Page 108 of An Unfinished Memory

I threaded my fingers through Wilder’s. “I think we should commemorate the one-year anniversary of getting back together.” I twisted to look at Wilder. His expression was pleased. “What do you think? We’ll swing by the courthouse at the end of July?”

“I’ll be there.” He kissed my knuckles. “I won’t change my mind by then.”

By July, I might actually believe this was real.

Twenty-Six

Sutton

“I now pronounce you husband and wife. Again.” The justice of the peace grinned. Johanna was a woman the same age as me and Wilder and had heard the whole story while we had filled out paperwork.

Wilder yanked me to him and planted a kiss on my lips, bending me backward. I giggled and clasped my arms around his neck. Clapping filled the air.

“I’m so happy for you two!” Aggie said.

Wilder set me upright, and I grinned at our two witnesses.

Aggie’s eyes misted over, and she sniffled. She wore a loose dress, and her hair was frizzier than usual, but then she’d been short on sleep since giving birth to her second child, a son. Tripp was only six weeks old, but she refused to sit out being my witness. Tripp was with Ansen for the day. Aggie was going home right after. Wilder and I had to leave town.

She waved a hand in front of her face. “Oh my gosh, these postnatal emotions are out of control.”

Johanna smiled and set a pen by a document on the edge of her desk. “If the two witnesses can sign, we’ll get everything finalized.”

Aggie bent to sign the document that would complete our nuptials. Wilder kept an arm around my shoulders.

Cody slapped Wilder on the back and gave me a quick hug. “Congrats, guys.” He stepped to the desk to sign after Aggie was done.

“All right.” Johanna smiled. “You all have made my week. I could do this every Monday.”

“I’m not usually in courthouses for these reasons,” Wilder joked. He’d had to return to Buffalo Gully a few times for court for cases he’d worked on and to help Eliot. I’d even gone with him once, and we’d finished moving or selling the items in the house and put it up for sale.

New buyers would move in next week.

“Thank you,” I said.

Wilder led me out of the office and through the wide hallways and outside. Aggie and Cody followed. The summer sun was already heating up the pavement, and the air was muggy, but Wilder and I would be in an air-conditioned car for our drive to Bismarck.

“Good luck with everything.” Cody slid his aviator shades in place.

I nodded, nerves fluttering in my stomach.

Aggie wrapped me in a hard hug. “It’s going to go so well, and I can’t wait to hear about it.”

“Thank you.”

They were off, each walking to their respective vehicles, going back home to their spouses and kids. Wilderand I would be going to an appointment to see if we were able to have kids. The first opening I could get in just happened to be the day we were also getting married. Seemed fitting. I’d closed the clinic, and Wilder had guarded this day like the world depended on it.

His commitment warmed me from my head to my toes, but no matter the outcome of today’s doctor visit, even if it was the first of many appointments or the last of any, we’d be fine.

Like the night of the street dance, Wilder was there when I needed him.

He slid his hand into mine, and our fingers twined together. “Ready?”

“I am.”

Epilogue

Wilder

---