Rhys’ Epilogue

RHYS’ EPILOGUE

THREE & A HALF YEARS LATER

I stood in front of the floor length mirror, staring at my reflection as a hundred thoughts raced through my head. I was a mess of nerves and anxiety, but underneath that was an unrelenting excitement for what was about to happen.

“It’s such a crime that it would take me nearly three hours to make myself presentable, but in forty-five minutes, you look ready for a runway. God, I hate you men sometimes,” Aly complained, doing a final check of my hair and light makeup before stepping back to admire her handiwork. Fin came up behind me to smooth down my tux jacket and make sure I didn’t have any unwanted fuzz or lint that stuck to me.

“She’s right though. You look amazing, and your man is going to lose his sexy little mind when he sees you. Too bad none of us will be there to see it because you just had to decide on private first looks. Ugh, what a waste. Remember, if he cries you have to tell me because Micah then owes me money!” Fin said, looking at me with crazed eyes in the mirror’s reflection.

“You’re losing that bet, Finlay! There’s no way in hell Hawk is going to cry. I’m almost convinced he had his tear ducts removed just to be more of a badass,” Micah yelled out from the other side of the groom suite. He was pouring us all glasses of champagne before the wedding planner came and grabbed me. “Aha! Here we are. A toast to our sweet Rhys.”

Micah, Fin, and Aly gathered around me in a circle, all of us raising our glasses in the center. “May you and Callum lead a life full of laughter, happiness, and love that lasts until the world ends,” Micah said with a bright smile.

“And don’t forget the hot, endless sex! That’s very important, Reese’s Pieces,” Fin chimed in. We laughed at his cheeky addition, clinking our glasses together and sipping down the cold, bubbly drink. The door to the suite burst open, Gran rushing in and looking around frantically.

“Did I miss it? Is he still here? Oh, there you are! Thank goodness, I thought I missed you before Lacey came and dragged ya off,” Gran said, letting out a sigh of relief. “Oh, Rhys…look how handsome you are. If your parents could see you right now, they’d be so dang proud.”

I tilted my head back, determined not to let her blubbering make me tear up and ruin the one and only time I’d be wearing mascara. “Gran, you’re gonna make me cry,” I complained, but tempered my words with a smile in her direction.

“I’m sorry, I’ll stop. I only wish they were here to share this day with you,” she said tearfully, fanning her eyes so her own tears didn’t fall. I bit my lip and smiled at her words, thinking about how Cal and I always spoke of his mom being there for him and us.

“They are,” I said simply. “I think they’re with me all the time. I definitely know they’ll be here to see me walk down that aisle.”

Gran beamed at me, grasping my face gently and pressing a kiss to my cheek. “They most certainly will be. What else have those two got goin’ on up there? They should be happy for the show.” I chuckled and wrapped her in a tight hug, so grateful to have her with me. I was even more grateful that she decided to move down to Texas to be nearer to me and Callum after the wedding. It was a bittersweet, difficult decision on her part to sell the house I grew up in, but it was time. She’d only taken over that house so I could keep some semblance of normalcy when mom and dad died, and I knew it was harder for her than she let on. However, she was excited for her beautiful new home in Fredericksburg. It was nestled on a few acres of land and only an hour and a half from us. Everything had worked out perfectly.

The door opened again and our wedding planner Lacey came bustling in, glancing at her watch. “Alright, it’s time. You three, go make sure your counterparts are in place at the altar before lining up. Ms. Evans, follow them and they’ll show you where to wait for the line up too. And Rhys…let’s go see your fiancé.”

The words sparked something in my gut, bright and warm. I couldn’t get enough of that one word ever since Cal proposed last year. It had been sweet, simple, and perfect. Cal had taken me to Colorado for our first vacation in a couple years, and we’d summited Mt. Sneffels on our last day there. We’d held each other, silently taking in the stunning panoramic view of the mountain range when Cal dropped to one knee. It was the easiest answer I’ve ever given.

We’d decided to do first looks together and privately give our vows. The ceremony would have the standard vows that we’d recite, but this would be different. This would be us unfiltered and bare, pouring our hearts out to each other where no one could see us. Just me and him. No one else around. Only us because his heart was meant for me alone, and I was the only one who got to see it.

Lacey led me through the villa of the vineyard we’d booked for the wedding, the Italian Old World architecture making it feel like I was stepping back in time. She opened a door that led to a concealed garden, stone and greenery blending together in a way that seemed magical. The garden was in the center of the villa, hidden from view and inaccessible except through that single door.

“Go stand over there, facing the fountain. Don’t turn around until he says.” She pointed toward the back at a tiered stone fountain, the sound of trickling water the only thing I could hear over the rapid thumping of my heartbeat. I walked toward it, coming to a stop right in front of it. I looked down and saw hundreds of pennies in the water, their age hinted at in their various shades of copper and rust. I wondered what wishes had been made and which had been granted, curious of the stories the water held.

“Make a wish,” Cal’s voice rasped behind me. My heart skipped and I fought to steady myself before turning to face him. The first sight of him was a hit to the chest, almost knocking the air clear out of my lungs. No one had a right to look as gorgeous as he did. The all-black tux fit him to perfection, hugging his toned muscles and making my mouth water. I liked that the only color on him was the dark blue-violet square tucked expertly into his chest pocket that he claimed matched the shade of my eyes. I had to remember to breathe so I didn’t pass out. Not the best look on my wedding day.

He held out a shiny new penny to me, and electricity tingled up my arms as my fingers grazed his when I took it. I looked him straight in the eyes and tossed the coin behind me, hearing the soft plonk as it hit the water.

“What did you wish for?” he asked, the intensity of his eye contact making my veins thrum with need. I took a step to close the distance between us, grasping his hands and twining our fingers together.

“I didn’t. I have nothing left to wish for,” I told him, the truth of that statement hovering between us. The smile that curled at his lips made me weak in the knees, and I almost forgot why we were there.

“You look stunning, sweetheart,” Cal whispered, raking his gaze down my frame and making me shiver as though I could feel it like a physical caress. “I can’t believe we’re here. It’s like four years together just flew by.”

“I know. But they’ve been the happiest four years of my life,” I replied, my voice growing thick with tears that I willed to go down.

“Oh Rhys,” he breathed, cupping my cheek and moving close enough that I could feel the heat from his body. “We better get on with these vows and get to the ceremony before I lose all patience and drag you back to our honeymoon suite.”

I let out a breathless laugh and nodded, not trusting my voice as my throat tightened with emotion. He stepped back and grabbed both my hands again, his thumbs grazing my knuckles softly.

“I’ll go first,” I started, taking a deep breath to calm myself. “Cal, I know the way we started out was rocky and unconventional, but I wouldn’t change a single second of our story together. I would gladly go over every bump in the road, weather every storm, and climb each mountain in our way as long as I came out the other side as yours. I am thankful for all the dark times that helped me to see the light you tried to hide. You came into my life when I needed you most, shaking me up and reminding me of my own strength. You took the parts of myself that I hated and turned them into something beautiful, refusing to let my fears and insecurities take over. I couldn’t wish for a more perfect man for me than you, my love. It was as though I had a void in my heart that was just waiting for you to fill it. You are my best friend and the other half of my soul. I will love you until I have no breath left in my body. ”

My voice wobbled as I finished, all the emotion bubbling under the surface close to bursting through. Cal’s eyes were locked on mine, unwavering as he squeezed my hands so tight I’d be worried he was cutting off circulation if I cared. I didn’t. I wouldn’t let go for anything in the world, not wanting to lose this connection to him for a second. Cal’s lips rolled inward and he cleared his throat, his jaw ticking rapidly. I recognized that he was struggling to keep his composure too, and for some reason that pushed my tears closer to the edge. After a few seconds, he seemed to gather himself enough to talk.

“Sweetness,” he began, a small smile kicking up one side of his lips. “We’re not perfect. We’re messy and flawed and I will probably fuck up more than I’d like, but I promise I will always fight to be better for you. I will right my wrongs, and I will strive each day to be the man you deserve. You are my life, Rhys. You are inked into my very soul. You’ve helped turn this villain into someone worthy of being the hero of your story and for that, I owe you my heart. I cannot wait to marry you today and spend the rest of my life making you as happy as you’ve made me. My love for you is without limits, without conditions, without end. Until the stars burn out and the skies fall around us, I am yours.”

The tenuous cord holding me together frayed and snapped, and tears streamed down my face. I threw my arms around him, burying my face in the crook of his neck as he held me with enough strength to break me in half. We held tight, both of us sinking into the other as the gravity of our promises settled over us. I got lost in his warm bergamot scent, the heat of his chest on mine, the knowledge that this man loved me with everything he had. And I loved him with an intensity that defied logic, powerful and unyielding.

I didn’t know how long we stood there wrapped up in each other, but eventually Lacey called out from the garden door, telling us we had two minutes to get to our places. We separated slowly, my hands coming up to rest on either side of his neck, his hands rubbing circles into my hips.

“So what do you say, Sweetness? You ready to tie yourself to me permanently?” Cal asked, that familiar cocky smirk in place.

“More than you know,” I answered. Cal’s lips brushed mine gently, but the contact rocked me to my core. It didn’t matter how many times Cal kissed me, I still felt every single one down to my bones, seeping into the fabric of my being. We parted and he grabbed my hand, pulling me toward the door. We made our way back to the ceremony grounds, and he gave me one last penetrating look when we had to go our separate ways.

“See you soon, husband,” he whispered, shooting me a wink before making his way toward the altar. I disappeared around the corner, finding Aly, Fin, Micah and Gran waiting for me. They didn’t say anything, all just smiling knowingly at me as we lined up. Gran looped her arm in mine, ready to walk me down the aisle like I asked. Cal and I didn’t want a super traditional wedding, but that was one thing I wouldn’t compromise on. She planted another kiss on my cheek as the doors swung open, and Aly started the processional. Fin and then Micah followed behind her, and at last it was my turn.

The small crowd of our friends and family all turned toward me, the lush vineyard providing an idyllic scene behind them all. Jack was seated in the front row right next to the aisle, a beaming grin on his face upon seeing me. I caught glimpses of Bash, Dawson, Griffin, Nate, and Kenji and other familiar faces of my loved ones but my eyes quickly locked onto the person who mattered most. Just like that, the world fell away and all I could see was him.

I took a breath and started down the aisle, thinking back on how our journey had led us to this day. We were two broken halves who found each other through pain and tragedy. I believed that if we had missed each other on one path, our fates would have led us back here eventually.

That’s why I knew we’d be together for the rest of this life and whatever came after. Our paths would always cross. This life was just one chapter in our never-ending story, and when we came to the end of it, we’d turn back to the beginning and do it all over again.

The End