by Marie Landry
Gwen does an exaggerated full-body wince. “Part of me feels guilty for tricking you and the other part of me wants to take a bow for my spectacular and convincing performance.”
Unable to keep from laughing, I pull her in for a hug. “By all means, take a bow. I’ll be sending you my therapy bill over all the extra anxiety you caused, but I’ll be sure to send a thank-you gift basket with it.”
She chuckles in my ear, tightening her grip on me and rocking us from side to side. “Looks like I’m going to get my wish of us being sisters after all,” she says quietly.
“Don’t get too far ahead of yourself,” I tell her. “Let’s start with getting through all the Perry holiday celebrations next month.”
“I just sent out the proverbial Bat-Signal and everyone else is on their way,” Evan says, waving his phone. He steps forward to kiss my cheek when his wife releases me. “Welcome to the family,” he whispers.
“You’re as bad as Gwen,” I hiss, laughing when he gives me a cheeky grin. “But thank you. For everything.”
The opening chords of “Never Tear Us Apart” by INXS start playing. I could have sworn the DJ’s table was empty a minute ago, but she’s there now, and Jasper is walking away from her and toward me.
“I love this song,” I say, already swaying on the spot to the music.
“I know. You used to hum it sometimes, and now I think of you whenever I hear it.” He stops in front of me and holds out a hand. “In the spirit of do-overs, I wanted to dance with you before the others arrive. The last time we danced together was the beginning of the end in a way.” The skin around his eyes tightens as if the words pain him. “Now it can be a beginning.”
I take his hand, letting out a surprised squeal when he spins me before pulling me against him. If you were to ask Jasper to describe himself, I’m sure he’d use words like ‘dull’ and ‘predictable’. They wouldn’t be true, though; Marisol was right all those weeks ago about him being deeply layered. He’s surprised me in more ways than I can count, including our reunion tonight, and I can’t wait to see what other ways he’ll amaze and astound me in the future.
Neither of us says a word as we move to the music. Gwen and Evan are dancing a few feet away, speaking to each other softly. The song fades and transitions into “Stop” by the Spice Girls. The next thing I know, I’m being wrenched away from Jasper to dance with Gwen.
A cold gust of air rushes over my feet as the front door of the event hall opens and people start pouring in. I spy Marisol as she thrusts her coat at a beautiful dark-haired woman and comes running across the room. I expect her to fling herself into my arms, but she squeezes between Gwen and me just in time to do the dance moves from the music video for “Stop”. Gwen and I join her, laughing uncontrollably as we try to coax Evan and Jasper to join us. They shake their heads, stepping further away so they can watch in amusement from a safe distance.
Hours pass by in a blur. Years from now when I think of this night, I’ll think of side-splitting laughter, resurrected ’90s dance routines, slow dances with Jasper, bottomless glasses of wine (no more vodka shots for me), and plenty of toasts to love and friendship. Oh, and the thousand or so photos we’ll have between the shots the professional photographer took and the silly selfies on our phones.
Five weeks ago tonight, the evening ended in tears and a hangover, followed by days of wallowing. I haven’t forgotten that—I’m sure it’ll be in the back of my mind for a while as Jasper and I ease into a proper relationship—but I’m going in with my eyes and my heart wide open. Am I leaving myself open to the potential for heartache? Sure, but that’s life. And from the way Jasper has barely left my side or taken his eyes off me all night, I’m feeling more hopeful than I have in a long time. Maybe ever.
At the end of a perfect night, we hug and kiss our friends goodbye, and Jasper whisks me away to his car.
“I have one more surprise for you,” he says.
As if knowing I need a few moments to collect my thoughts and savor the high from this evening, Jasper turns the radio on low and we drive in silence. I love that he knows these things about me. I sit up straighter in my seat when he turns onto my mom’s street a few minutes later.
“Mom said she and Emilio were out of town for the weekend,” I say. “Was that a story too? Was she secretly in on this and now we’re going to surprise her?”
I slump back in my seat as we approach my childhood home and I see it’s dark except for the timed light Mom leaves on whenever she’s away. My head jerks toward Jasper, who simply shakes his head and continues driving. He comes to a stop a moment later in front of his old childhood home.
“I noticed it sold a few weeks ago,” I say. “I wondered if you knew.”
He turns off the car and pulls the keys free from the ignition. After a moment of sorting through them, he holds one up. “Yes, it did sell. To me.”
“What?”
“I bought the house,” Jasper says. “I decided I wanted to be in Bellevue again, whether you and I were together or not. When Hugh offered me the job at the Village, I put an offer in on the house. I picked up the keys earlier today, and I officially move in on December first.”
I’m too stunned to speak. Jasper gets out of the car and comes around to my side. By the time he opens the door, he’s already got his flashlight app on. That simple gesture makes my heart swell with love. I take his hand and let him lead me up the driveway to the house. He unlocks the front door and reaches in to flick on the light before ushering me inside.
“Welcome to my new old home,” he says.
I let out a breathless laugh. “I can’t believe you bought this place. How did you afford it? I know that’s super nosy, but Gwen said Evan was horrified by the price of real estate in Bellevue. And what about Hadley? She’s not moving here with you, is she?”
Jasper chuckles softly as he leads me further into the house. We enter the spacious living room, which is empty except for an oddly familiar looking couch.
“Is that my mom’s old couch?”
We come to a stop in the middle of the room, and Jasper turns to face me. “Which of your questions would you like me to answer first?”
I slap his chest lightly. “The most recent.”
“That is, indeed, your mom’s old couch. I went to talk to her when I came to Bellevue two weeks ago to sign some paperwork for the house and for Hugh. She was kind and gracious, although I could tell she was understandably not too pleased with me. When I told her I hoped to win you back in time, she essentially gave her blessing and said she hoped we could work things out.”
I cover my mouth with my hand, but the half-laugh, half-sob I was trying to contain spills out anyway. “So everyone I love was in on your plans.”
“Yes, everyone. The love and acceptance I was met with made me feel wonderful and yet also incredibly stupid knowing I almost threw away the best thing that ever happened to me.”
I point to myself wordlessly and he nods, leaning in to kiss my cheek.
“Yes, you. As for your other questions, Hadley has been slowly and secretly selling and donating most of her belongings, whittling it down to what she can travel with, plus a few sentimental things her family will be happy to hold on to for her. When she’s in Toronto, she’ll divide her time between Malcolm, Lina, and any of her friends who have spare rooms. As for how I was able to afford the house, the bank I was managing was sold and I was unhappy with the new administration. That’s why I decided to take some time off in October; I needed to figure out my next steps. Earlier this month, they told me they wanted to go in a new direction with their staff, and they offered me a generous severance package. I couldn’t take it fast enough.”
“And now you’ll be working for Hugh.” With my more pressing questions answered, my attention drifts to other things. “We’ll be able to carpool sometimes since we’ll both be working at the Village.”
Jasper must notice the shift in my eyes because his throat bobs and he makes a sound of agree
ment rather than speaking.
I close the distance between us and twine my arms around his neck. “Jasper?”
“Hmm?”
“Tell me you love me. I want to hear you say it again.”
His lips curve in an achingly sweet smile. “I love you, Willow. So much.”
“I love you too.” I press my lips to his in a brief kiss. “Jasper?”
“Yes, my love?”
My heart soars at those words and the obvious affection behind them. “Do you know we haven’t kissed each other all night except for quick pecks and cheek kisses?” At his nod, I say, “Kiss me, Jasper. And make it a good one—we have five weeks of lost time to make up for.”
Eyes darkening, he swoops in and nips at my bottom lip, drawing a squeal from me. Yep, always surprising me, this one. “We’ll have a lifetime to make up for it if I have anything to say about it.”
I don’t get a chance to tell him how much I love the sound of that before his mouth covers mine and we fall back onto the couch together.
EPILOGUE
One month later
Jasper hands me a cup of coffee and sits next to me on the couch. I snuggle against him, smiling to myself as I admire the magazine-worthy Christmas tree in the corner. The floor around our feet is littered with wrapping paper. Or, more accurately, the floor around my feet is littered with wrapping paper; Jasper neatly opened each of his gifts before folding the paper and setting it aside.
“I have one more surprise for you,” Jasper says. His lips curve when I sit up and grin at him eagerly. “It’s something for both of us, actually. I suppose you could consider it…something for the house.”
“Okay,” I say slowly. “I’m intrigued.”
As planned, Jasper moved into his childhood home on December first. We’ve spent the last few weeks unpacking, decorating, and making the place feel like a home. When we got back here last night after Christmas Eve at my mom’s, Jasper asked if I’d like to officially move in with him. Despite initially agreeing to take things slow, we once again went from zero to one hundred after Gwen and Evan’s second wedding reception. We’ve been spending almost all our time together, either here at his place, at my apartment, or with our friends. We agreed I’d give my two months notice at my apartment next week and formally move in at the beginning of March, although we both know this is already as much my home as it is Jasper’s.
Jasper takes my coffee cup and sets it on the table before picking up his phone. After a moment of swiping around, he turns the phone to face me. On the screen is a picture of a basset hound wearing a bright red bow and aiming a doggy-grin at the camera. For a second, I think it’s our road trip pal Maynooth until I realize this guy is younger and not quite as rotund.
“He’s coming to live with us in the new year when we return from Honeywell,” Jasper says, referencing the post-Christmas trip we’re taking with Gwen and Evan to celebrate New Year’s Eve. “I’ve been in touch with the local animal rescue program since I decided to move back to Bellevue. Roscoe’s owner had to go into a nursing home, so he’s been living with a foster family until they could find someone to adopt him. When they told me about him, it seemed like fate.”
“Roscoe?” I ask, taking the phone from Jasper’s hand to get a closer look at the dog. “He’s going to be ours?”
Jasper nods, his eyes softening at the awe-filled note in my voice. “Yes. The whole thing was kismet, really. The rescue was certain they’d have trouble finding someone to take him since most people want puppies, or at least younger dogs. He’s perfect for us, though. Neither of us has much experience with pets, and we don’t have to worry about house training him or him chewing up our belongings. I think the three of us will be a perfect match. Everyone deserves a second chance to be loved and to find a home. We’ll be giving that to Roscoe.”
I shake my head in wonder, handing the phone back to Jasper and swinging myself around to straddle him. “You’re incredible, Jasper Perry.” I cup his face and kiss him deeply. His hands slide down my back until he’s lightly gripping my bottom.
“As much as I enjoy the direction this is going,” he says breathlessly as I shift to kiss his neck, “don’t forget we’re meeting Gwen and Evan at your mother’s in an hour.”
“An hour is more than enough time for what I have in mind,” I tell him. “And besides, if we’re a few minutes late, we did just see Mom and Emilio last night, and we’ll be spending tomorrow with Gwen and Evan on the drive to Toronto to see your other siblings.”
“You have a point.” Jasper’s tone is thoughtful, but his wandering hands tell me I’ve convinced him. “This is our first Christmas together, after all.”
“First of many,” I say, pulling back to meet his eyes.
His wide smile nearly takes my breath away. I hope it always does. “Yes, my love. First of many.”
As I return my smiling lips to Jasper’s, I can’t help the feeling that by this time next year, I’ll be an official part of the Perry clan.
~*~
Dear reader,
Thank you for taking the time to read A Very Perry Wedding. I hope you enjoyed Willow and Jasper’s story. If you did, I’d love to hear from you! You can find all my contact information on my blog, and I’m available on Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and Instagram.
I’m hoping this won’t be the last you see of the Perry family. I’d love to write Hadley’s book, but I’m still waiting for a solid idea to form. In the meantime, if you were curious about Jasper’s friend Liam and the (fictional) town of Honeywell Hollow, Ontario, you can learn more about them in Escaping Christmas, a sexy and sweet holiday romance coming this November! Make sure you’re following me on Instagram for up-to-date news about this and other writing projects!
I’d be incredibly grateful if you would take a few minutes to write a review of A Very Perry Wedding on your blog, Goodreads, Instagram, and/or the ebook retailers of your choice. It doesn’t have to be long, but reviews are so important because they help people decide whether to read a book or not. You have the power to influence other readers!
Thank you for your support. Every time I hear from a reader who was touched by my work, it confirms that I made the right decision to follow my dreams and become an author.
With love and gratitude,
Marie
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Endless thanks to my mum, who is my best friend, my biggest supporter, and the first pair of eyes to read anything I write.
Heaps of gratitude, love, and virtual hugs to Jaimie Admans. I could fill this entire section with all you do on a daily basis to keep me sane, keep me laughing, and inspire me. You make the world a brighter place and you certainly make my life better by being in it. Caru chi. *woofs uncontrollably at you*
Thank you to my beta readers, who I’m also blessed to call friends: Brenda St John Brown, Kaley Stewart, and JaimeKristal Lott. I’m so grateful for your feedback and even more grateful for your friendship. And Brenda, thank you, as always, for your help with the blurb!
So much love to my lifelong friend Krista Van Staalduinen. Our (mis)adventures, inside jokes, and conversations often end up in my books; I’ve been waiting nearly six years to use the story of Maynooth and his friend! Like Willow tells Jasper: you’re a lovely human being and I’m grateful you’re my friend. You’ve taught me so much about the importance of animal fostering and adoption, so Jasper’s decision to adopt is another of many nods to you, the impact you have, and the good you do in this world.
Thank you to Kim Jones and Kayla Lair. I hit the jackpot the day you two came into my life as accountability partners in Manifestation Babe Academy. Thank you for cheering me on and being so supportive; you’re both a huge factor in this book getting finished. I’m so glad the Universe—and Kathrin Zenkina—brought us together. And to Kathrin, thank you for inspiring me and helping me change my life.
Finally, so much gratitude goes to all the bookstagrammers, bloggers, and other book-loving people who put so much time, ef
fort, and love into talking about and promoting books. An extra special thank-you goes to the Canadian Book Enablers for your support and enthusiasm about A Very Perry Christmas and A Very Perry Wedding.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Marie Landry’s life revolves around books; when she’s not writing them, she’s reading them, taking pictures of them for bookstagram, or blogging about them. An avid reader from a young age, she loves getting lost in characters’ worlds, whether they’re of her own making or someone else’s. She particularly loves coming-of-age stories with as much of an emphasis on self-discovery as on romance…but don’t leave out the romance!
She lives in a cozy apartment in Ontario, Canada with the best roommate ever, and can be found working in a room surrounded by Funko Pops and—you guessed it—books. When not doing bookish things, you can often find her cooking, exploring areas both familiar and new, watching TV, or taking photos. Her fangirl heart perks up at the mention of Star Wars, Sherlock, and Doctor Who, and you'll often find nerdy references woven into her books.
Marie loves to chat, especially with fellow book lovers. Here’s where you can find her:
Blog: Ramblings of a Daydreamer
Instagram: sweetmarie_83 (bookish pics) or rambling_daydreamer (non-bookish pics)
Twitter: @SweetMarie83
Facebook: Marie Landry, Author
