Page 83

“For our wedding?” I asked. “Next June?”

“Yeah,” she said. “I always loved June.”

“It’ll be hot,” I said.

“We can get married indoors,” she laughed. “With air conditioning.”

“Ahh,” I said. “Then yes, June sounds perfect.”

“We’re going to be very busy this month with helping them with their wedding.”

“I know,” I said. “But it’ll be fun practice.”

“I love practicing things with you,” she said coyly.

“Same, same,” I said, grinning. “Would you like to go home and do a little practice now?”

“I would like to do some practice right here in the truck, but there are still people around, so that’s not going to work.”

“Good enough,” I said. “It would be a lot easier if there were a hotel around here somewhere.”

“Someday,” she laughed.

“Someday soon,” I said.

I stood against the lake, watching my brother take his bride’s hands in his and recite his vows. Collin had taken control of the wedding to the point that Logan gave up on being the minister, and Mr. Pratchett ended up being called in for duty. He had been so serious about getting certified by the state that he said he might want to go into doing weddings as a little side business from now on. Something to occupy him in retirement.

As Luke kissed Amber and the crowd erupted, I glanced over to Charlotte on the other side of the aisle. Her eyes matched mine, and the whole world faded away. It was just us and the lake, the rest of the world doing whatever it wanted to do around us.

When Luke and Amber walked back down the aisle, I took Charlotte’s hand, and we followed them. The reception was under a huge tent in the same place the lobby of the hotel would eventually go. As we walked toward it, I could see the future in my mind.

Not just the hotel. Everything.

I could see how we would live here, occasionally traveling, living in every moment together. I couldn’t see children in our future, but I didn’t discount it. I would love kids, but I never wanted to force one into the world. Life would find a way if it wanted, as far as I was concerned. Unless she told me she wanted one. Then it would become a job.

A job I would have alotof fun going to.

I could see how we would grow together, how our lives would intertwine further and further. How this hotel would be a legacy for us, for our families. How we would transform this part ofFoley, Texas into our vision. The businesses would come. The tourists would come. The world would come.

And I could not be happier to do it all with her by my side. I wouldn’t be able to do any of it without her. And I never wanted to.

Charlotte was mine. And I was hers. And on this lake, we would make our future together, one that would be filled with love, surprises and music.

A love that hit all the right notes.

Epilogue

Charlotte

I couldn’t help but feel subdued as we went home after the wedding. I knew he was noticing it, but I didn’t know quite how to tell him what was going on. I didn’t want to do it now, that was for sure. Ruining this wonderful moment was not what I had planned.

I wasn’t sad. I made sure he knew that. But he could tell something was off. As we drove back to the ranch, I knew he was going to ask and tried to prepare myself for it.

“Hey,” he said, “are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” I said. “Just tired. It’s been a long week.”

He nodded, punching the gas a little harder as we got out on an open road.