Page 130 of Almost Beautiful (Beautiful 3)

“We’re almost beautiful?” I asked.

She nodded her head.

I kissed her hand, and then watched as she smiled at me with all the emotions I’d worked so hard to see on her face. Love, contentment and calm swirled inside those familiar, insanely gorgeous gray eyes. “You’ll never convince me that being with you is anything less than perfect, Pidge.”

She rested her head on my shoulder and hugged my arm. I pulled out of the parking lot, following my brothers’ vehicles out into the street. No one was in a hurry. Everyone was glad to be going home, and I brought up the rear, the last in a line of a Maddox caravan. A bunch of motherless boys, seemingly never getting it right, clueless when it comes to relationships, and yet sitting next to the women we loved, almost perfect, almost beautiful, and never happier.

Epilogue

Abby

IWALKED INSIDE MY FATHER-IN-LAW’Shome with my best friend to immediately hear cheers from our family, including Shepley’s parents, Jack and Deanna, America’s parents, Mark and Pam, the Maddox wives, and one more special guest attending our college graduation party: Trenton’s god daughter, Olive.

Trenton held her in his arms between him and Camile, grinning from ear to ear. Everyone was happy.

This was the way life was supposed to be and we had earned it.

Travis stood in front of me holding up a beer, and his brothers, dad, and uncle followed his lead.

“To the most beautiful graduates to ever walk across Eastern State’s stage!” he yelled. “And Shepley.”

Everyone laughed and then applauded, shouting in agreement.

Over the last two years, Travis and I had settled into a routine. Once he graduated, Travis began to travel more and I stayed behind, finishing my accounting degree, interning for the Becken & Stall Accounting firm.

We missed each other like crazy when he wasn’t home, but we made it work. Surrounded by my family, I was exactly where I was always meant to be.

Travis helped me remove my graduation hat and then hugged me to his side and kissed my temple. He was all smiles and had been since he came home the week before.

When all the brothers were home, though, it just felt right, like we were complete, and my husband was nearly euphoric.

Everyone chatted, Shepley, America, and I opened our gifts, and then we all sat down at the table—and the sofa and an extra card table—to eat a late lunch that Liis and Falyn had prepared.

Travis absent-mindedly reached down to touch my knee as he teased Trenton and talked to the twins about their insurance business in Colorado.

“So, Abby … how would you feel about a rematch tonight?” Taylor asked.

“Poker? No,” I said, shaking my head.

The table burst into laughter.

“You wouldn’t beat her, anyway,” Thomas said.

I remembered the first time I played in Jim’s home, at that very table, surrounded by smoke and smiles. Thomas had figured out my secret, watching me with curious eyes that never really stopped observing his surroundings.

Liis was the same way, and over the years, I began to pick up even more things about them. How similar they were, how they sometimes left the room to have private conversations with my husband.

Thomas and Travis had grown closer, and Liis seemed to be in on it.

I’d been trying to figure it out, but they all guarded their friendship. Not in a way that made me uncomfortable, rather … curious.

“So, sis,” Jim said, dabbing his mouth with his napkin. “What’s next?”

“Well,” I said with a sigh, “Becken & Stall has offered me a position.”

The table erupted. Travis beamed.

“And?” Falyn asked with a smile.