Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 33243 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 166(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33243 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 166(@200wpm)___ 133(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
“I will in a few minutes.”
It’s really happening, and I’ll be there to witness it. That doesn’t mean I’m not terrified of facing the monster.
Alec picks up on it and pulls me to him, his strong arms wrapping around me. My pulse starts to calm down.
“Are you ready?” I ask him.
“I’m not sure. I thought so for the past few years. Now that we’re this close, I’m…”
“Afraid? Feeling the old fear creep into you?”
There’s a moment of silence before he buries his nose into the crook of my neck. “Yes.”
Something about the crack in his voice tells me that I can’t be scared when he is. We’ll draw strength from each other. “I’m here, Alec. We’ll get through it together. We’ll face those monsters from our past and our personal demons together.”
His arms hug me tighter. “We will.”
EXTENDED EPILOGUE
ALEC
“He doesn’t look like it now, but Alec will always be our baby brother … especially back when I was still taller than him. Ah, good times.”
The sound of laughter from the guests ripple through the tent.
Jasper stands at the podium, a glass of champagne in one hand and a mic in the other. It makes me smile how much he loves the attention. He lives off it.
The fact is, Jameson was supposed to give the speech, but Jasper volunteered. Volunteered. That should’ve been the first red flag.
The second red flag was when he instructed the DJ how to operate the projector because he prepared a PowerPoint presentation.
I should’ve known this wasn’t going to be a regular speech. Jasper likes to do things over the top, but I thought he’d forgo his usual antics for my wedding reception.
Apparently not.
“Although he didn’t cause much trouble, that honor belongs to yours truly, he also liked to tag along,” Jasper continues. “At the time, he was the smallest among all of us, so he either got left behind or he ended up falling flat on his face. He had this uncanny ability to always trip on his own feet. Don’t believe me? Well, then.”
Jasper takes out a small remote from his pocket and clicks it. I know what’s gonna show even before the projector begins to flicker behind him.
Zara reaches for my hand, and I wrap it with both of mine.
Images appear on the white cloth. Me in my diapers with mud on my short, stubby legs. Me in a small tuxedo, crying on the ground. Me in white overalls, one leg up in the air in front of me as the shot was taken halfway through me sliding and falling on my butt.
Then, the grand finale. A short staticky clip of me running in our massive backyard and tripping over nothing. The young Alec’s lips curl downward, eyes shimmering with tears as he flicks his gaze from whoever is taking the video to the person beside them. His lips tremble before he opens his mouth and lets out a screech.
Zara clutches her stomach as she doubles over with laughter. I turn to my right to find Jameson laughing just as hard. Even Justin can’t stifle his grin.
Man, I hate my brothers. Such assholes.
Jasper grins at me like I’m not going to retaliate on his own wedding, like he thinks he has outwitted me. He has forgotten how many videos he asked me to scrub off the internet.
But that’s a plan for another day.
Today, I’ll enjoy marrying my soulmate. The love of my life.
Zara wipes the corners of her eyes with a handkerchief. “Alec, you were so cute.”
“I’m glad you found it amusing, Mrs. Fielding.”
Her eyes widen at that, and she sweeps her tongue along her lips. “Have I told you yet how much I love my new last name?”
“No, but you can show me later. We can leave early if you want. The guests can go screw themselves.”
“Ah, shit. I’m leaving. Why the hell am I sitting beside the newlyweds? Let’s go, Justin. I can feel my dinner start to come up to my mouth,” Jameson grumbles as he slides his chair back and stands, patting Justin’s back, who follows him.
Jasper apparently isn’t done because he taps the mic and beams. “I’ll end this speech by pointing out how lucky both Alec and Zara are. Alec because he married a beautiful, warm, and caring woman. Zara because she gained reliable, handsome brothers.”
Jasper raises his glass, and the others follow suit. “Cheers to the bride and groom. Zara, you deserve nothing but the best, which is why I’m still not sure what went wrong here.” More laughter including from my own in-laws. Traitors. “If none of you see me or Alec an hour from now, please call the cops. Have a great night, everyone!”
Jasper throws me an arrogant smirk above the crowd, and I can’t help but chuckle.
None of us expected me to get married first.