Page 197 of Love in Riverbend
She nods quickly. “I love you too. Yes,” she answers, falling to her knees and wrapping her arms around my neck.
As I tug her glove from her hand, a roar of applause erupts behind her.
Devan spins around and gasps as Ricky, Marilyn, Jill, Todd, Dax, Cory, Mick, Galvin, and Nick all come rushing out of the tree line.
Tugging on Devan’s hand, I bring her attention back to me. “The ring?”
She nods as I slip the diamond solitaire onto her fourth finger.
“It’s official. You’re mine.”
Her stunning smile grows. “And you’re mine.”
There are congratulations all around as the air fills with puffs of condensation, and we’re surrounded.
Ricky slaps my shoulder. “So, what? You’re a romantic now?”
I scoff.
“I’m just glad she didn’t embarrass your ass in front of half of Riverbend.”
It’s not quite half but seeing the happy faces of our friends and family, I’m glad Devan said yes. Holding onto my arm, Devan smiles at me and her brother.
“Me too,” I say, dropping a kiss on Devan’s forehead.
Ricky goes on, “Seriously, let’s take this party back to Decoy Ducks.” He lifts his chin toward our friends and family. “We’re all freezing.”
“We’re both going to be married.” I hear Jill say to Devan as she reaches for her hand and looks at the ring.
“I’m officially a maid of honor for life,” Marilyn responds.
Taking Devan’s hand, I announce, “Dinner and drinks on me at Decoy Ducks.”
“We all witnessed it,” Ricky says, “miracles do happen. My sister accepted this guy’s proposal, and he’s going to buy.”
Our friends laugh and cheer.
Epilogue
Justin
Six months later
One kiss.
It’s what I’m thinking about as all the eyes of Riverbend are focused on me. I’m not being paranoid. I’m not climbing the metal bleachers to kiss my girl. Their eyes are on me because with Ricky at my side and Dax beside him, we’re standing in the front of the church, wearing tuxedo pants, starched, itchy white shirts, bowties, and suspenders. I know I won’t have their attention long because the music has started.
Jill is the first to come up the aisle. Marilyn is the next. The last is Molly in her flower-girl dress, a miniature version of Devan’s from what I’ve gleaned. With her giant front teeth, Molly is all smiles as she drops a petal, steps, drops a petal. I’m currently cursing my sister for teaching Molly to move at a snail’s pace, but I can’t deny my niece is adorable. For the record, so is my second niece—Ruthie, named after Dax’s grandma, the woman responsible for getting his head out of his ass.
Some people say the flower girl can steal the wedding.
My mouth goes dry as the congregation stands, and the doors at the back of the aisle open.
On Jack’s arm, Devan is a showstopper.
Her radiant smile, the one I fell in love with over a year ago, is beaming up at me. If I’m supposed to notice the long white dress or anything about it, I’m failing because I can’t wrench my gaze away from Devan’s beautiful face.
Stunning.
