by Alice Ward
“We aren’t having all of that. I’ll arrange for something really simple. All you have to do is buy a dress. Tammy’s standing by as soon as you’re ready.” He was so good at calming me down.
I chewed my bottom lip. “That’s all?”
“That’s all, just buy a dress and show up.”
“No long walk down an aisle?” I was getting a little hopeful.
“Not if you don’t want one.” He was serious.
I jumped into his arms and kissed him. “Okay, I’ll get a dress.”
Together, we circled October twenty-third, Wenton’s birthday, on the calendar.
When the day on the calendar arrived, I put on my beautiful dress, which was flowing and lovely and met KP at the lake as I said I would. He had a lovely canopy set up with tables and chairs and a spread of food. Near the lake, there were just enough chairs for Tammy, Jamal, Ricky, Rafael, Lucas, and Alicia.
I finally could breathe.
Wenton’s urn was also on the table, and a minister stood under a canopy draped with orchids. KP wore a beautiful tuxedo and smiled from ear to ear.
In a simple ceremony, our lives were officially joined.
KP joked that since he’d saved so much money on our wedding, he’d donate what he would have spent if he’d married a gold digger to the art center. They were quite grateful to receive the six-million-dollar donation in Wenton’s name. It was an annual donation that not only would be used for the center but would also help the students who were aging out of foster care get set up with college funds, just as KP’s original donation would be used.
We also created a permanent karaoke venue at the mental health facility in Wenton’s name. We made sure that we also funded the weekly events held there. Wenton’s cottage became a museum and the people working at the facility were the curators. It was opened to the public every Sunday, where people got the opportunity to learn about Wenton’s disease and many others. The patients also hosted support groups in Wenton’s cottage.
At the wedding, KP told the story of why he had chosen the lake as the place he and I would be married.
“When Wenton and I were little, his heart was already fragile. My parents were worried that he would over exert himself and get hurt, so they created a wonderland for him inside the house. He was never allowed to venture out into the world. The only place he was allowed to go, on occasion, was this lake in front of our house. That castle over there was where Wenton and I grew up. My parents are in Spain at the moment, so I took the opportunity to have our wedding here today because this is what Wenton had asked me to do the day he died.
“See, he had me on a scavenger hunt so that he could see the world. He would tell me things he wanted to experience, and I had to find them for him and send him pictures. I think he knew all along what he was doing. I think he did it on purpose. By sending me on this hunt, I found my life, and I learned to live, love and be a better man. The hunt wasn’t for Wenton, it was for me.”
When KP was done speaking we were all in tears.
We then exchanged our wedding vows and our wedding rings. I had requested a simple band, but this one was encrusted with diamonds. I scowled as he put it on my finger.
“You don’t get your way this time, Prince Slayer,” he whispered in my ear. “I want people from miles away to see this ring on your finger because then there will be no mistake, you’re taken, and I’m yours.” Then he kissed me.
The minister admonished him for jumping the gun on the kiss, but he just smiled and shrugged.
And we lived happily ever after… or at least we tried to.
We still fought and drove each other crazy. We still made love and fucked. And it was all good. All right. All perfect.
After a year, I finally had the courage to open Gran’s letter. It only had one sentence scrolled in her handwriting inside:
“See, isn’t it all so fun!”
The video that accompanied the letter was of her making silly faces, and that was it. Gran was right as always, it was all so fun.
Epilogue
KP
Of course, our wedding day would go down in my personal history as the best day of my life. Caitlyn looked incredible in her dress, and I was glad we opted for an intimate ceremony. I wanted to take her on a lavish vacation, but we were too busy getting her series ready to air its first episode, so she easily agreed for a rain check on the honeymoon.
I made plans with my travel agent, and as soon as we launched her show, I would be taking her on a trip around the world. It was going to be a surprise because there was no way on earth my wife would have let me take her on such an extravagant trip, but she was working so hard in school and on the series, she deserved it.
My mother had planned a big wedding reception because she was angry that we had gotten married without her knowing. We were trying to establish a better relationship with my parents, thanks to Caitlyn’s efforts, so we agreed to the reception.
The night before my parents’ party was the premiere of Caitlyn’s series. We decided to watch it with the crew at her house. We hadn’t sold her grandma’s house. In fact, we lived in my penthouse in New York during the week and Caitlyn’s house on the weekend. I would never have asked for her to sell it, but I did convince her to remodel it. All she asked was that we keep the porch the same as it was. We actually had fun working on the remodel as we were adding another story, redoing the backyard, and putting in a pool. She had the space to create quite a nice little home for us. We already had a lavish penthouse, so a cozy family home was appealing.
I wasn’t at all nervous as we sat together, about to watch the series premiere. I had seen what Caitlyn did, and the series was flawless, but it was going to be Caitlyn’s first time seeing the final cut. She could barely watch it, but as we all sat together in her living room, with the regulars, Tammy, Ricky, Lucas and their significant others, her phone blew up like crazy with her former students and friends shouting the show’s praises. It was no surprise to me when the show got top ratings for the week. It was a total hit.
The next day was my parents’ pretentious wedding reception. It was as stuffy and lavish as any imagination might conjure. Caitlyn and I went in armed with Armani for me, Vera Wang for her, and our great sense of humor. Together, we laughed at how ridiculous the whole affair was, but we made a valiant attempt to enjoy ourselves. Soon, my entire family warmed up to her and we had another hit on our hands — my wife.
Wenton’s portrait was on the wall in the ballroom with the other family portraits and he looked beautiful. Under Wenton’s painting were the words “Beloved Son.” I did my best to hold back my tears and my anger. Too little too late.
Later that evening, Caitlyn and I snuck away and went to the lake. I just wanted to kiss her passionately and be in my comfort zone. Her body was my wonderland. But we had another reason to go.
At the lake, we kissed like wild teenagers before I picked up the urn containing my brother’s ashes, and together, we spread them on the lake. He was free.
“Swim out to sea, buddy,” I said as I watched the ashes spread and float away. “You’ll see the world finally.”
Caitlyn blew him a kiss, tears pouring down her face. I hugged her close to me. “Hey, no crying. For him, this was the beginning and the end, but remember, we promised to start a new hunt.”
She smiled up at me. “Yeah. New adventures.”
I thought about our trip, but I thought of something else too.
“What do you think about starting a family?”
Her eyes grew big. “Like now?”
I laughed and rubbed her belly, imagining it swollen with our baby.
“Whenever. Then we can take our child on adventures. Show him or her what Wenton wasn’t able to see.”
She pulled my head down and kissed me. “I love that idea. I want lots of kids with lively spirits and creative minds, with a mix of your face and mine, who are loud and messy.” She was almost giddy.
“Sounds scary,” I tease
d as I kissed her, “but I’m starting to love scary things.”
“You’ll be a great father.” She was so loving and dear to me, she had no idea if I would be good or not, but just hearing her say it made me feel like it might be true.
A black cloud settled around my shoulders. “We’ve talked about Wenton’s illness being hereditary. Would you consider adopting a child?”
She beamed. “Of course, we could adopt, but I’m not afraid of that birth defect. If one or more of our children were born like Wenton, it would be an honor to love him or her.”
“My god, woman, how many kids are we having?” I felt a little horrified at the quantities she was tossing around.
“As many as is right for us,” she said as she leaned in and kissed me again.
“Do you want to start trying soon?” I didn’t know why I was ready for a family, but I felt ready.
After our around-the-world vacation, I felt like kids could be next.
“Let’s just start trying soon and see what happens. I’ll stop birth control, but until then, you and I need to practice,” she teased as she ran her hand over my already hardening cock.
I kissed her, my thumb skimming over her nipple. “Yes, we need to practice a lot.”
“Let’s never stop practicing, okay? Kids or no kids, let’s always love each other.”
“That’s a bet,” I said, knowing it would piss her off.
She narrowed her eyes. “Okay, a bet it is. Since you are such a winner, lets up your anty and start practicing now.”
I gulped as her Vera Wang fell onto the sandy shore.
Under the stars, we made love on the bank of Wenton’s lake. He had sent me on a hunt for life, and thanks to him, I found a glorious one.
THE END
Continue on to read the next FREE BONUS that is included in this copy!
A Bonus Novel
THE REBEL
Alice Ward
CHAPTER ONE
Sean
My hands moved easily over the motorcycle’s engine. I didn’t have to think as I adjusted one thing, then another. My mind and body went on autopilot. When a bike was in front of me, everything disappeared and I relaxed into my natural rhythm. It allowed me to escape my reality and truly be myself again.
This fix was an easy one, but it was time consuming. I’d been at it all morning and the sun was baking my neck. I could already feel the sunburn setting in. I tightened a few bolts to make sure everything was in its proper place before I wiped my hands and took a step back. I cranked the engine and listened to the beautiful growl as it roared to life. Grinning, I turned it off and pocketed the keys. The bike looked good, but it could do with a quick rub down. I called Jason over and threw my rag at him. He caught it with a grimace.
“What’s up, Sean?” he asked.
“I’m all done here,” I said. “Give it a quick wash. Nothing too fancy. Just wipe her down.”
“Will do,” Jason said with a nod. He went to work immediately as I made my way to the office and disappeared inside.
Jason was new at the shop. He started riding a few months earlier and was still fresh blood. We didn’t let him near the bikes unless he was washing them. He was itching to learn more, but the boss would have kicked my ass if I let him so much as touch an engine.
“Hey Mike,” I said to the bike’s owner. “We’re about done. I got her up and running for you. Should be good to go now.”
“Thanks, Sean,” he said with an approving nod.
“Anytime,” I said. “Jason’s just wiping her down. You’ll be out of here in a few.”
“You know you’re the only person I trust with my bike,” he said. I smiled, but I was sure it looked more like a grimace. This was a compliment I was used to. Almost everyone who came asked for me.
“I get that a lot,” I said. I walked behind the counter and printed out his bill.
“Listen,” Mike said. “Do you ride?”
“Of course,” I said. What kind of question was that?
“What you got?” he asked.
“Harley Dyna,” I said without feeling. I placed his bill on the counter between us and waited for him to pick it up. He didn’t.
“I run an MC up North. Just a few miles out of town. We could use someone like you.”
My head popped up and my eyes focused on his face. I scrutinized his expression, searching for some sign that he was kidding. He stared back at me. There was nothing but sincerity in his eyes. I cleared my throat and looked down at the bill in front of me. I slid it closer to him and fixed him with a pointed look.
“I’ll take that as a no,” he said with a soft chuckle.
“Yup,” I said.
Mike threw a few bills onto the counter and waited for his receipt. I printed it up and handed it to him without a word. When he turned to leave I breathed a sigh of relief, but as he pulled the door open he turned back to face me.
“Listen,” he said. “I don’t know what your hesitation is, but we’re around if you change your mind. We just need a good mechanic. That’s all.”
“I hear you,” I said. “I’m just not interested, Mike. Nothing personal.”
“Alright.” Mike shrugged and stepped outside. The door swung shut behind him and I sunk down onto my stool. I put my head in my hands and breathed slowly.
I knew I had been rude. Mike was a good guy and a great customer. I’d known him for years, but he didn’t know me. Not really. He didn’t know that I’d spent years in a motorcycle club back in Phoenix or that it was the reason I moved to Mesa in the first place. He didn’t know that the club cost me my family, my life, everything. There was no way I could go back to that life. Not now. Not ever.
I checked the clock and saw that it was almost time for lunch. The boss would be here in a few hours and I wanted to make sure I was back before he got there. I stuck my head out into the shop and looked around for Jason.
“Jason!” I called. He ran around the corner quickly. “Hey, I’m getting lunch. Want anything?”
“Nah, I’m good,” he said.
“Don’t touch anything while I’m gone,” I warned. He rolled his eyes and disappeared again.
I tried to push Mike’s offer out of my mind for the rest of the day, but it was no use. I replayed our conversation as I ate lunch and then, again, while I worked on the next bike. When the boss came in and waved a quick hello, I wondered what it would be like to leave this place for good.
Getting back into the life would be stupid. That much I knew, but I couldn’t stop thinking about what it would mean for me. More money. Less time working for someone who didn’t even ride. My cut on each bike would be bigger. A lot bigger. And I would have more freedom when it came to my work. I remembered the days of being in an MC like it was yesterday. At times, it was great. Better than great. It felt like home. Until it didn’t.
Once the illegal activities got going, I would already be too far in. I wouldn’t be able to get out. Not without a fight. My entire life would revolve around the club. I would jump when they said to. I would do whatever was asked of me, no matter how bad it was. I’d been there before. I’d lived that life. No amount of money or feigned freedom was worth that risk.
Shaking my head, I got back to work on the bike in front of me. It was bright blue and sporty. The guy who brought it in was a young kid. Probably college aged. I knew he hadn’t been riding long because everything about the bike screamed amateur. Not to mention the guy came in wearing a blue leather racing jacket that perfectly matched the bike. No doubt he bought it to attract chicks. I rolled my eyes at the thought.
I was almost done when I heard the sharp tap of high heels behind me. It was a familiar sound, but one I hadn’t heard in a long time. I turned around, my eyes narrowed against the sun. Claire walked up to me with a purpose. She stopped a few feet in front of me and waited for me to stand.
“Sean,” she said. I stood up and took a step backward. It was my instinct to put as much distance between us as possible.
“Claire Holland,” I said. “To what do I owe this honor?”
“Don’t do that,” she said.
“Do what?” I asked.
“Be sarcastic,” she said. “I’m not here to fight with you.”
“No?” That was even more of a surprise.
“No,” she said with a shake of her head. “I’m here about Paisley.”
The name fell heavy on my ears. My stomach twisted into knots, and I shuffled my feet uncomfortably.
“How’s she doing?” I asked, finally dropping my defensive nature. Nothing could soften me like the mention of my daughter.
“She’s good,” Claire nodded. “Her birthday was last weekend.”
“I know,” I said. “I sent her a gift, remember?”
“We got it,” she said. “Thank you. She liked it.”
“I’m glad,” I said.
Claire and I stared at each other for a few seconds, neither of us speaking. I wanted to ask more questions about Paisley, but I kept my lips pressed tightly together.
“So, listen,” she said. She glanced down at the ground. “Paisley’s on summer break now and I put her in some camps. She’s really into swimming and art these days.”
“Art?” I asked quickly.
“Yeah,” she nodded. “She’s really good. She paints.”
I smiled to myself and said, “Camp sounds good.”
“I thought so,” Claire said. “But, I can’t afford it. I know you already sent the check for this month, but I was wondering if you could help me out with this? I don’t need a lot. Just a few hundred or so. They don’t need any more money for a couple weeks, but I won’t have it by then.”
When she finished she looked at me, her eyes darting around nervously. I knew she was afraid I would say no, that I would throw our past in her face and tell her to get lost. She should have known better, though. I never said no to anything when it came to Paisley.
“How much exactly?” I asked.
“Three fifty,” she said.
“Okay,” I nodded. “I can give you two now and I’ll send the rest next week.”