Epilogue

Epilogue

One year later

Grand Junction

Colorado National Monument

Polly

I licked my lips as I made my way up the turn in the mountain to where Cas had kissed me in the rain a year earlier. It was funny, we'd done basically everything before that moment, but the rain soaked makeout session had been where it clicked, where everything felt real.

And so, when Cas had finally gotten around to proposing a few months ago–on Valentine's day; totally cliche but I didn't care–I had known instantly that I didn't want some big wedding at a church or some fancy event space. I wanted to get married at the monument.

And so here we were, Cas looking dapper in a black suit, standing just outside the guardrail with Jared looking just as handsome beside him. On the other side of a makeshift aisle that was nothing more than a pathway marked with rose petals, Savi stood, looking radiant in a dusky purple gown, the flowers in her hair matching the ones in her hand, her flowy dress just barely concealing her baby bump as she beamed at me, and then across the aisle at Jared.

We only had a few close friends and family in attendance. Cas' parents and siblings, an uncle from our side and some of my college friends. Somebody played the wedding march on their phone, and I started the walk down the aisle, the journey that would take me to the love of my life, the one that would make me Mrs. Cas Duncan.

Butterflies swarmed my stomach, but I held my head high. I was walking down the aisle alone. My friends had commented on how modern it was, but the truth was I had no choice. Any suitable escort I might have had was already waiting at the makeshift altar.

The music stopped when I reached Savi, and with nobody to give me away, Cas took my hands in his, lifted my veil and kissed my cheek.

The "minister" Cas' youngest brother, Alecs, a twenty-two-year-old kid who looked as if someone had out Cas through a carbon copy printer, nodded at us both, cleared his throat and began to speak.

We'd decided to go with traditional vows because neither of us were writers, and the vows were the only thing about us that would be even remotely traditional.

"Friends and family," Alecs began, "We are gathered here today to bear joyful witness to the holy matrimony of Pollyanna Lynette Baker and Cas Aaron Duncan."

The second Alecs spoke Cas' full name, the bet came rushing back to me, as did the fact that after a few tries on the road, I'd never tried again to figure it out.

And honestly? I probably wouldn't have guessed no matter how long I tried. But it didn't matter. Winner's choice? I'd already won. Everything I could have possibly asked for and then some.

I gasped and looked up into Cas' twinkling eyes.

I barely heard the rest of the vows. I was on autopilot, drowning in Cas' ocean-blue eyes. I said whatever was asked of me like a deliriously happy robot, and slid the ring on Cas' finger like it was meant to be there.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife." When Alecs spoke the words that sealed us together forever, everybody around us took two steps back. I was puzzled, until the rain started and Cas put his hands on my waist, pulling me close. His lips came crashing down on mine and he took me in his arms, kissing me as if he was drowning and I was his only source of air.

And the rain came down hard, just as it had that day, soaking our clothes. But this time, it only fell on the two of us. Yet somehow, when we finally broke the kiss and came up for air, there was a stunning rainbow high in the sky directly above us.

Our friends and family hollered and cheered and snapped pictures as we made our way down the short aisle. Savi, our self-appointed photographer, snapped a ton of pictures–thank goodness she'd gotten some prior to my gown getting soaked–and eventually our crowd made their way down the mountain to the covered picnic gazebos at the bottom, where a small reception had been set up and was waiting.

We ate, we drank, we danced, and all night, I only had eyes for Cas.

Finally, just as the sun started to dip behind the mountain, as I laid my head on his shoulder for our final slow dance, Cas leaned down and whispered in my ear.

"You ready to get on the road, babygirl? To start our life together?"

I looked up at him, my eyes wide, my face glowing with anticipation, and nodded emphatically.

I could relate. We were off to a ritzy hotel on the Las Vegas Strip for a birthday celebration do-over, followed by four days at Utopia as Daddy and babygirl.

I couldn't wait. But there was one thing I had to get off my chest first. "Cas? Really?"

Cas threw back his head and laughed. "I told you you'd never guess what it was short for."

"That's because it's not short for anything!" I pouted.

Cas just smiled, his grin absolutely devilish. "Then I guess I win, baby girl."

I just smiled and shook my head. "No, Daddy. I'm pretty sure we both won."

The End