Chapter 29
Will: So it was all real for you?
Tate: Yeah.
Will: How soon after you were married did you know you loved her?
Tate: About ten seconds.
Will: I knew you’d be good for her.
Tate: You couldn’t have said that earlier?
Will: I needed to keep you focused. And scared of me.
Tate: Well, you’re terrible at your job because neither of those things happened.
Taylor “Tay” Parker, known to me as Leroy, worked as the head of the HR department at Plot Twist, Inc.
He’d been a relatively new employee. Just after the entire company imploded and most employees had been fired or quit, he’d been offered the position as the head of HR.
According to extensive questioning by Will and his department, we learned that Leroy had attached himself to me after our first date two years earlier.
He’d spent the next year and a half cyber-stalking me from multiple alias accounts, slowly infiltrating my life through my work.
He had no criminal record. Most people who worked closely with him found him to be quiet, earnest, and socially off-putting. He’d stare too long, couldn't understand jokes, and would often make up events in his head that had never happened.
He knew of all my address changes, phone numbers, and, at times, even had access to the camera on my home computer.
The problem was…I’d never met him. I’d only spoken to him via email.
And I was under the impression that Taylor was a girl.
I didn’t have a great explanation for this reasoning, except that the signature on his emails was simply “Tay.”
Once my boss, Elaine, heard the news, Taylor was fired immediately. Not that he could get out of jail to do his job anyway, but it was a relief to know he wouldn’t have access to me anymore.
It was over.
We opted not to have another wedding.
Our moments in that New Hampshire courthouse had become something precious to me.
During such a wild part of my life, that time with me, Tate, and the judge had been the only thing that felt right.
We had set out on a journey not knowing the outcome–the perfect start to any marriage, really.
Tate's soft fingers wiping away my tears while he married me could never be topped.
That moment had seared itself onto my heart.
We did, however, opt for a party.
A month after Leroy’s arrest, we held a big barbecue to celebrate our marriage. Ann and Tom went all out on the decorations. The Walker farm had been dressed with florals, covered in twinkle lights, and I even got myself a wedding dress for the occasion.
My mom and her husband flew in from Arizona, Will and his family were there, and of course all of the Walker clan and their respective love interests attended as well.
Ari and Reese were both there, looking happy and very much in love.
Ben was wearing his wedding ring again. Even the mayor had declared his interest and was out on the dance floor looking cozy with—
“Dance with me?”
Tate appeared in my view, blocking the mayor completely from my sight and mind. It had been a wonderful day spent with friends and family celebrating our marriage, but ending the day in his arms was right where I wanted to be.
I grinned, snuggling close to him as he held me tight. For the past month, I’d moved to Burlington with Tate. His apartment was small, but it fit us well enough for now.
“I’ve got a surprise for you,” he said.
I looked up. “Really? So do I.”
His eyes narrowed. “You have a surprise for you too?”
I stepped lightly on his toes. “I have a surprise for you.”
He smiled. “Well, now I don’t know who should go first.”
“You go first.”
“I planned us a honeymoon.”
I froze. “Where?”
“A long time ago, some smoking-hot babe told me she wanted to go to Greece.”
My mouth dropped open. “What?”
“All I can say is that there better be lots of downtime along with all your sightseeing.” He leaned in closer to my ear. “I get cranky if I’m not well rested.”
I started to laugh. “Well, you’re in luck, then. Because I also booked us a honeymoon.”
His startled blue eyes flew to mine. “What?”
“Some smoking-hot guy told me all he needed was a cabin in the woods.”
He started to laugh. “You didn’t.”
“I did.”
“When?” he asked. “I’m scared we booked the same week.”
“The cabin wasn’t available until next month,” I said. “So I guess we’ll both be happy.”*
He leaned in, kissing my forehead before pulling me tight against his body. “Oh, I’ve been happy for a while now.”
Snuggling into him, I sighed happily. “Me too.”
Plot Twist: There are all kinds of heroines in the world.
And all kinds of heroes to meet along the way.
I’d probably never be the kind of kick-butt main character in an intense fantasy or post-apocalyptic world.
But a normal girl learning to be brave while also marrying her bodyguard to be saved from her stalker?
Yes, please. And a screenwriter falling back in love with romance?
That’s the kind of plot twist I’m here for.