“Thank you all for coming,” I said, my eyes drifting around the room.
Campbell twined his fingers with mine. We’d debated just announcing to everyone we knew that we were engaged, but we’d had a better idea. Well, mostly, I’d had a better idea. And now all our family was together in one place.
Campbell’s dad, Gregg, his aunts, and brother and sister. Then on the other side of the room, my mom and Hal. We’d left off on such a horrible place that I wasn’t sure Pamela would even agree to come today. That she’d snub me for being the insolent daughter she never deserved. But when I told her it was important, she’d agreed.
“This means so much to us,” Campbell said.
“What’s this all about?” Nora asked. She looked down at her watch. “I have to be at the vineyard in exactly twenty-seven minutes for Morgan’s wedding prep.”
“It won’t take long,” Campbell assured her.
“I mean, I want to know, but it’s a big day. Our biggest wedding ever.”
Campbell laughed. “It’s fine, Shrimp.”
I swallowed and Campbell squeezed my hand. “We wanted to bring everyone together for this unexpected moment.” Then, I held my left hand up and revealed the glittering ring on my finger. “We’re engaged!”
Campbell’s side of the room erupted. His dad was the first person to spring forward and give his son a hug. “Congratulations! This is the best news.”
Campbell grinned up at him. He’d told me he was wary of his father’s reaction. Gregg hadn’t exactly been pleased that we were dating. He’d been worried that he’d leave me behind and go off and be an idiot. But apparently this had proved to him just how serious Campbell really was about me.
“Thanks, Dad,” Campbell said.
Hollin and Nora crowded in.
“Ah, nice, bro! Locking it down,” Hollin said.
Gregg shook his head at his oldest.
“This is amazing!” Nora squealed. “Please tell me I can plan the wedding.”
Campbell laughed. “Well, can you do it in a week?”
Nora blinked at us. “What?”
“We decided to elope,” I told her.
“Oh my God! How romantic.” Nora nodded her head. “And I can do it in a week. I have prepared my entire life for this.”
“Elope?” Gregg asked. “That’s pretty big.”
“Morgan and Patrick’s day is today. Or else we would be heading to Vegas already,” Campbell told him. “And I’d love for you to all be there when we get hitched. I can fly everyone out if you want to attend.”
Everyone clambered forward, excited and asking questions about our upcoming nuptials.
And there was Pamela and Hal.
Neither of them had said a word. A knot fit into my stomach. I’d worried about this. She wasn’t going to be happy. She was going to ruin our moment. But I wanted her to know. I wanted to tell the entire world. When really the only person I’d confessed to was Piper.
“Go on,” Campbell said, pushing me toward my family.
I shuffled forward until I stopped in front of Pamela and Hal. “Surprise.”
My mom opened and closed her mouth. Fear spiked through me. She was going to tell me it was a terrible idea. She was going to tell me not to do it. Oh God, this was a mistake. I didn’t want her to steal my happiness. This was the best decision of my life. It was what I wanted.
Then, to my shock, my mom smiled. A real smile. “Oh Blaire,” she said, actually using my preferred name.
I was stunned silent as she wrapped her arms around me and pulled me into a hug.
My mom was hugging me.
She was hugging me.
She didn’t like any form of contact. We never touched. We definitely weren’t hugging people. And here she was breaking all her own rules.
I hesitantly wrapped my arms around her and felt her closeness. The fragility of a matriarch that I had always considered unshakable.
“Mom?” I whispered.
“Oh baby,” she said, pulling back and putting her hands to my cheeks. “I am so happy for you.”
“You are?”
“I may not have known how to show it, but I did want the best for you.”
“I thought…I thought you wouldn’t want me with Campbell.”
“I didn’t want you to get hurt again. I was worried for you. I didn’t know how to show that. And clearly I did it all wrong.”
She had done it wrong. We’d both been wrong. Time and time again we’d fought against our own stubbornness. She could have been more maternal. But when I’d needed her most, she’d been there for me. She’d been the one to take care of me during the miscarriage. No matter her own feelings on the subject. She’d had to be there for me. And she didn’t have to be here now. Actually happy for me.
“I’m glad you’re here, Mom.”
“Me too.” She brought her hand to her own cheek and swiped at the one lone tear that tracked down her face. “Look, I’m leaking.”
I laughed at the joke. She’d always said that about me as a kid. It had made me giggle and stop crying instead. “You leak beautifully.”
She joined me in soft laughter. “You love him?”
“With all my heart.”
“Even with everything that’s happened with the press?”
“You followed that?”
She shot me a look that was purely Pamela. “You’re my daughter. I’ve followed everything about you. I’ve watched all of your accomplishments.”
Now tears came to my eyes. “I thought you weren’t happy about my blog.”
“It’s so much more than that now, isn’t it?”
I nodded. “So much more. And yes, I’m happy with Campbell despite everyone knowing about the miscarriage.”
“I wrote to that magazine about their incorrect information, I’ll have you know.”
God, that was so my mom. “You did what?”
“They reported incorrect information. I sent in a correction as a firsthand witness to the events.”
“Oh Mom, you didn’t have to do that.”
“I know, but I’m glad I did. I know that things with us are…not like other people. I can’t help who I am. But I can take my own advice and try to be better.”
“I love you. Will you come to Vegas for our elopement?” I looked to Hal too. “Both of you?”
“Yes,” she said at once.
Hal nodded too. “We’ll be there.”
“I’m going to invite Dad too.”
“As you should,” Mom said. “Now, can I properly meet my soon-to-be new son-in-law?”
I laughed and brought her over to Campbell and his family. He charmed my mom as I always knew he would if he got the opportunity. His eyes were bright and happy for me. I’d been worried and now all the pieces were finally falling into place, exactly how I’d always wanted them to.
Hours later, Campbell was in a black suit, and I’d donned a dress to match the blue of my eyes as we watched Morgan Wright tie herself forever to Patrick Young. Wrights lined either side of the aisle to celebrate their sister and CEO.
Only Patrick’s best friend and Morgan’s older brother, Austin Wright spoke out of turn in the middle. “It’s about damn time.”
Everyone laughed and the happy couple just shook their head. Then they were kissing in front of what felt like the entire town. We got to our feet and cheered for their happy union. It was good to see so much love. To see love prevail above all else. Despite the adversity they had gone through.
Morgan and Patrick headed back down the aisle to a ringing round of applause.
Campbell leaned down and whispered in my ear. “That’s going to be us in a week.”
I glanced up at him. “I can’t wait.”
“I actually don’t want to wait.”
I laughed at him. “What? You want to run away without telling anyone?”
“There’s a courthouse.”
“Campbell Abbey,” I said, nudging him. “I’ve waited all my life for you. I think I can wait another week.”
He slid an arm around my waist and kissed me deeply. “I’d wait for you forever.”
It was our turn, and we walked down the aisle together. I couldn’t wait for it to be our turn to do this in a week. To tie my life to him forever. We’d had our ups and downs. Our trials and hardships. I wasn’t naive enough to think that everything would be smooth sailing from here. The album release and tour and long distance was going to be hard.
But it would all be worth it because I was doing it with him.
Just the two of us forever.