Page 154 of Consummation

“Hear, hear,” everyone says, taking a sip of champagne.

“Damn, we Faradays rock,” Kat whispers into my ear.

Jonas lurches over to Kat and me and hugs us fervently, and then hands the microphone to his adorable wife.

“Kitty Kat,” Sarah begins, smiling. “My best friend and now mysister—oh, I just gave myself goose bumps saying that.” She giggles and everyone joins her. “Anyone can see how beautiful you are on the outside—it’s actually quite unfair how truly gorgeous you are, Kat—but the amazing thing about you, the unexpected thing, is that you’re as beautiful on theinside, too.” Sarah’s voice wobbles. “Most people can only dream of having a best friend like you, Kitty Kat—and I’m the lucky bitch who actually does.”

Everyone in the reception room laughs.

“I love you so much, Kat,” Sarah says.

“I love you, too,” Kat mouths, her hand on her heart.

Sarah looks at me, seated next to Kat at the end of our table. “Joshy Woshy. You’re quite a beast of a man, you know that?”

Everyone in the reception chuckles and cheers in agreement with that statement.

“Josh, I marvel at your sheer amazingness every day,” Sarah continues. “I’m so lucky to be your sister. Thank you for embracing me as part of your family. I love you with all my heart.”

“I love you, too,” I mouth.

“And to Josh and Kat together—the Playboy and The Party Girl with a Hyphen—the unstoppable duo. The poet Kahlil Gibran said, ‘Marriage is the golden ring in a chain whose beginning is a glance and whose ending is Eternity.’ It’s been thrilling to watch your first glance at Jonas’ house turn into the beautiful eternity of today.”

Kat rests her cheek on my shoulder and I squeeze her hand.

“But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit you two scare the bajeezus out of me,” Sarah continues, and everyone in the room chuckles. “Seriously, every time I’m in an enclosed space with you two, I find myself immediately scanning for emergency exits and fire extinguishers.”

Everyone laughs again.

Sarah raises her glass. “To Josh and Kat. May you always inspire everyone around you to scan for emergency exits and fire extinguishers. Hear, hear.”

“Aw,” Kat says next to me, raising her sparkling apple cider.

“Hear, hear,” everyone in the room says.

I get up and kiss Sarah’s cheek and take the microphone from her.

“Thank you, Sarah. Thank you, Jonas. We love you guys so much. We Faradays are pretty effing cool, I gotta say.” I turn toward the smiling faces in the room. “I want to thank you all for joining us, not just for today’s celebration, but for this whole past week inparadise. I know you all have busy lives so we thank you for taking so much time to celebrate and party with us this whole week. It’s been incredible, hasn’t it?”

Everyone claps and cheers.

I glance at Kat and the sight of her makes me completely forget what I was about to say. “Hello, Mrs. Faraday,” I say softly, not into the microphone.

Kat blushes. “Hello, Mr. Faraday.”

We stare at each other for a beat.

“Better give your speech, honey,” she prompts. “People are waiting.”

I chuckle and put the microphone to my lips again. “Thank you, dear.”

Everyone laughs.

“First off, I’d like to say my first ever toast to Mrs. Katherine Faraday. You rock my world, baby. My greatest joy in this life is the honor and privilege of calling you my wife.”

Kat blushes and bats her eyelashes.

“To you, babe. The Party Girl with the Heart of Gold.”

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