I take a deep breath and square my shoulders, pushing my anxiety down and focusing on my excitement.
Penny and Oakley are out there waiting, already in place if the swell of the music through the door is anything to go by. Mom and Sophia will join them after passing me off to Dad and Joseph. We decided to have both of them walk me down the aisle, both as a display of their healed friendship and to showcase just how important both of them are to me.
I wouldn’t be here today without them. Our families wouldn’t be the same without either of them.
I focus on nothing but calming myself down until Mom and Sophia pass me off. Dad’s arm links with mine first, then Joseph’s on the other side, and I finally open my eyes again, unable to tamp down the smile spreading across my face.
“This is real,” I whisper.
“It sure is, kiddo,” Dad says proudly.
“It better be,” Joseph says with a laugh.
“Thank you for standing with me.” I mean it more about the time they’ve both given me to grow into the person I am today than the literal interpretation of it, but I can’t put all that into words right now.
“Always, sweetheart.”
“You know it,mija.”
The music on the other side of the doors drops off before tapering into the swell that announces my entrance, and all my anxiety vanishes in a blink. Dad and Joseph push the doors open, and I don’t even get one foot through the door before my eyes lock on Bennett.
He looks so perfect that it almost hurts, dark hair swept back, adoring eyes drinking in every inch of me as he stands before the altar, hands trembling where they’re clasped in front of him. His tuxedo is black as night, perfectly tailored to his frame, and I’m so proud to call him mine that it nearly brings tears to my eyes. We’ve both grown so much over this last year together, and the strength of the love we’ve built shines brightly in his eyes.
I don’t need confirmation that it’s real this time.
It couldn’t be anything else.
Epilogue
BENNETT
I would saymy entire world narrows down to Maggie when I get the first glimpse of her walking through the chapel doors, but it would be a lie. She filled my entire world the second we first met, and I haven’t been able to look away from her since.
This is the first time I’ve genuinely been scared my heart will beat right out of my chest, though.
The wordbeautifulpales in comparison to the sight she makes right now. She’s radiant, glowing with excitement, and those pretty eyes never leave mine. The entire chapel could be fucking leveled to the ground, and I wouldn’t even notice. Looking at her feels like the first time I heard Sean cry. My entire being floods with love, making me feel like I’m going to explode at any moment.
It came out in laughter when Sean was born, but this time, it comes in tears.
They linger at my lash line as I watch my soon to bewifewalk down the aisle toward me, flanked by our fathers. I blink them away, refusing to miss so much as a second of the sight.
Her hair looks like spun gold, her eyes bright and full of love, that dress clinging to every perfect curve of her body. The creamy silk shines under the warm lights of the chapel, the back flaring out over the aisle and making her look like an angel. If we weren’t in public, I’d be fucking drooling. Hell, I still might be.
I will be later, that’s for damn sure.
She stops just a step below the altar, Pa and David each pressing a kiss to her cheeks before leveling me with a look.
“You take good care of my girl, son,” David says sharply, but the twinkle in his eye takes the bite out of his words.
“Or you’ll be dealing with us both,mijo,” Pa adds.
“Yes, sirs,” I say as solemnly as I can without taking my eyes off Maggie for a single second.
It’s enough to appease them, as they filter off to stand with Benji and Bo behind me.
Maggie steps up to join me, and the rest of the chapel fades away again. She decided against a veil, and I’ve never been more grateful for anything in my life. I’d go insane if there was anything but air between us right now. The foot and a half of space separating us is already on thin ice.
“Hi,” she whispers, a wide, thrilled smile on her perfect face.
