Page 80 of The First Best Man

I let her pull me away, but I watch Tucker over my shoulder as I go, imprinting the sight of him, smiling at me with love in his eyes, in my memory.

He only asked for a year, but I’d give him anything.

I’d give himeverything.

EPILOGUE

Kate

One Year Later…

“Good morning, beautiful.”

I stretch as my eyes flutter open, my lips lifting into a sleepy smile when I see Tucker standing beside the bed with a tray. Sitting up, I fluff my pillow behind me while he sets the tray on the bed beside me. A bagel spread with cream cheese, fresh strawberries, coffee, juice, and a small vase filled with Bush Monkey flowers complete the platter. I pluck a strawberry from the bowl before meeting Tucker’s gaze again.

“What’s all this?” I ask before popping the berry into my mouth.

“We’re celebrating,” he says, his voice vibrating with warmth. When I only stare at him like I have no idea what he’s talking about, he adds, “Today is Logan and Penny’s one-year anniversary.”

“O-k-a-a-a-y,” I say, drawing the word out like a question.

He chuckles and shakes his head. “Don’t you remember the promise you made me one year ago, today?”

The fog of confusion thins, and I stop breathing as my heart begins to pound. “That I would give you one year to prove we’re perfect for each other.”

“And now that the year is over, have you been sufficiently convinced?” he asks with a grin.

Sufficiently? More likecompletelyandunerringlyconvinced. Tucker has been wonderful and damn-near perfect, making me happier than I’ve ever dreamed for the last year. He checked out of the B&B right after the wedding and moved into my house––ourhouse––that very night. We’ve spent the last year in a state of near-constant bliss, and even when we’ve disagreed or argued, we’ve always made it right with each other before the day was over.

“I am thoroughly convinced,” I say, and his grin widens.

“Good thing, since I resigned from my position at Rizzle Seltzer Company fifteen minutes ago.”

My eyes go wide. “You did?”

He nods. “It’s a done deal.”

“What will you do now?” I ask, and he shrugs.

“I still own 25% of the company, and it’s doing very well, so I don’t have to work at all if I don’t want to. I can spend all day, every day, coming up with new ways to make your life perfect.”

I laugh and shake my head. “My life is already perfect because I have you.”

He leans in for a kiss, then changes his mind and pulls back before our lips make contact. “Is it? Perfect, I mean?”

“It really is,” I say with a smile and a nod.

He tilts his head. “You can’t think of a single thing that would make it even better?”

“No, I can’t,” I say, scrunching my eyebrows. “All I want is you, Tucker.”

“Good,” he says, leaning forward for a quick peck on the lips before straightening again. Then he bends over and comes back up with a medium-sized white box tied with a blue bow. “I got you a present.”

“A present?” I ask as he sets the box on my outstretched legs. “What for?”

“Because I love you. And it’s kind of our anniversary, too. Open it.”

Excitement peppers through me as I pull the end of the ribbon to release the bow. When I pull off the box’s lid, a laugh barks out of me. Nestled inside is a stuffed animal––a monkey. Pulling it out of the box, I read its little t-shirt with a laugh.

---