“What are you scared of, Chuck?” I ask, even though I think I already know the answer. It’s the same thing I’m afraid of—loving and losing, putting our hearts out there only to see them broken.
Instead of answering, he says, “I still have one speed dating question left for you.”
I smile. “I haven’t forgotten.”
“Well, here it is,” he says. “Cassidy, will you marry me?”
“Oh my God,” I breathe. This time, I don’t hesitate. Not for a second. “Yes, Chuck, yes I will.”
I jump straight up and wrap my thighs around his waist, and he catches me and spins me around as we kiss.
Deep.
Long.
True.
When I open my eyes, another meteor is streaking over us in the sky and I know in my heart this is right—this is my Prince Charming and I’ve found my happy ever after.
Epilogue One
Chuck
One Month Later…
We decided we didn’t want to wait to get married.
Neither of us wanted a huge ceremony, and even though I could afford to give Cassidy any kind of elaborate wedding gown and fancy venue her heart desired, all she wanted was to be married in the back yard at her parents’ farmhouse, where the memories of her childhood meant so much to her.
All I wanted was my grandfather to see us get married and to be able to call that beautiful, incredible woman my wife at the end of the day.
So here we are, one month later, nearly two months to the day after our blind date, on our wedding day. Two of Cassidy’s younger sisters, Lydia and Jane, came home from college just to celebrate with us, and Gramps is out of the hospital and on the mend. He’s in physical therapy for some mobility issues that arose after the stroke, but his doctors say he’ll make a full recovery with time.
The biggest surprise is the fact that he’s got a date with him.
Just a little while before the big moment, Gramps strolls into the back yard with a woman on his arm, her white hair swept up into an elegant bun and a red rose pinned to her dress. When I come over to greet them, Gramps introduces me to her.
“This is Evelyn,” he says. “Cookie will recognize her, we met at senior book club, after all. Neither of us wanted to miss seeing you two be married.”
“Well, I’m glad to see you’re happy,” I tell my grandfather, who, for all his harping on the fact that I was single for so long, has lived alone and tended my grandmother’s rose bushes in solitude for many years.
The ceremony begins a few minutes later. It’s perfect, with my guys from the brokerage as groomsmen and Nora and Brooklyn as Cassidy’s dual maids of honor.
When she comes down the makeshift aisle toward me, Cassidy steals my breath away. She looks like a princess in a wispy chiffon dress. It comes down to her knees, and I smile when I notice she’s wearing the red heels she wore on our first date.
I can’t wait to say “I do,” and I steal a kiss from my new bride before our officiant tells me I’m allowed to.
At the backyard reception after our vows, I can’t keep my hands off my Cookie—if all our guests got up and left suddenly, I might not even notice. I’ve only got eyes for the curvy librarian who stole my heart.
I’m leaning in, whispering all the dirty things I want to do to her when we get to our honeymoon suite tonight, when Nora and Brooklyn descend on us. Nora fusses with Cassidy’s veil, trying in vain to make her look even more perfect than she already is, and Brooklyn is sipping champagne as she says, “You know you two are ridiculous, right?”
“Why’s that?” I ask.
“Two months ago, this one was complaining to us about how the dapper old gentleman in her book club wouldn’t stop trying to hook her up with his grandson,” she says, rolling her eyes in Cassidy’s direction. She picks up her friend’s hand, pointing to the big princess-cut diamond and the brand-new wedding band on her ring finger. “And now you’re married.”
“Well, what can I say?” Cassidy says. “I wasn’t ready, and then I met Chuck and I was.”
Nora smiles, a touch of their mother’s romanticism evident in her eyes. “We should all be so lucky.”
“Why don’t you mingle some more?” I suggest. “You never know when you’re going to meet The One.”
Now it’s my new sister-in-law’s turn to roll her eyes at me. Clearly, she’s not sold. She and Brooklyn tell Cassidy how beautiful she is, and how happy they are for her, and I have to agree with all of it. But when they wander off again, I’m glad we’re alone once more.
“Cookie,” I say, taking her by the elbow to pull her close to me. “I can’t wait a minute longer to find out what you’ve got on under that pretty little dress. Do you think we can sneak out of here?”