Epilogue

Gentry

A Month Later

Trees rise from the Earth in long, steady rows. One by one, over and over, their green needles stand covered in fluffy white snow. The heavy Christmas rush hasn't begun yet, but with the first snowfall in place, folks are out and about, shopping for wreaths and other holiday décor. I swear this shit starts earlier every year.

"Hey!" Kelly's friend Jovie waves from the little cabin she's sitting inside. We've gotten to know each other fairly well over the past few weeks given that Kelly and I have been planning our wedding here.

"You liking the new job?"

She nods and grins widely. "It's officially my third week and I have to say, I'm loving it. Small-town life is for me. What about you? Ready for the big day?"

"I'm ready to see my girl again. She insisted on taking twenty-four hours apart before the wedding and I'm turning myself inside out waiting for her."

"Well, no need to worry, Romeo. We spent all night together. She's excited to see you too." I didn't think I'd have to deploy my final wish, but it's nice to hear confirmation that she's still eager.

A man steps in from the side. He's a tall, flannel wearing dude with a long gray and white beard and an axe slung over his shoulder. His eyes are on Jovie with intensity. It's always been my job to notice the small things in people, and his stare sets off alarms right away.

They discuss something privately before he glares toward me and leaves.

"Jesus, you know that asshole?"

She laughs. "Yeah. That's my boss, Kade."

"He sit on a sharp limb or something? Dude looks angry as fuck."

"Coming from you?" she laughs. "You always look miserable."

"Yeah, so this dude must really look miserable then for me to say it. I'm pretty sure you can do better."

"Whatever!" Kelly laughs. "How is the B&B coming?"

"Slow and steady. Kelly wanted to renovate the kitchen and put in new flooring throughout the house, so we're working on that each weekend. It's been slow with the wedding planning on top of everything."

"She is really happy though, Gentry. She can't stop talking about how ecstatic her mom would be to know what you two were doing with the place. I'm jealous."

"Ah, I know what that's like. You'll find someone. Kelly says you're into one of the guys here. Tell me it's not the boss man. That guy is a creep."

She laughs. "He's really not that bad when you get to know him."

I roll my eyes, desperate to talk about anything that distracts me from the agonizing seconds I'm spending waiting for this wedding to start. "Why would a guy selling Christmas trees have anything to be so cranky about?"

Her eyes roll. "You'll think it's stupid if I tell you."

My eyes widen as thoughts rattle through my brain on what this guy has done. I don't want to get in the middle of anything, but I know Kelly would want me looking out for her friends.

"You should get over to the pines." She glances down at her watch. "The wedding starts in ten."

My stomach rattles with excitement as I glance down at the time on my phone. Sure enough, I'm ten minutes away from being happier than I've ever been.

"I'm going to get all the flower arrangements situated in the aisle and I'll meet you there."

"Can I bring anything over?"

"Nope! You're the groom. Just get over there and get ready for your girl!"

I'm used to working, so standing to wait isn't my thing. I grab hold of the pine and berry flower bouquet to the left and carry it through the row of trees, setting it in one of the vases at the end of the aisle.

We've only invited a few people, but in the small space between the trees at Evergreen Family Tree Farm, the gathering looks huge.

My brothers stand at the end of the aisle in gray three-piece suits, all of them with shit faced grins.

Ox is the first to speak up. "You gave us so much shit, man. You ready for all this?"

"Shut the fuck up. You're putting me to shame on my own wedding day. Who told you to wear that suit?" I glance toward my brothers. "Who told any of you to dress like that?"

"No one told you to wear jeans, old man," Ox laughs. "You did that to yourself."

I'm busting balls because my brothers look great. Kelly wanted me in boots and jeans with this camo button down. Everyone else was told to dress how they'd like, and they did. Some are wearing suits, others sporting their nicest pair of jeans. Kelly wanted everyone to be comfortable and warm given the temperature this time of year.

We had the option to marry inside, but this is so much more beautiful. Heavy snow on the trees, the scent of cedar and pine in the air, the scrabble of claws against tree bark in the distance as birds flock above.

Jovie sets the remaining flowers in their rightful spots, then steps off the aisle and onto the side of the archway to stand in support of Kelly. She's quite a bit younger than my bride and I get the feeling Kelly looks at her like a little sister. Whatever is happening with this Kade guy should probably be addressed sooner rather than later, but I'm too distracted right now to think about it much more.

Today is a day I've waited for far too long. The day I marry the woman of my dreams. My little masterpiece. My everything.

Music starts. One soft violin, then another as my beautiful girl steps into view.

She wears a long lace dress that spills off her shoulders and poofs out at the bottom. Her hair is long and simply curled, blowing in the wind.

The tick of a woodpecker nails in the distance with the beat of my heart, faster and faster the closer she gets to me.

I know my brothers will give me shit forever, but I can't help the tear rolling down my face as our eyes meet.

I didn't think this moment would happen… ever. I thought the girl I loved was gone, lost to time, but life has a way of making the things that should happen… happen . We're proof of that. Part of me wants to scream it from the rooftops to let all the other saps out there know not to give up, but I'm enamored, breathless, entranced by the woman walking toward me.

Her soft, little hand reaches out for mine and we stand under the pine archway, overlooking the tree farm and the clergyman begins to speak. He's a biker that runs with Rugged Mountain MC named Chap. In his own right, the man is a presence. Tall and wide with tattoos covering all visible skin, aside from his face, though I guess there might be some under the beard. I've never seen him without it.

"We're gathered here today to witness the love of two long-lost souls who have found each other again by way of chance." Chap looks toward me. "Gentry, you mentioned you'd like to begin."

I nod and glance toward my girl, breathing in the scent of winterberries on her skin. My heart is pounding. I'm not an emotional guy. I don't do emotional things. But here, in this moment, with my little princess, all I can conjure is emotion. Swallowing hard, I hold her hands in mine. "Ten years ago, I wrote you a letter that went unopened. It was a cry from a desperate man who knew the second he met you that you were meant to be his." I pull the envelope from the back pocket of my jeans. "I took that letter and brought it here today to read because I want you to know that those feelings I had back then, never changed."

Tears fall from Kelly's face, and I wipe them away with my thumb before pulling open the envelope, unfolding the ancient, yellowing sheet of paper to stare down at the words that I wrote so long ago.

‘Kelly, I've thought long and hard about what to say in this letter, or whether it was right to even send it. I know you're in love with another man and that makes things complicated, but last week I shared a drink with you, a simple conversation, a moment.

In the pantheon of time, that moment doesn't mean a thing. We're two passing ships. Two separate lives crashing together for one conversation. With anyone else, I could move on. But here I am, a week later, still thinking about you like the moment we had together was meant for more.

If I were the sentimental type, I might decide that I was overthinking, but I'm not. I don't think of anyone the way I've thought about you.'

I glance toward her and wipe away another tear before glancing back down at the letter.

‘That small fraction of time changed me. I know you might not feel the same, and that's understandable, but for the sake of my sanity, I had to try. All the best, princess. I hope you get everything your heart desires.'

I tuck the note back into my jeans and look at my girl. "You are my everything, Kelly. I promise to love you like I did in that moment ten years ago until time runs out. I'll honor you, be faithful to you, and grant every wish you'll ever wish." I slide the band onto Kelly's finger as she stares toward me with tears in her eyes.

"Gentry, I thought long and hard about why my mother hid this letter from me." A light snow begins to fall. "I don't know why she did what she did, but I'd guess she knew I had a thing for you and figured me knowing you did too would only make things more complicated than they already were for me. I could be angry and frustrated for the years that we missed, but part of me knows she was right. I needed this time to figure out who I was. I needed to experience the world without you to know how much I was missing. And Gentry… I was… I was missing so much without you. You're strong and brave, and you make me feel like I can do anything. I promise to love you, honor you, serve you, and be faithful to you, all the days of my life and then some." She slides the gold band onto my finger and tips up onto her toes with a smile, pulling away from the kiss that I know she wants to give.

Thankfully, Chap speaks quickly thereafter. "I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss your bride."

I lean into my girl, the princess I've waited ten years to hold as my own. My hand cups her cheek and my lips brush against hers. I'm sure the crowd is clapping, I hear the dull roar of their voices around us, but there could be a stadium of people here, and I wouldn't see them. For the first time in my life, I have everything… and everything is a five foot seven inch, curvy beauty that I'm never letting go of again.