I’m trying not to cry for Raven’s sake, but it’s really, really hard.
She’s crying, so maybe I shouldn’t be holding back myself. And it’s because I’m just so happy for her, but old habits die hard. I’m the tough sister and I don’t cry. Except when it’s my sister’s wedding, I guess.
Tynan presses some tissues into my hand, kissing my forehead as he does. I lean into him, taking solace in how strong, how steady he is next to me. He’s moved into my apartment, although we’re looking for a new place together. Somewhere more isolated than the city, where Tynan will have space to go hiking and be alone. But close enough that I can still commute to the South Bay. Basically someplace between where I need to be and where he needs to be. But exactly right where we can be together.
Raven sniffles and blinks at me. We’re in her old room at home, waiting for Tess to come tell us that they’re ready for the bride to come out.
“You don’t think it’s too soon, do you?” she asks. “It’s only been three weeks since Oscar… Well, you know.”
I resist the urge to roll my eyes fondly. “Oscar’s gone. We shouldn’t worry about him ever again. You and Bishop have been in love forever, so no, it’s not too soon. Besides, it’s a little late to stop everything.”
We’re all gathered in Dad’s old house, which is still empty except for the party supplies we hauled in today. Raven and I still haven’t decided what we want to do with the house, but when she and Bishop decided they wanted to get married right away, this was the perfect place to do it. We’re in no rush to decide, and today we’ve got happier things to occupy us.
Tynan links his fingers in mine. “She’s right. About everything.”
Raven shakes her head. “You’re too in love with her to ever disagree.”
That’s rich coming from her—she thinks the sun rises and sets with Bishop. Considering how happy he makes her, I suppose she isn’t wrong.
“He disagrees with me,” I say mildly, feeling way too warm at her declaration that Tynan is too in love with me. “Just yesterday he argued with me about the rollout of the chip.”
“It’s ready,” he says. “Give Cassian a couple of days, and he’ll give us a PR blitz.”
Tynan says that, but he’s still wary about publicity. I’d rather announce the brain-computer interface chip quietly, to spare him any more attention. I suppose we’ll come to some compromise later, like we always do.
There’s a soft knock at the door.
“You ready?” Tess asks.
Raven’s eyes go wide. “Oh, it’s time.” She rises, clasping her bouquet to her chest. She’s in a gorgeous cocktail dress patterned with tropical birds and flowers. It’s not at all like a typical wedding dress, but it’s so bright and happy it fits her perfectly. “I can’t believe I’m going to do this.”
I kiss her on the cheek because Raven is such a sweetheart and I’m so lucky she’s my sister. “I can, because you two have always been perfect for each other.”
We walk together out to the backyard, which Raven has turned into a lush paradise over the years. We don’t make any kind of grand entrance—this wedding is very, very informal—but when Bishop sees her, his entire heart is in his eyes.
The rest of them are waiting for us in chairs scattered across the lawn. Gideon and Tess, Cassian and Victoria, Archer and Zara, Gage and Camber—and in the middle, two empty seats, waiting for Tynan and me to take our places. They greet us both with warm smiles as we sit down. It feels like coming home, being among them. And I can tell Tynan feels the same.
He puts his arm around me, pulls me close as the official starts the ceremony. And this is even more like coming home, being in his embrace as my sister gets married, our friends all around us.
“You need more tissues?” he whispers into my ear.
Raven has stopped crying—she’s too busy staring into Bishop’s eyes.
I snuggle into Tynan’s warm, solid body. It feels so right, and my heart feels too big for my chest. But also exactly right. “No,” I say. “I’m good.”
Thank you for reading—I hope you loved Tynan and Morgan’s story! If you want to share the love, you can leave a review here.
Want more? Sign up for The Cosmopolitan Club, Raleigh’s Mailing List! You’ll get exclusive content and be the first to know everything.