56. Leah

CHAPTER 56

LEAH

Me

What are you guys up to?

Lauren

It's cute that you act like you don't know we're sitting outside your house waiting to tackle you and look at that ROCK!

Tay

Seriously though, Sawyer couldn't have hidden a key under a frog or something? It's actually hot today.

Shane

Remember when you were complaining three short months ago about freezing your tits off? Let's just savor the breeze while we have it.

Me

You do realize you could just say these things to each other face to face right? Since you're all together?

Ruby

True. BUT then we'd feel bad for leaving you out.

Me

So thoughtful. hand heart emoji

"I'm not sure why I expected a quiet moment after we arrived home." Sawyer looks over at me and winks. My cheeks grow warm at the action, then he pulls our intertwined hands to his lips, pressing a kiss to mine and I melt in my damn seat.

"Get used to it, hockey star. This is what the rest of your life is going to look like. Just add a few husbands and a flock of children to the mix." I laugh as we draw nearer to the house.

"I'd hardly call three kids a flock." My eyes grow wide, and I can hardly bite back my smile.

"Shane is pregnant again," I blurt out. The shock hits him full force and he whips his head around to face me.

"No way! That's amazing. Are they excited?"

"Why don't you ask for yourself." The girls are all standing on the front porch, shifting on their feet impatiently as he puts the truck in park. Just before I open the door, he stops me.

"Hey, Dove."

"Yeah?"

"I love you." My heart leaps every time I hear him say that. I reach over to cup his face in my hand.

"I love you, too." He gives me a chaste kiss then nods for me to join the girls. They run over to me, wrapping me in a group hug and my heart overflows with joy.

"We missed you so much," Lauren whispers, brushing my curls out of the way.

"I missed you guys too." I try to swallow past the lump in my throat and take a deep breath. "I am so thankful to have friends that don't give up on me—even when I start to give up on…well, everything else."

"You know we're here ‘til the end, babe," Shane says, giving me one of those calming smiles she's mastered.

"Okay okay, let's see this ring! " Ruby begins clapping excitedly. I hold my hand up and there's a collective gasp as they all stare at it, taking turns moving my fingers around to watch the sun reflect off it.

"Oh, that is stunning." Lauren is the first to speak, clearly impressed by Sawyer's choice. It's the most breathtaking piece of jewelry I've ever laid eyes on—a simple, but radiant marquise diamond set on a thin, rose gold band that looks almost like a vine.

It's very… me.

Taylor quietly breaks away from the pack and runs over to Sawyer, throwing her arms around him—clearly taking him by surprise—but he doesn't miss a beat wrapping his arms around her and squeezing her back. I can't hear what either of them are saying but they nod, and smile and he kisses the top of her head before she runs back over to us.

Sawyer walks up behind me, squeezing my waist as all the girls look on with adoring expressions.

"As much as I want to steal my future wife from you all so I can get some sleep before my game tonight, I am willing to share her—just this once."

"Oh my god, we have another possessive husband in the group," Lauren complains in an obviously playful way.

"Shane, congratulations on the new addition. I'll be sure to tell Max the same the next time I see him." Shane holds her bump-less stomach, smiling at Sawyer.

"Thanks, Moose."

"Catch you later for our rituals, Dove," he whispers in my ear before kissing my neck and heading into the house.

"I am so sorry I didn't get to see this happen sooner." Taylor's smile is pained as she stares straight at me.

"I'm not. Our story is happening exactly how it was meant to. In the end I got the guy and my girls. Nothing could be better than that." I grab her hand and she rests her head on my shoulder. "Now let's go inside and break in the blender and Sawyer's super fucking comfortable sectional with a proper girls…uh, day, I guess?" I laugh, realizing it's ten o'clock in the morning.

"Mimosas!" Shane yells, pulling a bottle of champagne from her bag. "Or ya know, orange juice for the one that's expecting," she laughs.

I never thought I would leave my little old house. I enjoyed adding my own personal touches to modernize it, while keeping the house mostly in its original state, but living with Sawyer felt right from the moment he asked me to move in with him. Never mind the fact that approximately ten hours later he asked me to be his wife , so moving out of my own house would have been inevitable anyways.

"This is the last of it." Sawyer emerges from my bedroom holding a box in his hands labeled books . "You sure you're ready for this?" He looks around the empty living room with me.

I take a deep breath in. "Yes. This house served me well while I was here, but starting a life with you in our own house? I'm more than ready for that." I smile up at him and he places the box on the island, pulling his phone from his pocket and scrolling through it for a moment before placing it on top of the box.

"How about one last dance before we go?" His smile sends my heart into a frenzy, and I accept the hand he has offered me. Then he pulls me into him, and we dance. Spinning me, dipping me, holding me close, much like we did on our first lazy Sunday together, and I can't wait to have a million more days just like it with him.

MAY 31ST - TAYLOR'S BACHELORETTE PARTY.

"Peen pasta?!" Taylor squeals as Shane walks out of the kitchen with a casserole dish of alfredo covered penis pasta. "What a full circle moment." She holds her hand over her heart dramatically, making us laugh.

"It only seemed right." Shane sets the dish in the middle of Lauren's massive coffee table, passing out bowls and forks to each of us.

"Leah, no comment on the girth of the pasta this time?" Ruby teases, and I stick my tongue out at her.

"Well, I?—"

"If this is in any way going to lead to you talking about my brother's penis, please don't," Taylor gets out over a mouth full of food.

"Does saying I can just appreciate the girth now count? Cause if it counts, I won't say it." Taylor scrunches her nose at me.

"It counts." We all burst out laughing as we carry on eating.

"I can't believe you're going to be gone for a month!" Lauren whines. "Well, a cross country road trip for a honeymoon does require more time than flying somewhere exotic." Taylor tucks a piece of Lauren's hair behind her ear in a comforting way.

"Are you saying you'd rather be flying somewhere exotic?" I ask.

"No! Not at all. On the road is where I fell in love with Tucker. I'm actually really excited about this. We're going to try and find all the best waterfalls in the country." She smiles to herself and it's freaking contagious.

"I'm so happy for you, Tay." Shane reaches over and hugs her neck.

"Okay, okay, enough mushy stuff. Let's do something fun. Who wants to trash talk our exes?" Taylor raises her brows.

"Yesssss." We all laugh and begin going on about the shitty things they did or said before finding a man that put every other one to shame. I watch Lauren carefully as we all talk, noticing the way she seems to be holding herself back from the conversation a little. She's seemed different lately—quieter than normal—almost as if her mind is so loud, she can't hear anything else going on around her.

"You okay?" I nudge her arm with my elbow as Taylor and Shane are arguing over why Shane ever dated a guy that wore a sweater vest to the beach. Her brows knit together, and she shakes her head.

"Yeah, just distracted, I guess." Then she offers me one of her fake smiles and I know that's my cue to leave it alone for now. So, I pull her a little closer and snuggle into her, finding a bit of relief in the fact that she nuzzles back into me too.

"All I'm saying is, when you're at the beach and you see a guy that looks like he got lost on the way to the library, maybe don't let him have your number?"

"Oh. My. GOD. I'm literally pregnant with my second child. Could we maybe let it go?" Everyone, including Shane, bursts into laughter.

JUNE 1ST - WEDDING DAY.

Taylor was determined to plan the perfect wedding—not wanting to follow in the footsteps of Shane and Ruby and have a wedding literally days after getting engaged—and today has proved that her efforts were not in vain. The girls and I of course helped when opinions were asked for, but I'm convinced Taylor will plan her own funeral well before she's gone to ensure it goes over perfectly.

God help us if it doesn't because this bitch will haunt us.

After moving into the home Tucker built for them—on over ten acres of land—she had a vision of what their wedding day would look like at their own home, and she has brought it to life exceptionally well.

The aisle runs from their sliding back doors—that take up the entire back wall of their house—all the way to the arch Max and Tucker built together. Red rose petals line each side of the aisle runner that has been staked into the ground to ensure the wind doesn't blow it away, with lanterns at the end of each row of white folding chairs.

Further down the yard there's an entire reception tent set up complete with a dance floor, DJ booth, twinkle lights and centerpieces to correlate with the red roses and lanterns used along the aisle.

Tucker, Max, Tank, and Sawyer wait at the end with the justice of the peace while friends and family fill every seat. The groomsmen are all dressed in black tuxedos with white shirts and black neckties, while Tucker has on a bow tie to set him apart.

As for Taylor, well she's one of the most stunning brides I've ever seen in my life. Her red hair is styled in the most beautiful up-do, with her vail tucked into the low set bun and a few wavy pieces framing her face. Her dress is another level of gorgeous, the ivory gown has spaghetti straps, a corset style bodice with a full tulle skirt covered in lace floral details.

"Why the fuck am I nervous? It's been a year, it's not like he's changed his mind," Taylor nervously rants. "Right? You don't think he's changing his mind, right?" She looks at me with panic in her eyes.

"Babe, I'm pretty sure he'd have to be at the morgue to not be at the end of that aisle when you walk down it." She nods her head so quickly I'm scared her hair might fall.

"Right, okay. You're right. I mean. It's Tucker. He almost killed two of my exes in one night. I'd say that's pretty committed."

"You alright in there, Darlin'?" Tucker's voice filters in through the door and Taylor gasps.

"Tucker! You can't be up here. It's bad luck!" she scolds him, pushing me in front of her to shield herself.

He lets out a low laugh. "I'm not coming in. I just wanted to come check on you. You were uncharacteristically calm this morning, just making sure it didn't catch up to you."

"It didn't."

"It did," Taylor and I say in unison.

"Traitor," she whispers in my ear before moving out from behind me.

"Darlin', there is nothing that is going to keep me from marrying you today, nothing that could ruin this day, and nothing that will ever change the fact that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Alright? Take a deep breath, and I'll see your fine ass down the aisle." Taylor visibly relaxes, tilting her head in awe as she smiles at his words.

"I love you, Tucker."

"I love you too, baby." Tucker's footsteps fade down the hallway from their bedroom and Taylor takes a cleansing breath.

"Okay, I'm ready."