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‘Yes,’ she said with a grin, ‘Of course I’ll marry you again. I’d marry you every single day only to hear you tell me how much you adore me.’
‘Oh, you’re a wicked thing,’ I said between peppered kisses.
‘I thought I was your good girl?’ she said, giving me a look that went straight to my dick.
I slipped the ring over her finger, the blue stone glittering prettily against her wedding band.
‘Don’t worry, I have plenty of ideas for my bad girl, too.’
EPILOGUE
MAEVE
The summer breeze tickled at my bare arms as I walked through the ancient trees on Mac’s arm. Fairy lights twinkled as we approached the clearing where the people I loved waited for me.
‘Are you nervous?’ Mac asked as the mournful lilt of a violin filled the evening with its voice.
My stomach flitted, bubbles effervescing deep within. It wasn’t nerves; it was excitement. Cam came into view as we followed the trail, his smile like a magnet pulling me toward him.
‘No, not nervous. Not this time. I’m so happy Mac.’
He gave my arms a tender squeeze as he escorted me to my husband. Every little detail overrode our first wedding, replacing the memories of fear and sadness with new ones of joy.
Our favourite people sat on logs and tree stumps around the circumference of the clearing. Sweet Katie with her rockstar boyfriend wrapping an arm about her shoulders, Logan and Ewen sat beside Elias and Grace, looking every bit the fun uncles they had sort of become to the teens. Benny sat with his wife, looking more relaxed that I’d seen him, his eyes crinkling at the corners as he grinned at me. Even Esther has finally returned to visit. It had taken months to convince her that Harold was really dead, and that I truly loved his son. Our first meeting after her disappearance had been stilted, but soon enough, old habits won out, uniting my siblings as we strove to find our new normal. She looked thrilled as she clung to her husband, Alec’s hand, her stomach swollen with her pregnancy. I think it had been worse for him. He’d betrayed our families when he fell for her. But forgiveness came easily enough. After all, what had I done when I fell in love? I could no more curse them than be cursed myself. Love reigns. My father had yet to waken, still being kept alive by the machines. Hope faded fast for him ever recovering, but we’d been loath to switch them off. The longer he remained in his twilight sleep, the harder it was to hate the things he’d done. I spent many afternoons by his side, reading softly from the old western books he favoured and updating him on our lives. On the things I was achieving with Cam by my side, supporting me.
Leaves crunched beneath my feet as the sun set off to my left, its dying light filtering through the trees and lighting up my love. As we stepped up to the autumnal flower filled wooden arch, Mac pulled me tight to his chest and kissed my temple.
‘I’m so happy for you, kid.’
Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I left a red set of lips on his cheek. ‘Thank you Mac, it means the world.’
And then it was Cam and I, together once more.
I passed my wild bouquet off to the humanist and smiled as Cam gathered my hands in his own, his thumbs caressing my knuckles as he stared at me with an intensity which warmed me to the core.
Would I ever tire of seeing his beautiful face? His laughter came so much quicker these days as we relaxed into our life together, the comfort of familiarity only making our relationship that much sweeter as we learned more and more about one another.
‘Ready?’ he said.
‘Yes, I can’t wait one minute longer to marry you. Again.’
‘I’d marry you time and time again, my love.’ A tingle shot through me as he licked the edge of his lip before biting down on it. My head filled with the need to bite it, too.
The humanist cleared her throat before beginning to speak, smiling softly at us.
‘We gather here today in this woodland to celebrate the union of Maeve and Cameron MacKenzie. Brought together under unusual circumstances, but choosing to renew their vows surrounded by love. Sometimes life’s adversities bring the sweetest rewards, and I think you can all agree that they have been rewarded wonderfully with their deep connection.’
I smiled at Cam.
‘Someone once said that love is a fabric which never fades, no matter how much it is washed in the water of adversity and grief, and your love blossoms in the face of the struggles you’ve both faced.’
We grinned as she spoke, looking at our mishmash family and luxuriating in the happy moment we all shared. They had been so few. I was determined to make them happen far more often. I might even have to insist on some big family dinners.
Finally, we came to the vows. I inched closer to Cam, my fingers warm in his hands.
‘Maeve,’ he said, finally letting me know the vows he’s been poring over for the past few weeks, ‘You came into my life like a storm that I thought would wipe me out, a force to be reckoned with. I think, from the very day you told me you would ruin me, that you stole my heart. Little by little, you took it piece by piece until I was gathering up what remained and trying to thrust it into your hands. I’ve been consumed with you ever since. Every day that you resisted the fall burned me up inside, but when you finally gave into the depth of the feelings between us, my universe brightened. It continues to brighten with each moment I spend with you.’
A tear escaped and rolled down my cheek as I listened to Cam, his voice steady as he poured his love out in front of everyone. His pulse quickened in his throat with each word, and mine matched it.
