeling? Doing this in front of everyone?” I asked.
He didn’t bat an eyelid. He didn’t peek behind me. He simply stared at me and smiled.
“I don’t care about them.”
“Good,” I said. “I’m glad. Me neither.”
“Aren’t you supposed to care? You’re their doctor,” he said with a cheeky grin.
“Not for long,” I said, and he frowned.
“What do you mean?”
I shook my head and tried to dismiss the subject, but as expected, he prodded further.
“I really didn’t want to say anything today, but…well, my funding is running low, and there’s only so much of my own savings I can put into the outreach van. I’m probably gonna have to close shop, but I don’t know what to do after.”
“You’re leaving?” he asked. The terror was clear in his face, and I felt like an ass for putting it there.
“Of course not. I was just thinking I’d apply for a job at the hospital, but I don’t know if they have any positions,” I explained.
“What are you going to do?” he asked, the terror still on his face.
I sighed. “I might have to start my own practice, though I’m not keen on that. I really hate charging people for basic healthcare. Especially after how I’ve tried to help half the island for free.
Wyatt took a deep breath, relief washing through him, and he cupped my face. “We’ll figure something out. I know we will.”
I leaned into his touch and nodded. I really hadn’t wanted to bring that up today—or any day, really—but he was right. We’d figure something out. Even if it meant I had to do something I wasn’t a hundred percent happy with. Life was all about compromises. Just like relationships.
I felt him squeeze my hand again, and I smiled as I noticed from the corners of my eyes the other couples joining the dancefloor, and I spotted Duke standing by our table. He wasn’t alone.
My heart fluttered, and before I got too excited to talk, I turned my attention back to Wyatt.
“You know…there’s something else,” I said.
“Hm?” he asked.
“I…I changed my mind about wanting a family.”
His brows furrowed over his eyes, and my stomach sank.
Gosh. What a terrible way to phrase that.
“I might not want kids, but what would you say to a not-so-little baby?”
“What baby?” he asked.
I stopped dancing and led him back to our table, where Duke was standing on the side with a gorgeous and exuberant German shepherd next to him.
Princess wagged his tail, and before I’d even gotten the chance to explain, he jumped at Wyatt, begging for some love.
Couldn’t blame him.
“What…what’s happening?” Wyatt smiled and obliged the cute dog.
“Oh sorry. I meant a four-legged baby,” I said, and Wyatt looked from me to Princess then back to me.
“What do you mean? You want to adopt him?” he asked.
I pursed my lips and lowered my head, squinting.
“You already have, haven’t you?” he asked.
“I hope you don’t mind.”
Wyatt moved one hand from Princess to me and peered into my eyes. There it was. The dream-like glow in them. I could stare at them for the rest of time and never get bored.
“Mind? I love him,” he said. “I love you.”
My heart skipped a beat. I didn’t think I could get enough of that either. I didn’t know how I’d gotten so lucky in life.
“God, aren’t you two darn tootin’ cute!” Duke cooed at us, and we both laughed.
“That’s our family complete, I think,” I said.
Wyatt nodded.
Elliot appeared behind him and dropped to his knees in front of the dog.
“Who is that?” he exclaimed, and Princess wasted no time in introducing himself.
“That would be Princess, Ari and Wyatt’s dog,” Duke announced.
Elliot looked up wide-eyed and ecstatic and glared at the both of us. “Really? She’s gorgeous,” he said, and Princess chose that moment to lick his face, making him fall back on his ass and start laughing.
“He, not she,” Duke corrected him.
“He’s called Princess? That’s weird.”
Duke shrugged. “The girl that got him for Christmas named him, and I didn’t have the heart to change it when her parents surrendered him to me,” Duke said, then turned to Wyatt and me. “Of course, you two are good to change it if you want.”
Wyatt glanced at the dog and grimaced. “Nah. He seems happy. Aren’t you, boy?”
He joined Elliot on the floor and played with our new dog, and I couldn’t help but stare at all three of them. They were perfect, all together.
“Actually, I have an idea,” I whispered in Wyatt’s ear.