“Yeah, yeah, right to there,” the Deacon smiles.
Dillon squeezes my hand, and I look up at him smiling, then swivel my head to look up at Emmet too. My two beautiful billionaires. My two, perfect, fairytale princes, here to make some more magic.
“All right then,” the Deacon begins. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here to formalize the union of these two fine lads and this beautiful lady. Are we all agreed?”
“Yes, we certainly are,” we all laugh, offering variations on our agreement.
“Outstanding,” he continues. “Emmet Riordan, do you take this lady to be your wedded lass, now and forever, until the sea dries up under our feet?”
The sun is behind him, haloing his hair as he smiles down on me.
“I do,” he answers softly.
“Well that's settled,” Deacon smirks. “And do you, Dillon Riordan, take this fine lady to be your wedded last now and forever, until the damn sea dries up under your feet too?”
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I stare at him, noting his glistening eyes, his unabashed smile. I feel his love pouring down on me like rain.
“You bet I do,” he answers without a moment’s hesitation.
“And now you, darling… Do you, Isabella Dolores Cage, take both of these fine, strong Riordan boys as your husbands, equal in your love and respect, for all the rest of your days?”
“I do!” It comes out by itself. As does the mist that springs to my eyes.
The Deacon holds up his hands, arms out, as each wave splashes around his muscled calves.
“Then by the power vested in me, by God and nature and all of whatnot, I pronounce thee married! All three of you! Congratulations!”
Emmet kisses me first, laughing into my lips and hugging me so hard he squeezes the air out of me. Thoughtfully, he releases me so Dillon can kiss me as well, not quite before I’m able to catch my breath. I nuzzle his stubbly cheeks and neck, and he puts one hand on the small of my back and kisses my hair, and finally my lips.
For a few minutes we stand there, laughing in the surf, trying to get our heads around what's just happened. The Deacon salutes us as he gets back on his horse and rides off, wishing us well and hoping that we have lots of babies, he says.
“Can I call you Isabella now?” Dillon asks when he catches his breath.
“Um, I think you better not!” I protest. “Nobody has called me that since I was eleven. I didn't like it then, and I don't like it now.”
“Oh, Bella suits her better, don't you think?” Emmet smirks, swooping down for another sweet, lingering kiss. “But… How ’bout Dolores? Can I call you Dolores every once in a while?”
I sigh, giving up. “Fine… if it makes you happy.”
“You bet it does,” he smiles.
The sun is hot and bright, and under the enclosure we find the champagne in the small, vintage metal cooler, the plastic glasses, the creamy blue cheese and crusty bread. We don't need much, even though we have everything in the world. Champagne and sun, love and promises.
It's all a perfect fairytale, made just for us.
As we drink our champagne, I try to remember every moment. Without a cellphone or laptop, I haven’t been able to write anything down while we’ve been here. I think I’ve committed a lot to memory, and I really hope so. I don’t want to lose any of it. Not a single second. I think there will be so many more stories here to tell.
Extended Epilogue
Bella
It was enough going from just me in my bed, a virgin at that, to three? And now there’s… five.
But it’s not what you think. Sure, you have me and the usual suspects, Dillon and Emmet, but the other two in the bed are actually still firmly and sweetly nestled in my tummy. Yes, I’m pregnant! With twins. And it’s wonderful to finally not only be married but to make a little family, odd as we may be.
Twins clearly run in the Riordan genes. The multiple pregnancy has made things a bit more complicated than it might be otherwise, but we’re taking it in stride. Luckily money is no issue, and neither is attention, since there will always be a pair of arms to take a baby when necessary. That being said, we’ll have a nanny on staff because there are times we like to be alone, too.