Epilogue
Mar looked around the spacious backyard of Luke’s parents’ home in Jackson Hole. It seemed only fitting that they’d come back here for a party with the family after their two-week honeymoon in Oahu, Kauai, and Maui. There was no emptiness inside of her anymore, and though she was still feisty, she didn’t get fired up or offended; she simply loved Luke, and any misunderstandings they had were resolved through talking and lots of kissing and making up.
Paisley came skipping up to them. “Aunt Mar.” She stuck out her bottom lip. “I’m mad at you.”
Mar put her hand on her chest as Luke grinned and Eve admonished her daughter. “Pais, don’t be obstinate.”
“Obsti—what?” Paisley put her hands on her hips. “I just wanna know why I didn’t get to be the flower girl. Aunt Cozy let me be the flower girl, and Aunt Jade says I can be the flower girl. Aunt Mar is just being mean to get married without me.”
Luke grinned, released his grip on Mar, and swooped the little girl off the ground. “Mar is mean.” He gave her a wink as she and Eve gasped. “But she loves you and wants to make it up to you. She wanted me to ask if you’d go to Disneyland with us this weekend.”
Mar laughed. Luke was so cute with his niece, but he was also a complete pushover. When they had their children, she’d have to read a lot of parenting books and see how they could strike a balance, as she had no clue how a parent should act. Mostly, she’d have to pray hard for guidance and know that Luke would be the best dad ever.
“Really?” Paisley squealed.
“Really.”
She squeezed her uncle’s neck tight, then reached for Mar. “Thank you, Aunt Mar. You’re not mean anymore.”
Fireworks exploded above them.
“Ooh,” Paisley cried out, clinging to Mar’s neck and arching her head back to see.
Luke circled his arms around Mar from behind. She leaned against him as she watched the fireworks display. “Seth and Caleb?” she asked Luke.
“Who else? Hopefully, they don’t burn down the entire forest. It’s dry this summer.”
Seth came racing back toward the house a few minutes later. “Fire extinguisher?” he hollered.
“Oh, good heavens,” Madeline, their mom, sputtered. She went running into the house.
“What happened?” Joshua asked.
“Just a little spark.” Seth winked, unconcerned as usual. “Caleb and I are all over it.”
Madeline hurried back out and thrust the fire extinguisher at him.
“Thank you, my beautiful mother.” Seth gave a grandiose bow. “Enjoy the show.” Then he took off at a sprint.
Luke chuckled, and Mar said, “Do you really think they’ll start a forest fire?”
“No. Those two are crazy, but they’re not dumb.” He cuddled her closer as they all arched their heads back to view the fireworks show. “I can’t wait until we have a little one of our own.” He tilted his head toward Paisley in Mar’s arms.
“Me neither,” she agreed. Looking around at the yard full of Luke’s family, she knew she was right where she belonged.
Cosette and Isaac were cuddled close, and Cosette saw Mar looking and gave her a thumbs-up. It was even better that Mar’s lifelong friend and anchor was now her sister-in-law. She’d never imagined she could be this happy.
“Thank you for being so patient with me, and for giving me a family,” Mar said.
“It’s easy being patient with you as you’re near perfect.”
Mar knew that wasn’t true, but she loved him for it anyway.
“Thank you for being mine,” Luke said.
Mar leaned back, and he kissed her. The fireworks display must’ve stopped, but it felt like they were still exploding inside of her.
“Stop the kissing,” Paisley protested.
“Come to me, love,” Eve’s voice said from close by.
Mar handed her niece over to her new sister-in-law and continued to kiss her handsome husband. Safety, comfort, love, and passion rushed through her. It was their wedding party. They had no need to stop kissing now, or ever.
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