Epilogue One

Max

Six months later

“You may now kiss the bride.”

I lean down and kiss my wife again, for the second time in my life. The shouts and cheering is very different than when we first did it. When I let go of her face, I see our family and friends—okay, more her family than mine—gathered in the backyard of my in-laws’ New Long Island mansion. I just have Denise, who stands next to me as my best man. She agreed to be the best man, but drew the line at wearing a tux. Instead, she stands next to me with tears rolling down her face wearing a strapless champagne dress. She looks beautiful, but not as beautiful as my wife as she stands beside me wearing another dress, this one picked out with her mother. It’s not as beautiful as her original dress, but she is still the most beautiful bride ever. This time her dress shines more. A soft breeze blows her veil back as we walk down the outdoor aisle, nodding to everyone as we pass them.

My mother-in-law beams with Cooper next to her. She got her wish. She planned the wedding that she has always dreamed of. Cooper got to walk his daughter down the aisle, even joking when they asked who gives this woman to be wed and he said “her mother, brother, and me.”

When we got back from Vegas the dust settled. Well, most of it did. Phil still got a kick out of pointing out to Matthew that it happened right under his nose. Which usually got me a glare and a grunt. Did my brother-in-law and I get along? Well, let’s say that we tolerate each other.

Allison finally moved all her stuff out of the brownstone and now it’s all over our loft, which I have to say I fucking love. Our pictures are also scattered around. We travel together and sleep in the same room now, which makes me happier than I can put into words.

“You happy, angel?” I ask as we get to the walkway leading to the big white tents that are set up for the reception. The ceremony was only fifty people, those closest to us. The reception, however, is five hundred of our closest friends and family. I tried to have them cut the list just a bit, but when Copper started puffing up his chest with my first daughter is getting married it’s a celebration and then my mother-in-law with the fake tears, you made her elope, I threw my hands up in defeat, not caring who they invited.

“Every day with you I’m happy,” she says as she kisses me.

We follow the pathway to the reception area, which is lit by jars of candles. The tent has a veil all over the tented roof with lights strung all up. Long tables fill up most of the yard with white linen cloths and gold chairs. Soft light pink and champagne flowers are all around.

“My mother went a touch overboard.” She grabs a champagne flute from a passing waiter.

I shake my head and by the time we look around it’s almost the end of the night. I stand next to my wife as she takes the microphone, tapping it to make sure it works. My hand is around her waist as I hold her hip in my hand.

“We just want to thank you all for coming and helping us celebrate our wedding. Well, second wedding,” she jokes as I lean in and kiss her neck. “I know we said we didn’t want to do certain traditional things, but there is one tradition that I can’t not do. And that is the father daughter dance. Where is my father?” my wife asks as she looks around. “Dad?” she asks as she spots him. “Come up here.”

Cooper stands up, coming to us as she hands me the mic and nods to the DJ, who starts to put on the song “Butterfly Kisses” as my wife dances with the man she calls dad. Her real dad didn’t bother getting an invitation, this after he called her after news of our elopement hit the media. He was less than pleased that she was irresponsible for all of her actions. The only thing my wife said was fuck you after hanging up on him and blocking his number. I watch as he hugs her and they sway. At the end of the song, she leans up to give him butterfly kisses on his cheek.

The dancing goes on till the wee hours of the night. Now here we are in the car, making our way to the house in the woods. She sleeps most of the way there, curled on the seat as my hand reaches across the console.

Once we finally get there and unload ther car, we sit on the dock, watching the water stream down.

“It’s so peaceful,” she says from her Adirondack chair. She looks over at me. “It’s perfect.” She gets up, coming to my chair, and sitting on top of my lap.

I wrap my arms around her, kissing the top of her head, and she buries her head in my neck and we watch the sun set.