Page 103 of The Lies Always Told

Everyone lifts their glasses as we shout after her.

“Long live Nick.”

“Long live Nick!”

Clinks rings out into the night, and then, one by one, everyone tilts their glass, spilling a few drops on the ground—for him, for Nick. The wine is bitter and smooth, burning just a little, as bittersweet as this night.

Cara clears her throat, blinking fast. “Alright, before we all turn into a damn mess, let’s go inside. The Tampa Knights and the California Cougars are putting on a show tonight, and I, for one, am not missing it.”

Laughter, tired but real, breaks through the heavy air. One by one, everyone heads inside, drawn to the warmth of the house, the comfort of each other.

Everyone but Gus and me.

I never moved from his lap, and he never asked me to. The night wraps around us, the distant sounds of the game a low hum in the background. I take a deep breath.

“We can go,” he says quietly.

“I don’t want to.”

“You sure?”

I nod. “I just need a minute.”

His arms tighten around me, solid, warm, and mine. “Take all the time you need, baby girl. I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”

And he doesn’t.

EPILOGUE

A YEAR AND A HALF LATER

It’s Always BeenYou by Jessie Murph

Nellie

“I thoughtyou were supposed to be easy with my heart,” Gus says, standing from the couch as I walk out of our bedroom, wedding ready. Allie is getting married today, and from what Cara said, it’s the backyard wedding of her dreams. Cara and Manny got engaged last week, so this is their first major event as an engaged couple, and she’s being insufferable about it. I’m particularly looking forward to having a good time with the man of my dreams, his family, and our friends.

“I’m always easy with your heart,” I reply, walking up to him and landing straight in his arms.

“Not looking like this, you’re not.” I’m wearing a green bodice dress that shows off just a little cleavage. It wraps my body perfectly, and I look hot as shit. I knew what I was doing when I picked it. I know he loves me, I know he lusts after me,but even after moving in together, he still looks at me like he can’t believe I’m his.

“You like?” I ask, taking a step back and twirling slowly so he can appreciate every inch of my body. “You don’t look so bad yourself.” And by that, I mean he looks hot as hell.

He’s wearing a light grey tuxedo, a green handkerchief peeking out to match my dress. His skin is almost glowing, his eyes as beautiful as ever. I’m the luckiest girl in the world—I get to get lost in them every day and every night.

We’ve been asked so many times about when it will be our turn, but honestly? I’m not in a rush. The first six months of our relationship was such a whirlwind; I’ve just been savoring this man for the rest of it. We’ve been together for two years now, and I know I could spend a lifetime with him, so there’s no rush. None at all.

“I’m about to look a lot better with the most beautiful girl by my side.”

“Make sure you don’t say that to the bride, you know, your sister?” He smiles before kissing me gently. He always kisses me this way, even when it develops into passion. He kisses me tentatively, as if he’s asking for permission. He takes his time exploring my lips, as if they’re not the ones he kisses every night. He does more than kissing—he memorizes. He treats every kiss as if it’s the last one, and I love him so much more for that.

We walk to his car for the drive to the wedding venue. As soon as we arrive, I’m taken aback. It’s a beautiful property by the lake in Magnolia Springs, about an hour from Baker. Bee lives here, and her company did the decorations. I’m in love with everything she did. It’s subtle and cozy, with a mix of earthy colors and simple florals. Allie requested we all bring lawn chairs, so Gus carries ours. It’s quiet; not many people are here yet, but I do see Natalie with Bella and Vero sitting nearby.

I’ve gotten closer to Bella in the past year and a half, andalthough I’m not really close to Natalie, we talk a lot. I help when I can, either watching the girls or taking Bella to the wine shop after work. We’re all still mourning Nick, but nobody as much as them.

Natalie has the biggest heart. She talks about forgiveness, about how Nick would have loved for everyone to live life to the fullest. She’s healing in such an inspiring way, and I can only hope to be like her one day. I heard from Cody about a year ago, after Josh was sentenced. Cody thanked me for everything I did, sending me a picture of him playing football at his new high school in South Carolina. It definitely gave me the closure I sought, and now, I can sleep in peace. I did what I could; nothing could’ve prevented the tragedy. Now, we live, we learn, and we heal, and we put procedures in place so nothing like that ever happens again.

The sun is shining, but the canopy of oak trees keep us from roasting. The soft breeze is perfect today, not too hot or too cold. We find our spot in the yard, and he places our chairs down. After I sit, he gives me a kiss on the forehead and does the same.

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