Page 55 of Ghost
“Like I’ve been hit by a Mack truck.”
I cringe at her description. “I’m so sorry I didn’t get there sooner.”
“But you got there. We’re all alive. That’s all that matters.”
“It never should’ve gotten that far.”
“Stop it,” she sasses. “Let it go, please. Because if you don’t, I won’t be able to.” I open my mouth to reply, but she adds, “I’m so tired.”
I lean forward and kiss her lips gently. “Get some rest, Em. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
“Mmm.” She licks her lips. “Parker?”
“Yeah?”
“I’ll marry you.”
EPILOGUE
EMBER
For better or worse.
Six months later…
“I can’t believethis still fits.”
I grin at Lori in the mirror. Ghost and I are getting married today, and I was determined to wear the dress I had picked out for our original ceremony. Some think it’s bad luck, but after mentioning it to Ghost, we agreed that it linked a part of our past with our present. It’s all those decisions, good and bad, that led us to where we are now. I couldn’t ignore that even if I wanted to.
“It helped that I wasn’t feeling myself for two months,” I remind her. “I guess that’s one good thing that came of that whole mess.”
My best friend knows what happened to me, but she has no idea how it links to the club, and that’s the way it’s going to stay. Club business is not my business to tell, and I’m fine with that. But there was no way I could hide my injuries from her.
“God, don’t even bring that up,” she says with a sigh. “No bad juju on your wedding day.”
“You’re right,” I agree. “Only positive thoughts today.”
The door opens, and Addison pokes her head in. “You ready?”
“Almost.”
“Okay. Mama is starting to get restless, so Ghost wanted me to check,” she explains, referring to Mrs. West.
She started insisting that everyone call her Mama, and we do to make things as easy on her as possible. The night of the attack was her truly last good day with the disease she’s fighting. She woke up the next morning, confused about where she was, and why Ghost was being nice to me.
We’ve made peace, her and me, but I had to treat it like a brand-new connection, like there was no history there for her to be angry about. I don’t care though. I love her and will do whatever I have to in order to keep her smiling.
“I’m coming now,” I say, knowing that there’s little time if Mama’s restless. Once that starts, it’s hard to calm her down.
“I’m so glad you chose to get married here,” Lori says.
“Me, too.”
The backyard at Mama’s house—our house now as well—is the perfect location for a wedding. It’s where Ghost swept me off my feet this time around, and it makes the most sense for Mama.
