Epilogue
Audrey
Four months later
~
Los Angeles
~
July
When Ash and I first planned our summer trip to Los Angeles, he was going to stay with Judd, and Luna and I were going to stay with Josie.
Our plans changed.
As the summer drew near, we realized that our trip to California would be a good time to bop on over to Las Vegas and get married. It was a bit of a no-brainer for Ash and me. Our families were not the least bit surprised by the news of a Vegas wedding. I think Ash and I were both thought of as people who would do that.
We did it on day two of our trip. Luna came with us, along with Josie and Alex. Mason and Val surprised us by flying to Vegas to join us as well. It was perfect. It was a Christian wedding in a chapel, and Josie and Val stood with me while Mason and Alex stood with Ash. Luna was right behind me thewhole time, and the most beautiful thing was that I knew she was as excited about this as I was. Maybe that was impossible, but she was really happy, and that warmed my heart.
We had just gotten back from Vegas today. Mason and Val went back to Montana, but Lu, Ash, and I had two more nights in L.A. before we would head back. Luna would stay with Josie for those remaining nights, while Ash and I stayed at a fancy hotel. It would be a makeshift honeymoon, one where we might hang out with Luna and Josie some during the day.
Today, for example, after we got back from Vegas, we went to the beach with Luna, Josie, and Alex. We went swimming, and Ash was athletic and protective, and his body was a sight to behold shirtless.
Luna, Alex, and Josie left the beach early, and I stayed there with Ash. We shared a kiss on a blanket at sunset, and it was maybe the most beautiful moment I had ever lived. I couldn't have made up a better moment for myself. I was a married woman on the coast of California in the summer with my love. I had never been married, not even to Kai. I thought I was scared of it, but I wasn't scared at all. I was more comfortable and content than I had ever been. The whole thing, the wedding and honeymoon, was exactly my style. It was absolutely surreal that Ash was so wholeheartedly committed to me.
We left the beach with our hair damp and a little sand between our toes. Before we went to the hotel, we stopped by the house where Ash would be filming the movie in a few months.
"I'd like to bring Lu by here tomorrow so she can see it while we're here," he said as he typed the code into the lock box that was on the front door.
I stared at the back of his body, at his legs, and higher. My heart was beating fast. Ash was utterly beautiful, and this was a moment I would never forget. I was in Hollywood witha gorgeous, heartthrob actor, and he had the code to the house where a major motion picture would be made.
"Are you sure it's okay for us to be here?" I asked, following him inside.
"Oh, for sure," he said, nodding. "Luke wants us here anytime we can come. He had someone come by to turn down the air conditioner because he knew I was in town this weekend. He wants us here. He said we should stay and swim. The pool's clean. Oh, wow, the house looks good, too!" Ash turned on the lights and started to look around. "It smells good. They painted and replaced the floors. Luke said they're going to start getting all the furniture and set pieces in here early. I thought he said they had started moving some of it in, but I guess not." He gestured around to the empty living room.
"We could swim while we're here," I said, seeing that there was an inviting pool on the other side of that back door.
"Luke would love that. I know the hotel has a pool, but not a private one. We could have spent the night here instead of getting a room."
I laughed at the thought, but then I looked around, imagining it. "It's tempting just because that would be so cool to sleep in the movie house. I'd remember it when it comes out. I would love to have that memory. I probably would actually do it if there was a bed."
"There may be a bed," Ash said. "He said they were moving in. And he wouldn't care if we stayed." He walked down the hall as he spoke. "I know there's going to be one in the movie because, oh, yep. There's a bed in here."
I rounded the corner, and sure enough, there was a bedroom with a bed. It was a brand new mattress and box spring with no sheets or blankets. There was a dresser in the room as well, but that was it.
"There are some towels in here if you want to swim," Ash said, peeking into the bathroom.
"So, the pool's ready?"
"Luke said it was. We can bring Lu over here tomorrow for a swim."
"She would love that," I said. "Is the pool nice?"
"Yeah, it is. Come look. The back patio is actually my favorite part about this whole house."
Ash held my hand, and we walked through the house to the backyard, which was pretty much a courtyard with a swimming pool. There were brick pavers beneath our feet instead of grass. They had tropical plants in beds around the pool, and even though it wasn't huge, it was charming, and I loved it.
