Epilogue

 

Tanner

 

 

 

I wipe my eyes after my brother Colton and Elle are pronounced husband and wife, and pray that no one saw me shed a tear. I’m a trauma surgeon, for crying out loud. If anything should make me sob, it would be open leg fractures and nasty head wounds, not two people exchanging their vows.

Oh, what the heck, this ceremony is beautiful. I’m allowed a few tears, right? To be honest, I never thought my brother would settle down and find an amazing woman like Elle, but he did. That makes me hopeful for my own future. My coworkers always joke that medicine is my true love. They’re only partly right, though. Yes, I’m a workaholic, but putting in endless hours at the hospital isn’t difficult when you’re free as a bird.

As soon as the happy couple walks outside, we get up as well and leave the church. Maggie elbows me in the side. “I saw that, you know.”

“What?” I ask, feigning ignorance.

She grins at me. “Doctor Drop-Dead Gorgeous shed a few tears.”

“I never should’ve told you about that nickname my new colleagues gave me, Mags,” I say with a groan. “Besides, I didn’t cry. The air was so dry in there that I welled up involuntarily. It’s a medical condition.”

We both know I’m lying my ass off, but all she does is shake her head with a smile and roll her eyes at me.

“Are we all driving to the park together?” my brother Blake asks.

I straighten my tie and nod. “Yeah, that’s perfect.”

“I can’t believe they’re having their wedding party at The Magic Wonderland. What a dream.” Maggie sighs. “When Elle showed me the park’s event venue, I couldn’t keep from crying. How am I going to survive this night with all the romantic things Colton has planned for her?”

“Your day will come, sis. Who knows? You might meet your mister perfect as soon as tonight,” Blake says. “And if you don’t, I can always set you up with one of my pupils’ single dads.”

“Please don’t. That sounds way too complicated. I want a boyfriend, then kids, not both at once.”

“Come on, these kids are still young and moldable. The dads, however…”

Maggie sticks out her tongue. “Stop it. I’ll find someone myself.”

I frown. “Weren’t you the one who kept setting Colton up on blind dates?”

Her face flushes red. “We should get going.”

We all get into the car and drive to the park. My brother’s the manager there now. I’m so proud of how far he’s come. Out of the four of us, he was the one who suffered the most from our dad leaving, but he turned his anger into something amazing. He now has an amusement park that he gets to run, a beautiful house near the beach, and a fantastic wife. Colton is one lucky guy.

When we step into the venue, my jaw drops to the floor. Maggie was right. This place is magical. The interior looks like a fairy-tale castle, with high ceilings and stained glass windows that reflect the sunlight in a mesmerizing way.

We make a beeline for the happy couple. “Congratulations, brother,” I say and pull him into a man-hug.

He’s smiling so hard, I’m afraid his face will break open. “Thanks, man. I’m so happy.”

I pull Elle into a hug and congratulate her as well. “Welcome to the Wilson family,” I say. “Are you sure you’re up for it?”

She laughs. “Yes, Tanner, I am. Thank you for coming, by the way. Colton told me you’re head of trauma at the hospital, so I can imagine you’re busy.”

I nod. “Yeah, the whole move from Boston to Portland was quite exhausting. I’m busier than ever, but I couldn’t possibly miss your wedding.”

“So, uhm… Is there anyone special back there in Portland?” she asks. “You know we were okay with you bringing a date, right?”

I run a hand through my hair and smile. “Why don’t we focus on you guys today?”

I step aside and make room for my other siblings to congratulate the happy couple. I’m glad Elle didn’t press the issue. Even I am not sure about there being a special girl back home in Portland. It’s all way too complicated.

The room fills up with people and before long, we’re all seated at gorgeously decorated round tables. Colton picks up his fork and taps it against his champagne glass.

“Thanks for coming, everyone, it really means a lot to me and my… well, wife,” he says with an elated look on his face.

I whistle at them while other guests start clapping.

“Elle, the moment I saw you at the airport, all that time ago, I knew you were special. Never had I thought I would find a girl who gets me like you do, and whom I can share so many laughs with. Not to mention the fact that you are the most stunning woman I’ve ever met.”

She takes his hand and returns his beaming smile. “Oh, Colton. You’re the best thing that has ever happened to me. I can’t wait to spend every day of my life with you and to raise our kids together.”

He puts one hand on the back of her head and the other on the small of her back. Then he pulls her close and they share a kiss that screams pure love.

Oh, man, here come those tears again. This time, I don’t care about anyone catching me, though. I just let my emotions run their course. This moment is too beautiful to ignore. I’m so happy for my brother, it’s almost unbearable.

As everyone tucks into their food, all I can think about is how I hope that one day, I too will find my happily ever after with an amazing girl, just like Colton and Elle.

 

 

 

Read Tanner’s story in Falling for Drop-Dead Gorgeous, the second book in the That Wilson Charm series.