Page 88 of The Mr. Right Checklist

“I’ll keep him in line,” Beth calls out.

“I know you will, sweetheart,” he says. “Mary and I couldn’t be happier to call you our daughter-in-law. But marriage is hard, and there will be times when you try each other’s patience and have trouble remembering why you made your vows. We have faith that you’ll go the distance, but as parents, we wanted to give you some profound advice that might help you get through those tough times. The best I could come up with was for Jimmy to learn to say yes, dear and sound sincere.”

We all laugh.

“As you can imagine, that got nixed pretty quickly,” my mother said.

“We were stuck,” my father adds. “But then we had the pleasure of meeting Ryan’s girlfriend, Destiny.”

Everyone looks over, and Destiny’s eyes widen again.

“Destiny is a proposal planner, and she told us about special-moment cards she made for a couple representing their most memorable times together. That was a good reminder that love isn’t always loud. It can be, but more often than not, it’s the smaller, quieter things that create the unbreakable bond. Like doing the things your partner loves, even if you think they’re silly, and being there for them when they need you, and even when they don’t. It’s always, without fail, having their back, which means supporting their dreams and telling them when they have spinach in their teeth.” He pauses for the chuckles. “But that doesn’t mean one of you should silence your opinions or accept anything you’re not comfortable with. Love is arguing and compromising and coming to decisions that are best for both of you.”

He turns to Jimmy and Beth. “With all of that in mind, we’ve put together a brief video collage of special moments that we hope will remind you of why you fell in love. And our advice to you is when you hit those rocky roads, which you will, find the strength and patience to watch this video together. Hopefully it’ll be enough of a reminder to practice that same patience with each other. We love you both.” He raises his glass, and we all follow suit. “To Jimmy and Beth. May their hearts stay warm and their future children bring them as much joy and worry as they did to us.”

There’s a round of cheers and glasses clinking as a screen lowers from the ceiling across the room.

As pictures of Jimmy and Beth at varying ages appear, laughing, hugging, and arguing, I put my arm around Destiny, who’s wiping her eyes, and kiss her temple, whispering, “Are you okay?”

She nods. “I love this. You don’t mind if I borrow your family when I get married, do you?”

Fucking hell. Is she serious? “You’re not getting married without us, sunshine.”

“Good.” She leans against my shoulder.

I put my arm around her, keeping her close while we watch the video. A picture appears of our families at the lake. Chuck and I are about seven and five. We’re wearing baseball caps, beaming at the camera as we hold up the fish we caught. Beside me, Jimmy, who’s probably three, is holding the head of his fish between his teeth. He’s waving with both hands, and Beth is trying to pull the fish out of his mouth. We all laugh as the picture fades and another appears of all of us on my father’s boat. Beth and Jimmy are crouched behind me, grinning like the evil geniuses they are, as I sleep on the deck. Jimmy is holding a bottle of suntan lotion, and Beth is pointing to my stomach, on which they’ve written DORK with the suntan lotion.

More laughter ensues.

The next picture was taken that same day, of me and Chuck putting fish down the backs of Beth’s and Jimmy’s bathing suits.

“I know I’ve said it before, but you’re lucky to have such a great family,” Destiny whispers as more pictures appear, and all I can think about is how lucky I am to have this time with her.

As the evening rolls on, we mingle in the banquet room and on the balcony. Beth dragged Destiny away to hang with the other girls from the wedding party a while ago, and her laughter floats around me like a drug I can’t resist.

My father sidles up to me, following my gaze to Destiny. “She fits right in, doesn’t she?”

“Yeah. She and Beth have gotten close the last couple of weeks.”

“And you’re not running in the opposite direction.”

I swirl my drink around the ice in my glass. “That’s the last thing I want to do.”

“Don’t let your mother hear that, or she’ll be planning your wedding.”

“I’m smarter than that.”

His expression turns serious. “Are you still anti-marriage?”

“Honestly, I don’t know where I stand on that anymore, but I’m happy with Destiny, and I’d like to see where we end up.” I can’t believe how easily that came out, especially now, when we’re on the cusp of ending things. Shit. What am I thinking? I gulp down my drink. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to hit the men’s room.”

I set my glass on the table and head out of the banquet room, following the signs for the bathroom down the hall. I pass the ladies’ room and turn the corner into the men’s room. Thank God it’s empty. I splash cold water on my face and pace the floor, needing to get my head on straight. Destiny’s comment about borrowing my fucking family was a damn wake-up call. I don’t want to think about her with another guy. My hands curl into fists as I wear a path in the floor. What the hell am I doing? This is bullshit. What am I afraid of? I fucking love her.

That stops me cold.

Holy shit. I don’t just love who you are and being with you. I’m in love with you.

My chest constricts, and I lift my gaze to the mirror, expecting to see a man I don’t recognize staring back at me. But I know this guy. He’s spent ten years afraid to put himself out there. Afraid of being blindsided again. Dozens of people have tried to change my mind about love, and not one of them incited a second thought.