Page 189 of Forever

Kennedy scrunched up her nose. And then immediately said: “Sorry. I just…it’s your dad.”

I laughed. Trust me, I got it. Trusting him was going to be an adjustment for everyone. But as I saw Mrs. Alcaraz laugh, I wasn’t sure if Tanner was that far off. And he’d mentioned something about my dad and Kennedy’s mom before. I turned back to Tanner. “A perfect match, huh?” I asked.

“Almost as perfect as you and Matt.”

I looked over at my husband.My husband.I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to think that without smiling. James was giving him a big hug.

“But they met 16 years ago,” Tanner said with a sigh. “Why has everyone always met before I introduce them? I never get any credit.”

“Credit for what?”

“The match.”

“I promise I’ll give you credit if our parents get together.” I looked at Kennedy and she laughed.

But Tanner just sighed again. “If only.”

I didn’t get a chance to ask him what he meant because Justin hurried over to us. Without saying a word, he grabbed my hand, pulling me away from my Kennedy and Tanner. And then he did the same with Matt, pulling him away from James and Rob.

Justin walked us into the middle of the restaurant where all the tables had been moved for a temporary dance floor.

“You two are very hard to corral.” He pushed me and Matt together. “I know you’ve rented out the restaurantfor the whole night, but there’s still a schedule to keep. And it’s time for your first dance as husband and wife.”

“For the first time ever, may I present, Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Caldwell!” the D.J. said from behind me.

Our song came back on. The original version this time.

“Now dance, you two.” Justin slapped my butt before walking off the dance floor.

I laughed as Matt pulled me in close.

“I really hate the way everyone keeps inappropriately touching my wife.”

I just stared up at him with stars in my eyes. I’d never grow tired of hearing him call me his wife.

His fingers sunk into my hair. “I thought I’d go through my whole life thinking about what could have been.”

I ran my hand down the back of his neck. I thought about Matt all alone for a decade and a half, thinking about our time together as teenagers. In his head about all of it. “This is our fresh start. Our new beginning.”

“Hm. I like the sound of that.”

It felt like the world around us hushed. It was just the two of us. In our own little bubble.

I took a deep breath, the smell of cinnamon swirling around me. “You know…dancing with you will always remind me of you being super drunk at homecoming.”

He laughed. “I was hoping it would remind you of prom now. And me proposing.”

I smiled. “Nope, still thinking about drunk Matt.”

He twirled me around. “Well now you’ll think about our wedding whenever we dance.”

“It’s going to bereallyhard to top homecoming.”

“What about all our dancing in the kitchen?”

I smiled. I loved dancing with him in the kitchen. And I loved this moment too.

He spun me around again. “I know how to make it memorable.” He let go of me for a moment and shimmied his shoulders.

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