Page 25

EPILOGUE

ONE MONTH LATER

Tanner

“How does it feel to be the one standing at the end of an aisle waiting for your bride, buddy?” Ridge asks.

It wasn’t long ago that I was in the same spot he is now, best man, thinking maybe marriage wasn’t for me.

Oh, how that’s changed. Of course, there aren’t two hundred plus people here, and we’re not in a church setting.

I wasn’t kidding about tying the knot in Vegas.

Luck was on my side the day Marlie not only agreed to marry me but gave me the greatest gift she ever could—a child.

“Feels fuckin’ great.” Just because we’re in Vegas doesn’t mean we have an Elvis impersonator marrying us, and the officiant clearing his throat lets me know just what he thinks of my choice of words.

It took us a month from the time Marlie uttered those two words I’m pregnant that had me dropping to my knees, stripping her shirt off, and kissing her stomach.

It’s also when I dragged her to the bedroom and reached to the back of my sock drawer for the ring that was going to officially make her mine.

“Shhh,” Taylor whispers her annoyance across the aisle. Marlie and I struggled with who to have standing up for us. It was hard with my big family and her only having one brother. Plus, we’d have no one in their seats, so it was easier this way. “You’re going to miss her grand entrance, children.”

I snicker but then turn my attention to the woman who’s stolen every last bit of me, my heart, my soul, my whole damn world.

Marlie’s there at the end, in a soft cream dress she designed herself.

I told her she could walk down the aisle in a potato sack, and it wouldn’t bother me any.

That wasn’t going to happen, so instead, she created her own dress, complaining that maternity wedding dresses either make you look like a tent or have you covered up from neck to ankle.

It’s not the case for what she’s wearing, and that’s because she worked night and day on hers.

I work my eyes from the bottom up, knowing if I see a tear in her eye, I’ll march my way towards her, not giving Marlie’s father a chance to enjoy the traditional walking-down-the-aisle moment.

Her dress is soft cream in color, with lace covering the tan fabric, making it appear like her skin is on display.

It’s slightly loose before it cinches in at her waist, accentuating her slight bump, and fuck, do I love seeing the way she is growing a life inside her body.

I love even more that she wasn’t afraid to show it off.

Everyone already knew she was pregnant. Most were jumping for glee; a couple weren’t.

Marlie’s dad mainly was apprehensive; until I met him.

Thankfully, that changed, and everyone is happy, not that I gave a single shit, but I knew it would hurt my future wife if things weren’t kosher between us all.

The soft swish of fabric has me swallowing back a groan of my own.

The fullness her pregnancy is giving Marlie, fuck, but I love what it’s doing, especially how sensitive she is when it has anything to do with my mouth on her tits.

The way her dress is designed, fitting over her breasts, cupping them like I want my hands to do as soon as this damn ceremony is over, bare shoulders giving way to her smooth neck, with her hair off to one side, has me swallowing my tongue.

“Holy shit,” I mumble under my breath.

“I told you,” Taylor says. It hits me. The whole fucking thing hits me all at once.

Marlie is going to be mine in every way possible for the rest of our lives.

I’ve known I’ve loved her from the second she gave me a chance to right my wrong, and she didn’t even have to tell me she returned the words.

I knew it in the way she’d give me a subtle glance, a soft touch, the way the two of us mesh, and the unbelievable way Marlie cares for not only me but my whole family.

“Jace, buddy, you can’t run to Aunt Marlie,” I hear Keller tell my nephew when she’s a few steps away from meeting me.

“He’s okay I have another hand. Jace, will you help walk me to your uncle?” She holds her hand out, and my nephew takes it. A toothless smile thanks to losing his two front teeth appears, and he’s all too happy to be with her and have a slice of attention, too.

“Aunt Marlie, you look pretty.” Practically every female in the area oohs and aahs.

“And you look handsome yourself. What do you say we get to your uncle before he comes running?” She winks at him.

Jace falls into step beside them, and they finally make their way to me.

Jace already walked down the aisle, carrying the rings, fake rings because even though Marlie said he’d be fine with the real rings, Keller was not having that, just in case.

“You may now be seated,” the officiant says. Marlie’s Dad, Joe, hands me her hand, placing his on top of both of ours.

“I know you’ll take good care of her.” I nod my head, emotion clogging the words I want to say but can’t.

“Of course, he will. He’s Uncle Tanner,” Jace inputs. A chuckle leaves us all.

“You want to come hang out with me while they tie the knot, kiddo?” Joe asks.

“Nah, I’ll stand here. Thanks, though.” My eyes go to Marlie’s. She shrugs her shoulders. I look at Keller. He’s shaking his head worried that Jace is going to upset us, but I mouth, “He’s fine.”

“You look beautiful, sweetheart.” I’m thankful she didn’t wear a veil. If she had, it would be what it was, but I’m glad because there’s nothing standing in my way to see her face.

“Tanner.” That soft word leaves her lips, eyes watering already, and there’s no way I can keep them at bay, not when the officiant states, “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today…” I tune out the rest until we say our vows, ready to get to the good part, when he announces we’re husband and wife, and that I can kiss my bride.