“The house is on the edge of Doni’s property, with enough room for us to have guests. She may be a recluse, but she likes the idea of having us close. It’s ours as long as we want it.”
I know this house. It’s quaint, charming, and exactly what I would have picked.
“It’s all so surreal,” I whisper, the weight of the last few months evaporating.
“Three years in the making, and finally, we’re starting our life together the way it should be.”
A lump forms in my throat, and my eyes start to tingle. “Don’t make me cry.”
“As long as they’re tears of happiness, it’s okay.”
“Delirious happiness,” I correct him.
“I’m going to give you everything in my power to make you happy always.”
“You already do.”
Epilogue
5 Months Later, July, Thomasville, GA
Nick
I stare at the enormous field that separates Roy’s house from Carl and Sharon’s. Masses of people are cleaning up from our wedding celebration last night. Tents are being lowered and tables stacked and loaded into vans. It’s hard to believe that less than twelve hours ago, this place was packed with hundreds of guests. The people of Thomasville will be talking about that party for years.
Grace and I decided to have family only at the small ceremony under the peach tree. That family now includes Doni, who traveled with us with a surprisingly great attitude. The only outsider was the family minister, and he beamed with pride when Grace and I exchanged vows. He mentioned Kayla a few times, which brought tears from the women. Even Roy wiped his eyes a few times.
At six forty-five, Grace Rae Monroe officially became Grace Rae Bennett. In my mind, it happened on that day in January at the vineyard in Greece, but now the world knows.
The vision of Grace walking to me on her dad’s arm will stay in my mind until my last dying day. Her violet eyes stayed locked with mine with every step. It was very traditional until I slipped the band on her finger. What happened next was out of my control. I hauled her to me and kissed her until my lungs burned from lack of oxygen. Time stood still, and it was just me and her until Shaw nudged me to acknowledge the minister.
Perfect… it was all perfect.
Then we got back to the reception and all hell broke loose. Grace was hijacked by almost every man in attendance. Shaw and Mathis were laughing their asses off, but there was nothing funny in my mind. When Eddie Jarvis moved in to kiss her cheek, I saw his life flash before my eyes.
Again, my brothers found this hilarious.
That was it. I was done. Grace was no longer moving more than six inches from me for the rest of the night.
I found great pleasure carrying her away from the reception to the waiting car as she sputtered incoherently and the crowd cheered. Our hotel was an hour away, so I had plenty of time to make it up to her.
Oh yeah, it was perfect.
“You’re here early.” Roy joins me on the back porch.
“Grace wanted to help her mom with the brunch. We came by to pick up Bizzy and Shaw. Grace disappeared upstairs to help Bizzy while Shaw loads the car.”
“Bizzy going to make it back to Miami without having that baby?”
“She’s not due for six weeks.”
“Could have fooled me.”
“That’s why it’s great to have a doctor in the family. Mathis is pretty much on call twenty-four-seven nowadays.”
He crosses his arms across his chest in the signature ‘Roy’ stance. I wait, knowing he has something else to say.
“I need to apologize to you for the position we put you in.” His statement shocks me. I was assuming we’d never mention it again.