One year later…

Whenever Carly had dreamed of a wedding day, she’d never imagined anything like this. She used to picture a party with a few friends and a handsome man who loved her. But here she was on a lush vineyard estate, the salty Long Island Sound only steps away, sitting in front of hundreds of people at a long table adorned with flowers, and not one, but three groomsmen—plus a bridesmaid who demanded equal time—were toasting her marriage and welcoming her to the family.

When Carly agreed to marry Jeff—her gorgeous and kindhearted prince—she’d never expected to also get a family. That first day when he’d brought her to his parents’ house on their vineyard she’d been so nervous. She’d never had any siblings and had heard big families could have backbiting and nasty games.

The only positive was that she had met Kendra before the rest and Jeff’s twin told her none of them had been too crazy over Peyton, and that she was so happy Jeff had finally found the kind of woman he deserved.

Speaking of Peyton, she had indeed been a freelance prostitute with an online website in another name. And it turned out she’d started long ago with an eighty-year-old man who’d been putting her through college. But he’d died when she was halfway through medical school, leaving her nothing, so latching on to Jeff was her next move. As to the money she earned at Sarvinger’s, Jeff had no idea what she did with it and did not care, as long as she got out of his life. Jeff didn’t tell Greg Pearson the truth, since Peyton had earned her right to practice medicine in a legitimate way. Still, she’d moved to Florida probably fearing word would get out in the New York community.

So here Carly was, being welcomed into this large and raucous family with open arms. Each one of them had made an effort to get to know her and befriend her. And today as she sat here in her gown of lace next to her new husband, each sibling stood up with a glass of champagne to tease and praise and heap love and good wishes upon the newlyweds.

Taylor, her maid of honor who sat at her other side, burst into laughter when Tucker finished his speech with, “And Carly’s going to sing for all of us later on after she’s had enough wine to loosen her up.”

Jeff, ever the protector, leaned close to her ear and said, “You don’t have to do anything unless you want to.”

She whispered back, surprising herself, “But I want to sing for everyone, Jeff. Having a second father and mother and the siblings and even cousins now—not to mention being your wife—makes me want to sing.”

He kissed her and everyone cheered. “Oops. I forgot we were being watched.”

Jeff had made a gift of hiring an expensive and sought-after vocal coach for her because Dex Landon, her agent, had gotten Carly a Broadway audition and also wanted her to make a demo of her own songs. Regardless of what happened with either endeavor, she had told Dex she didn’t want to get into anything that would take her away from home yet. Dex wasn’t happy about that, but Carly needed to spend time with her new husband, and she wasn’t sure she’d ever want the life of a professional musician if it meant not seeing Jeff for weeks or months.

Even though Jeff said he would happily support her, Carly kept a few part-time hours at The Sandcastle. The manager there had hired her so many years ago that he was like a father to her, and he was the one who walked her down the aisle and gave her away today.

As to the house in Bridgehampton, Jeff had put it up for sale right after the bomb landed with Peyton. He’d been living in an apartment while he and Carly shopped for a new house together. Even though Jeff preferred the Atlantic Ocean to Long Island Sound, his mother prevailed and convinced him to buy a house on the North Fork not far from the family vineyard. They would be moving there after their honeymoon—in Paris.

Only this time when they went to Paris Carly would not have to guess if they were maybe lovers, maybe friends. This time she was going there as Carly Kuper Rocklyn.

She had trashed that old theme song she used to carry in her head…

Never wish for things you know you can’t have.

She had a new song, with a line she hadn’t believed when Jeff first said it to her, but she sure did now.

It’s okay to dream.

~~~~THE END~~~