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“I’m serious. Marry me.”

Chapter Fifteen

Valentine’s Day

“Valentine’s Day? Don’t you think that is a little tacky?” Bettina asked.

Betty looked into the mirror and Maeve winced. Life had been interesting since Misty tried to kill her.

First, her kitchen studio was currently being rebuilt, with all the essentials she would need. As for now, her viewers absolutely loved her new setup, and certainly when she would get biker guests. Mainly, she got Mac, and he loved to be in the camera, and he really worked it as well. It was a lot of fun.

She and Martha spent Christmas at the clubhouse, and the biggest shock of all, her own mother, Bettina, openly admitted that she didn’t want to have her. She also admitted she didn’t love her. Then, Bettina realized she might be in danger, and it was like something snapped inside her. Betty didn’t know if it was guilt, or something else. Either way, her mother didn’t leave Rivermont Ridge, and in fact had become her assistant, and she took several other jobs around town. She stopped sleeping with rich men for money. Martha and her mother were also repairing their relationship.

Betty was taking it slow with her mother, because she kept expecting her mother to ... change. This was not a side she was used to, and she knew Bettina was not used to being nice. Maybe losing everything and everyone around you not wanting to help had woken her up. Slow steps.

Unlike her and Grim, who were already two months pregnant with their first child. Aunt Martha refused to let them look for a house elsewhere, so they had already converted one of the bedrooms into a nursery, and her aunt was there, helping. So was her mother. She wasn’t showing too much yet.

Valentine’s Day was special. It was a day for love.

At the sound of her father clearing his throat, Betty glanced over to see her parents greet one another. Martha had insisted on calling her father. Of course, Frank Jackson and Grim didn’t exactly get along, but somehow Grim seemed to make it work. She had a sneaking suspicion guilt might play a part, because Grim didn’t like to keep the truth from people. He painted it like it was, and no one could get away from his judgment. He criticized her father for not being there when Andy had her kidnapped. There was a lot to deal with the past few days.

“You look stunning,” Frank said.

Betty was happy for Aunt Martha to take her down the aisle, but for some reason, Bettina and her aunt insisted it had to be Frank.

“Thank you.”

“Are you ready?” Frank asked. “If you don’t want to marry this man, I could whisk you away right now. Have you on my private island before nightfall and you never have to see him again.”

“I love him, Dad. I will always love him.” Betty smiled at her dad, and then took his hand.

Eden, Maeve, Charlotte, Nancy, and Martha were her bridesmaids, with Martha being her maid of honor. Her mother was not offended by not making the cut. She was just happy to be in her world.

Again, Betty wasn’t going to hold her breath. This was certainly a side she had never seen when it came to her mother, but she wasn’t going to trust it, at least not yet.

They made their way down toward the back of the clubhouse, which had been decorated for her and Grim’s wedding. She didn’t want to go to church. She was happy to have the ceremony here, at the clubhouse, on Valentine’s Day.

Eden had told her that was when her love had started with Razor. Actually, she heard there was drama with Mac prior to that. Also, Maeve had gone on a date with Doc around Valentine’s Day. This day was special for so many people.

Betty wanted it, because for her, nothing special had happened on Valentine’s Day. Now, it was going to be her anniversary, and it meant Grim was never going to forget it. She was making sure they were both winners.

At the end of the aisle, Betty saw Grim waiting for her.

She remembered the first day she had met him. It was like he was an angel, a rough, dangerous angel, but someone sent to save her.

As she got closer, she knew this love was special. It was neither quick, nor fleeting, and she remembered every single laugh, the happiness she felt. The way he came to her bedroom to help her sleep. Since then, they hadn’t really been apart.

And then, her father put her hand in Grim’s and she knew everything was going to be all right, because she was with Grim.

Epilogue

Ten Years Later

“Are you regretting this yet?” Grim asked.

“Where are my shoes?”

“Shut your mouth.”