E P I L O G U E

Jesse stood at the back of the Beachside Chapel, his soon-to-be-stepmother Sonja’s arm linked through his as three-and-a-half-year-old Shelley began her stroll down the aisle, tossing rose petals right and left. His gaze caught Lauren’s. She was already standing at the altar, waiting for her mother. She smiled and inclined her head toward his dad. He appeared to be in a daze, fixated on his wife-to-be, unconsciously shifting his weight from foot to foot. Jesse shot back to last fall, when that was him standing up front, waiting for his bride. He nearly stumbled with the love that overwhelmed him for Lauren, Shelley, his dad and Sonja.

“Hey,” Sonja said. “I’m the one who’s supposed to have jitters.”

“But you don’t.”

“Not at all, but I can’t say the same for Jeff.”

“He’ll be fine.”

“I know.”

The flash of a cell phone brought Jesse’s attention to the people, their friends, gathered in the pews to celebrate Sonja and his father’s special day: Lauren’s law partners Ray and Gerry and their wives, the guys from his and Dad’s bike shop, Shelley’s preschool teacher and her husband, Caroline, Dallas, Jace, Ben and Eva, Lucille—who no doubt had Princess in her large bag—and countless others filling the pews. Everyone who’d helped them become part of the Indigo Bay community.

Jesse gave Sonja’s hand to his father and took his place next to Lauren, resting his arm around her waist and smiling at the way her hand rested on her barely showing baby bump.

“Friends and family, we are gathered together today to …” the minister began the ceremony. “And I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride.”

“Daddy, Mommy!” Shelley pulled on his coattail. “You said it was over when Pa kisses Grammy. Do I get cake now?”

A chuckle ran through the chapel.

But Jesse stood stock still for a moment before looking at Lauren. “She called me Daddy, not Jesse-Daddy,” he whispered.

“And she called me Mommy, not Ren.” Lauren looked as gut-struck as he felt.

“Yes.” Jesse gazed at his wife and daughter. “We can go have cake now.”

He squeezed Lauren tight to one side and Shelley to the other. Not that he needed cake. His life was pretty darn sweet already.