–one year later
It takes exactly one year to have our proper wedding. Not because I didn’t want to make her mine sooner. But because I wanted our initial marriage to dissolve first. I didn’t want any part of the old union to stand in our way.
Some of the gossip sites speculate about our wedding-divorce-wedding, but Luce and I ignore them. We have bigger things—our lives, our future—on our minds.
In addition, I wanted to give her the space and time she needed to accomplish something concrete as CEO. We hired three wedding planners, but anything less than a year of wedding prep would’ve been too much on her plate.
As it is, she showed the board she’s the boss. She not only met all the milestones and financial targets, but she exceeded some of the metrics by ten percent or more. She credits her COO for her success, saying nobody executes like Karen, who was happy to have Luce back.
Not only that, the Sebastian Peery collaboration in Korea is a smashing hit. We actually sold out our initial inventory within the first seventy hours and had to ship more immediately. Eugene said Sebastian Peery is one of the most sought-after yae-mul in Korea, and Hae Min’s department store in Gangnam can’t keep up with the demand.
Luce tried to give the shares back to me and my brothers afterward, saying she’s secure in her position, but we declined.
“We can’t take back what we gave you! Don’t you know that if you take a gift back you get warts?” Noah said.
“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” Luce said.
“Give him a few minutes,” Griffin muttered. “He’ll say something more ridiculous.”
“No, I heard it while traveling,” Noah insisted. “I’ve seen evidence.”
“He’s probably right,” Nicholas said.
Luce gave me an are-they-serious? look, and I shrugged. “I want to be on your side, but I’m in a difficult position here,” I said. When her expression changed to Et tu, Sebastian? I finally caved a little. “It’s possible he misunderstood, but let’s not risk it. Don’t you want me to stay handsome for you?”
She finally laughed. And didn’t bring up the shares again.
But there have been times—when she’s having a particularly rough day—she stands in front of a mirror and says, “I’m worthy, just the way I am.”
At those times I hold her quietly, to let her know I’m proud of her—and that I’ve got her back. She won’t suffer alone when her old doubts resurface.
Our ceremony is lavish, no expense spared. We invite everyone—my brothers and their wives, all our friends and everyone else who want the best for us. The château in Southern France is perfect for the wedding. The green field is strewn with purple hydrangea petals. They actually look a little bit like lavender Japanese cherry blossoms in the gentle breeze.
“Gorgeous weather,” Grant says, squinting at the immaculate blue sky. “You’d never believe it was storming just yesterday.”
“The ground isn’t too bad, either,” Emmett notes. “I thought it’d be muddy and gross.”
My phone buzzes. I check it, to make sure there isn’t anything off with today’s ceremony.
–Dad: What the hell? You’re really getting married again? In France?
I roll my eyes. It’s Joey. He always texts using Dad’s phone, pretending to be the all-important Ted Lasker.
–Me: Hi, Joey. Yes. We’re getting married for real.
–Dad: What about that other one????!!!!!
–Me: The one you were invited to?
–Dad: Yes!
–Me: You were the only one invited. Do the math.
–Dad: You asshole!
“Everything okay?” Griffin asks.
“Yes. Joey’s pissed because he realized I’m getting married for real today, and Dad wasn’t invited.”
“Why did he think Dad was going to get invited?” Nicholas asks.
“Because he’s insane. Dad promised to introduce Luce to a plastic surgeon for a boob job.”
My brothers make a face.
“God only knows what he would’ve promised this time if I’d been dumb enough to invite him.”
“A ride on a cock cannon,” Huxley says. “He told me the next son of his to invite him to the wedding will get to ride a cock cannon.”
“A what?” Aspen says.
I shake my head. “You really don’t want to know.”
Griffin checks his phone. “It’s time.”
Yuna walks toward the piano with a wink. She’s in a pale lavender dress and matching shoes. An iolite earring and necklace set from the Sebastian Peery launch sparkles on her ears and throat. I didn’t know until we were trying to decide on music that she went to the Curtis Institute of Music, and she’s volunteered to play at our ceremony.
Yuna hits the familiar notes from “Here Comes the Bride.” Since Roderick’s in jail—not that he would’ve been asked to attend under any circumstances—Matthias walks Luce down the aisle.
Holy shit. My heart nearly bursts at the sight of my bride. Little diamonds twinkle like countless stars on her ivory chiffon and silk dress as she approaches. Under the thin veil she’s smiling, her blue eyes on me.
As she closes the gap between us with each step, my heart pounds faster, anticipation building unbearably.
When she’s finally within arm’s reach, I extend a hand. She lays hers on it, and I close my fingers.
Mine. My future. My wife.
