Yes! I wanted to pump my fist in the air. Laid out so clearly, there was no way Jason could deny it.
And sure enough, the bastard was just frozen. He couldn’t bluff or bully his way out, and there was no buying Beth’s silence. So he didn’t know what to do.
Try living with a moral compass, I thought with a glare at him.
“Too cowardly to own up to it? I thought as much. I expect better from my first-graders,” Beth said, and I stifled a laugh.
Rusty laughed and slid an arm around my waist, leaning into me. A casual, comfortable, confident gesture I’d never seen Jason use toward Beth.
One last worry finally fled from my brain. There was no way Jason’s desire for power and control could compare to the love that Rusty and I shared. In one short week, we’d built a more solid relationship—something more real than Jason had managed in years.
Hugh shouted all kinds of things about how this was ridiculous, but security flanked him.
Beth talked over everyone. She didn’t have to shout—her cold, crisp words carried perfectly over the whole room.
“I just found out that when he marries, he’ll become eligible to sit on the board of any of his father’s companies. He never loved me. He just wanted to use me to look respectable according to his father’s stupid, backwards rules.”
Some of the Walkers actually directed their outraged stares at Hugh, who was currently being manhandled into the aisle, rather than at Beth.
“Jason?” Beth asked, giving him one more chance to own up to it.
He didn’t. He just mumbled that he didn’t know what she meant, and I rolled my eyes.
Of course. He wouldn’t take the chance, even offered to him on a silver platter.
Beth was going to get the final word, though, while Hugh was still frozen in the aisle pushing back against the guys who were trying to remove him.
“Thank you all for coming here to witness our love. I’m sorry what you got to see was our truth. But this was the only way to make sure the truth—the full truth—came out.”
I nodded and looked at Chrissy again. She was dabbing her eyes, while Kenneth met my glance and grinned. I could see the admiration on his face, too. He looked like he wanted to high-five her.
“She’s been put up to it!” But despite all Jason’s protests that followed, he was unceremoniously pushed out the door, too.
And more’s the pity he wasn’t dealt a few swift punches at the same time.
“Fuck, yes,” Rusty hissed. “Get the leech out of here.” He rested the side of his head on my shoulder. “Better?”
“Way better,” I whispered back. It still felt surreal, but I finally let myself believe this was really happening.
Beth laughed, and I could see the relief written all over her face. “Well, nobody was ever unhappy about the ceremony wrapping up early,” she joked. “Those of you who stay, we’re going to have a fantastic reception, but nobody’s getting hitched today.”
Shouting matches broke out between scattered guests, while others stormed out. I ignored everything and beamed at Beth.
Oh, honey. You did it!
She stretched and stood tall, and then tossed the bouquet. More like she was banishing it than bequeathing it—which meant it flew halfway down the ballroom.
That baseball arm comes in handy, huh? I laughed again, looking at Rusty. “There goes our chance.”
“Oh, my God,” Rusty whispered, still staring past me to where Beth had thrown it. “But not Dill’s.”
“What?” Sure enough, his little brother was clutching it, blushing furiously and staring at…
I swiveled and looked at Griff. “Oh, that’s right,” I murmured. “Um. I heard that Dill and Griff are together. Just FYI.”
“What?” Rusty squeaked and sat down heavily. “Dill? Are you sure?”
But I didn’t even have to say, See for yourself. Griff was walking toward Dill with a look I very much recognized on his face.
Love.
Just like the love I felt for Rusty—the admiration, the laser focus like he only had eyes for him, and the pride. Oh, the pride of knowing I was with Rusty, that he’d chosen me and he was mine.
Something primal flared in me as I looked back at Rusty. Everyone had seen us together today, and no longer did I fear some other guy stealing him away. I trusted Rusty to want me.
I trusted myself to be loveable, at long last.
My throat tight, I turned to Rusty and grinned. “I guess it’s not just us with news to announce,” I teased.
When I looked at my parents, Mom was on the phone already, one finger plugging her ear. Everyone who hadn’t been able to make it to the ceremony already knew, it looked like.
Rusty laughed. “I love you,” he said, simple and gentle in the midst of all the chaos.
I pulled him in for a tender kiss, his body firm and warm against mine as my heart swelled. “I love you, too,” I said softly. How could I possibly tell him all the things going through my mind?
I couldn’t, so I just winked. “And I love your brother’s cooking. Let’s get Beth out of here.” I didn’t want to leave Beth here where a stray Walker might shout at her or something.
“I’m so proud of you, honey,” I said softly into Beth’s ear as I took her arm. “Let’s go eat.” Rusty walked on my other side, his hand on my elbow.
Beth craned her neck to see around me. “Hi, by the way. So you’re dating Dad now? Does that mean I get a finder’s fee?”
“Every bottle of wine behind the bar. It’s on the Walkers,” Rusty retorted, winking.
I grinned at them both, all the worry from earlier this week vanishing. They were going to get along just fine.
Griff interrupted us just then and called out, “Beth! Is Dill off work now?”
Rusty tilted his head, looking between his brother and the best man.
“Of course,” Beth told them. “Someone has to show us what love is around here.” I blushed the moment she looked at me with a wicked smile on her face. “Though I don’t think they’re the only lovebirds.”
Oh, my God. It’s that easy to see? I loved it, as embarrassed as I was. I wanted everyone to look at us and see the adorable couple we were.
I cleared my throat and steered both my boyfriend and my daughter out of the uproar, into the quieter ballroom where the staff stood around just staring at us.
“I think we’ll have enough food for everyone here to eat—the waiters too,” Beth said softly.
Rusty beamed. “That’s a great idea.”
“Thank you,” Beth smiled at me and let go of my arm. “I’d better go tell Dill the plan.”
When all was said and done, half of us were still there—which was a bigger party than I’d anticipated. And it was ten times more enjoyable without Walker relatives there, staring like stuffed vultures at anyone who dared to have fun. The few who stayed, I automatically liked.
For my part, I was so absorbed in making Rusty’s introductions to family members that it was hard to pay attention to much else. I didn’t even notice Jason and Hugh and Rose trying to sneak back into the room until the applause nearby drew my attention and I saw Beth threatening them with a high heel.
When they were well and truly gone, the feast began. I sat with Rusty, of course, and our table consisted of Chrissy and Kenneth, Blaze and Evan, Beth and Naomi, and Dill and Griff. It seemed like Blaze and Evan were dating, too. They kept smiling at each other, and I liked seeing everyone so happy.