With Mel’s fingers entwined with his, Logan McTavish was home.
EPILOGUE
MELANIE AND LOGAN planned an October wedding. It was held in Mountain Springs Lodge beside Blue Lake and beneath those towering peaks and the autumn blaze of changing trees. When she’d sent her stepkids invitations, she hadn’t been sure if they’d even reply, but one by one the RSVPs came in—they wanted to be there. Everyone did, it seemed. Melanie’s parents and extended family were traveling out for the event and Logan’s siblings were coming, too. His son, Graham, would be his best man. For Melanie, her maid of honor was Angelina, who was taking full credit for getting Melanie and Logan back together with a few subtle nudges, and Melanie couldn’t help but laugh every time Angelina told the story.
Tilly was five months pregnant by the time of the wedding, and she’d started the twelfth grade. She looked lavish and sweet in a pink satin dress. She came with her siblings, Michael and Viv—without a date—and Melanie was glad to see it. There had been quite a few phone calls after Tilly left with her dad, and Tilly had blossomed, not only in her pregnancy but in her maturity, as well.
Michael and Viv had both started reaching out after they found out about Tilly’s pregnancy. Somehow, it brought them all back together again—the old family dynamic, except improved, more mature. They held each other’s memories—no one would understand them quite like each other, and as they looked forward to helping Tilly as best they could, Michael and Viv had started calling Melanie on a more regular basis. They were a family again—just a divorced one. It turned out it wasn’t so strange, after all.
On her wedding day, Melanie wore a cream lace dress, tea length and fitted all the way down to just past her knees. She wore her hair up, twined with flowers and pearls, and when the ceremony was done and they were posing for the photographer, Melanie’s favorite photo from the day would be a candid shot of Logan putting a pearl pin back into her hair, his fingers lingering against her cheek. Her second favorite photo would be one of Tilly alone as she watched Melanie and Logan take their vows. Melanie saw something new in the teenager’s eyes—self-confidence and a flicker of determination—and it warmed her heart to see it.
When the reception started, Melanie stood to throw her bouquet, and she looked over her shoulder at her laughing friends pretending to jostle for position. Just to the side, she saw Tilly standing next to her sister, her hand on her belly and a hopeful little smile on her face. Melanie pulled a rose free and then tossed the bouquet over her shoulder. She turned in time to see it fly over the hands of the other women, and straight at Angelina’s face. Her hands went up and she caught it.
“Oh, I’m not next!” Angelina laughed.
“I wouldn’t be so sure!” Renata said, and the women laughingly made their way back to their seats.
Logan caught Melanie’s eye, and they exchanged a smile. He was so handsome in his tux, and the way he looked at her enveloped her in love. He was the right choice—she could feel it all the way down to her toes. Logan tapped his watch and winked, and she felt a blush rise in her cheeks. The honeymoon suite was waiting for them upstairs, and she was looking forward to being alone with her husband.
Her husband. It still gave her a shiver to think of that. They were well and truly married, the vows said in the church in downtown Mountain Springs.
She was now Mrs. Melanie Banks-McTavish, and it felt right. It felt certain.
She was looking forward to the honeymoon, too, but first...
Tilly had gone back to sit down at the table with her siblings and Melanie smiled at Viv and Michael, then slid into the seat next to Tilly.
“I saved this for you,” Melanie said, handing her the white rose.
“Oh, you didn’t have to do that...” But Tilly took it, anyway. “I wonder if there’s luck in catching a bouquet.”
“I doubt it,” Melanie replied.
“All the same...” Tilly shrugged.
“Do you know what makes for a happy life, Tilly?” Melanie asked. “A choice to face all of it with some dignity and bravery. And you’re already doing that. I couldn’t be prouder.”
“Do you think I’ll end up with a guy like Logan?” Tilly asked. “But, you know, younger. He’s cute for an old guy, though.”
Old. Yes, it might seem that way to a seventeen-year-old. Melanie looked back to see Logan giving his son a hug, laughing at something, and love welled up inside of her.
“Absolutely,” Melanie said. “When the time is right, though. Hold out for a good one. They’re out there.”
Tilly dropped her gaze and lowered her voice so that their words remained private. “I wanted to ask you something. I don’t know if it’s weird or not, but...it might be nice for the baby...like, to have a grandma. If you were interested in that. Maybe...do you think I could start calling you Mom again?”
Melanie’s chin trembled and she looked into Tilly’s beautiful perfectly made-up face, and all she could see was the tiny girl with the big eyes and the rumpled blond curls who had stolen her heart from the beginning.
“Oh, sweetie, I’d really love that.” Melanie pulled Tilly into her arms, and her heart filled to overflowing with love for her new husband and the family she’d gathered along the way to her own happily-ever-after.
Keep reading for an excerpt from His Brother’s Bride by Amy Vastine
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