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Epilogue

“Remember to act surprised,” Averysaid. “We’re the only ones—other than the brides and the officiant—who know that it’s a wedding.”

Avery looked up in the mirror as she put her earrings on and saw Taylor behind her. She looked hot in that black velvet jumpsuit. Avery had convinced her to order it a few weeks ago—Just humor me. I promise that if you hate it, I’ll return it for you—and as she’d suspected, it looked incredible on Taylor.

“We look good together,” Taylor said as she looked at their reflections in the mirror. Avery was in a simple, sleek black dress. She hadn’t intended for them to match, but it didn’t really count as matching if they were both just in black, did it? “And I know it’s a surprise, you’ve told me that at least three times today alone, I’m not going to forget!” She wrapped her arms around Avery and kissed the side of her neck. “But I do love being in the know.”

Avery turned around in Taylor’s arms and kissed her on the lips.

“I’m sorry I keep bringing it up. It’s just that the surprise wasmy idea, and I’m thrilled it’s lasted this long, so I’m paranoid that one of us will blow it before the actual wedding happens.” She turned back around and picked up a lipstick from the dresser and put it in her gold clutch. “Let me just put my shoes on, and I’m ready.” She slid into the strappy gold sandals that she’d worn to countless weddings and events and pulled her faux fur coat out of the closet. “Are you sure this coat isn’t over the top?” she asked Taylor.

Taylor smiled her most lecherous smile.

“Mmm, all I can see when I look at that coat is that time I came over and you greeted me at the door in it and nothing else, so I’m going to say no, absolutely not. But maybe next time we should try that with that coat and those shoes, just to see if I change my mind.”

Avery blushed. She still couldn’t believe she’d actually done that.

“I hadn’t seen you for almost a week! I was getting feral.” She saw a thoughtful look come over Taylor’s face and shook her head. “No, don’t go getting any ideas—you don’t need to disappear for that long again.”

Taylor chuckled as they walked out of their hotel room.

“I didn’t disappear, I was taking that intensive business class Margot made me take, excuse me,encouragedme to take, you know that. Plus, I believe I made you appreciate that move so much that you’ll definitely want to surprise me that way again for no reason at all.”

Avery thought back to that night and let her smile get very wide.

“That you did,” she said.

They walked down to the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor. The party was on the roof deck and started at eight p.m., so they’d gotten a room for the night at the hotel.

“I’m so glad it didn’t rain tonight,” Taylor said.

Avery slid her arm around Taylor’s waist as they got in the elevator.

“Me, too. Obviously, there were many contingency plans for if it did, but I’m glad we—they—didn’t have to worry about that.”

Taylor grinned at her.

“You know, it’s just us in the elevator. You don’t have to pretend like you haven’t been planning this…party.”

Avery touched Taylor’s bottom lip with her fingertip.

“Hmmm, I thought you were going elsewhere when you said that it was just us on this elevator.”

Taylor’s eyes widened.

“Avery Jensen! I’m shocked!”

Avery smirked.

“What can I say, you created a monster.”

The elevator dinged, and two other couples got on, so for the rest of the ride, they chastely held hands and traded very unchaste text messages.

Beth and Greta were there when they got out of the elevator, in their New Year’s Eve best. The four of them exchanged excited looks and quick hugs, and then the two secret brides hugged everyone else and directed them toward the champagne. After they took glasses of champagne and a plateful of snacks, Taylor pulled Avery over to the side of the room.

“Now I’m paranoid that I’m going to spill something,” Taylor said, “and I don’t mean the champagne. So, we’re going to stand over here and sip our champagne and eat some cheese and crackers and be antisocial so that I don’t spoil the you-know-what.”

Avery laughed and lifted her champagne glass to Taylor.