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I’d once thought myself incapable and undeserving of it, yet here I stand, the luckiest man in the goddamn world.
With a grin, she walks over to the flowers I brought and plucks them off the keyboard. “Sunflowers?”
“They reminded me of you.” Big, bright, and full of expression. “Do you like them?”
Molly beams up at me, and if it’s possible, I fall in love with her even more.
“I love them.”
Epilogue
Rowan
In the fields adjacent to the manor, Molly and I rise from a thick blanket and dust the dark, damp soil from our hands.
Some couples have traditional ceremonies, like blending sands or wine to represent their union, but I opted for something more personal and unique to us.
The sun slowly begins its descent, casting burning rays of orange and red across the acres of lush land we officially own. In the distance, the DJ she demanded we hire for the reception, rolls through another round of thumping dance songs.
“Don’t you dare roll your eyes,” she chides. “We’re going to dance our asses off later, whether you like it or not.”
I snatch the hand that’s pinching at me and bring her knuckles to my lips. “As long as I see that ass of yours at some point, I don’t care what you do with it.”
Her expression is delightfully annoyed, but I’m given a telling grin that guarantees I’ll be claiming her in my bed tonight. Right where she belongs.
She inspects her gown for any dirt splotches before studying our handiwork. “Do you think it’ll survive?”
I turn back to the young magnolia tree we’ve planted in honor of our marriage. My wedding gift to her, and a symbol of stability. “If it’s anything like us, it’ll stand the test of time.”
I gaze lovingly down at her, radiant as ever, and my heart skips a beat. She’s somehow more stunning than when I first saw her in this dress.
My wife. My love. My everything.
It was her decision whether she wanted to cover up her birthmarks today. Ultimately, she opted for lipstick and minimal eye makeup, but the rest of her is beautifully bare.
Her dusky pink lips spread into a brilliant smile as she bends to retrieve my mother’s journal. “I made sure to follow Amelia’s directions exactly. She says magnolias can be temperamental, but if they’re given proper care, they’ll flourish.”
I reach for my suit jacket and slide it back over my shoulders. Then I wind my arms around her, relishing the way she fits so perfectly against me. “Sounds like someone I know…”
Her nose wrinkles, and I give her a soul-burning kiss before we head back to the courtyard that’s been transformed from a wedding ceremony to a bustling reception.
I’m glad for the sea of smiling faces that greet us when we crest the hill. The music is cut, and once we’re announced as Mr. and Mrs. Kendrick, shouts and cheers abound, making Molly blush.
Beside a proudly smiling Reginald and Danika is Gia, her hands over her heart and tears streaming down her cheeks. The woman brought an army with her to help keep up the demand for food, and she cried this morning, too, when I gave her the check for the job, including a large tip for her and her family.
Dan isn’t in much better shape, lip trembling and his chest hitching as he tries to hold back the emotion that’s clearly overwhelming him. Piper’s grinning ear to ear from where she’s positioning the cakes she made for us, but she stops to playfully pocket the kiss Molly blows her.
Everett, Cayce, and Lucas stand by the champagne tower, raising their glasses to us, and at once, we’re swarmed and congratulated by hundreds of guests as we take the walkway toward the main reception area.
Many of the town residents have come and gone throughout the ceremony, while the rest are dancing, eating, or loitering around in awe of the estate. We’ve hired security to help keep the lurkers in check, and with a property this large, it’s not stuffy. In fact, it’s comfortable, and something about inviting people into our space brings a sense of rightness I hadn’t expected to feel.
“Thomas certainly wanted to make a statement, didn’t he?” I ask, but I’m halted by the black piano set up just in front of the gardens.
“He’s not the only one,” she says impishly.
“What are you up to, wife?”
“I might have written you a little something…” She glides a hand down my arm, fingers snagging on mine before sauntering toward it with a wink.
