LUCAS
Six Months Later…
“Who the hell gets married in December?”
My Groomsmen are all assembled, sipping whiskey in the cigar room of the lodge. Outside, a blizzard is painting the windows white. Even the weather has dressed up for my wedding.
Brock keeps on grumbling, “Seriously, it’s ten fucking degrees outside.”
“That’s why the ceremony is inside , brother.”
“You just have to do things differently, huh? God forbid you plan for the spring or fall like a normal person.”
“Winter is the off-season.” I shrug, staring out the window at the beautiful storm. “Talk to Luna. She’s the one who insisted that we keep spring free for our climbing trips.”
“You’ve corrupted her.”
“Don’t worry, she still has her 401(k).”
If you’d asked me ten years ago where my ideal wedding would be, I would have told you nowhere . What wedding? Why would I get married? Who on earth would marry me?
Well, things change fast when you’re in love.
Luna and I took our time finding a cabin for sale on the edge of Pine Whistle. We wanted it to be perfect. Ana was thrilled to have me for another couple of months. Brock was convinced I was bullshitting and it would never happen.
But we moved in together. We made a home, and we haven’t slowed down since.
And, to top it all off, we became hometown heroes.
We invited Roger, the hiker we pulled from that cliff, to the wedding. He and his wife have become good friends.
The wedding planner comes in and gives us the nod that signals that the ceremony is about to start. My best man, Johny, the climber partner I canceled on, slaps me on the back and hypes me up.
“You can do this, bud.”
“I’m not nervous,” I laugh. “No cold feet here.”
“You sure?” Brock grunts. “Not too late to run off and be a hippie again.”
I clap his shoulder and smile. “I’m still a rock-climbing hippie, dude. I’m just in love. And I know you get that.”
My older brother sighs, allowing himself to crack a half smile.
“Whoa! Shit!” I pretend to dodge a bullet. “Watch out, boys. Chief Stone is smiling! That thing could cut diamonds.”
“Shut up.”
Out into the hall we go, strutting in our suits and smiling for the photographer. The mountain lodge is the perfect venue for us, striking a balance between elegant and adventurous. In the hall, our attendees are waiting. It’s a smaller wedding, with only about fifty people, but that suits us, too.
As my groomsmen start getting called down the aisle, Brock’s gruff voice startles me from behind. “Look… I… uh… I’m proud of you.”
“What?” I laugh. “You’re doing this now?”
He better hurry, he’s next to walk out with Ana.
“I wanted to before. I’m not good at this crap.”
“No shit.”
I spot Roger in the crowd. He and his wife wave.
“You saved that man’s life,” Brock says. “I always thought you ran away from hardship, but I was wrong. You settled down. You found something for yourself. I was wrong, Lucas. I’m sorry…”
I’ll be honest, I’m tearing up.
But I won’t let him leave me here blubbering while he walks down the aisle relieved. Not after years of riding my ass.
I’m getting the last laugh.
What sort of younger brother would I be if I stopped being a pain in his ass now?
As the MC calls his and Ana’s names, I put my hand on his shoulder and whisper in his ear, “Thank you. And I’m glad that you’re a bigger part of my life now… we’re gonna need all the help we can get. Congratulations, brother. You’re gonna be an uncle.”
“ What? ”
I shove Brock into the aisle, smiling at Ana as she takes his arm. He glances back at me, a look of pure terror on his face.
As I take my place at the altar, I look out at all the warm, smiling faces. They’re all here for us, one big family, and I’ve never felt so anchored to my life before. I feel like if I fall, someone will always be there to catch me.
Luna walks out, not with a father on her arm, but independently alone. Defiant of tradition that doesn’t fit her story.
I won’t get into the details of her life. They’re for her. And me, now that she’s trusted me with her pain. Her parents weren’t there for her. End of story.
I’ll be there, always.
For every climb.
Every new chapter of our life.
I’ll be her anchor, her line to depend on, her book to get lost in.
She’s radiant, as beautiful as that day I found her peeping through the shelves in the library. As perfect as the first time we made love in the stacks.
The end…