Total pages in book: 32
Estimated words: 32532 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 163(@200wpm)___ 130(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32532 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 163(@200wpm)___ 130(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
“You don’t have to say anything,” he said unevenly. “Just keep disturbing me—”
“Oh, Z-Zacharie.”
But just as he lowered his head to kiss her, it was then he heard her ask—
“Is that another indirect proposal?”
Epilogue
ZACHARIE ANSWERS MY question five months later as Pastor Chandler (I mean, of course it has to be him!) declares us husband and wife.
The ceremony is held in the garden of Zacharie’s estate, late afternoon light spilling gold across the manicured hedges and the eucalyptus groves beyond. Our small circle of friends fills maybe two rows of white chairs. And by small, I mean really small — you can’t exactly be Mr. Popular when your husband and his best friend take turns being the Prince of Killers. But that’s a story for another time.
In the meantime, Zacharie is doing a terrific job at making my whole world spin as he kisses me so, so deeply that he has me bending backward in his arms. Somewhere behind us, I hear Dane whistle and Eden laugh, but I can’t bring myself to care.
Later, when it’s time for me to toss my bouquet, Zacharie is extra pleased to see Dane catching it. He already knows there’s nothing going between us, like ever, but he’s also told me he prefers that Dane be married, and if he has to find a wife for him, he would.
Tomorrow, we’ll be flying with Calixte and the Romanos to Paris. I’m so excited to meet all nine of their dogs, and I’m secretly hoping that Zacharie and I may one day be able to rescue some of our own. I mean...if there’s one thing my husband is good at, that’s rescuing for sure.
Life has been so, so good that it scares me sometimes. Thankfully, the fear never lasts. Nearly losing each other in different ways have helped put things in perspective for Zacharie and me. We can never be completely in control of life, but what we can control is what we choose to believe.
And Zacharie and I...
We walk by faith—
The sound of the bedroom door opening has me closing my journal. I can continue with my reflection tomorrow. But for now...
Gulp.
I’ve finally turned around, and it’s my first time to see my husband bare-chested, and—
Zacharie chuckles. “Innocent as ever.” And it’s only when he reaches for my hands that I realize that I actually covered my eyes when he entered...and peeked at him between the slits of space between my fingers.
Argh.
How in the world will I ever convince my husband that he doesn’t need to be overprotective towards me if I keep forgetting to act like a woman? I’m sure he’ll say my innocence is cute and all, but it can also get old after some time, and I just don’t want him to get bored—
Oh!
All thoughts are forgotten as my husband suddenly cups my face to cover my mouth with a kiss so deep it reaches all the way to my soul. And when he finally lifts his head—
“From now on, I’ll be kissing you like that every time I catch you thinking foolish thoughts.”
“How do you know I was thinking something foolish?” And does he realize that what he just said was more like an incentive than a punishment?
“Because I know you, ma belle. When your brows meet together here—” He touches the space above my nose. “That’s a red flag where I’m standing. I am not wrong, am I?”
“Um—”
“Tell me what you were thinking of earlier.”
“I’d rather not?”
My husband only crosses his arms as he continues to look at me, and...argh. It’s as effective as ever, and the truth comes tumbling out.
“I was worried you’d get bored with me because I feel I’m not mature—oomph.”
As promised, Zacharie stops the words with another kiss, and the next thing I know, we’re in bed, our clothes fall away, and...oh...my...goodness.
The End