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Beatrice holds up a charm on a small pin. “I didn’t have a chance to wrap it, but I found this at Saint-Ouen to be your something old. I hope you like it.”
“I love it. Thank you.”
Katarina grins, pointing at my Janacova original wedding gown. “I’d say I got you something, but you’re already wearing it.”
I twist a bit, letting the dress swish with the movement.
“I guess that’s everything. Old, new, borrowed, and blue.” It’s something we’ve all agreed to do for one another when the time comes. “Am I ready?”
I let them look me up and down, trusting their educated eyes.
“Perfect,” they all agree.
“Okay, let’s do this.”
I walk down the stairs with my friends, all of whom are standing up with me as bridesmaids.
We line up outside the Corbin Gymnasium wing, the only place large enough for the hundreds of guests we’ve invited. After all, a Corbin is getting married in Paris.
The doors open, and the women walk down the aisle before me. Last but not least, Tobias walks down with Xerxes on a leash. He’s not exactly a flower girl, but we wanted to include him—Xerxes, I mean, not Tobias. Although we would definitely want to include him too.
Since Simon and I have been growing Autumn Fisher Designs, we’ve needed support, and Tobias was happy to move to New York City to work with us. I’m certain that had more to do with his blossoming relationship with Clay than my fashion genius or his friendship with Simon. But double dates with the two of them typically leave Simon and me laughing, so I’m happy with whatever got Tobias to New York.
Mom holds out her elbow, and I thread my arm through hers. “Thanks, Mom.”
“I love you so much, dear. And I am so happy that you are happy.” She’s whispering out the side of her mouth, and I’m listening, but my eyes are trained on Simon.
He’s at the end of the long aisle, his eyes locked on me.
I walk toward him, toward my everything.
* * *
Simon
The reception is full of laughter, dancing, and magic. It must be magic because nothing else could bring that big of a smile to my bride’s face.
Autumn is on the dance floor with her bridesmaids. They’re swaying and moving, lifting their hands in the air as they sing along with the music.
“She’s beautiful,” Tristan grunts from beside me. “Congratulations.”
I look over at him, taking a slow sip of my scotch. “Watch it,” I tease. We’ve made peace, with each other and our pasts, not letting them affect our futures. In fact, Tristan is doing much better now, working an apprenticeship in home construction with plans to become a project manager one day.
He grins back. “What can you tell me abouther?”
I follow his line of sight and chuckle when I see Claire from the coffee shop that Autumn prefers. Autumn insisted that we fly Claire to France for the wedding. “Good luck. Just don’t fuck it up, or that one will eat you alive.”
“That sounds exciting,” he replies, one brow lifting as he takes Claire’s measure in her blood red dress and black Dr. Martens boots.
“The folly of youth,” I intone, holding my glass up. “I wish you much luck in your trials.”
Tristan clinks his glass against mine and then walks away, heading straight for Claire. And his likely demise.
The other guys I worked with and befriended at the orphanage are here too, home from university or out of school for winter break. We stay in touch, messaging each other, video chatting, and even playing video games together long-distance. They’re all doing well, with Samuel planning to go into television, Raphael wanting to become a sports coach and teacher, Theodore studying business, and Claude wanting to become a social worker so he can return to the orphanage to help other children like him.
Even beyond the boys’ growing up, truly, everything has come together brilliantly. Autumn and I are wed, Xerxes has finally decided that Autumn is an acceptable addition to his food-givers rotation, Tobias is in New York with me, and he is happy with Clay. Jacqueline is leading House Corbin into new territories with Beatrice’s influence, whom my aunt has truly taken under her wing. The other designers are doing well with their own work. Nora and her husband had their little one, an adorable cherub named Kayleigh who makes me want a miniature version of Autumn so desperately that I’ve already asked when she’ll be ready to stop her birth control so we can have one of our own. And I know that would make Autumn’s mother blissfully happy.
In fact, I think it’s about time we get started on that.
