We laugh, and Luthor takes me by the arm. “You ready?”
“As I’ll ever be,” I breathe.
We walk out, Felix rubbing my shoulders like I’m Rocky heading into the ring. “It’s gonna be great.”
I nod. Because,yea, I know it will be.Our wedding is very low-key—not like the crazy rigamarole Luthor and Ren are planning.
We’re just going to stand out on our beach, beneath the stars, barefoot, in front of our family, and get hitched. I’ve been dying to marry Kellan Kemper since the moment I met him,officially, down here in Tulum.
But I am nervous. After all, it’s a big deal.
I’m finally going to becomeDascha Kemper. It’s like the end of an era…
But it’snotthe end. Not really. It’s the end of one story, and the beginning of another.
So much amazing stuff is on the horizon, not just for me and Kemper, but for all of us.
So if I shed any tears today, they’ll be the happy kind. The ones full ofpossibility.
Hope, and freedom, and love.
Good muthafuckin vibes.
Out on the deck, I’m trying not to freak out too hard because I can obviously see Kemper from here. He’s standing maybe thirty feet away, in his dress-shirt, sleeves rolled up his muscular, tattooed forearms, a vest and a bowtie, his dress slacks also rolled up a bit to avoid the sand. He looks delicious, even moreso because he’s wearing a massive, eager grin and desperately trying not to look over here.
“Okay, let’s do this!” Luthor cheers.
And my best men—I didn’t want to leave anyone out, so they’re all technically best men, though Luthor is the one holding Kemper’s ring—walk me down the steps to the beach, where they leave me to take their places at the end of our sandy little aisle.
And then my father steps over, taking me by the arm.
He smiles at me, and I have to smile back. I’m glad he’s here. It feels good.
Kemper invited him. I’d been on the fence for a while, and because my about-to-be husband knows my heart better than I do sometimes, he made the call.
Papa Dukes showed up this morning, all ready to give me away.
I could make a snide comment about how he already ditched me as a kid, now he’s giving me away, pawning me off on Kemper again. But I won’t do that.
Eyes open, mouth shut.
The music starts, and the Pen family lights right up. It’s a recording of Colson playing his version of Crimson and Clover acoustic. Ren had him record it since he couldn’t actually be here for the wedding.
We reach Kemper and I’m shaking a little. But he just looks so happy. It takes away all the nerves, like the snap of a hypnotist’s fingers.
“Tebya lyublyu,” my father whispers, passing my hand to Kemper. “I am proud of you, moy dorogoy syn.”
I swallow a lump of emotion, trying not to cry like a total baby. “Thanks, Papa.”
He grins, wandering away to take his seat.
Kellan looks down at me, reaching out to brush his fingers through my dark purple hair.
“Hi,” he croons.
“Hey,” I purse my lips over the insane smile that wants to take over my face.
It makes him laugh, until he leans in and whispers, “Mary me, baby.”
