by Bella Andre
Looking over at Nolan, Travis was extremely happy to note the change in the other man’s expression as he said, “You know what? You’re right. It’s time to get the hell over myself, isn’t it?” Nolan ran a rough hand through his hair. “If you hadn’t come out here just now, I would have blown absolutely everything.”
“In that case, what do you say we climb off this rock, dry you off a bit, and get you your happy ever after?”
Several minutes later, they arrived at the door, where Liz was waiting for them, wearing a very relieved smile.
Travis wanted nothing more than to find Amy and apologize for being a total fool.
He wanted to make sure she knew how he truly felt about her—that he loved her so much, he was finally ready to face his deepest fears, because she was more important than anything else.
He wanted her to know that, if she would still have him after all the ways he’d screwed up, he would officially be the luckiest man on the planet.
But when the first bars of The Wedding March sounded, Amy had her duties as maid of honor to attend to, while he had to keep on top of every aspect of security. Even though every minute apart from her—and every second of wondering if she would even consider taking him back—was going to be absolute torture.
Chapter Fourteen
Amy was so grateful when Liz whispered that Nolan was on his way back that she would have jumped for joy if that wouldn’t have tipped off Maya. Instead, she concentrated on putting the final touches to her friend’s outfit, hair, and makeup before stepping back to take one last look.
Anne Farleigh, the dress designer from Married in Malibu’s partner company, the Rose Chalet, had created an absolutely incredible white silk-and-lace wedding gown for Maya. What’s more, her makeup and hair could have been shot for a commercial.
Yet, none of that even mattered. All that mattered was Maya’s radiant glow of happiness.
“How do I look?” Maya sounded nervous about it, which would have seemed impossible to anyone but Amy.
“You’re the most beautiful bride I’ve ever seen.” Amy clasped her friend’s hands in hers. “How do you feel?”
Maya’s heart was in her eyes. “Head over heels in love with Nolan. I can’t wait another second for our forever to officially begin.”
“I know Nolan feels exactly the same way about you,” Amy said, her throat tight with the tears she was willing away so that she didn’t set Maya off and ruin the bride’s makeup right before saying I do. “Now, let’s get you down that aisle.”
* * *
As Travis watched Maya enter on her father’s arm—a look of pure love on Nolan’s face as he watched the woman he adored come down the aisle toward him—there was no arguing with the fact that she was a very beautiful bride. But as far as Travis was concerned, she didn’t hold a candle to Amy, who was holding the train of Maya’s wedding dress.
And as he watched Maya take her place beside Nolan, Travis hoped with everything in him that one day, he would be the one waiting there for Amy. Ready to give her his heart.
Forever.
* * *
“When I was a little girl,” Maya said, looking deeply into Nolan’s eyes as she clasped his hands to her heart, “whenever I would read fairy tales, I would dream that I was the star of the story.” Everyone laughed, especially the photographers and photo editors who knew just what a ham Maya could be. “But then we met, and I realized that no fairy-tale hero could ever be as wonderful as you. There’s nothing more beautiful to me than the sound of your laughter, the touch of your hand, the love in your eyes. I love you, Nolan, and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you.”
Amy was glad she had made sure to wear waterproof mascara today, because there was no way that she could listen to Maya speak her vows for Nolan without crying.
Just as there was no way for Amy to keep from imagining one day saying her own vows to Travis.
* * *
“From the very first day we met,” Nolan said to Maya, “I couldn’t believe how lucky I was. Not only because you agreed to go out with me, but because you even noticed me in the first place.”
Travis moved closer, edging around the guests. Partly to make sure he was in the best position to protect the bride and groom—but mostly because he wanted the best possible vantage point from which to hear Nolan’s vows.
“I could hardly believe that we fit together so perfectly, when you’re so incredible, and I’m just a lawyer from Michigan. I kept trying to make sense of the equation, but I couldn’t.”
Everyone in the crowd was holding their breath by now, including Travis. Everyone except Maya. Where another bride might have been panicking by now, her faith in the love she shared with Nolan didn’t seem to be wavering even the slightest bit.
Just as Amy refused to waver when it came to Travis.
No doubt about it, Travis and Nolan truly were the luckiest guys on the planet. And it was up to them to do whatever necessary to prove that faith was warranted.
“But then,” Nolan continued, “I realized the only thing that needs to make sense is that we are perfect for one another, no matter how unlikely it might seem. I might be just an ordinary guy, but when I’m with you, I feel extraordinary. I can’t imagine what my life would be like without you, Maya, and I don’t ever want to. From this moment forward, I promise that I will always be there for you, that I will love you and protect you, and that I will move heaven and earth to try to be everything you need me to be.”
* * *
As Liz declared Maya and Nolan husband and wife, Amy shed another bucketful of tears. Not only because she was absolutely thrilled for her friends and their happiness, but because she couldn’t help wondering just how big of a hand Travis had had in helping Nolan see the light.
And if he had helped Nolan see that he was worthy of Maya, then did that mean Travis now felt that he could be worthy of love for himself too?
Amy was desperate to run across the room, take Travis’s hand, and find a private spot where they could talk. But not only did he have his job to focus on, as maid of honor she also had a vital role to play in gathering everyone for pictures, helping Maya remove a few of the more elaborate accessories from her gown so that she could sit comfortably to eat, giving her speech…and trying not to pass out from nerves when her painting was unveiled.
* * *
By the time Maya and Nolan started cutting their cake an hour later, Amy was really, really nervous. They would be moving on to the gifts next, opening only a few in front of the guests. But she knew there was no way they would save hers for later. Not when the velvet covering practically begged to be pulled off.
Her heart raced as Maya and Nolan finally made their way to the piles of gifts. They unwrapped a couple of boxes before reaching for the velvet covering.
Amy was almost on the verge of hyperventilating when she felt someone’s fingers touch hers. Travis was standing beside her, and his presence alone calmed her as Maya and Nolan finally removed the velvet.
Maya gasped. “Amy, it’s wonderful! I can’t believe you painted this for us as a surprise.”
“It really is great,” Nolan agreed.
As all the guests gathered around Amy and her painting, wanting to get a closer look, with one final stroke of his fingers against her palm, Travis disappeared back into the crowd.
* * *
Making sure he was present for Amy’s big moment had been like playing a massive game of chess among the tightly packed wedding guests. But it had been more than worth it to ensure the other security guards were in place so that he could be there when Maya and Nolan saw Amy’s painting for the first time.
She deserved every bit of praise heaped on her. Her parents and siblings had never appreciated her gift, but he planned to appreciate every last thing about her every single day for the rest of their lives.
He wished he could pull her into his arms in front of everyone and kiss her, but his earpiece had sounded with new security issues to at
tend to.
With one last glance at her glowing face, he forced himself to go do his job. He hoped he’d be able to steal a few moments from the wedding soon to let Amy know how proud he was of her.
And that he loved her more than he’d even known it was possible to love.
* * *
The speeches were beautiful, as Maya and Nolan’s close friends praised their love and devotion to each other. Amy’s speech came last, and her heart felt ready to burst by the time she finally stood and took the microphone.
“The day Maya and I met three years ago was far from my best. I had recently moved to Michigan and was heartbroken, scared, and feeling more than a tad sorry for myself. But nothing I did, nothing I said scared her away. From that day forward, she was the best, most steadfast friend I could have ever asked for.” She turned to face the glowing bride. “Maya, you taught me how to be strong. You taught me how to be stubborn. And most of all, you taught me how to love. With everything I am, even when it’s hard. Even when it’s scary. And even,” she added with a small smile, “when I’d rather sit in the woods and feel sorry for myself. I’ll never be able to repay you—although I have to take a little credit for introducing you to Nolan at that picnic.” Everyone was laughing as she raised her glass. “Please join me in toasting Maya and Nolan. May your future be bright and your love endless.”
Tears were streaming down Maya’s face as she came to hug Amy. “You’re the best friend in the world.”
“No, you are,” Amy said.
Because if it hadn’t been for Maya choosing to have her wedding at Married in Malibu, she would have missed out on rekindling her love with Travis. Maya had risked the happiest day of her life to give Amy another chance at true love. She couldn’t ask for a better friend.
After giving them both a few moments to quickly fix their makeup, Liz directed them to get ready for the bouquet toss. Of course Maya winked at Amy, then sent the flowers flying with precision aim, straight into her hands.
* * *
The guests were all finally gone, but unfortunately, Travis wasn’t yet done with his duties. He still had to debrief the security staff hired for the day, check news sources to make sure there hadn’t been any leaks, then help the rest of the staff with putting chairs on tables and sweeping up litter.
A text buzzed through to his phone, and his heart jumped when he saw it came from Amy’s number.
Meet me? You know where.
At every other wedding, he’d been the last one out, triple-checking that his list was complete and that everything was locked tight behind him. Tonight, Jenn, Kate, Daniel, and Nate would have to close up shop without him.
Travis had already waited three years for his happy ever after.
He wasn’t going to wait another second longer.
* * *
Amy stood on the beach in the same spot where she had told Travis she loved him for the very first time, her heart pounding with anticipation.
She didn’t have one single doubt that he would come. Just as she didn’t have any doubts about how much she loved him—and that they would find a way to make their love work this time around. No matter what.
Which was why she’d sent two additional texts while she was there on the beach.
The first had been to Liz, accepting her job offer.
The second had been to Johan, to let him know that she would bring by several brand-new paintings for him to look at in the next two weeks. Given that she had left all of her work behind in Michigan, she was going to be doing a lot of painting in the very near future.
“Waiting for someone?” Travis asked from behind her.
She spun to throw herself into his arms, her favorite place to be. “You got here so quickly.”
“I don’t know if I’d call three years quick.” He cradled her face in his hands. “I let you down when I walked away because I didn’t think I was good enough for you. I didn’t think I could be good enough for you. But just like Nolan said in his vows to Maya, it doesn’t matter if I don’t think I’m perfect. The only thing that matters is that I think you’re perfect—and I have since the first time I set eyes on you. I’ve loved you from that very first moment, Amy, and I’m not ever going to stop.”
“And you’re everything I could ever have hoped for in a man,” she said in a voice that trembled with emotion.
“Even with the things I’ve done in the past?”
“I’m so sorry for what you went through,” she said softly. “I wish you had been raised by a loving father and that your relationship with your brother had been better too. But you not only rose above your difficult upbringing, you turned it around so that your every thought, every motive, every single act is based in kindness and caring. Never, for one second, doubt how grateful I am that we got a second chance to love each other.”
“A third chance,” he pointed out in a low voice that resonated with regret for making love to her and then turning her away again over the past twenty-four hours. “We might not ever be able to erase the pain of our pasts, but I’m not going to let that stop us from building a beautiful future together. I never should have walked away from you. If you’ll let me make it up to you, I promise I’ll never make that mistake again.”
“Everything you ever did, you did because you loved me. You left because you thought that it would keep me safe, even though you were wrong about that. All you wanted was what is best for me—when all along you have been what’s best for me. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to wake up every morning in your arms and fall asleep to the sound of your heartbeat. And as often as we can, I want to come right here to this beach and kiss you. Just like this.”
And when they kissed to seal the vows they’d just made to each other on the beach, it wasn’t just a kiss worth waiting three years for—it was the kiss of a lifetime.
Epilogue
Meg had never seen Travis so happy. And Meg was happy, as well, that Amy had accepted Liz’s offer to be Married in Malibu’s in-house portrait painter. It would be great to have another visually creative person at work to bounce ideas off of.
In any case, it was much more fun to focus on Travis and Amy’s happiness than it was to prepare herself to see her mother.
Her childhood home was huge and white-walled, far too large for one woman and her staff. Meg had never felt comfortable there.
Not that she’d been Meg while growing up, of course. Her mother wouldn’t dream of calling her anything but Margaret. Her mother had focused all her efforts on grooming her only child to be the perfect daughter.
But it hadn’t worked. Meg was too quiet. Too serious. She didn’t like small talk and wasn’t interested in clothes and jewelry either. The only part of that life Meg had enjoyed was putting on events. She had loved transforming shapes and colors and light into something beautiful for everyone to enjoy.
Bertrand, the butler, opened the door, and Meg went through to find that tea was already set out for them. Her mother sat perfectly poised, as though she was posing for one of Amy’s paintings.
“Margaret, there you are,” her mother said.
Feeling as though she was already treading on eggshells, Meg sat down. “Hello, Mother.”
She hadn’t come to visit since she’d started at Married in Malibu and her mother had made her feelings about Meg working for a living, rather than hunting for a wealthy, high-profile husband, clear.
“Have you seen this?” Her mother held up a newspaper clipping of Lucas Crosby, the world-famous singer. “Is it true that this man will be using your married-in-whatever place soon?”
Meg would have had to be blind not to notice that Lucas had a finely chiseled jawline with just the right amount of stubble, sandy hair down to his shoulders, and piercing blue eyes. Butterflies swam in her stomach at the thought of meeting him.
“Yes, as far as I know, he will be coming to shoot a video with us.”
Her mother threw the paper down, obviously disgusted. “If only we didn�
�t have to read about people like this all the time. I really don’t know how you manage to deal with all those horrible models and actors and singers, walking around as if they’ve got real money.”
By which she meant old money, of course. On any other day, Meg might have left it. She might not have answered back. Indeed, she’d spent her life very carefully not talking back to her mother, because she had hoped that one day, her mother might show her the same love and respect that Meg had always shown to her.
Now, though, Meg couldn’t allow her mother to assume the worst about the people Married in Malibu worked for.
“They’re all actually quite lovely.”
“Lovely?” Her mother sounded like she’d just swallowed a wasp. “You think that these people, these celebrities, are lovely?”
“I do, yes,” Meg said. “They’re mostly just like you and me.”
“They are nothing like us,” her mother insisted, but then, there were members of royalty who wouldn’t be “good enough” either. “This job has rubbed off on you far too much if you’re starting to think like that.”
If it had, Meg thought, she was glad.
“I should have never allowed you to take the position,” her mother continued. “I should have insisted that you refuse it.”
“You did insist that I not do it,” Meg pointed out. “You insisted quite strongly.”
“And yet, even knowing how much it upsets me, you still went ahead with it. Well, it’s long past time you returned to your senses and came back to your real life.”
Every other time in the last twenty-seven years that Meg’s mother had used that tone, Meg had caved. Meg hated arguments, with her mother especially. But she hadn’t backed down the day she took the job, and she wasn’t going to back down now.
“I’m going to continue working at Married in Malibu,” she said, her spine as straight as her mother’s and her chin as high, “because I love what I do.” She pointed to the picture of Lucas Crosby, taken during a particularly energetic and passionate part of one of his shows. “Look at him, Mother. He loves what he does. Can’t you see that? I feel the same way about my career.”