Epilogue
One month later…
Jennie
It’s just like my dream, only this time, it’s real.
It’s actually happening. I’m not going to wake up a blubbering mess in a few minutes.
I’m tempted to pinch myself to double-check I’m not dreaming, but since a roomful of people just turned in their seats to watch me, I refrain.
Instead, I focus on the sight in front of me—Chris Nelson at the head of the room standing between his best man, Micah, and Reverend Jones.
Dressed in a black tuxedo, white dress shirt, magenta tie and cummerbund, Chris takes my breath away.
My Chris.
My best friend.
Now my lover.
And soon-to-be my husband.
As I meet Chris’s gaze, I can’t help thinking about that life-altering moment seven months ago when this man literally risked his life to save mine. I could have lost him that day, and my dream would have been permanently shattered. But fortune was on our side that day, and he survived a gunshot.
As Chris smiles at me, his eyes become suspiciously shiny as he inhales a deep breath. Micah pats his back as he murmurs something under his breath, and Chris nods repeatedly.
The three amigos. It’s only fitting that the three of us share the stage today.
“You doin’ all right, kid?” asks the tall, dark-haired man at my side.
Jack Merchant offered to give me away today, since my own father and grandfather aren’t with us anymore. I guess it’s fitting as he’s almost old enough to be my dad.
When Chris and I told our friends we were getting married, Jack approached me in private and offered to walk me down the aisle.
I sobbed like a baby. Since Ruth is the closest thing I have to a mom—well, she and Maggie both—I guess it makes sense that her partner, Jack, would stand in as my father figure today.
As we walk down the center aisle in the gathering room at The Lodge, I smile at my friends.
It’s a small gathering, just our closest friends, but it’s perfect because these are the people I love.
These are the ones who love me. But the one who loves me the most is standing right in front of me, his gaze locked on me.
Granny is sitting with Dawn in the front row on the left side of the aisle. I’m not too sure what to expect when I reach her row. Will this be too much for her? Will she understand what’s happening?
Granny reaches out and snags my hand. “My dear girl, look how pretty you are!” Her hand trembles as she squeezes mine. “Your mama would be so proud of you.”
A knot forms in my throat as I glance down at my dress. When Chris and I told Granny we were getting married, she ran to her closet and pulled out a garment bag containing my mom’s wedding dress. I didn’t even know she’d kept it all these years.
It’s a simple, sleeveless, ivory V-neck dress. A sheer layer of ivory lace, decorated with tiny seed beads, lays over a solid ivory satin underskirt, which barely brushes the floor. My bridal bouquet is a mix of ivory, pink, and magenta roses.
Granny points at Chris, her finger shaking. “I told you this one is a keeper,” she says, nodding decisively.
“Yes, you did, Granny. And I agree—he’s most definitely a keeper.”
She releases my hand and shoos me forward. “Well, what are you waiting for? Go marry that young man.”
Jack walks me to the front of the room, where Chris takes my hand. His grip is firm, and his gaze never leaves my face—not for a second. He’s waited for this moment just as long as I have.
My throat tightens when I think about the circuitous route we took to find each other. He left Bryce for Phoenix, and yet he returned. I married the wrong man, and yet here I am. And now we have our chance to be together for the rest of our lives. We finally get our HEA.
Reverend Jones starts reading the vows Chris and I modified to fit us better.
Our vows are all about partnership and equality, loving and cherishing, loyalty and acceptance.
And while I had reservations as I entered into my first marriage, I don’t have any qualms this time around.
Not a single one. Chris is a good man, and he’ll be a great partner.
“Christopher Andrew Nelson, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?” Reverend Jones asks.
“I do,” Chris says, his voice loud and clear.
“Jennifer Rosalie Lopez, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
“I do,” I say, smiling as I gaze into a pair of teary dark eyes.
Chris squeezes my hands with a sure and unflinching grip.
“I pronounce you husband and wife,” the Reverend says. “You may now kiss.”
Chris wraps his arms around me, dips me, and kisses me with more enthusiasm than is probably acceptable for a public gathering.
Our guests stand and cheer. And before we know it, we’re surrounded by our friends—our found family—who hug us, pat us on the back, and kiss my cheek.
Once all the noise begins to die down, Hannah makes an announcement. “I’d like to invite all of the guests here today to join Mr. and Mrs. Chris and Jennie Nelson in the restaurant for a reception and dinner.”
Hannah and Killian were kind enough to reserve the entire restaurant for our wedding reception. In appreciation, I offered all of the Lodge guests a free dinner at the diner. They also gifted us a night in the Lodge’s honeymoon suite, a beautiful, spacious room overlooking the lake out back.
Chris offers me his arm. “May I escort you to the reception, wife?”
“Why, thank you, husband,” I say as I take his arm.
Dawn escorts Granny, who’s absolutely beaming.
When we enter the restaurant, we’re greeted with applause. Chris grins as he kisses me. “Every time they applaud, I have to kiss you. That’s the rule.”
“Really?” His good humor is contagious, and I can’t stop smiling.
He nods. “Yes, really.”
Tammy, the host at the podium, escorts us to the head of a very long table. The tables and chairs have been rearranged so that everyone is seated together. Granny is seated beside me, and Dawn is on her other side.
Servers bring out menus for everyone. They fill everyone’s water glass. Bottles of wine and champagne are passed around.
“Gabrielle, you’ve outdone yourself,” I tell her as she comes up to give me a hug. “The menu is amazing.”
There are four entrées to choose from, as well as multiple sides and salads. And the icing on the cake, as they say, is a three-tier wedding cake that was made by a caterer in Estes Park. The icing is ivory, and the cake is decorated with ivory and pink roses.
Dinner passes in a whirlwind, with lots of conversations floating around the table. It’s impossible to keep up with it all, so instead Chris and I eat holding hands and staring into each other’s eyes.
“So,” Maggie asks, interrupting our love fest. “Have you decided where you’re going for your honeymoon?”
“They’re going to Hawaii,” Granny says before she takes a sip of her champagne.
Maggie looks at me for confirmation.
I nod. “Our flight leaves in two days.”
Chris raises his champagne glass to me, and we toast. “To Hawaii!” he says.
“I told you so,” Granny says with a decisive nod.
* * *
Chris
As soon as everyone’s done eating, the DJ strikes up the music. A large section of the restaurant has been cleared out to make room for dancing. I escort Jennie to the center of the floor as our chosen song starts—Ordinary by Alex Warren.
Every time I hear this song, I get choked up thinking about Jennie and what she means to me. I don’t care if it sounds sappy, but she’s everything to me. She always has been. I feel like my entire life has built up to this moment—when I can say to the world she’s mine. She chose me.
After our dance ends, Jennie dances with Jack, and I dance with Granny.
“You take good care of my girl,” Rosie says. “You hear me?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I say with the conviction of a man who’s finally found his place in the world. When I carefully twirl her on the dance floor, she blushes like a bride.
We all dance for a while, and then Jennie performs the bouquet toss. Maya catches it, and the look of sheer horror on her face makes the entire room burst into laughter.
We cut the cake—strawberry on the inside—and Jennie and I feed each other small bites.
Everything has been perfect today—the wedding, the reception, cutting the cake and all the pomp and circumstance that’s expected at these kinds of events. It’s all good, but honestly, I just want to be alone with my bride.
As the reception comes to an end, Dawn takes Granny back to the house. She’s going to stay with us and take care of Granny for the ten days we’ll be gone, and we thought it would ease the transition for Granny if Dawn started staying at our house a couple of days before we depart.
We say goodnight to Granny and Dawn as they prepare to leave.
Granny hugs us both goodbye. “You two are going to be very happy together,” she says. “I just know it.”
After they leave, Jennie and I head to our suite, where our overnight luggage awaits us. When we walk inside, she gasps when she sees the pink and white rose petals sprinkled on the king size bed. Little clusters of lit candles are arranged throughout the room.
“Oh, my God, it’s beautiful!” she says as she takes it all in. “Who did this?”
“A little birdy told me your friends decorated the room especially for us.”
“It’s perfect.” She walks up to me and turns, giving me her back. “Would you mind helping me out of this dress?”
My first thought is, Does a bear shit in the woods?
But that seems a bit crass on my wedding night, so I say, “Sure, I’d love to.”
I undress her then, very slowly, removing one silky piece of clothing at a time, until she’s left wearing only her panties and bra—a super pale pink lacy set that her friends gave her at the bridal shower.
My chest tightens. “My God, you’re beautiful,” I say, my voice nearly cracking with emotion.
Her cheeks flush in response. “Now it’s your turn,” she says as she reaches for my tuxedo jacket.