No matter what, though, it would always have the same ending.
Me and my girls together, forever.
I’m the luckiest guy in the world.
BONUS EPILOGUE
Sydney
On the day I expected to be one of the most stressful days of my life, I’m the exact opposite. I smooth my hands over my dress and look into the large floor mirror in front of me. You’d think I would be staring at my own reflection. The woman who is dressed in white with her hair pinned up and her makeup flawless, but nope, I’m too focused on what’s happening behind me.
June is walking around with her phone, capturing pictures and taking videos of the entire room. We hired a professional photographer, but they’ve already come and gone for the bride’s photos and are off with my groom by now. June’s phone will capture moments that no photographer can dream of. I can’t wait to see what she has.
My mother is sitting on the white couch in the back of the room with Stella on her lap and they are singing a made-up song. Well, my mom is singing. Stella is looking at her like she is the coolest person on the planet.
“We are definitely making a reel with this one,” June says, kneeling down to get a shot with Stella in it.
My smile grows. The ceremony doesn’t start for another twenty minutes. There is no way that flower headband is going to stay in my barely fourteen-month-old’s hair. That’s okay, though. Her hair isn’t what I’ll remember on this day.
“Oh yes, I’ve been seeing some really good reels lately that I saved on my phone.” Lennox moves to her purse and starts digging for her phone.
“I did too!” Kass says, following her. “There was this Beyoncé one that I thought was cool.”
A lot has happened in the last two years, and every single moment of it has been incredible. We travel back and forth between Manhattan and Wyoming a lot, but it’s great. June and I opened a business together. She does marketing for authors, and I do any graphic art or cover work they need. As promised, Mark helps us with the business side. He’s mostly just a behind- the-scenes guy for us, but it’s perfect.
Kass and I didn’t rekindle our friendship as quickly as I did with Lennox, with good reason, but I’m truly lucky to have her as a friend, and I can’t believe she’s a bridesmaid in my wedding.
I grin at the three women in gold satin dresses as they share whatever is on their phones and laugh together. These are the moments I’ll remember today.
“How are you doing?” my mother asks, gently touching my hair as if she needs to put something back in place. Chances of that are low with the amount of hairspray in my hair right now.
Stella belly laughs from across the room, drawing everyone’s attention. Mattie, Mark’s sister, another bridesmaid, is spinning Stella around in a circle, dancing.
Mark’s mother is right next to her, clapping.
I turn slowly to face my mother and nod.
“I’ve never been better.”
“Good. Now, let’s go get you married.”
“Let’s do it.”
“Okay, ladies, we are going to get ready to line up with the boys. Are we all set?” the wedding planner asks, poking her head into the bridal suite.
The room is filled with collective yeses.
“Okay, everyone knows who they are walking with, right?” the planner asks, and the girls laugh.
“Yes,” Lennox says. “Lucky for us, we are all walking with our significant others.”
“Um, except me.” June waves her hand and rolls her eyes. “I got the bride’s brother.”
“That’s the best one,” I say.
“Depends on who you ask,” Junes says with a huff, and then looks up quickly. “I mean, yes. Yes, he is.”
Oh, I know my best friend, and that smile is as fake as it gets with her. What did I miss?
