“What’s the point of all this then? Just a fun vacation in paradise?” Twila laughs.
“I’m personally glad it happened because it meant I met you.”
“Me too.”
We enter the reception and I head to the microphone, trying to figure out what to say that is real. True.
A waitress hands me a glass of champagne, and gives Twila one too. I clear my throat, deciding to speak from my heart.
“We are here today for love. Because in the end, it’s all we have. Our love for one another and the love we have for ourselves. It’s rare to find love that lasts a lifetime, but I hope all of us here today find it. I’d like to raise my glass, and toast the happy couple. May you love deep, love wide, love forever.”
Everyone claps, and Mark gives me a pat on the back. “Nicely done, bro. You’re off the hook now.”
I chuckle, wondering how in the hell two people who spent nine months tethered to one another could be so damn different. Guess in the end, it doesn’t really matter. Because really, the family you are born with isn’t always the one you are closest to.
Music begins to play and couples find one another. I pull Twila into my arms.
“That was quite a misunderstanding,” I say. “I was scared I lost you for a minute, baby.”
She gives me a sad smile as we move around the dance floor. “But eventually I will lose you… won’t I? When do you leave?”
I frown, seeing glassy tears pool in her eyes. “I was thinking never?”
“What are you talking about?” she asks, her breath catching.
“I sold my software company a year ago. I don’t need to work ever again.” I look away, out at the ocean. “I don’t like talking about it, makes me sound like an asshole. But I can do anything, be anywhere.”
“Oh,” Twila says softly. “I didn’t realize. This morning I pulled away because I was so scared… of giving you my heart when you were going to leave it.”
“I’m not leaving this. Hell, Twila, I want to see this through. The love I was talking about in the speech, I think that’s the kind of love we’ve found in one another.”
She squeezes her arms around me, kissing my neck. “I think so too, Tanner.”
“Good, because I have something to ask you.”
“What?”
I pull out a diamond ring I bought earlier at Bijoutique on Main Street. “Marry me, Twila. I know we have a thousand things to discover about one another, but don’t we already know the important ones?”
“Oh God, Tanner,” she says, shaking her head as I drop to one knee. The other wedding guests have stopped dancing and turn to look. “This is insane… but yes. I will marry you. Let’s make our love story the forever kind.”
I slip the ring on her finger and then lift her up, into my arms.
She sighs. “Xander’s here — he probably got my frantic text and drove here as fast as possible. And my mom. Oh, God, look at them!”
They are both staring, jaws dropped. But Xander, like a good best friend, has his phone out, taking photos.
We walk over to them, and I introduce myself. Not as Tanner, but as Twila’s fiancé.
“Oh God,” she laughs. “I don’t even know your last name.”
“It’s Locke,” Galy says. Twila asks how in the world she knows but Galy just shrugs. “I checked him into the hotel. And I must say, Twila, I told you to act wild and free, but this is a bit more than I expected.”
“Are you unhappy?”
Her mom just laughs. “No, I’m shocked, but thrilled. I want you to live your best life, love.”
“Are you are really engaged to a man you just met?” Xander asks Twila.
She smiles, her arm around my waist. “My wish yesterday was for this year to top the last.”
He laughs. “You really dove right into that wish, didn’t you?” He pulls Twila into a hug, kissing her cheek. “I’m happy if you’re happy, and honey, you are going to love the photos I got! Your Insta is gonna love this.”
I introduce Twila to my brother, but Mark doesn’t take the whole thing seriously. Apparently meeting a woman and falling in love in one day is more ridiculous in his eyes than flying across the world for a wedding that he already knows won’t last.
I take Twila’s hand, and we walk down the beach. We slip off our shoes, walking into the crashing waves. “My queen,” I say, pulling her in for another kiss. “What do you want do with your one wild and precious life? Because baby, it’s yours.”
Twila smiles, and I see all sorts of dreams lighting up her eyes. I can’t wait to learn about each and every one.
“I don’t know about my whole life… but if I can start with tonight, I want to be in your bed.”
I pick her up, kissing her with the promise of forever. The curvy girl at the beach, now also my bride-to-be.
Epilogue
Twila
One year later…
Falling in love — and then learning all about the man I am about to marry — has made this one heck of a year. Who knew Tanner wears V-neck tee shirts under everything and brushes his teeth in the shower?
I suppose he didn’t know that I was a night owl (to his early bird) or that I was a vegetarian. Oops. The first time he mentioned getting BBQ I gave him evil eyes.
But those are all fun things to learn — little surprises that remind us that love is all about give and take.
The trip to Australia for my photography course was incredible — Tanner snorkeled in the reefs, together we explored the country, and I learned a ton about taking better pictures.
