Epilogue
Carina
The Wedding
The days immediately following the shooting had been a blur. Carina had complied with the investigation and provided the police with an account of what had happened. Although Declan had told her that the case would most likely go to trial, she wasn’t worried. Eric had violated the restraining order, had broken into her home, and held her at knifepoint. The policemen who had shown up with Josh that day had also overheard her pleading with Eric to put the knife down. Which definitely helped her case and basically proved that her actions were done out of self-defense.
She wasn’t looking forward to seeing Eric in court. But she was eager to listen to Eric’s attorney tell the jury that his client would always have to depend on a catheter and that he would most likely never be able to achieve an erection. Maybe it was a little morbid to think that way. But she couldn’t help it. It brought a smile to her face knowing that Eric would never be able to assault another woman again.
But now for more pleasant thoughts.
Carina looked across the reception hall and watched Josh receive the mic from Chase’s best man, Sam. It was Josh’s turn to speak to a hundred and seventy-five guests about the woman who had captured Chase’s heart.
Josh smoothed his tie and cleared his throat. “For those of you who know Erin and those who haven’t had the privilege until now, Erin is a woman who doesn’t like the spotlight. So I’m going to make this short and hopefully not embarrass her in the process.” Carina looked over at the table for two Erin and Chase shared and saw Erin blush, which only made her more beautiful. Chase’s arm was around her waist and he was staring at his wife with adoration. “Erin and I met in our freshman year of college.” Josh turned and looked at Erin. “Who would have thought we’d end up here, sweetheart?” Erin wiped a tear away with a tissue. Josh smiled and then continued. “But here you are with your husband, a man who is worthy of you, loves you with everything he has, and will take care of you. Because that is what you deserve, honey.” Josh raised his glass and the crowd followed. “To my best friend and sister, I thank God every day for you…and that I had the sense to sit next to you in Dr. Mazano’s chemistry class.” Josh gave Erin a wink and then looked at Chase. “And to Chase, your devotion to your friends, your wife, and the two babies on the way…truly humbles me. I am honored to be a part of your story.”
The crowd erupted in applause. There wasn’t a dry eye to be found. Carina looked across the table and witnessed Mia crying into Paul’s shoulder. He was holding his wife-to-be, looking choked up himself. Carina glanced over at Andrew and caught the typically reserved tough guy brush away a tear. Carina herself was a weepy mess and she dabbed at the corners of her eyes with her cloth napkin. Lady Jane, Josh’s other date for the evening, patted Carina’s arm while she gazed at her grandson. The warmth and love in her eyes was overwhelming.
Josh walked over to Erin, who stood and hugged him for a bit. Carina couldn’t decipher at that distance what Josh had whispered to Erin as he held her, but whatever it was brought a smile to Erin’s face and her sobs ceased. Erin sat down next to her husband and squeezed his hand.
“Speaking of stories, I was wondering if you would mind me sharing one of my own?” Josh asked. At some point he had reacquired the mic and the crowd sat in their seats and gave him their full attention. Carina looked over at Erin, who was grinning at her and looking as if she was about to combust.
“Once upon a time, there was a lost little boy who grew into a very lost young man. He was content to hide behind the mask he had thought he had secured years ago. He thought he was content to live just half a life. And then one day, that foolish man met a woman. She never saw the mask, but looked right through it at the man beneath…and loved him anyway.” Carina muffled her gasp with the back of her trembling hand. The tears were streaming down her face as Josh walked toward her. He stopped short, dropped to one knee, and took her hand in his. “Carina, in front of our friends and family…even the ones from out of state,” Josh nodded to the entrance of the reception hall, “I am asking you to spend forever with me. Will you be my wife?”
Standing in the entranceway were her parents, her brothers, Morgan and her mother. Dressed in tuxedos and standing side by side, her brothers looked like an impenetrable wall of black. But there was nothing menacing in their stance. Each one of them was smiling at her.
“Forever isn’t long enough,” she said through the tears.
Josh brought her fingertips to his lips and kissed them gently. “No, not for the girl who will always want more.” His eyes were brimming with tears. “Marry me, baby.” He withdrew a ring from the inside pocket of his tuxedo jacket and slipped it onto her finger. She stared at the stone and couldn’t imagine a day that it wouldn’t grace her hand.
She nodded vehemently. “Yes…yes, I’ll marry you!”
Josh stood, threw the mic on the table and pulled her into his arms. She kissed him like they were the only two people in the room. She didn’t care in the least that their kiss prompted the crowd to whistle and clap. But even over the hoots and hollers, she heard a woman sitting at the table next to hers say, “Now that was a proposal.”