Epilogue

Ipoint a blue-tipped finger, annoyed. “Touch your face again and I will tie your hands at your side.”

I intend for it to sound threatening, but Mia smirks. “You’d probably need to get Tommy for that. He’s the only one who can tie me up where I can’t get out.”

Izzy squeals, shaking her head. “T-M-I, girl. I do not need to know your kinky shit. Save it for the honeymoon.” But I can see her thinking. Something tells me that Izzy is going to be asking Gabe to try a little rope play tonight too, in their own way.

“Focus,” I say, placing a hand on each of Mia’s shoulders. “Hair, check. Makeup, check, if you’d only leave it alone. Dress, check. Potty break?”

She shakes her head, grinning. “No, I’m good. I’m ready. Are you? Got a little extra weight on that bouquet-carrying hand now. Wouldn’t want it to be too much for your weak little arms.”

Her tease breaks the nerves we’re all feeling. Not about the wedding. Mia is more than certain about marrying Thomas. But none of us are particularly ‘spotlight’ people, and there are going to be lots of spotlights on us today.

Mia and Thomas elected for a small, private wedding. Just family and about fifty of their closest friends and business associates. It’s safer than inviting the whole town of Roseboro. But the pictures are going to be the first story on the ten o’clock news and the front-page spread in the paper in the morning.

It’s taken a few months, but the timing couldn’t be better. The investigations are complete, and all of Blackwell’s dirty laundry is out in public.

Well, most of it. Thomas is holding a few secrets close to his vest to call in markers if he has to. He’s used a few already, filing suit against Blackwell’s estate and getting liens against the Corporation. The Blackwell Building has been renamed the Roseboro Tower, and houses Goldstone Incorporated. Thomas even brought several of Blackwell’s companies and subsidiaries under the Goldstone umbrella. He’s slowly but surely taking over the Blackwell mantle and reshaping it into something brighter and better. A new start for the city.

What better time for a wedding?

I strike a pose, making sure my new diamond engagement ring is prominently displayed. “How’s this?”

Lance proposed six months to the day after our initial meeting at the gala. Crazy fast, supposedly, but he jokes that he knew right away but waited forever for me to decide that he’d do for a husband.

I appreciate that he makes it seem like I’m the reasonable one when the truth is, he was healing me, wound by wound, scar by scar.

Mia and Izzy clap, chiming in unison, “Perfect!”

“All right, today’s my day. Charlotte, you’re up any time now. Izzy, what’s it gonna take to make this a done deal with Gabe?” Mia asks, sounding more like a car salesman than a computer genius.

Izzy blushes. “It’s not like that, guys. Gabe can’t have paperwork floating around with his name on it, especially not with my name too. It’s like the number-one way to wave a flag and highlight your weakness. We won’t risk it.”

“Well, that man is weak for you. Weak in the knees!” I tease.

Mia raises her brows. “He’d damn well better be on his knees for you, girl.” We all laugh, already knowing that Gabe going down on Izzy is a regular thing. Again, we overshare. “But what about something unofficial, just private with the two of you or our little group? That way, there’s no paperwork. That’d be okay, right?”

Izzy bites her tongue like she’s forcing down words. But she loses the battle, her hands covering her face—ugh, her makeup!—as she looks down at her lap. She mumbles something I can’t decipher.

Mia looks at me, eyes questioning whether I got that, but when I shake my head, she says, “Louder for the people in the back, Iz.”

Izzy looks up, apology in her eyes. “We already did. A month ago, when we went to Mexico for that assignment.”

“WHAT?” we both yell.

There’s a knock at the door, and Steven calls out, “Ladies?”

“We’re fine,” Mia calls back. Then to Izzy, “Explain.”

“I’m so sorry. I wanted to tell you, but this is your day, Mia,” Izzy begs. “I didn’t want to take all the attention by getting married first. I mean, you started this... us.”

Mia scoffs. “Girl, I don’t care. I just want you to be happy. Congratulations!”

I repeat the sentiment and Izzy smiles a little wider. “I love you two.”

“We love you too.”

Mia grabs her hand, lifting an eyebrow. “Uhm, I think he forgot a step though. Where’s the bling-bling?”

Izzy flinches and Mia rushes to backpedal. “It’s okay if he’s saving up or something. The vow is in your heart, not a shiny stone.”

Izzy shakes her head. “It’s not that. I told him to wait until after, so I know what size my fingers are going to be.”

“After what?” I ask hesitantly.

“The baby,” Izzy says, her hands going to her still-flat belly.

“WHAT?!” we yell again, and this time, Steven knocks, always the worried security expert. We ignore him to focus on Izzy.

“I’m only two months along, but that was why we wanted to rush the wedding a bit. Not that it’ll matter since there’s no paperwork, but I want the whole picturesque family. Mom, Dad, baby, picket fence.”

It’s bittersweet. Izzy’s struggled her whole life to feel at home, like she belongs, and I’m so happy for her to finally have the family she’s always wanted. With Gabe, her Prince Charming.

“Honey,” I say, gathering her in a hug. Mia piles on top, and we’re all hugging each other, tears running down our faces as we snottily proclaim to be the best aunties this baby has ever known.

Even though we’re not being loud, there’s another knock. “Thought you might need a ten-minute warning. Last chance for makeup fixes, bathroom breaks, or to make a run for it, Miss Karakova.”

Steven’s funny, in a dry humor sort of way. But I also think he’d take Mia right out of here if she asked him to. He might be employed by Thomas, but all the guys on the security team have a soft spot for the crazy, geeky video gamer who captured their boss’s heart.

Thomas used to be a bit of a beast, but Mia domesticated that right out of him. Or gave him a better outlet for his monstrous urges. I laugh at my own dirty joke, thinking Mia would approve.

We touch up our makeup and hug one more time. “Ready?” I ask Mia.

She smiles, nodding. “I’m getting married, guys. Let’s go!”

And with that, she hitches up her dress and heads for the door, ready to tackle the world. Or forever.

Mia pauses outside the closed doors, taking her dad’s arm. Vladdy’s in tears, whispering in her ear, probably threatening to kill Thomas if he ever mistreats his princess. Mia definitely gets her scariness from her dad, who’s a total teddy bear.

Unless you piss him off, or so I’ve heard. I wouldn’t know, because he’s always a sweetheart to me.

The doors open, and Izzy walks in first, slow and steady. She looks beautiful, glowy, and happy. Gabe stands at Thomas’s side, looking ready to run down the aisle, snatch Izzy up, and steal away with her.

Then it’s my turn. As I walk, I glance over at Lance, who’s next to Gabe, thinking that the next time I do this, it will be to become his wife. Where once, that would’ve terrified me, it now sounds exciting.

I can’t wait.

Looking in his eyes, I know he feels the same way. Maybe we could sneak off with the officiant during the reception and do it quickie-style like Izzy did?

We won’t, of course. Lance wants to give me the whole princess fairytale wedding, his romantic streak unending. I can dig that. It doesn’t have to be big and fancy, but something our friends and family can come to.

I want them to see me choosing love, choosing Lance, choosing faith.

The music changes, and Mia begins her trek down the aisle. She’s gorgeous. Her hair is blonde and pink, curled up in an elaborate updo with a funky bow, and her dress is pink, of course. But it’s the softest, palest shade of blush that just looks warm and ethereal against her skin.

The ceremony is beautiful, with vows of love and promises of all-night game play on video game release days. Gotta love Mia. She thinks ahead and gets that stuff in writing. No take-backsies.

Before I know it, the ceremony is over and Lance is escorting me out behind the bride and groom.

In the hallway outside, we look at each other. The six of us, all from different backgrounds, shaped by different experiences, with different hopes and dreams. But all here together.

Our family, not by birth but by choice.

And forever begins for Mia and Thomas.

It’s already begun for Izzy and Gabe and their new addition.

And soon, it’ll be my turn with Lance.

Our version of happily ever after.