Until Then

Epilogue

NOAH

“Would you calm down.” Rees shoves my shoulder and helps me adjust the crooked lily pinned to my lapel.

“I can’t help it. I’m about to split out of my skin. Is this what you were like?”

My brother laughs. “Yes. You were there, remember?”

True enough. Rees was always fidgeting on his wedding day. I could hardly keep him still while we waited. I get it now. There’s a constant hum of nerves and excitement I can’t shake.

We’re here. Two years after my wildfire and I made our little agreement to date all to save face, she’s about to be mine for good.

I knew the day I fought over that blueberry scone life would never be the same.

Lined behind me is Rees, the guys in the band, a few ball players, Carter, and Tyrell. It’s hard to choose a handful of people when there are too many who’ve had our backs from the beginning.

Two years and I hardly recognize my life anymore.

Sweet Cream Ranch is never empty. It’s my haven. With Milton and Justin, we figured out the best way to have Veterans and first responders come for a week of activities with their families. Rees and his band got involved, as I anticipated. They linked the non-profit information to their annual concert for the first responders in Las Vegas.

Our first week was last year. The ranch hosted nearly a hundred families.

We’ve been working on building more cabins and guest houses to accommodate next year’s crowd. Alice hugged me until I couldn’t breathe, thanking me for helping bring her husband’s dream to reality.

It wasn’t all me. I footed a lot of the bill to construct the space, but Hayley and her family are the experts on how to run a week on a ranch.

We’ve started to turn the tides on the financial trials of Sweet Cream Ranch. Carter leases three acres for his new parkour arena. There’s an agreement for another twelve acres for TV and movie studios to use for their stunt arenas. Some is used for practice, others have shot scenes out there.

The kids in the outreach program love the days we practice stunts. It’s all pretty tame for the kids, but they’ve all grown to love Carter and his team’s wild, ride or die, attitudes.

My favorite part of it all is Hayley.

Obviously.

I moved out of my condo a year ago and shoved my way into her ranch house—our ranch house. There’s no way I’ll ever get enough of Hayley Foster as the first sight of my mornings, and the last of my nights.

A few months later, I asked her to be my wife over a blueberry scone in the same café where it all began.

There are still days where the weight of darker thoughts take hold, but I don’t try to power through it all alone anymore. Rees still gets our bat signal, but Hayley is always there to remind me it’s all worth it.

Life, together, is so worth it.

Music plays softly. Sighs and murmurs of adorable adorations follow. Jude holds Ever Knight’s hand. Together they walk down the aisle. Jude holding rings on a satin pillow, Ever tossing little lily blossoms across the grass.

My nephew beams up at me and Rees when he reaches us.

I’m quick to sign a thank you, and Rees tells his son to be ready for the signal to hand over the rings.

When everyone stands in their seats, my breath hitches. From the back of Alice’s house, doors open. Hayley and her uncles step out. One man on either side.

Between them is my reason for breathing.

She’s . . . incredible.

I choke on a knot of emotion. Rees claps me on the shoulder.

Her hair is curled and down, red locks in the sunset. The dress is killing me in the best ways. A low neckline, a cinched waist, and a skirt that practically sparkles in the sunlight.

Tears glisten in her eyes. Good, because I can barely see her through my own. A few cameras click with photos—photographers we hired, of course. We kept the wedding incredibly private, and everyone here did the same.

Briar and Vienna vowed to be on watch for any rogue paparazzi.

So far, there’ve been no hiccups.

I thought there might be when Shane sent a card to Hayley after the engagement announcement was made public.

For the first time—probably ever—Hayley’s father sent her a card with nothing but well-wishes and a check for her to use toward anything for the wedding.

We didn’t cash it, but she finally threw away her eighteenth birthday card, insisting it was time to stop living in the shadow he left behind.

Milton is the one who offers Hayley’s hand to mine. He grips my shoulder and hugs her. His brother does the same before they both find seats next to Val and my dad and stepmom.

I can’t stop myself, I lift Hayley’s hands to my lips. “You’ve stolen my breath, Wildfire.”

She blinks at the sky. “Don’t make me cry. I’m not having smeared makeup.”

I grin and wait for the officiator to begin his introductions. There’s a lot of talk about devotion, love, endurance, and those rare moments when you know you’ve found your partner from the first glance.

I don’t look away from Hayley once.

As though one glance to the side will toss me out of the dream and I’ll wake to find none of this was real.

Until it’s my turn.

I clear my throat and unravel a tattered piece of paper. The way it shudders is embarrassing, but I can’t focus on keeping the paper still while I do this.

“Hayley.” Great. First word and my voice cracks. “I call you Wildfire because that’s how you came into my life. I am forever grateful I stepped into that café. It was the day my life found its greatest meaning, loving you.

“I promise you, I will always cherish you. Your voice and opinions will always matter to me. I promise to love you through the sunlight and darkness. I promise to honor you as my friend and wife. I promise to be loyal to you and take your burdens for myself. I love you forever, Wildfire.”

Hayley shifts closer, like she’s having a difficult time holding back the kiss that’s coming.

She clears her throat and unfolds her own sheet of paper.

“Noah, you knocked me off my feet from the first day we met—when you stole my scone.” A few laughs ripple through the crowd. “I am forever changed knowing you. I fell in love with your devotion to people in your life. I never imagined the endless other qualities I’d get as bonuses.

“You are my best friend, my favorite person. I love your laughter. I love the way you find the brighter sides of life, and I love how you fight for optimism when it’s harder to find the good. I love you for your honesty, your sincerity. I promise to give you the same. I promise to love you unconditionally. I promise to be your shoulder to lean on, to be your friend and lover. I promise to respect your voice and to love you faithfully long after I take my last breath.”

All at once, I understand the need to claim her mouth. This is bordering on impossible to keep my distance.

I use the back of my hand to wipe my eyes, then sign to Jude, It’s time, buddy .

My nephew stands in front of us and holds up his ring pillow with pride.

Hayley snickers when my hand shakes enough I’m not sure I can get the ring on her finger. I do the same when she has to hold my wrist to steady her own.

I barely register we’ve been told to kiss before I have my wife’s lips crushed to mine, her body wrapped up in my arms.

I kiss her.

I kiss her way too long to be appropriate for a wedding. When we pull apart, through the cheers, I only look at her.

“I love you,” I whisper.

“Same.” She places her hands on my waist. “I can’t wait to see where we go from here, Pretty Boy.”

I grin, angling my head to kiss her again. It’s our wedding, we can do what we want.

“Always, Wildfire.”

Hayley cocks her head. “Not, until then ?”

“No. It’s always. You’ll always have me, no conditions, no untils. Always.”

I kiss her. Whatever happens next is merely another adventure with Hayley at my side.

I wouldn’t have it any other way.