She gives a hard sniff as the preacher signals her to go ahead.
“Cruise”—she presses her lips together—“when I came into town, you were the first person to greet me. You were friendly. Perhaps a little too friendly.” Another light titter circulates. “But I knew there was a spark, and I wanted to explore it, to see if there was anything truly there between us, and there was. Cruise, what we have has exceeded all of my preconceived notions of love. This is something otherworldly, something so huge and spectacular it can’t be classified by one simple word. This is everything good and right all rolled into one, and I get to have it forever with you. I want to thank you for that. I want to thank you for loving me so fiercely and for letting me love you back. Thank you for giving me your heart—you had mine that first night. I look forward to a future filled with you right by my side. I wouldn’t want it any other way—not with anyone else. What we have is perfect love, Cruise, and I don’t plan on missing a moment of it.”
Tears roll freely down my face. I’m losing it, and I really don’t care who sees it.
The preacher goes on and we exchange rings. Kenny slips the simple platinum band we picked a few weeks back over my finger, and I admire it for a second. I’ve never been one to wear any type of jewelry, but this is one piece I don’t plan on taking off anytime soon—or ever.
Morgan hands me Kenny’s ring and I slip it over her finger.
“That’s not the ring,” she whispers from the side of her mouth.
“I know. I thought my grandmother’s ring was a perfect engagement ring, but I want you to have something all your own. If you don’t like it, we can go back and pick something else out. It was more of a gesture—I swear I want you to be happy with it.”
“Cruise, I love it.” She chokes up. “It’s perfect.”
The preacher nods and says those special words I’ve longed to hear all day.
“Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Elton. I now pronounce you man and wife. You may now kiss the bride.”
“Kenny,” I whisper as I cradle her face in my hands, “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” She inches in. “Now kiss me.”
And I do.
The night sky above Carrington glows a soft lavender as the heat lamps do their best to take the chill out of the air. Lauren thought of everything, and I’ll have to think of a way to thank her and Cal for all the time and effort they put into this. Dinner was a five-star meal, enough to warrant a thank-you all its own.
The Plague starts in on a love ballad, and I clasp the hand of my beautiful bride.
“May I?”
“By all means.”
Kenny and I walk down to the makeshift dance floor, and I hold her in my arms as we sway to the rhythm of our love.
“We did it.” I touch my nose to hers.
“We sure did,” she whispers. “With a little help from our friends—and the Plague.”
“Who would’ve imagined.”
“Not me, for sure, but tonight has cast its own special brand of magic on the world. Who knows what miracles lie ahead?” She bats her lashes up at me.
“You do realize that about a dozen lewd thoughts just sailed through my brain.”
She belts out a laugh and her teeth shine like a row of shooting stars. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
I hold her tightly until the song ends, and the microphone lets off some feedback.
We glance over and through the main gate a familiar chef’s hat bobs its way over. The Cake Chief himself wheels in a cart that has a giant white box with a bow on top. Kenny and I head over.
“Kendall and Cruise”—the Cake Chief breaks into spontaneous applause—“you did the unthinkable!”
Please, God, don’t let him say a word about the credit card debacle we had a few weeks back. True to my word, I revisited his office and anted up for the cake Kenny and I picked out, so that better be what lies in the overgrown box.
“You kids tied the knot in style!” He belches out a laugh and not a whole hell of a lot of people follow suit. Zero to be exact. “So here’s a gift from me to you.”
One of his henchmen removes the box and there’s the powder-blue cake, just as I suspected. The crowd lets out a collective ooh and Kenny beams just looking at it.
“In addition to this beautiful confection”—the Cake Chief rolls his neck with his signature attitude the camera has grown to love—“I’m offering you a free cake from our bakery every month for the entire next year as a way to extend the celebration.”
Kenny squeals and jumps up and down, and we both thank him. I’ll have to see about getting that tarp sooner rather than later.
“Good job, guys.” The Cake Chief offers us each a quick embrace before he cuts his finger across his throat and the cameras stop rolling. “Swing by once a month, and we’ll take care of you guys. It was good doing business with you.” He slaps me over the shoulder. “Treat the little lady right and maybe she’ll return the favor.” He gives a quick wink, and with that he and his crew are off.
“So where’s the honeymoon?” We turn to find Lisa, aka the Skin, dressed in a reasonably sane manner for the evening. I’m sure she’s keeping busy trying to mismanage the band.
“Nowhere, thanks to you,” I’m quick to point out. That’s not entirely true. Kenny and I plan on driving up north to a resort Morgan said he took Ally to last summer. There will be a bed and a view of the ocean, but all I’ll really need is a bed and a view of Kenny.
“Really?” She dips her chin with a disapproving smirk. “Well then, I hope this changes everything.” She hands me an envelope, and I pull out the contents.
“A check,” I muse, staring at it for a moment. The numbers sink in and my hand starts to shake because—holy shit—I’ve never held this much money before. “A hundred thousand US dollars?”
“Yes,” she growls. “And I wouldn’t consider the fact it’s in US currency as a boast. There are a few other countries where the numbers translate a little bit better.”
“What’s this about?” Kenny sounds equally skeptical.
“The Plague felt horrible about the misunderstanding.” Lisa makes a face. “The Plague wanted you to have it as a goodwill offering. Consider it a wedding gift.”
Kenny shakes her head. “Oh, I don’t know, that’s an awful lot of—”
“We accept.” I slip the check into my pocket before Kenny can carry out her polite protest.
“Good. Congratulations.” She stalks off in Cal’s direction, and I don’t stop her.
“Cruise.” Kenny looks up at me through her lashes. She knows it drives me wild when she does that. “I don’t know. It’s all too surreal. The dress, the ring.” She holds up her finger and the diamond reflects its sparkle right through her eyes. “Are you sure today really happened?”
“I swear to you, it really did.” I wrap my arms around her waist.
“Can I ask how we possibly could have afforded this beautiful rock?” She glances back down at her ring and a tiny smile breaks free.
“I have something to tell you.” I pull back and let the moonlight kiss her features thoroughly and sweetly, just the way I’m dying to. “I already have the B and B booked through April.”
“What?” She jumps, fueled by excitement, and I’ll be damned if I’m not about to jump with her, I’m still that fucking psyched.
“It turns out the live band is a big crowd-pleaser. I’ve had an entire slew of college sweethearts calling in, dying for a weekend getaway that’s as hip and cool as ours.” I rock her in my arms when I say that last part because from now on everything will officially be ours.
“Cruise, that’s fantastic, but isn’t the Plague heading off on tour?”
“Thankfully, yes. But Morgan has been helping me round up some local bands and we’ve got a long line of musicians just waiting to play the Elton Lounge.”
“Mmm . . .” She purrs with a look of contentment I haven’t seen in her eyes in a while. “You know who else is just
waiting to play with an Elton?”
“I like where this is going.”
Ally and Morgan come up and say good night.
“Do you have to leave so soon?” Kenny laments as she reaches out to both of them.
“We’re off to see Ruby tomorrow.” Ally wraps an arm around Kenny’s shoulder.
“Ally and I got her a puppy, and we need to deliver the little guy in just a few short hours.” Morgan brushes his finger against Kenny’s cheek. “You did good. He’s a keeper.”
“So you finally approve?” Kenny tightens her grip around my waist.
“I finally approve. We’ll see you two in a week. Have fun.” He offers me a knuckle bump before they take off.
“We will have fun,” I say it mostly to Kenny. I want to add wherever the hell we want, but keep the Morgan-based commentary to myself.
Lauren and Cal approach and we engage in a rather strangulating group hug.
“Be back in time for my big day,” Lauren says as she pulls away. “It wouldn’t be the same without you guys.”
“We wouldn’t miss it,” Kenny assures her. “We’ll be back in plenty of time. Don’t go batty trying to drill down every last detail. Sometimes life has a way of surprising you.” She gives Lauren a quick wink.
“Will do,” Lauren says with a wave. “Don’t be afraid to try new things! The Naughty Professor is just begging for a sequel. Think bigger, think daring—think acrobatics!” She wails as Cal pulls her off into the night.
“Why haven’t we done acrobatics before?” she whispers.
“Because we weren’t writing a book.”
“We should write a damn book.”
I chuckle into Kenny as the crowd begins to melt away. “You ready to start rocking the sequel?”
“Paddle or belt?” She gets that wicked gleam in her eye, and I damn well approve.
“Neither.” I pull her in and dot a searing kiss over her lips. “How about we let tonight write a sweet story all for us? And then, after that, we’ll set book two on fire.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
“Penny and Cruz will never know what hit them.”
Kenny looks up at me lovingly. “Sort of like me, the first night we met.”
“You never did answer my question, Coke or Pepsi?”
“That’s because I didn’t want either. I only wanted you.” Kenny rests her head against my chest and we watch as couples dance around us at our wedding. Molly gives a wave from over her professor’s shoulder and I groan. Which reminds me, I plan on having a serious talk with him about how to treat my sister.
“Let’s get out of here.” Kenny takes my hand and pulls me away from the crowd. “I want you all to myself. It’s time to start our happily-ever-after.”
“I completely agree.” I wrap my arm around her waist as we take off onto the rolling green lawn of the B and B. “I think our happily-ever-after began one year ago at Alpha Sigma Phi.”
“Then what starts tonight?” She gives a coy grin like she already knows.
“I think forever starts tonight.”
“Forever,” she sighs as she pulls me in. I smile down at the most beautiful girl in all of Carrington, Garrison, the country, the world—my wife. Our lips find one another’s under the blue velvet night and we indulge in a kiss that could stretch out from here to eternity. Kenny has branded herself on my soul in the best way possible. And tonight promises to sear over our hearts as one beautiful, lasting memory. When someone is meant for you, sometimes you know it at a glance, and that’s all it took for me when Kenny walked into my life. I knew that she was the woman I was destined to spend the rest of my life with—that I had finally found someone for me.
We start out on the road before us toward the unknowable future, but one thing is for sure: Kenny and I will be there to cross the threshold of each new day together. It doesn’t get any better than this.
Kenny gets a lusty gleam in her eye. “Quickie in the cabin? Or wait until we get to the hotel?”
“Both.”
And we do.
EPILOGUE
Kendall
New Year’s Eve
Ally and I stand in front of Lauren’s wedding cake and try to make heads or tails of it.
“Well if it isn’t my two best friends!” Lauren comes up from behind us and pulls Ally and me into an awkward hug. She’s gorgeous in her smooth satin gown, her hair pulled back in what Ally dubbed “the bridal helmet.” Of course she’s slightly shitfaced, too, but it’s her party—she can drink vodka if she wants to. And apparently she very much wants to.
“You look amazing and everything is perfect.” I motion at the setting. Lauren has transformed the Carrington Country Club into a bona fide medieval castle, and the masquerade ball theme gives the impression we’ve truly stepped back in time.
“Thanks.” She eyes the cake with a sleepy look on her face. “So what do you think?”
Ally and I exchange a look before returning our attention to the multitiered goji berry with gold flake filling disaster. It’s just a cake. No frosting, no fondant, no nothing. If there was powdered sugar on it, it’s long since blown way. The edges of the cake are raw and crumbly, and there are dark spots all over it. I’m assuming the blotches are the berries, but they just make the cake look as if it’s been sitting out too long and is getting moldy.
Ally sags in her pale-pink gown. She looks like a princess, and judging by the way Morgan keeps trying to sneak her off to the back, I’m guessing he thinks so, too.
“It looks great.” Ally nudges me as if I should affirm her theory, so I offer a vigorous nod.
“No, it doesn’t.” Lauren frowns into the severely played-down confection. “It’s an unfinished cake with disgustingly gross spots.” She pulls me and Ally in by our waists, and we all look down at it with mournful expressions. “If we’re going to do this life thing together, I fully give you guys permission to tell me when the decisions I make suck.”
“Deal,” I say. “But you both need to do the same for me.”
“Hear, hear!” Ally holds out her fist and we engage in a three-way knuckle bump. “So what’s next for us?”
“Finish school, start businesses, have babies.” Lauren tightens her grip over us. “And we’ll do it all together.”
“Can we play?” Cal pops up from behind us with Morgan and Cruise. The three of them look dapper in their tuxedos, their half-moon masks adhered to their faces.
Morgan steps in and presses his hand into the small of my back. “I heard you got a pretty special phone call.”
“I did.” I tilt into him. My father called to congratulate me on my wedding, and I was able to speak with each of my half siblings for the very first time. My little sisters were bursting at the seams with questions, and as much as the old me doesn’t want to admit it, there seems to be room in my heart for more siblings. “Cruise and I are planning a trip out West this summer to meet them.”
“Maybe Ally and I can join you. It could be our first family road trip.” He socks Cruise on the arm.
Cruise curls his lips. “We’d like that.” He carefully pulls me from my brother.
“May I?” He takes me by the hand and nods toward the dance floor.
“Of course.” I press a quick peck on his lips as we make our way forward and begin swaying to the music. “So what do you think? Impressive, right? Too bad it cost her father a kidney on the black market. Did you see the gold leaf chocolate medallions? For a second I thought I was sucking on a coin.”
“You were. Trust me, there’s more precious metal on that treat than there is in any US change in circulation.”
“Too bad it costs a mint to get married. Soon a decent ceremony and a reception will be luxuries very few can afford. Thank God for Lauren’s quick thinking and the B and B.”
His brows rise an inch. “Hey, you just gave me a great idea.”
“Minting our food with precious alloys?”
“No, hosting affordable weddings at the B and B.�
�
“Cruise!” I step back and take him in. “That’s perfect!”
“It could be another business venture we share, Mrs. Elton. Plus any venture that lets me spend more time with you is a venture I approve of.”
“I love the sound of that, especially the Mrs. Elton part.” I touch my finger to his chin. “And now that you’ll be back at Garrison, we’ll get to spend our nights and days together.”
“Speaking of which, I’m rewriting my thesis.”
“You are?” Cruise’s thesis was his labor of love.
He gives a quick nod. “I’ve gone from highlighting the heresy of love to focusing on the thrill ride of love at first sight. It does exist, and my love for you only seems to multiply.”
“You just melted me.” I pull him in, never taking my eyes off his.
“Good.” He lands his lips on mine. “Because I want to keep melting you, and kissing you, and loving you for the rest of our lives.”
“Well, you’re off to a damn good start.”
“That’s because you make it easy.” He leans in with a quick kiss. “And thank you for my gift.”
“What’s that?”
“For giving me the perfect someone to love.”
I examine him like this, with that sexier-than-hell smile of his breaking loose, that sparkle he gets in his eye whenever we’re together. I hope I always have the ability to put it there.
“Thank you, for giving me the perfect someone to love.”
Cruise draws me to him, and our lips crash as we engage in a kiss that encompasses our past, our present, and our future together.
Whatever the future holds I’m okay with it because with friends like Lauren and Ally, a brother like Morgan, and a husband like Cruise by my side, I know we can get through it together.
Sometimes that’s enough in life—good friends, family, and someone to love.
Someone for Me Page 25