Page 107

Epilogue
Gabriel
“You look divine. You’ll upstage the bride in that thing.”
Mackenzie does a little twirl for me as she exits our bedroom, then pauses to slip her heels on over by the front door. “You’ve seen me in this dress a good dozen times.”
“And you’re more beautiful every time.”
“Smooth talker,” she smirks, grabbing her earrings off the coffee table to put them on.
I cross my arms over my chest and lean against the couch, watching as she flutters around the place finishing getting ready. After eight months in her cramped apartment, I can finally breathe in this bigger one-bedroom that James found for us. It pays to have realtor friends who have the inside scoop on when rent-stabilized places are up for grabs.
“You have the timeline for the day?”
“Yes.”
“And the blueprint for how everything needs to be set up?”
“Yes.”
“And-”
“I’ve got it all here, don’t worry. We’ve done a million weddings together. Today’s not any different.”
“Then you know by now that I’m obsessive about each one.”
She stops for a second to check her makeup in the mirror by the front entryway, and I take the opportunity to slip in behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist. My nose skims along the back of her neck, inhaling her sweet scent, and she shivers ever so slightly.
“You can’t mess up my hair. Or my makeup. Or my dress. We need to leave here in five minutes to make it to the venue on time.”
I grin. “Is that a challenge?”
“No,” she laughs, extracting herself from my hold.
“One kiss. Just give me one kiss to get me through the rest of the day.”
“You’re never satisfied with just one,” she murmurs, turning around to wrap her arms over my shoulders.
I kiss that luscious mouth, dipping her down low in my arms, her grip tightening on me the way I love before bringing her back up.
She thumbs away the stray lipstick on me, smiling provocatively before continuing to pack up everything she needs for the wedding we’re coordinating today.
Business is booming. There’s no other way to say it. And while Mackenzie claims it’s all due to me and how I initially reached out to my many acquaintances asking them to give her a try, the truth of the matter is that she’s the reason we’re doing so well.
Capable. Talented. Personable. Skilled. I could go on endlessly listing the ways she’s amazing, but for now I’ll just say that every day with her is a new reason to be thankful for getting stuck in that god awful engagement to begin with. If I hadn’t, I’d never have met her. Never have known the satisfaction that comes in completing a day’s work. Never have this whole new life that it turns out I love. People don’t see me as the billionaire heir anymore. And I found out real quick who only wanted me for my perceived connections and money, and who was actually interested inme.
I’m a co-business owner now. A brother. A boyfriend. And hopefully soon to be a fiance. An eager one this time.
I glance toward our bedroom, where my nightstand sits next to our bed. Tucked away in the back corner of the drawer underneath a pile of innocuous junk is a velvet box, with a diamond ring nestled inside I can’t wait to slip on her finger.
But now’s not the right time. Not when she’s knee deep in planning someone else’s big day. Maybe tomorrow when no events are on the schedule, cuddled up together here at home on the couch with a glass of wine. Or next week when her parents come to visit and we have a ready made excuse to go to a fancy restaurant. It doesn’t matter the day, though, or even where it happens. Because every day is special now.
“You ready?” she asks, hitching her tote bag up on her shoulder.
“I’m ready.”
For a life with her. Forever.