Page 109 of Third Wheel

Best rebound ever.

EPILOGUE

1 yearlater

Amy

It was the second time in her life she’d had a ring sparkling on the third finger of her left hand, but the first time Amy was completely sure she was marrying the right people. People, not person. She beamed from between the two of them, her beringed hand holding a plastic champagne flute as Kincaid made his speech.

“Thank you, everyone, for coming to celebrate our engagement. We cannot express how much we appreciate all of you—our families and our friends—for all of your support. For loving and accepting us for who we are. For being there for us even if our lives and our love look a little different from what you’re used to.”

Amy saw Zach’s parents give each other proud looks. The engagement had brought up a few more questions from Zach’s mom, but mostly logistical ones about who was going to actually marry who and how that would all work. They’d decided that Kincaid and Amy would get married because that would get her on Kincaid’s health insurance plan, which was way betterthan hers. Zach’s was fantastic, so he didn’t need Kincaid’s. All of them would have power of attorney for each other, and they’d have all the legal documents drawn up for them to share everything equally.

The state might not recognize Zach as part of the marriage, but that was just a piece of paper. Everything they needed for each other, they had.

“Thank you for being our people.” Kincaid raised his glass, then turned his head to look at Amy and Zach. “We were lucky, not just to have found each other, but to have all of you in our lives. Not everyone like us gets to have this kind of turnout at their engagement party, and we are so grateful to be here today, with all the people we love, celebratingourlove with you. Cheers.”

“Cheers!” Everyone chimed in, lifting their own glasses. Amy’s mom wiped a tear away from her eye, and her dad slung his arm around her mom, both of them grinning ear to ear. Her dad had definitely been a little wary at first, but eventually, he’d decided that two men pampering and taking care of his daughter were way better than one shithead making her take care of him all the time.

And that was a direct quote.

Kincaid’s parents had flown in for the engagement party, and they were both beaming proudly at their son. Amy adored them, though she hadn’t gotten as much time with them as she had Zach’s parents. They were here for the whole week, though, and she was looking forward to spending that time with them. Both Zach’s and Kincaid’s moms had been thrilled to be invited to go dress shopping with her.

“Now, who’s ready for cake?” Zach’s mom asked excitedly. She’d insisted on making their engagement cake, which Amy had accepted because she was an amazing baker. It was clear where Zach got his skill in the kitchen from.

Multiple ‘mes!’ were shouted out from around the room, causing laughter, and everyone started breaking up into their little conversational groups again. Amy laughed as she saw Rae and Domi making a beeline for the cake. Morgan, unsurprisingly, was hanging back with Sam and Iris. She looked around for her last bridesmaid and, after a moment, spotted Avery beside Nick, talking to his brother and sister-in-law, as well as Cassidy and her boyfriend, who had come down from Pittsburgh to be here. She wanted to talk to Cassidy, too; she’d only gotten bits and pieces from Kincaid on how Cassidy and David had gotten together, and the little bit she’d heard had been wild.

Mitch and Brian were right behind Rae and Domi for the cake. They were Kincaid’s and Zach’s best men, of course, and all the partners of her bridesmaids were their groomsmen. Two groups of friends had truly come together and become one. It was a newer group, but she’d wanted Rae, Domi, Iris, and Avery to be her bridesmaids because she truly believed it was a group of friends meant to last.

More bridesmaids than she’d had last time… but better ones in a lot of ways. She’d asked Marissa, but she had recently landed a movie deal and wasn’t sure she’d be able to be at the wedding, much less commit to the events. Filming started tomorrow, which was why she’d missed today.

Carolyn had fully embraced her stereotype, running away with her pool boy, and was currently going through a contentious divorce. Mistress Camille, Freddy’s girlfriend and Domme, was representing her, much to Freddy’s relief that Carolyn hadn’t asked him instead. She and Monet were currently enjoying life in the Bahamas, and she, too, had sent her regrets, though she hadn’t seemed all that regretful. She had promised to attend the wedding, though, even if she wasn’t going to be a part of it.

“Penny for your thoughts. You’re frowning… if you need to run, I’ll block any chasers.” The big man who sidled up next to her threw his arm around her shoulders. Connor, formerly Master Connor, was built like a linebacker and probably could have blocked the whole party if he wanted to.

“Are you supposed to make offers like that after agreeing to officiate the wedding?” she teased.

He winked down at her.

“That’sexactlywhy I’m supposed to make offers like that.” It was clear he hadn’t been serious, though. He knew she didn’t need it. Not this time.

“If only you’d been my officiant last time.”

“Well, you made a better choice this time.” He looked across the room where Zach and Kincaid were getting some cake. “In more ways than one.”

Truth.

Amy smiled as Iris, Sam, and Morgan approached, coming to join her and Connor. They’d all refilled their champagne flutes after the toast.

“Hey, Amy, do you need anything?” Iris asked. “I feel like I’m failing as a bridesmaid; you never ask for anything.”

“Yeah, I was hoping for a little bridezilla action to film this time,” Sam teased.

“Oh, I’m sorry I’m such a chill bride.” Amy rolled her eyes. “I didn’t mean to make things so easy for you. Someone, go get me some cake or something, but not the cake that’s here; it needs to be a Smith Island cake, and I want it in thirty minutes.”

Which was a clear impossibility, and it made everyone laugh.

“We were just talking about how I’ve made better choices for this wedding,” Amy said, tipping her head toward Connor. “Officiant, grooms, bridesmaids.”

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