Page 45 of Promises We Meant to Keep (Love in Massachusetts #1)

epilogue

Six months later…

Kamryn held onto Elia’s hand tightly as they walked together into the reception hall. Cheers went up as the music played loudly. Kamryn couldn’t stop smiling. She’d honestly tried at one point and then completely given up. She’d never been so happy before.

Once they got to the center of the dance floor, she spun Elia in a circle and then held onto her waist and started to rock side to side as the music changed into something with a slower tempo. She couldn’t look away. Elia was stunning in her sleek white dress with her hair pinned up at the back of her head.

Kamryn had already tried to tangle her fingers in it, but Elia had scolded her. Leaning in, Kamryn pressed her cheek to Elia’s. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Elia’s response was exactly what Kamryn needed to hear.

This entire day had been about the two of them, and they were surrounded by friends and family. Even Miller and Maria Waddy had managed to make it there, which had been amazing to see. Kamryn kept the slow dance moving, not quite ready to sit down at the long table in the front of the room.

Kamryn didn’t hesitate at all as she leaned in for another kiss. The cheers went up again around them. She could so get used to this. Kissing Elia without fear of any repercussions was perfect. Too bad they wouldn’t get a long honeymoon, or really any honeymoon until the holiday vacation at the end of the year, but they hadn’t managed to find any date other than the end of September.

She was pretty sure they’d manage to wait.

“Can you believe that we’re finally married?” Kamryn whispered.

“Yes,” Elia responded, always the practical one. “We’ve spent the last six months planning it and arguing over the details.”

“I wouldn’t call those arguments,” Kamryn countered. Some of them could definitely be called that, but in the end, it had all worked out. They were here, they were married, the paperwork was all signed, and now they got to just enjoy their time together until they had to go back to work on Monday morning. “Just…next time let’s get married when there isn’t school in session.”

Elia cringed. “Agreed, not that there’s going to be a next time.”

“Um, vow renewals are a thing for a reason.”

Groaning, Elia shook her head. “I’d rather not think about planning another major event for the next few years.”

“Deal.” Kamryn slid her hand up higher on the small of Elia’s back, reveling in the warmth of her skin underneath the thin fabric of her dress. “But speaking of major events, I do believe people are expecting us to sit down at some point so they can give their speeches.”

“Hmm, do we have to?”

“I think we do, since we planned it and all.” Kamryn kissed Elia’s cheek before guiding her to the table. They sat down in between Greer and Abagail. Immediately people started chinking their silverware against their glasses. Elia’s cheeks were pink when Kamryn moved in to kiss her lightly. “Better get used to that, my people get riled up by it.”

“No doubt,” Elia replied.

“You two are ridiculous,” Greer said with a laugh. “We just love seeing you so happy.”

“I’m sure that’s all it is,” Kamryn said to her best friend. She’d never been so happy as to have Greer there with her. All her friends were there, Andra and Lauren included. It had taken some time for her and Lauren to start talking again in a friendly way, but they’d managed it, especially when Kamryn had made it abundantly clear that their last breakup had truly been their last.

“Of course it is!” Greer looked partially offended.

“Just wait until you get married, Greer. Payback’s a bitch.” Kamryn chuckled, but the sad look that crossed Greer’s face took her off guard. “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t think I’m going to be getting married.” Greer frowned. “At least not in the traditional sense.”

“What?”

Suddenly, Abagail stood up and tapped on a microphone. Kamryn winced at the loudness of it.

“I’ll tell you sometime soon. I promise. It’s all good.”

“You better.” Kamryn focused on Abagail, listening to her retell stories about Elia and then stories about her and Kamryn together. Luckily everything was kept appropriate. Kamryn held Elia’s hand under the table as they waited for Greer to start her speech.

By the time Greer finished, Kamryn took the microphone and stood up.

“I wanted to say something.” Her heart pattered away. Janet, Elia’s mother, nodded at her in affirmation of what was about to happen. “I don’t want to embarrass Elia any more than she already is. As many of you know her, you understand that she is not someone who likes to be the center of attention.”

There was a round of light laughter that filled the room.

“But sometimes she needs to be the center of attention.” Kamryn stared down into Elia’s blue eyes and smiled again. “Because she is the center of my world, and trust me when I say that I never would have guessed that would happen. Not with the way we started out. I could have sworn she hated me at first.”

“I did… a bit.” Elia wrinkled her nose before she winked, so Kamryn knew she wasn’t being entirely serious.

“Right, so when I got the job as Head of School instead of Elia, she was a bit jealous. Can you imagine? Elia Sharpe jealous? Crazy, right? And she let me have it. And then one night, while I was out with some friends, I had a little too much to drink and I was trying to make someone else jealous and I kissed her, and then I begged her to be my fake girlfriend while Andra was getting married. All so that I could protect myself from what I didn’t want to deal with.”

Kamryn ran her hand along Elia’s shoulder before she brushed the backs of her fingers across Elia’s cheek. “Well, the joke’s on me, because she said yes. First to fake dating, and then to real dating, and then finally to marrying me. Elia,” Kamryn turned to her wife—gosh, it was crazy she could say that now—and she smiled down at her. These words were just for Elia and no one else. “I love you, and I never would have imagined that all of those crazy decisions and insane start to our relationship would have turned out this way, but it did. And I’m so very glad that it did. I love you. And I promise to love you each and every day.”

“Kam…” Elia whispered, her voice cracking.

“I love you.” Bending down, Kamryn pressed their lips together in a long, sweet kiss. When she stood back up, she turned to the group with a grin.

But Elia stood up next to her and took the microphone. She trembled. Kamryn held her hand tightly, looking curiously into Elia’s eyes. This was so out of the ordinary for her. Kamryn hadn’t lied when she said that Elia wasn’t someone who liked any attention.

“I just have one thing to say,” Elia started, and she turned to look directly at Kamryn. “Who knew that fake dating my boss would end up like this?”

The raucous laughter filled the room. And Kamryn had no doubts in her mind. This was the woman she was meant to fall in love with. And she wouldn’t have it any other way. Kamryn kissed Elia hard, tilting her backward slightly as she held onto the embrace for as long as she possibly could. Then she pulled back and whispered, “Thank God we didn’t keep that promise.”

“To keep this fake?” Elia asked.

“Yeah, that one.”