The Reluctant Romantics Box Set (The Fall, The Mind, The Heart)

Her father gripped her tight, his smile just as filled with contentment as he led her to a man he had every confidence would make her happy. I followed them both as my heart overflowed and heard Seth’s proud declaration that we together gave our daughter to Jack.

Jack overflowed as well. The only way to describe him would be beautiful. With my daughter by his side, he was absolutely gorgeous as he beamed at her, his eyes filled with wonder and enchantment.

I stay glued as they took each other’s hands and professed their love and promised to one another with tears in their eyes, their precious son asleep on my shoulder. I looked briefly at Tucker, whose perfect lips were parted, his breath sweet, eyelashes resting on his cheeks. He was a perfect mix of them both, but as he slept in my arms, I saw more of his mother than ever.

And he belonged to her in a way that she never saw coming. That’s the thing with children. Upon their arrival, they surprise you by fully bringing out the amount of love you are truly capable of giving. Rose had barricaded herself in the idea that love only came to you once.

But even I knew different.

And Jack had taught her so, and her son… well, he had made her even more of a believer.

Seth sat next to me, our hands clasped tightly, fingers laced. I could feel the current of pride racing between us. As if we both thought of it at the same time, we faced each other and soaked in one another. I almost gasped as I sat next to the club kid I’d met all those years ago, his smug grin telling me he was so far past his twenty-two years, and that I belonged to him. I inhaled as I saw the reflection of the dark headed hell raiser I’d once been. For one brief moment, we were back there. We were those kids who had fallen head first in love with so much life to live. Tears surfaced in our eyes as he gripped my hand tighter and I nodded. He was with me, as he’d always been.

No one had a right to be this full, this happy. I could not have dreamed it better.

“By the power invested in me by the state of Louisiana, I now pronounce you man and wife,” Jack’s Uncle Spencer announced with unshed tears in his own eyes.

“Yay,” Grant shouted as he clapped his hands and jumped up and down. The wedding guests laughed in unison as Rose leaned down and whispered, “I love you, baby blue.” Grant smiled at her briefly before he ripped his sisters flower basket away and ran down the aisle, tossing them in huge clumps all over the floor. The laughter grew as Rose and Jack looked on, and Dallas quickly gathered a crying Annabelle.

And it was still perfect.

Jack took Rose’s hand and she beamed up at him with the glow of a bride. He stepped forward and enveloped his sleeping son from my arms and gave me a wink as they passed.

I know you’ve got them, Jack.

I looked on and soaked in every moment before I tucked it safely away in my memory.

“Thank you,” Seth said at my side.

I turned to see a look I lived for. His eyes so intense, I had to brace myself.

“For?”

“Are you kidding?” He pulled me to him and held me tightly against his chest. “This life, baby. Our life.”

Reveling in the moment, I broke in his arms the way I always did where Seth was concerned. “All the worthy memories of my life are with you,” I whispered to him as he gripped me tighter.

“Mom, Dad,” our son Paul said as he approached us.

“Walk away, Paul,” I said with love and menace. “Walk away before I beat you like I never did when you were young.”

Paul laughed, as did Seth, as he took immediate leave and left us standing in the park—our park—while the rest of the wedding party and guests scattered to their cars to get to the reception. Seth and I embraced as days of wedding related stress fell away from me.

“How long do we have?” he asked as he looked down at me.

I raised a brow. “Not that kind of time.”

“No, baby,” he said with a sly grin. “I was thinking of a walk.” He held me to his side as he led me to the far side of the park, straight to the place we met over forty-five years ago. Seth stood in front of me, his eyes filled with the same priceless memories as mine.

“What was your favorite part?” I asked in a hushed tone as the sun set beneath the trees.

Seth stood silent for several moments as he looked down at me. For a second, I thought he might not have heard me until he answered.

He cupped my face and leaned in close as his breath hit my lips. “You, you were my favorite part. It was always you and it’s not over yet.”

I smiled as I thought of the years ahead of us. “I know.” He leaned in and placed a soft, slow kiss on my lips. When he pulled away, the awareness was back.

“Can you feel that?” I asked in awe.