Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 107944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 540(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107944 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 540(@200wpm)___ 432(@250wpm)___ 360(@300wpm)
I was seconds away from crying like Damian. Who knew a heart could feel more and more happiness with every passing second?
Karl patted my shoulder before he pulled me into a tight hug. “I love you forever, son.”
He used the saying I’d heard him use with Hailee my whole life growing up. I choked on my words but managed to get them out. “I love you longer than that,” I replied.
Hailee
* * *
I had the wedding of my dreams with the man of my dreams. I couldn’t imagine a better way to celebrate the love that Aiden and I had for one another. It was a night filled with love, with laughter, with joy. There was something so refreshingly wholesome about watching everyone come around to witness my happily ever after. I’d never felt more loved than I had that evening.
The champagne was poured all night long, leaving everyone in a giggling fit as we sang and danced the night away. Mr. Lee brought a plus-one to the ceremony, his son Lin. Lin was in his mid-sixties and was considering moving to Leeks, Wisconsin to take over his father’s business. He was such a dapper, kind man, and I couldn’t help but take note of the way he’d spent the whole night complimenting Laurie.
As Aiden and I slow danced, I gestured toward Lin and Laurie who’d found their way to the dance floor, too. “What do you think of that?” I asked him.
He looked over to his mother and raised an eyebrow. “Is he hitting on my mom?” he asked, alert. “I’m going to go stop him.”
Before he could pull away, I tightened my grip on him. “You most definitely will not. Look at her. She looks happy.”
Aiden grumbled. “Yeah, she does. But if his hands move any lower, I’m going to rip them off.”
Overprotective son was in full force. “You’re ridiculous.”
“And yet you still married me,” he joked, kissing my nose. “Hey, you want to do something with me? You want to get out of here?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Out of our wedding?”
He nodded. “I bet no one would notice we were gone. Everyone’s too champagne drunk. Besides, I want to go somewhere with you. I think it will be nice. Just say yes?”
I glanced around, took a deep breath and shrugged. “Yes.”
Wherever he would lead, I would follow.
He took my hand, and we snuck out of a backdoor without anyone noticing us. Then, we began walking down the streets of Leeks, under the perfectly clear sky. It was a beautiful night, and the weather was more than perfect for a scroll in an expensive tuxedo and a stunning wedding gown.
As we reached our destination, my heart smiled almost more than my lips had.
We stood at the spot between the two homes that raised us.
The for-sale signs sat in front of both houses, and our parents had moved most of their things out from the homes.
“In a little while, these houses will be places for someone else to create memories, but I figured maybe we can have one last night of counting the stars,” Aiden explained as he walked me to the space between our two childhood windows.
The love I had for this man was unmatched.
We lay between the trees, and I cuddled up closely with him. He held me close and kissed my chin before he gestured toward the sky. “One…two…three…”
Epilogue
Hailee
Three Years Later
“Kennedy and Aaliyah, we need both of your input quick. Stella and Hailee can’t be involved because they will be biased.” Aiden hopped off the tree stump he was sitting on and hurried over to the front yard where us women were hanging out with all the kids. The three girls were giving me notes on what to expect when expecting, seeing how I had a bundle of my own on the way.
Damian followed his brother, walking in our direction.
The two men stood next to one another, Aiden towering over Damian with a few inches. They crossed their arms in sync and wiggled their noses at the same time. Their blue eyes matched the sea at dawn, and they cleared their throats in harmony. They were brothers, all right. No getting around that. Discovering their matching mannerisms was one of mine and Stella’s favorite pastimes.
“We’ve been going back and forth all morning about this, and we need your vote,” Damian explained.
Kennedy raised an eyebrow. “What’s the question?”
“Who’s better looking, Damian or me?” Aiden asked.
“That’s not fair, Aiden was Aaliyah’s hall pass,” Damian chimed in. “You already know who she’s going to pick. This isn’t a fair study.”
Aaliyah frowned. “You know what…the more I hang out with him, the cornier he becomes and now he feels like a little brother, so the thought of it is…” She shivered in disgust.
I smirked. “This is why they say you shouldn’t meet your idols. You always end up disappointed.”