EPILOGUE
Will smiled as he caught a glimpse of Jessa at the other end of the church.
She was like something out of a fairytale in the white dress, her upswept hair showing off the porcelain skin of her neck and shoulders.
Seeing her like that made being uncomfortable all day in his rented tuxedo worth it.
“Will.”
“Yeah. Sorry. What did you say?” He turned toward his sister Megan, who was frowning at him for his inattention. “I’m sorry. I was distracted.”
“So I see.”
“What did you say?” he asked, focused once again.
She scowled. “Nothing important. I was just saying I’ll never get used to being in a white dress at my own sister’s wedding. It feels weird. White is for the bride.”
“It’s what Amanda wanted. Female guests in white. Male guests in black.” He shrugged.
“But what the hell made her think that was a good idea?” Megan scoffed.
What did he know about fashion or trends? He was going to wear his dress uniform for the ceremony until his crazy little sister decreed all men had to be in black or they wouldn’t match in the pictures.
The Instagram generation—he’d never understand them.
He laughed. “I think you should be more concerned about what the hell made her think getting married after only knowing Ryan for six months was a good idea rather than the color of the dresses. No?”
“Hey!” The bride in question appeared and looked unhappy as she caught them talking about her. She sent Will a glare. “You fixed me up with him. You don’t get to complain that I’m marrying him.”
“I’m your older brother. I get to complain whenever I want. And I believe your groom was Megan’s pick in my app. Not mine.”
Megan shook her head. “Actually, he was Gramps’s pick.”
“Gramps?” Will asked, shocked.
“Yup. I was going through the choices one day while sitting with him. You know him. He couldn’t be there and not be involved. He grabbed the phone right out of my hand and started swiping. Before I knew it, he handed it back to me and said, ‘That one. That’s the one she’s gonna end up with.’ Damned if he wasn’t right.”
“Wow.” Will laughed, impressed.
Megan continued, “I have to tell you, it was a little scary how proficient he was with a smart phone. So much for the older generation not liking technology.”
Will had a feeling their grandfather had more experience with smart phones and dating apps than Megan knew.
“What about you and Jessa? Any wedding bells?” Megan asked.
Will frowned. “It’s only been six months.”
“Um, hello?” Amanda held up her hand to flash Will her shiny new wedding band.
He laughed. “Yeah, I know. Don’t remind me how short a time it’s been for you. I like to move a little more cautiously, thank you.”
Glancing across the room, he saw Jessa heading toward him. She smiled when she saw him watching her. His heart clenched. He wouldn’t admit it to his sisters but he’d already decided to throw caution to the wind.
Hell, he’d even been ring shopping. Not ring buying yet, just window shopping, but he had a feeling it wouldn’t be long before that changed.
Jessa joined the group after having been waylaid by their mother for longer than any girlfriend should have had to at her first family event. “Amanda, it was a beautiful ceremony.”
“Thank you,” Megan said, shooting the bride a look that challenged her to disagree.
Amanda rolled her eyes. “Megan planned most of it, but thank you. And I’m glad you could be here.”
“Hopefully there will be another family event for us to get together soon.” Megan leveled a meaningful glance on Will.
“That would be nice,” Amanda agreed too readily.
Will shook his head at how relentless his sisters could be especially when they ganged up on him two to one.
“We’re done with the family photos. Isn’t it time we head over to the reception and join the rest of the guests?” he said.
“Soon. And don’t change the subject.” Megan cocked a brow.
That had been exactly Will’s intention.
His grandfather wandered over, scotch in hand. Will grasped onto the potential diversion and asked, “Gramps, are you supposed to be drinking?”
“No one told me not to.” He took a swallow from his glass and Will had to wonder where the hell he’d gotten it, until he remembered the bar in the limousine outside.
If nothing else, the old man was resourceful.
Amanda let out a snort. “Wouldn’t have mattered if they had told him not to drink.”
“That’s the truth.” He raised his glass in a toast to his youngest granddaughter before he turned to Jessa. “Did they tell you? I’m the one who fixed this one up with her new husband.”
“No, they didn’t. That’s impressive. Are you thinking about becoming a matchmaker?” Jessa smiled.
“Nah. I don’t have the patience for that app of his. Besides, there’s nobody left who needs fixing up now that he’s settled.” He tipped his head toward Will.
Looking at a loss, and as uncomfortable as Will to have their relationship be the topic of conversation, Jessa said, “Oh.”
His grandfather nodded. “Yup. I could tell he was smitten when he got that text from you in the middle of the night. He said you were just a friend but I knew better.”
Will felt the blood rush to his cheeks at being outed. He could only imagine how Jessa felt.
As both sisters watched the conversation with much too much interest, he turned to his grandfather. “First of all, we were just friends then. And how did you know that text was from Jessa?”
“I’m not blind. I saw her name on that phone of yours. The damn thing’s big enough. Like walking around with a billboard in your pocket. How could I miss it? Anyway, friends or not, I knew it. You two were gonna be an item.”
Jessa’s lips twitched with a smile it looked like she was trying to control. “You should really consider that matchmaking.”
Will wasn’t about to let his grandfather get away with taking credit for predicting their budding relationship. It would be much more fun to put the old man in his place. “Actually, Gramps, it’s my app that fixed me up with Jessa.”
Megan’s mouth dropped open. “Really? You didn’t tell me that.”
“Yeah.” Will nodded. “I gave it to the guys on the team to test and out of all of the women in all of our friends lists, they chose Jessa for me.”
Megan leaned in and said softly, “Did they know you’d dated her sister?”
“No. Believe me, I asked them that. But remember, Jessa and Sara have different last names on Facebook.”
He sent Jessa a glance. She was deep in conversation with Amanda and his grandfather.
His heart warmed just seeing her with his family. He didn’t need the app or his teammates to know they were compatible or that he had feelings for her. But he was certainly glad they’d sent him to her door that night.
Sometimes love needed a little nudge in the right direction.
“Eh, it doesn’t surprise me Willie needed an app to show him the way.” The old man cut his gaze to Will. “You always were the last one to see what was best for you. Even growing up.” He leaned closer to Jessa. “Did you know the kid here wanted to join the Air Force? I’m the one who talked him outta that.”
Smiling, Will shook his head. “There’s nothing wrong with the Air Force.”
“It’s not the Marines, that’s what’s wrong with it, but you did all right in the Navy, I guess.”
He let out a laugh at that understatement. “Thanks, Gramps.”
Amanda took a step forward. “Let’s get back to this app business. Will, please tell me you have that thing patented or in the App Store or something. It’s a gold mine.”
He cringed. “Yeah, no. I never got around to it.”
His answer spurred some very loud and enthusiastic complaints by his sisters and a low chuckle by his grandfather.
Will glanced down at his date for the evening, and hopefully for a whole lot longer than that. “Welcome to my family. They’re not going to scare you away, are they?”
Jessa shook her head. “Nope. Never.”
He ran his hand down her arm and captured her hand in his. Lacing his fingers through hers, he said, “Good.”
“Aw. I have to admit, they are cute together,” Amanda said.
“Yeah. Even if he is a dumbass who’s letting a million dollar idea wallow on his hard drive.” Megan scowled.
Ignoring his sisters, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to Jessa’s mouth. He pulled back and asked, “Do you mind if I’m a dumbass?”
“I can live with it, as long as you’re my dumbass,” Jessa said.
His heart swelled a little more at her answer. “No question about that. You’re stuck with me.”
“Good.” Jessa smiled before she sobered and her gaze locked onto his. “I love you.”
Will shook his head. “Not half as much as I love you.”
“Hmm, I don’t know about that. We might have to call it a draw.”
He smiled. “I can live with that.”
Yeah, that big old diamond ring was as good as bought. And a house with a yard for all their future kids might not be too far behind.
Maybe he’d better register that app and start making some money off it after all.
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