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“I’ve always known you and Taylor were attracted to each other—even when you were with Bethany. A mother knows. I could see it.” She kissed his cheek. “I’m truly happy you found love with him and with Chloe. And I’m so damn proud of you for being brave enough to live your truth.”
Monica poked her head in. “I don’t want to interrupt, but I’m going to be coming for you and Taylor in about five minutes, okay? The guests are beginning to take their seats.”
“I love you, Ma.” Jesse kissed her soft cheek.
She smiled. “I love you, son. I’ll be in the front row. Now go get married.”
He made it back to the room in time. Taylor and Brendan were the only ones left, everyone else had gone to take their seats in the conservatory. Brendan smirked. “We were starting to worry about you. Thought you got cold feet or something.”
Jesse chuckled. “Nah. Tay is stuck with my ass. I was talking to my ma.”
“Everything okay?”
Everything was more than okay. He would always grieve for his father, but at last he had his mother back.
“Guys, it’s time.” Monica beamed from the doorway. “Are you ready to get married?”
“I was just about to make a crack about Jesse’s ass.” Brendan chuckled.
“You have Chloe’s ring, mate?”
Brendan patted the pocket over his heart. “Right here, man.”
He and Taylor followed Monica and Brendan down the aisle and took their places at the end to wait for Chloe to make her entrance. Jesse took a deep breath and glanced at the faces of everyone who waited with them. His friends. His family. His heart was so full and he smiled because he loved every single one of them.
The piano and cello duo played Pachelbel’s “Canon in D”.
Jesse held on tight to Taylor’s hand. His mother winked. Everyone turned in their seats to watch Linnea walk down the aisle, a vision in gold carrying a bouquet of burgundy roses. He imagined both his cousins envisioned her in white and it hurt his heart to know that Dillon’s heart was broken.
Linnea took her place across from them at the end of the aisle. She smiled at them and winked.
He took another breath and held it.
One heartbeat.
Two.
Three.
And then she took his breath away. Chloe was there on the arm of her father, her gemstone eyes fixed solely on him and Taylor. Like there was no one else in the room but them. This was the woman he’d waited for. The woman he’d share his life with, his heart with, his love with. The woman who’d be his wife, the mother of his babies. The woman he wished for. The woman he loved. His Riosin.
She was the most beautiful woman in the world and she was walking down the aisle to him.
To them.
His heart about to burst, he squeezed Taylor’s hand.
Taylor squeezed back and he smiled.
Because sometimes, if you wish hard enough, the wishes come true.
“Where are we going?” Chloe asked as Taylor helped her into the town car.
They weren’t going very far, but she didn’t know that.
He and Jesse had it all planned. They didn’t have time for a honeymoon—he was leaving in just a few days. Neither one of them wanted to spend their wedding night in a strange hotel room or in Jesse’s apartment with their mothers ten floors above their heads in his penthouse. They wanted to spend this first night of their new life together in their new home on Park Place.
It was by no means done. Hell, the renovations hadn’t even started yet, but this was where they’d build their life, where their children would grow up. Brendan assured him that everything was ready for their arrival, so that’s where they were going. Taylor was certain it would be just as perfect as their wedding had been.
