Page 67 of Necessary Roughness

Epilogue

Two years later

HARRISON REACHED OUT to straighten Tanner’s bow tie one more time before they had to get downstairs and take their places at the end of the aisle next to the minister who was going to marry Jordan and Tanner. Tanner wasn’t much for formalwear, but he’d bought a custom tux for the wedding. He’d had his hair styled and gotten a professional shave, and there were rumors of slight eyebrow tweezing too.

Harrison reached out to slap Tanner on the back. “Your look is on point, my man.”

Tanner brushed the curtains off one side of his bedroom window and peered out. “I wish this damn thing would start already.” He gestured toward the window. “Your mom and dad are here.”

“My parents wouldn’t miss this wedding if there was some kind of natural disaster.”

“They still love me, then?”

“My mom thinks you’re her second son. They also get the chance today to remind me that it’s past time I should get married too. I love my mom, but damn, she’s really into nagging.” Harrison took a sip of the pre-wedding scotch Tanner had served half an hour or so ago. “We could go downstairs and stand next to the preacher. Get things on the road, so to speak.”

“The wedding coordinator told me she’d call me when Jordan was here.” Tanner pulled the curtain open again to look over the ceremony site in his backyard.

The weather was spectacular, which wasn’t always the case in Seattle, especially in June. They had a backup site in case of rain. Tanner and Jordan had wanted to get married at home, and a small army of paid professionals was more than happy to assist with that. His living room and entryway had been transformed into an intimate, elegant reception venue and dance floor for fifty earlier today. The kitchen was ruled by Tanner’s former personal chef, Tom. He’d brought his servers and a bartender to make sure the food and drinks were everything the wedding couple wanted. Tom’s lovely young wife, Lauren, would be the hostess; Tom had married another client’s younger sister. They were working together in the thriving restaurant he’d opened two years ago.

After a bit of nudging by the previously mentioned wedding coordinator, Jordan and the women of the wedding party had spent the night before at a local hotel. Jordan and her friends were being treated to the works this morning at the spa. They must have been almost done. Tanner’s mom was already in his backyard.

Tanner gave up peeking out the window and took up pacing.

“She’ll be here, bro,” Harrison said.

“I wish she was here now.”

“She’s putting her dress on or something. She didn’t forget.”

He knew he didn’t deserve her. He was going to spend the rest of his life thanking whatever deity watched over him that she’d agreed to his proposal. All he had to do now was get his ass downstairs and repeat “I do” in the appropriate places. The woman he loved would be his for a lifetime.

Harrison reached out to pull the sheer window covering aside so he could see the backyard. “Hey. Ainsley’s here,” he said.

Ainsley was the aunt of one of the boys on the peewee football team. Harrison turned into a shy high schooler instead of his usual confident, take-charge self whenever she was around.

“Have you asked her out yet?” Tanner said.

“That would be a no.” Harrison wouldn’t look at Tanner. The knuckles on the hand gripping the back of one of Tanner’s bedroom chairs were white.

“What are you waiting for?”

“She might be interested in someone else.”

“Imagine how you’ll feel if some other guy moves in and sweeps her off her feet before you get the chance.”

“Imagine how I’ll feel if she turns me down.”

Tanner shook his head. He reached out to clasp Harrison’s shoulder. “Ask her out before the reception’s over. You can do it.”

“Easy for you to say. You won’t have to worry about finding a date for the next fifty years.”

Tanner grinned at him. “That’s right.” His cell phone rang. “That’s our cue. Let’s go find you a wife.”

***

TEN MINUTES LATER, Tanner and Harrison had made their way up the white-runner-covered aisle and stood at the altar next to the minister. The previously calm Tanner was now a bundle of nerves. Harrison reached out to pat his shoulder.

“She’ll be here soon. Everything is fine,” he said.

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