The crowd of female helpers clears out ahead of me. I walk slowly out of the house and down the steps. I see Hunter and Beau at the gate to the garden. They have Quincy in the baby carriage now. Tessa found it, a perfect old-school pram, and tricked it out with cabbage roses and tulle. It’s lovely. I can see my baby girl kicking her feet up above the rim. Hunter jiggles the handle to keep her distracted. Beau waves at me and holds up Quincy’s binky. He’s ready for any extenuating circumstance.
They get their cue and push the pram down the aisle, in front of me. I walk through the gate and into the garden.
There it is, my new life spread out in front of me. Tessa’s little black-haired girls have just thrown the last of the rose petals and run down the side of the garden, trying to escape from Tessa and Joe, who are in hot pursuit.
My mom stands up at the front of the garden in the front row of guests. Hunter and Beau push Quincy along, and everyone laughs and sighs at the sight of her. My dad stands next to me, arm out to walk me down the aisle.
And Andrew. Andrew stands at the end of this aisle, Tucker and Jeremy beside him, waving the boys up to the altar to join him, to stand as his best men.
He sees me and smiles so broadly. He’s always had a million-dollar smile. He looks right at me and mouths, “Love you.” I nod and mouth it back.
Joy sweeps through my body. Electricity prickles the hair on my neck, sends chills out to my toes and fingers. The tears come to my eyes, and I look up to the sky. The blue of it is crisp and perfect.
My life could not be more perfect. It’s been scary and terrible and lonely and wonderful and filled with love. And it is my perfectly imperfect and wonderful life to live.
I walk down the aisle to meet Andrew, so we can begin our perfect ending.
Together.
Acknowledgments
First, to my husband: Every day I’m reminded that the team of you and me is the best team ever. And to my boys: Love you madly.
To my Chix: As always and of course.
To Jessica: The editor supreme, Queen of Everything.
To Elizabeth at Omnific and Micki at Gallery Books: Thank you for your continued support.
To my education family: You encourage me in both of my jobs.
To the Anderson, Finn, and Skold clans: All of your support and enthusiasm is invaluable.
It takes a village to grow a writer. My village is very big. Thank you all.
About the Author
Beck Anderson loves to write about love and its power to heal and grow people past their many imperfections. She is a firm believer in the phrase “mistakes are for learning” and uses it frequently to guide her in writing life and real life.
Beck balances (clumsily at best) writing novels and screenplays, working full-time as an educator, mothering two pre-teen males, loving one post-forty husband, and making time to walk the foothills of Boise, Idaho, with Stefano DiMera Delfino Anderson, the suavest Chihuahua north of the border.
Her first novel, Fix You, was a RWA Rita® finalist for Best First Book and Best Contemporary Romance. Learn more at:
AuthorBeck.com
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