Page 124 of Someone to Remember
As he settles into my embrace, I run my fingers through his hair, which he had cut shorter than usual for the wedding. I like it longer and unruly, the way it usually is, but the haircut makes him look almost boyish, which is adorable. “You’ve inspired my vivid imagination with your shenanigans.”
“Whatever could you be referring to?”
“Gee, I wonder. Hey, babe?”
“Yes, dear?”
“I want you to know… I’ve had two other best days of my life when I married Natasha and had the girls, and I expect today to be the third one. In some ways, this one is even bigger than the other two because, for a long time, I never imagined I’d have anything like what I do with you and the kids. Thank you for that.”
“Oh, Gage, my love… Thank you foreverything. You not only overcame your fears of more loss to take me on, but you’ve become so important to the kids. They love you even more than I do, which I wouldn’t have thought possible.”
“How lucky are we in the great aftermath of disaster?”
“Luckier than most and smart enough to know it.”
He kisses the back of my left hand, on which I wear his ring. “What do you say we make it official?”
“I say yes to everything.”
“That makes you the best wife in history.”
“I can’t wait to be your wife.”
“I can’t wait either.”
Twenty-Eight
Taylor
I’m determined to attend Iris’s wedding even though I feel like a beached whale and even my favorite maternity dresses are tight on me. Kate has come over from next door to help me get ready and is curling my hair in long spirals while I try to sit still.
Eliza comes in to check on my progress and lets out a happy-sounding gasp. “Mommy! You look so pretty!”
“Auntie Kate is a magician.”
“Your mom is naturally gorgeous. I’m just helping her pull it all together.”
“And Auntie Kate is a fiction writer now, too.”
Kate laughs while Eliza’s little brows knit with confusion.
I reach out to her and bring her in close to me while Kate sees to the finishing touches.
“Did you decide on a movie for us to watch tonight?” Kate asks.
She generously offered to stay with the kids so I can attend the wedding. My parents and sisters left yesterday, after promising to be back soon for another visit. In some ways, I’mrelieved to have the house to ourselves after an endless parade of people for the last two weeks, but the quiet is also a reminder of the one person who’ll never again come strolling through the door.
I miss him fiercely. I long for him every minute of every day and deep into every sleepless night.
I force my thoughts away from him for right now, so I won’t ruin the makeup Kate carefully applied to hide the dark circles under my eyes.
The baby is a constant reminder of the man I loved with all my heart and soul. Our little one is always on the move, like his daddy was, and I’ll be surprised if I get through the next week without him making his appearance.
Christy and Trey are my dates to the wedding, and they’ll be arriving to pick me up in about twenty minutes.
While Kate takes Eliza downstairs to supervise dinner for her and Miles, I put finishing touches on my outfit and check myself in the full-length mirror that Will installed for me on the back of our bedroom door. I decide I look as good as I can under the circumstances.
I’m worried about taking attention away from the bride and groom, but when I told Iris that, she said to stop being silly and get my ass to the wedding—if I felt up to it. No pressure, of course. I love her so much. I want to be there for her the way she and Gage have been there for me since the second I called her with the news of Will’s accident.
