Page 135 of Waiting For Fate

“Catch you later for our rituals, Dove,” he whispers in my ear before kissing my neck and heading into the house.

“I am so sorry I didn’t get to see this happen sooner.” Taylor’s smile is pained as she stares straight at me.

“I’m not. Our story is happening exactly how it was meant to. In the end I got the guy and my girls. Nothing could be better than that.” I grab her hand and she rests her head on my shoulder. “Now let’s go inside and break in the blender and Sawyer’s super fucking comfortable sectional with a proper girls…uh, day, I guess?” I laugh, realizing it’s ten o’clock in the morning.

“Mimosas!” Shane yells, pulling a bottle of champagne from her bag. “Or ya know, orange juice for the one that’s expecting,” she laughs.

I never thought I would leave my little old house. I enjoyed adding my own personal touches to modernize it, while keeping the house mostly in its original state, but living with Sawyer felt right from the moment he asked me to move in with him. Never mind the fact that approximately ten hours later he asked me to be his wife, so moving out of my own house would have been inevitable anyways.

“This is the last of it.” Sawyer emerges from my bedroom holding a box in his hands labeled books. “You sure you’re ready for this?” He looks around the empty living room with me.

I take a deep breath in. “Yes. This house served me well while I was here, but starting a life with you in our own house? I’m more than ready for that.” I smile up at him and he places the box on the island, pulling his phone from his pocket and scrolling through it for a moment before placing it on top of the box.

“How about one last dance before we go?” His smile sends my heart into a frenzy, and I accept the hand he has offered me. Then he pulls me into him, and we dance. Spinning me, dipping me, holding me close, much like we did on our first lazy Sunday together, and I can’t wait to have a million more days just like it with him.

MAY 31ST - TAYLOR’S BACHELORETTE PARTY.

“Peen pasta?!” Taylor squeals as Shane walks out of the kitchen with a casserole dish of alfredo covered penis pasta. “What a full circle moment.” She holds her hand over her heart dramatically, making us laugh.

“It only seemed right.” Shane sets the dish in the middle of Lauren’s massive coffee table, passing out bowls and forks to each of us.

“Leah, no comment on the girth of the pasta this time?” Ruby teases, and I stick my tongue out at her.

“Well, I?—”

“If this is in any way going to lead to you talking about my brother’s penis, please don’t,” Taylor gets out over a mouth full of food.

“Does saying I can just appreciate the girth now count? Cause if it counts, I won’t say it.” Taylor scrunches her nose at me.

“It counts.” We all burst out laughing as we carry on eating.

“I can’t believe you’re going to be gone for a month!” Lauren whines. “Well, a cross country road trip for a honeymoon does require more time than flying somewhere exotic.” Taylor tucks a piece of Lauren’s hair behind her ear in a comforting way.

“Are you saying you’d rather be flying somewhere exotic?” I ask.

“No! Not at all. On the road is where I fell in love with Tucker. I’m actually really excited about this. We’re going to try and find all the best waterfalls in the country.” She smiles to herself and it’s freaking contagious.

“I’m so happy for you, Tay.” Shane reaches over and hugs her neck.

“Okay, okay, enough mushy stuff. Let’s do something fun. Who wants to trash talk our exes?” Taylor raises her brows.

“Yesssss.” We all laugh and begin going on about the shitty things they did or said before finding a man that put every other one to shame. I watch Lauren carefully as we all talk, noticing the way she seems to be holding herself back from the conversation a little. She’s seemed different lately—quieter than normal—almost as if her mind is so loud, she can’t hear anything else going on around her.

“You okay?” I nudge her arm with my elbow as Taylor and Shane are arguing over why Shane ever dated a guy that wore a sweater vest to the beach. Her brows knit together, and she shakes her head.

“Yeah, just distracted, I guess.” Then she offers me one of her fake smiles and I know that’s my cue to leave it alone for now. So, I pull her a little closer and snuggle into her, finding a bit of relief in the fact that she nuzzles back into me too.

“All I’m saying is, when you’re at the beach and you see a guy that looks like he got lost on the way to the library, maybe don’t let him have your number?”

“Oh. My. GOD. I’m literally pregnant with my second child. Could we maybe let it go?” Everyone, including Shane, bursts into laughter.

JUNE 1ST - WEDDING DAY.

Taylor was determined to plan the perfect wedding—not wanting to follow in the footsteps of Shane and Ruby and have a wedding literally days after getting engaged—and today has proved that her efforts were not in vain. The girls and I of course helped when opinions were asked for, but I’m convinced Taylor will plan her own funeral well before she’s gone to ensure it goes over perfectly.

God help us if it doesn't because this bitch will haunt us.

After moving into the home Tucker built for them—on over ten acres of land—she had a vision of what their wedding day would look like at their own home, and she has brought it to life exceptionally well.