“I know. This is… I don’t even know what to say. There’s a provision to begin distributions now, once a year until he passes. After that, the balance will be donated.” She looked up at me with tearful eyes. “Jude, this is unbelievable. It’s so much money.”
“That’s incredible. Did you have any idea he’d do this?”
“Not a clue. He never said anything that even hinted he might donate his wealth to charity.”
“Maybe he’s trying to make up for Bobby.”
She laughed. “Think of all the things we can do. Scholarship funds and desalinization plants to provide fresh water. Food distribution programs and domestic violence shelters. Education initiatives. Have you heard of that guy who invented a vessel that cleans plastic out of the ocean?”
“I don’t know, maybe?”
“The technology is genius. I’ll get him to build a hundred of them. Oh my god, Jude, I’m going to have to hire so many people to help me give all this money away.”
“Come here.”
She dropped the letter and dove at me. I wrapped my arms around her, hauling her on top of me. Holding her tight.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“I love you too, beautiful,” I said.
This woman. I was so proud of her. So in love with her. She was smart and sarcastic and stubborn and driven and so fucking incredible. I’d never really know how I got to be the lucky man who got to share his life with her. But I was. And I was going to spend the rest of my life by her side. Protecting her. Keeping her safe. Supporting her. And loving her with everything I had.
EPILOGUE
CAMERON
T he Ritz-Carlton ballroom was gorgeous—and packed with people. I’d briefly considered a beach wedding and small reception, but it had quickly become clear that Jude and I were either going to run off somewhere and elope—also something I’d briefly considered—or we were going to have a zillion people at our wedding.
Now that we were several hours into the reception, I was glad we’d opted for the zillion people. And for the Ritz-Carlton.
The entire population of Bluewater had turned out to watch me and Jude exchange wedding vows. The WWs, the tech geniuses, the bohemian artists, the retired and semi-retired business moguls—everyone.
A number of people I worked with were also in attendance, as were Jude’s parents, who’d flown in from Minnesota. They were nice and seemed happy for their son—if a little bewildered by the two of us. I got the feeling they knew enough about their son to be the tiniest bit afraid of him, even though I could see they were proud of him, too.
My best friends had stood with me as bridesmaids and their significant others had been Jude’s groomsmen. A fabulous wedding party for my dream wedding.
Everything about this day had been perfect. The weather had been lovely, the flowers beautiful, the food fantastic. My custom gown, designed by an up-and-coming designer who’d been a student in the Kid-Ovation program its first year, was more beautiful than I could have imagined. Jude looked unbelievable in his custom-tailored tux.
Although he looked amazing no matter what he wore. Or when he wore nothing, which was my favorite look on him.
And the eighties cover band we’d hired for the reception? Killing it.
I sat at a table with a half-eaten slice of the ten-tier wedding cake Nicholas had designed and baked for us. He’d surprised us with key lime filling on the bottom layer and I was considering doubling his salary just for that. He sat with Inda at a table nearby, her bare feet in his lap. He gave her a foot massage while she rested her hands on her pregnant belly. I could tell why people said pregnant women glowed. Inda looked amazing. I couldn’t wait to meet their little girl in a few months.
Jude came back to our table and handed me a glass of champagne. He’d taken off his jacket and his tie was loose around his neck, the top buttons of his shirt undone. He was so sexy and delicious, and I was starting to feel like it might be time for us to make our exit so we could get on to the next part of the wedding experience.
Or maybe we’d just duck into a closet somewhere.
He took my left hand and traced his thumb over my ring finger. We’d had a jeweler make a replica of the ring my grandma had worn. It was rose gold with a pale opal in the center, surrounded by a halo of diamonds.