The Edge of Us (Crash and Burn Book 2)

by Jamie McGuire

  “And we do,” Hailey said. “So much.”

  They all crowded around me and squeezed, then Hailey squealed again when Zeke brought in Maddie. I kneeled down to wait for her chubby legs to propel her forward slowly, waddling, leaning and pausing like a drunken sailor.

  “Baby girl!” I said.

  My bridesmaids cooed when Maddie reached me. She was in a white dress too, with a soft fern green satin sash, her blonde curls tamed by the flower halo.

  Naomi kissed Zeke goodbye after he handed her the flower basket. “You might want to hang on to this until it’s time,” he said. “She’s going to be good at dodge ball, I can already tell.”

  “I’ll take it,” Carly said to Naomi with a smile.

  “Oh, thank God,” Naomi said, pushing it toward Carly.

  Zeke kissed Naomi one more time before stepping outside to join the groomsmen.

  “Mama,” Maddie said in her sweet voice.

  “You’re beautiful, baby. Okay,” I said, dabbing my under eyes with the back of my hand. I took my cascading bouquet of wildflowers from Carly. “I can do this. We can do this. Let’s do this!”

  My friends stepped outside the log cabin as a group, lining up in order in front of me as we waited for the processional.

  Billie Eilish’s "Come Out to Play” began to filter through the trees.

  “That’s my cue,” Ellie said, walking first.

  After Ellie, Falyn turned the corner to walk down the aisle, then Naomi, Stavros, Hailey, Caroline; then it was Carly’s turn. She handed Maddie’s basket to her.

  “Follow me, darlin’.” She winked at me. “See you at the top, sugar.”

  “Mama?” Maddie said.

  “Follow Miss Carly and throw your flowers! Show Daddy how good you are.”

  She grinned then waddled after Carly.

  I knew Maddie was making her way down the aisle even though I couldn’t see her because of the oohs and ahs from the guests. Then, I knew she’d made it down the aisle because the bridesmaids’ song faded and Landon Pigg’s “Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop” began.

  The audience turned to watch me step out from behind the trees and vines. An audible gasp filled the forest around us, but I barely noticed, seeing Trex at the end. Once his gaze fell on me, he covered his mouth and took a step back. Harbinger patted his shoulder.

  Trex’s side was filled with his family and old war buddies, and my side with locals and hotel employees and their families. They were there out of love, to witness one of the best days of our lives, but I could only see him. He beamed in his light gray suit, his blue eyes glossed over.

  Hailey held Maddie, Harbinger’s sons stood next to their dad as ring bearers, and I leaned down to kiss them all on the cheek before handing Carly my bouquet.

  Reverend Lewis began to speak, but his introduction was drowned out by Trex’s whispering.

  “You are the most beautiful sight I’ve ever seen,” Trex said, squeezing both my hands in his.

  I smiled up at him. Our compromise was to be wed outside of a church, but by a local pastor. Trex would’ve married me anywhere, but I wanted our wedding day to be as much his as it was mine.

  The reverend spoke about love, about commitment, and about marriage in general. He quoted I Corinthians chapter thirteen, verses four through five. Trex didn’t seem to mind. He just gazed at me like it was the first time.

  “I’m not good at writing anything,” Trex began. “But I’m good at talking about you, Darby. I’m good at keeping promises, so when you asked me to write my own vows, I knew that it was something I could do.”

  “You can do anything,” I whispered.

  He took a deep breath. “This is the best day of my life. You are the best thing to have ever happened to me. I love you. I love you more now than the day I recognized that’s what the crazy, antsy, giddy, slightly obsessive feeling I had for you was. That said, I’ll love you more tomorrow and fifty years from now. That’s my first promise to you, Darby. Not only will I love you for the rest of my life, but I’ll show you every day, and I’ll fight for us every day. I promise to love no one else the way I love you. I promise to be faithful and truthful, to honor you, to cherish you in good times and bad; to be a strong, caring, thoughtful husband; to protect you, to be your partner in all things, and even though I can’t promise you’ll never be sad, I can promise to wipe your tears and give you the support you need until you’re not anymore.

  “I promise to be a good father and grandfather. I will love Maddie always, and whoever else comes along. Hopefully. Someday,” he clarified.

  The guests chuckled, and it took everything I had not to blurt out my news right then.

  Trex continued. “I promise to be thankful for our family every night, and to celebrate every new day I get to spend with you. I promise to be your rock, our family’s foundation, to build our life together side by side with you, and to carry our love up hills and over oceans … to the stars if I have to.”

  “Darby?” the reverend prompted.

  “I thank God every day for you. For whatever reason, you were brought into my life. You loved me before we ever met, and that only strengthens my belief of a good and loving God. I promise to love you always, until we’re wrinkly and old with huge ears and even bigger noses.”

  Trex laughed out loud.

  I continued. “I promise to celebrate every anniversary with joy in my heart, to cherish you, to honor you, to be your best friend and other half…”

  “Better half,” he said with a wink.

  “It is clear to me now that everything in my life has led me to you. I think back on all my choices and consider even the bad ones blessed, because if I had done even one thing differently, I might never have met you or be standing here witnessing my dreams come true in real time. You are my family, and I want to be there for you in all things. I am so excited to be your wife and share in every moment—not only the good times, but the learning experiences too. I vow to take from every moment the opportunity to love, to nurture, and to grow, and to never forget how lucky I am.”

  Trex’s lips formed a hard line, the corners slightly turning up. Love you, he mouthed.

  “The rings?” Reverend Lewis asked.

  Harbinger bent down, carefully untying my ring from one pillow, then Trex’s band from the other. He opened his palm, allowing me to take Trex’s first.

  I held the gold band at the tip of his left ring finger.

  “Repeat after me, Darby,” Reverend Lewis said.

  I repeated him in sections. I was nervous and had to ask the reverend to say the words again.

  “You’re doing great, babe,” Trex said.

  I relaxed, eventually making it through. "I give you this ring as a sign of my vow, and with all that I am, and all that I have.

  “I honor you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

  "With this ring, I thee wed, and all my worldly goods I thee endow. In sickness and in health, in poverty or in wealth, till death do us part."

  I pushed the ring over Trex’s knuckle to secure it at the base of his finger, and he beamed.

  “Trex, repeat after me, please.”

  Trex took my ring from Harbinger and did the same, sliding the champagne gold band and diamonds over my knuckle to secure it next to my engagement ring. He closed his eyes as he kissed my knuckles.

  “Trex?” I said, watching his lashes pop up as he looked at me. “I need to tell you something.”

  He smiled, a little nervous. “What is it? Wait. Let me kiss you first.”

  He leaned in, but I pressed gently against his chest.

  Trex fidgeted and shifted his weight, all in the few seconds after I stopped him from completing the ceremony.

  He lowered his chin, speaking low. “Everything okay?”

  “You tell me,” I breathed out.

  The guests began to murmur.

  Trex looked back at his clueless g
roomsmen, then leaned over to peek at Naomi. His brows pulled together as he met my gaze again.

  “Darby…?” he began. He shook his head, clueless.

  Instead of an exciting build up to the news, Trex looked tortured.

  “I’m pregnant,” I blurted out.

  He blinked. “You’re what? Really? I mean … really?”

  “I know. I took the second test just before the wedding. It’s for sure. I’m pregnant.”

  Trex glanced at my bridesmaids and man. Carly held up the test. “We’ve got a new Trexler on the way!”

  Trex held his fists in the air and yelled in triumph.

  The guests clapped then began standing, giving us an ovation.

  “Pronounce us, Reverend, please!” Trex begged.

  “I … pronounce you husband and wife!” Reverend Lewis said, a little flustered, but loudly and quickly.

  Trex grabbed me and planted a kiss, his tongue sliding between my lips, his arms enveloping me.

  The guests cheered louder, and our wedding party joined in.

  Trex took Maddie from Carly, and we bounced together. Maddie belly-laughed, hugging her daddy tight. She had no clue why we were so happy, but she mushed Trex’s cheeks with her chubby hands and pecked a tear falling down his cheek.

  “Take her, take her, take her,” he said quickly, handing her over to me.

  I held her close, watching him bend over and grab his knees, trying to catch his breath as his groomsmen patted him on the back.

  “Are you all right?” I asked.

  “Yeah,” he said, taking deep breaths between laughs. “I just didn’t think this day could get any better, babe. Just taking it all in. I’ll be fine.

  Tyler Maddox raised his arms. “This man needs a drink! Let’s get our party on!”

  Everyone cheered, and our little family was led to the reception tent in a caravan, the energy so high and so overwhelming half of everyone there were in tears.

  After the last person in the receiving line, a woman approached us. She was a tiny thing, but her eyes were calculating, her long, shiny dark hair and slick tailored suit told a distinct story of her personality, but she seemed to be there for a purpose.

  “Trex?” I said, picking up Maddie.

  The woman was standing a few feet away—at our wedding—and I had never met her before. Part of me wondered if she’d known Shawn, and instinctively, I took a half-step behind Trex, shielding our daughter.

  Trex glanced at me, and it was obvious he didn’t know her either. “Hi,” he said, curiosity in his voice.

  “I’m Special Agent Liis Lindy. I had your desk in the San Diego federal building for about five seconds before I was promoted.”

  “Congratulations?” Naomi said, noticeably perturbed.

  Trex shook her hand. “Nice to meet you, Liis. Why are you here?”

  She glanced at Taylor and Tyler. “It had to be me. The special agent in charge sends his best wishes for you both.”

  “Who?” I asked.

  Trex leaned into my ear. “I’ll explain later.”

  “And of course, I offer my congratulations to you, Darby,” Liis said to me with a controlled smile.

  “Thank you,” I said.

  Carly put her hand on her hip. “That’s lovely and all, but you didn’t answer the question. Why are you here?”

  “I do apologize for crashing your wedding,” Liis said. “However, we just wrapped up a case, and I had a delivery.”

  “A delivery?” Trex asked, frowning. “Here?”

  Liis glanced around. “If we could speak in private, with just your wife and your team, it would help.”

  “Zeke’s staying,” Naomi said without hesitation, watching Liis closely.

  Trex rubbed the back of his neck, but without being asked a second time, Carly, Taylor, Tyler, Hailey, Ellie, and Falyn all excused themselves.

  Naomi shifted her weight, preparing for whatever Liis might say. “All right, fed. Talk.”

  “Kitsch?” Liis said.

  We all turned to him.

  Trex looked at his friend, confused. He pointed to Liis. “You know her? How? And why don’t I know this?”

  Kitsch held up his hands. “I get it. This looks bad…” He looked at me and all of his colleagues. “But we don’t lie to each other and—”

  “Omitting is lying,” Sloan said.

  Kitsch nodded. “You’re right. You’re absolutely right. But…”

  Trex narrowed his eyes.

  Kitsch swallowed.

  “You can do this, Kitsch,” Liis said.

  He continued. “The only thing more important to me than all of you is my family.”

  “Kitsch,” Martinez said, rubbing his face in frustration.

  A woman appeared behind Kitsch with two young children, and, like an invisible force, Trex, Naomi, Harbinger and his wife Caroline, Martinez and Sloan all took a step back looking almost as if they’d seen something impossible.

  “Congratulations, Trex,” the woman said, hooking her arms around Kitsch’s arm. “I’m glad we could make it.”

  Caroline covered her mouth with shaking hands and began to cry. “Kitsch, what on earth?”

  “Trex?” I said. All color had left his face. “Trex, what’s happening?”

  Kitsch kissed the woman’s forehead. She was a few inches shorter than him, shoulder-length copper hair, her big green eyes dancing between us nervously.

  “You remember Karen,” Kitsch said.

  “It’s good to see you again. All of you,” Karen said.

  Caroline began to sob, and Harbinger held her.

  “What is happening?” I insisted, unable to wait.

  “I…” Trex began, but he shook his head, unable to answer.

  “Talk, Kitsch,” Naomi said, her voice breaking.

  Zeke seemed as clueless as I was.

  Kitsch looked at Liis, pleading in his eyes.

  Liis took over. “The tour you were on when Kitsch received the news about Karen, Emily, and Dylan’s death was your first tour back after some time stateside, correct?”

  “Correct,” Trex said.

  “I, uh… “ Kitsch said, nervous. “I did some contract work for the son of a Japanese business owner just before. It went south. Turned out the family was in all kinds of business, including human trafficking, drugs, dark web, you name it. The son died in the hospital, and they came after me, Trex. They came after Karen and the kids.”

  Trex took a step forward. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

  “They stepped in immediately,” Kitsch said, referring to Liis. “I couldn’t.”

  “I was a fucking agent!” Trex said, his voice raised.

  “It was East Coast Division,” Liis explained. “The case wasn’t transferred to us until they hit a wall, and I came on board.” She spoke the words almost as an afterthought. She was curiously detached.

  “I didn’t lie,” Kitsch said. “But, in order to protect my family, I had to … allow you all to be told with me that they had died.”

  Martinez blinked. “He did talk about them as if they were alive.” He patted Kitsch’s arm. “Good to know you’re not crazy after all.”

  “What about the holidays? You being depressed? Us worrying you were going to off yourself?” Trex asked.

  Kitsch made a face. “I was depressed. I was away from my family on Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays. I missed games and recitals and milestones. But their safety was more important.”

  Caroline grabbed Karen and hugged her.

  “The case has been wrapped up. The Kitschs are free to go about their lives,” Liis said, checking the button on her blazer.

  Karen smiled at Caroline. “We’re moving to the Springs.”

  “You are?” Caroline squealed, hugging her again.

  “Karen…” Naomi said, bringing her in for a hug. “This is Zeke.”

  Zeke hugged her. “Wow, this is bizarre,” he said. “Bu
t glad you’re back.”

  Trex hugged Karen, kissing the top of her head.

  “I’m sorry,” she said. “He wanted to tell you. It was killing him.”

  Trex shook his head. “Just glad you’re home.” He kneeled in front of Dylan. “Last time I saw you, you were a baby!”

  “Was not,” Dylan said with a smile.

  “Hi, Emily,” Trex said to Dylan’s little sister. “Remember me?”

  Emily’s long, wavy brown hair swayed while she shook her head.

  “Well, Trex said. “I remember you, and I’m so happy you’re home, because Maddie will need a friend.”

  Emily nodded quickly.

  Liis checked her watch then waved goodbye, and just after we all greeted Karen, Dylan, and Emily, the DJ announced the wedding dance.

  “We should…” Trex said to Karen.

  “Of course. Go, go!” she said with a chuckle.

  Trex led me to the center of the dance floor, the twinkling lights hanging from the tent’s ivory ceiling above us, and flashes going off all around us, just beyond the border of the wooden boards we stood on.

  Trex sighed. “Wow. Definitely a day for the books, and we’ve had some doozies.”

  I nodded, leaning my head against his chest. “You think we’ll start having normal days now?”

  “Definitely. If you count working at a high-security facility with a new junior senator running things, and buying and running a hotel while raising a toddler and a newborn normal.”’

  I looked up at him with a tired but content smile. “Sounds like heaven to me.”

  He leaned down, slid his fingers into my hair at the back of my head, and pressed his lips against mine, warm, soft, and full of emotion. No one had loved me like he did, and as every day passed, I knew he would only love me more.

  “You happy?” he crooned.

  “So happy. Sometimes it doesn’t feel real.”

  “It’s real. We’ll be a family of four this time next year.”

  I kissed him again. “Can’t wait.”

  I glanced over at Kitsch and Karen, Emily, and Dylan chasing Henry and Miles Harbinger in circles around Hailey, who was holding Maddie.

  Martinez was standing behind his girlfriend, his arms around her, swaying to the music. Even Trex’s parents seemed content. From that day forward, I wouldn’t just believe in miracles. I would live it.