Epilogue

“What the fuck?” Fenix says when she passes me in the hallway. “What happened to your makeup?”

“Whoops,” I tell her with swollen lips as she grabs my hand, leading me back to the bridal suite. “Did everyone really think I ran away?”

“Yeah. But everyone else is fucking stupid,” she explains. “I told everyone you were with Cash.”

“How’d you know?”

She glares at me. “Because you march to the beat of your own drum, Rem.”

I smile. I guess I do.

When we’re in the bridal room, she sits me in the makeup chair and reapplies powder to my face. She cleans up my matte lipstick and reapplies another layer to look fresh.

As she works her magic on me, I open the letter Cash gave me, and my eyes fly over the pages.

My Valentine,

Can you believe we made it this far?

Or that you’d be my wife this year?

In my heart, I knew you’d somehow be my wife before New Year.

Kinsley guaranteed it.

I know she’s woo, but I asked her to pull my tarot cards in January.

She predicted it all. Or at least it’s a fun thought, thinking she did. Apparently, the cards don’t lie.

I can tell you’re in love with me by how you look at me every fucking day. It makes me so damn happy.

I’ve missed you and have hated knowing I wouldn’t see you until our wedding day.

Traditions that keep me away from you are fucking stupid.

The last night we were together, you must’ve been tired from moving all day.

As soon as your pretty face hit the pillow, you were asleep.

Twenty minutes later, you were moaning my name in a dead sleep, and I was almost jealous of the dream version of me.

Then I remembered you’re mine, always have been mine, and always will be mine. And, it makes me smile knowing I get you in your real and dream world.

How damn lucky am I to have you as mine?

Mm. Mine. I love the thought of that. Don’t you?

Last week, once it spread around town that we were engaged, I was congratulated at least a thousand times.

Over and over, I heard how kind and sweet you are.

While I agree, I find it hilarious how everyone thinks you’re innocent, like a delicate little flower. It makes me smirk.

I’ll keep your dirty little secrets, knowing what’s on your mind each time you look at me.

If you’re smiling right now, you’re a bad fucking girl.

I knew it.

I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to satisfy you, babe.

We’re gonna have so much damn fun, Valentine.

But I should probably wrap this up because I’m sure you were given this right before we say I do.

Fuck, I can’t wait to call you my wife. Can’t wait to see you. This is just the beginning.

I’m in love with you, Rem.

Your mind, your body, your soul, and your need to break every fucking rule in the book.

It’s one thing I love most about you.

Logical, but also defiant. You’re the woman of my dreams that I get to wake up to every damn day.

I look forward to growing old with you. I love you now and forever. You have my word.

I will always choose you. Thank you for choosing me.

—Your Valentine, your husband

“No, no, no,”Fenix says as my emotions bubble. “No crying. Not even if it’s for happy reasons.”

She wags her finger at me.

“Okay.” I laugh, opening my eyes wide, trying to hold back tears as she grabs a tissue and presses it in the corners.

“Are you good?” she asks.

“Yes,” I nod as my sister stands behind me.

Our eyes meet in the mirror. “You’re so pretty,” she says.

“We look the same,” I tell her, turning to face her. “You deserve to be happy, too.”

“Remi,” she whispers. “Please don’t do this right now. It’s your big day.”

I give her a sad smile. “Promise you’ll tell me what happened when you’re ready.”

“I promise,” she says, forcing a grin. “Dad is waiting for you at the top of the stairs.”

“Okay,” I whisper, pulling my sister into a tight hug. “I love you, Nix.”

“I love you, sis. I’m so damn happy for you. This is how it was always supposed to be.”

I smile. “True love always finds a way.”

A minute later, we walk down the hallway to the top of the stairs. The wedding party stands against the wall in front of me. Colt walks over and hugs me right before the music starts.

Dad glances over at me as I loop my arm in his. “You look pretty, honey.”

“Thank you, Dad,” I say, grinning as my heart flutters with exhilaration.

It all happens so fast. Grace places her hand on my shoulder, smiling at me when it’s time for me to walk down the stairs. As soon as I take the first step forward, I see Cash patiently waiting with his hands folded in front of him. Our eyes lock, and I imagine our entire life together, nearly choking up by how damn beautiful the thought is. Everyone’s attention is on me, but I only see him. I’ve only ever seen him.

As soon as I’m close enough to touch him, I have to kiss him. He laughs against my lips. “You’re supposed to wait,” he whispers.

“I don’t care,” I say.

Then Beckett pulls out a note card, and the ceremony begins. No one in the room exists, just us, and it feels like it’s just us as we say our I do’s. Cash pulls me into a kiss, and when I hum against him, I realize we’re actually not alone. The whole town just watched me twist my tongue against his.

“I love you,” I whisper to him, and he says it back as we’re introduced as Dr. and Mrs. Cash Johnson.

“Always my Valentine,” he whispers in my ear, then I steal a kiss.

* * *

I rollover to an empty bed and smell bacon frying. When I open my eyes, I almost don’t recognize the room. As I glance at the tall windows, I remember where we are: in the house we’re renting from Colt.

Since we didn’t want to be tied to a rental agreement, my brother offered to rent his house to us on a monthly basis. He only asked that we give him notice before we leave, which we agreed to.

I glance down at the rings on my fingers, still tangled in the sheets, and smile. “He loves me.”

Then, my bladder forces me out of bed. After my morning routine, I slide on one of Cash’s University of Texas T-shirts and some pajama pants, then meet him in the kitchen. He’s standing over the stove with a spatula, shirtless and smiling.

“Damn, Valentine,” he mutters, and I move to him with my arms out. “My wife sure is lookin’ gorgeous this morning.”

My hands trace up his abs, and I capture his lips. “Good morning, hubby.”

“How’d you sleep?”

“Perfect next to you.”

He kisses my forehead, breaks away, and pours me a mug of coffee. I blow on it, take a tiny sip, and smile. After our wedding reception, we came home and stayed up too late, rolling between the sheets.

“I needed this caffeine,” I say, happy our honeymoon is next week. I can’t imagine being on a plane right now.

“I know,” he says with a wink.

A knock pulls me away from Cash as he grabs the carton of eggs from the fridge.

“Who is here?” I ask.

He shrugs. “I’m not expecting anyone.”

I pass boxes full of our stuff as I walk toward the front door. It’s barely past eight in the morning.

When I open the door, Colt stands on the porch, grinning. “Good morning, sunshine. Did you have fun last night?”

He’s way too chipper for this early in the morning. I’m still in my pajamas and have barely sipped coffee. It’s not officially autumn, but we got a cold front last night, and it’s chilly, especially in this drafty house. I groan.

“Are you going to invite me in?” he asks.

“No,” I tell him, and he kicks his foot forward before the knob can latch closed.

“I’m coming in,” he says. “Sorry to bother the newlyweds, but Mom told me to tell you that dinner is at their house on Wednesday.”

“You came here to tell me that?” I ask.

“Yep, and to share with you that I think I might’ve figured out what happened with Fenix.”

I cross my arms and tilt my head at him. “Seriously?”

“Yeah, it had to do with?—”

There’s another knock at the door, and the three of us look at one another.

“Hello?”

I see someone press their face against the glass, but it’s frosted, so they’ll never see inside.

“Answer it,” Colt says, helping himself into the kitchen. He grabs a mug as I move to the front door. It’s too early for this.

I swing open the door, and a woman with dark hair and bright green eyes stands on my porch. She looks at me from head to toe. “Oh. I’m sorry.”

“Hi, can I help you?”

She takes a step back, noticing I’m in my pajamas. “I saw this house was for rent. I’m searching for...”

She pulls her phone from her pocket. “Colt Valentine.”

“Oh. Um. One second.”

I go inside and glare at my brother. “A gorgeous woman is searching for you.”

He laughs. “I’m not falling for that.”

“I’m serious.”

Cash glances at me with brows raised.

“I’m telling the truth.” I sigh, then return to her. She gives me a small smile. “Would you like to come in?”

She looks around nervously. “Uh. Sure?”

I step to the side, letting her enter. “Now, who are you searching for?”

She scans the room, and her eyes lock on my brother. “Are you Colt Valentine?”

He drops the coffee mug, and it shatters across the floor. “Darlin’, I’ll be anyone you want me to be.”

THE END