Bonus Epilogue

The Wedding Day

Zoey

The wedding day dawned bright and beautiful. Just kidding. The fall day we’d agonized over choosing showed up cold and wet. Sheets of rain were knocking the gorgeous leaves meant for all our beautiful post-ceremony photos off the branches like the weather had a personal vendetta.

But I didn’t care. Mother Nature could hand deliver an earthquakenado and I would enthusiastically accept it. My parents could get into one of their epic arguments in the front row of the ceremony and I wouldn’t blink.

Because today, I was marrying Gage Bishop… On his family farm in a tent that hopefully would hold up to the elements and any wandering livestock.

“A toast to the bride,” Hazel said, holding her champagne glass aloft. We were in my bedroom getting ready with Laura, Pep, and Sunita, who had ridden to my rescue when I realized I’d left my wedding shoes at my last bridal fitting and had never gotten around to picking out my something blue. Classic me.

Sunita had arrived with a pair of blue suede ballet flats that were only half a size too big. I’d paid her in champagne.

Any other emergencies would be handled by the wedding planner Gage had insisted we hire. My husband-to-be was a very smart man.

“To me,” I echoed Hazel’s toast. I was positively floating. I had the sexy, poofy, comfortable dress of my dreams, most of my curls were pinned back in a gorgeous bun, and my makeup was flawless. I was positive I was going to knock Gage’s socks off when he saw me.

“To Zoey,” everyone else echoed. The rumble of thunder seemed like a celebratory extension of the toast.

I just so happened to be admiring Hazel’s sparkly earrings at the exact moment she raised the glass to her lips. So I had a front-row seat to notice that she didn’t actually drink anything. Our gazes locked.

Guilt and excitement danced in her eyes.

“Hazel, can you help me with something in the bathroom?” I said shrilly.

“Er. Uh. Now?”

“Yes. It’s very important bathroom business.”

“The rest of us will make you a nice pre-ceremony snack,” Pep said, shooing Laura and Sunita out of the room.

“What’s wrong with the entire charcuterie board and dip trio on the dresser?” Laura complained.

I waited until Pep closed the door before spinning around to look at Hazel. The skirt of my dress floofed out in a perfect, stylish halo.

“You didn’t drink any champagne,” I said, putting my hands on my hips.

“Acid reflux?” Hazel said nervously.

“You stayed on the opposite side of the room from the charcuterie plate almost as if the smell of the meat made you nauseated.”

“I had a big breakfast.”

“Eat a salami,” I insisted.

Hazel rolled her lips together and swallowed. “I’m considering exploring a plant-based diet.”

I stomped my foot. “Hazel Bishop! Tell me the truth right now!”

“I’m trying not to turn your day into a Me Day.”

“We’re best friends. It’s an Our Day. Now out with it before I drag Cam in here and make him spill the news. You know I’ll be able to just look at him and guess.”

“You’re a bossy bride,” she complained.

“Damn straight. Stop stalling.”

“I’m pregnant.”

My screech of excitement was cut off by Hazel’s wild slashing movements. “Quiet celebration only. It’s very early and we are not making your wedding day my baby news day.”

“Yay!” I whispered, bouncing on my toes. “I’m going to be an auntie!”

“And you’re getting married today,” Hazel reminded me, wrapping me in a tight hug.

We celebrated with our traditional jumping-hug victory dance. “Is it safe to jump when you’re pregnant? Should we sit down?” I gestured toward the bed, which had undergone a makeover along with the rest of the room—and most of the house—since I’d moved in. The walls were a rich evergreen and the bedding a peacock blue with mustard yellow accent pillows. Gage liked to say I single-handedly erased all the beige in his life.

I mean, somebody had to do it. I was just glad it got to be me.

“I’m fine. Besides being so tired I might fall asleep at the altar and occasionally throwing up all over the place.”

“Well, the ceremony should be fun,” I predicted.

“We’re really living our happily ever afters,” Hazel said, her voice breaking.

Tears sprang to my eyes. “We really are. I’m so glad I get to live mine in the same town as you.”

“We’re finally family.”

We’d been sisters from other misters since the day we’d met. “We’ve always been family. Today just makes it official.”

* * *

Gage: I need a first first look.

Me: You rebel!

Gage: You don’t mind?

Me: Get over here!

* * *

Gage

I boosted myself through my own bedroom window, sending droplets of rain everywhere.

Zoey laughed and hauled me to my feet, then time froze. And then the power went out, along with my ability to stand. Zoey in her sweats and a messy bun was stunning. Naked in our bed, she was a goddess. But the woman before me in a white ballgown was my reason for breathing.

The generator kicked on and the power returned.

“Holy shit, you look good,” Zoey gasped.

“You look…” I didn’t have the words.

“I look good too,” she said, then winced. “There was supposed to be a veil. A really pretty one. But Buttercup and Nana mistook it for a toy and you can probably guess what happened.”

That explained why the dogs had been relegated to my parents’ house.

“Is there a reason you broke into our bedroom on our wedding day, dripping all over the carpet? Is it a quickie? One last roll in the hay before the ol’ ball and chain?”

I tore my gaze away from her and glanced down. I was still wearing my raincoat and was now standing in a puddle.

I yanked the coat and hood off and hung them over the windowsill, then I cupped Zoey’s face and kissed her until I forgot about the rain and the electricity and the thousand other disasters.

“I’ve never seen anything more beautiful in my life than you in that dress,” I said, finally pulling away from the kiss.

“Excellent compliment. Let’s definitely have sex,” she said, reaching for the buttons on my vest.

“Wait.” I took her hands in mine to prevent her from stripping me naked. “Where is everyone?”

“I told them all I needed to meditate.” She nodded toward the door. “They’re in the living room. So we have to keep the sex-having pretty quiet.”

God, I loved this woman. “Hang on. There are a few things you need to know.”

Her eyes widened. “You’re already married? You’re an imposter who replaced the real Gage Bishop in law school? You changed your mind about getting married and you’re here to kick me out?”

I dropped my forehead to hers. “Your brain is terrifying.”

“You not denying any of these options is not unterrifying it,” she pointed out.

“I’m not married or an imposter and I’m not kicking you out. There have just been a few…snags today.”

“You mean in addition to the rain that was not in the forecast?”

“The cows got loose and ate a significant amount of our flowers. The rain is making the roof of the tent pool and there’s concerns over letting people actually sit under it. The pasture is a mud pit. And instead of our wedding cake, the delivery guy brought a Happy Retirement sheet cake.”

She nodded thoughtfully. “Is that all?” she asked.

“It’s a lot. It’s kind of a disaster.”

Zoey was the kind of person you wanted on your side in an emergency. She was calm, cool, collected, and creative in a crisis. It was just in non-crisis situations that she struggled.

She cupped my face and moved in until our noses were touching. “Are you freaking out because you don’t want to marry me or because things aren’t going according to plan?”

“The plan thing obviously.”

She blew out a dramatic breath and bent at the waist, giving me an unexpected and incredible view of her cleavage. “Oh, thank God. I thought you were panicking because you came to your senses.”

“Zoey, I love you. Nothing has ever made more sense to me than you. I just wanted to give you the perfect day.”

“This is my perfect day. As long as I end up yours.”

“I don’t know how I got this lucky,” I said.

“If you give me a few minutes, you can get even luckier,” she said, fingers reaching for the zipper on my pants.

I stopped her again. “After the ceremony. When you’re my wife.”

“Okay. That’s hot. Say it again.”

“My wife.”

* * *

Thirty minutes later, it was the perfect day.

The rain was barely a drizzle now as the clouds began to part. We’d moved the official Bishop wedding arbor to higher, less muddy ground. My brothers were lined up with me, and my parents grinned at us from the front row under a golf umbrella.

Zoey’s family occupied the opposite side, staying on their best behavior, which had improved since our first meeting. Her sister sat between Zoey’s mom, stepdad, and father. Her dad had brought another new girlfriend as his plus-one. She was a part-time archaeology professor at a community college. Zoey’s mom claimed she smelled like tombs.

“You good, man?” Cam asked, clapping me on the shoulder. He was glowing. It was the happiest I’d ever seen him.

“Why do you look like you just won the lottery?” I demanded.

He immediately tried to rearrange his features, but it didn’t work.

“Does he have a fever?” I asked Levi.

Levi slapped a hand to Cam’s forehead harder than necessary. “Nope.”

“This is my wedding. What’s with this?” I asked, pointing at Cam’s smile.

“Whatever it is. I don’t like it,” Levi said.

“Can’t a guy be happy for his little brother on his wedding day?”

“Not that happy,” I said. “It’s creepy.”

Levi nodded. “Agreed.”

“I just got some good news. That’s all.”

“Did that guy you hate fall off a stage?” Levi asked.

“Harry Connick, Jr.? No. That son of a bitch is fine.”

“Then what the hell is it?” I demanded. “I’m the groom. You have to tell me before you ruin all my wedding pictures with your weird smile.”

“Fine. But don’t have any kind of reaction because I’m not supposed to tell anyone yet.”

“Deal.”

“Hazel’s pregnant.”

Levi and I both spun around and delivered celebratory punches to his chest.

“Ow!”

“Boys!” Mom hissed.

“Sorry,” we whispered.

“Congratulations, Cammy,” I said from the side of my mouth.

“Thanks. I’m really fucking excited.”

“The kid’s gonna be really lucky,” I predicted.

“To have Hazel as a mom,” Levi clarified.

“Yeah, you’ll probably be terrible at parenting,” I added.

“Even you two assholes being assholes can’t piss me off today,” Cam said proudly.

“Gentlemen, we’re about to start,” announced Darius, our boy-wonder mayor, who came home from college for the weekend just to officiate for us.

On cue, Laura and Hazel made their way down the aisle, sharing an umbrella.

Hazel beamed at Cam and my brother practically levitated off his feet.

And then it was time. I caught a glimpse of white dress and yellow umbrella before the Story Lake Warblers marched in front of me. Scooter Vakapuna blew into his pitch pipe. Cam elbowed me and snorted.

The Warblers had generously and firmly insisted on performing at our wedding. It was their gift to us and it was unreturnable.

They began an a cappella version of “Can’t Help Falling In Love” as I tried to get a clear view of Zoey. When the Warblers finally parted to allow my bride to join me at the altar, I could only stare and thank my lucky stars that this wild redhead was mine.

* * *

Laura: The photographer wants a family pic. Anyone seen the bride and groom? They disappeared right after the ceremony.

Levi: Maybe they’re putting Pepe back in the barn.

Laura: It’s funny how the donkey shows up right when Darius asked if anyone objected. Almost like someone trained him.

Cam: *halo emoji*

Levi: *whistling innocently GIF*

Cam: We have a bigger problem than a missing bride and groom. Anyone know how to get a bald eagle away from a wedding cake?

Laura: That sounds like a job for the chief of police.

Levi: Not in my job description.

Cam: Remind me to bring it up at the next town meeting. It shouldn’t be too hard to expand your responsibilities.

Levi: I will murder you.

Cam: Never mind. Problem solved. Goose took the cake topper and left.