AllFreeNovel
Share Us
A month after Alice and I reunited, I asked her to marry me. Gram’s presence at our wedding was deeply important to me. And not just because it would make her happy. My heart and soul knew it was important for her to see us off.
Alice was on board. Since her parents weren’t here to be part of the wedding, Gram would walk her down the aisle. Believe me when I say she wasabsolutelythrilled with that.
“Are you ready?” she prompted.
We were getting married in Alice’s backyard. Gram had originally wanted the wedding to take place at her house but had acquiesced when I pointed out that it was important for Alice to honor her parents by having the wedding there. “The view’s almost the same,” she had pointed out to Gram.
“I’m ready.”
“Well, then get out there.” My grandmother practically chased me out of her house.
The anticipation humming through me had me shifting on my feet as I waited beside my father, who was my best man. It was a very chilly afternoon. We’d had a dusting of snow last week, and Thanksgiving wasn’t far away. Termination dust had already fallen on the mountains.
This was Alaska, so everyone was happy to stand outside for a gorgeous late autumn, early winter wedding ceremony. When I saw Alice coming out on my grandmother’s arm, wearing her mother’s wedding dress under an open long coat, I couldn’t help the smile. It was automatic.
I was still worried about anyone mattering too much. But if I could do this messy thing called life with anyone, it was Alice. She stopped in front of me.
My grandmother whisper-shouted, “She’s all yours!”
When I said my vows, my heart kept beating, and I didn’t stutter. Alice’s eyes held mine, her gaze steady and filled with love and warmth.
A little while later, Janet sat beside us at one of the tables in Firehouse Café, her eyes twinkling with her smile. “I just knew you two were meant for each other.”
“Did you really?” Alice prompted, a small smile teasing at the corners of her mouth.
Janet nodded firmly. “I did. The first time I saw you two together here. I didn’t know how long it would take you to figure it out. You’ve made your grandmother very happy.”
“That’s not why I fell in love with Alice, but it’s convenient,” I offered with a grin.
Janet hurried away moments later, and Tiffany sat down beside us. “Good thing you two figured this shit out. And, can we all agree how handy it was that that whole bullshit thing sorted itself out in time?”
The bullshit thing Tiffany was referencing was the legal case with the guy who’d been trying to blackmail Alice and, apparently, a bunch of other women he worked with. Even though his father was a partial clinic owner, the other owners were furious about the embezzlement and the other legal charges. With those cases, he was looking at multiple felony charges at this point.
Alice shrugged. “I’m glad it’s dealt with.”
Her fingers were laced with mine, and I squeezed lightly. “We didn’t want that hanging over us for this wedding.”
Alice glanced at the clock. “You know we have to go soon.”
“Why?” Tiffany asked.
“Because Honey’s waiting at home, and she needs dinner,” Alice explained.
“I can take her for the night,” Tiffany said. “I can’t believe you didn’t even think to ask me about that.”
Alice shook her head. “It wouldn’t feel right. She adores Jonah, and she’s family for us.”
Tiffany nodded. “Proof we should all just marry the people our dogs love.”
Alice bit her lip as she laughed. “I think it’s a good measure. A dog’s judgment is purer than human judgment.”
Tiffany giggled. “I guess if I ever meet anyone, I’ll ask Honey what she thinks.”
Alice looked over at me that evening. We were on the couch with Honey curled up against my hip. “We could’ve had Tiffany take care of Honey,” she offered.
I shook my head. “I agree with you. Plus, we’re doing our honeymoon next spring anyway.”
She shifted closer to me. “We could go sooner if you want.”
“All I want is you. I don’t care where we are.”
