by Lindsey Iler
“It was my idea,” I admit. “I wanted to surprise you.”
Graham comes to stand behind her, leaning over to kiss me on the cheek.
“Thank you,” he mouths.
He doesn’t need to say one more word. I understand what he means. As much as I’d like to believe it, I need all of them just as much as they need me.
Graham guides Kennedy back to their place. I stand beside Kennedy, and Dan beside Graham. The entire, short, but meaningful ceremony, Dan’s eyes don’t leave mine. We listen as our friends devote themselves to each other for a lifetime.
I laugh to myself when they pronounce them husband and wife. It seems surreal. All of it, all of us, here together, after so many years of disaster after disaster and somehow we’ve managed to mend each other along the way.
Back at the house, Amanda and Rico are setting up the table. When I walk in, Amanda’s mouth drops to the floor. She races to me and wraps her arms around my shoulders.
“We have a lot to discuss, don’t we?” I whisper in her ear, keeping my eyes on Rico behind her. She twirls and follows my eyes.
“I guess we do.” She shrugs. “But not today. Today is a celebration of two people who somehow defeated the odds and crazily got married.”
We turn as Graham and Kennedy walk into the kitchen.
“It’s been a long time coming,” I say, wrapping Kennedy in my arms. “Who knew the boy who ran over you would end up being the one to put you back together,” I whisper for only her to hear.
“Shut up. It’s still not funny.” Kennedy laughs, pushing me away.
“I’d like to propose a toast.” I grab a champagne flute from the counter. Everyone follows suit, taking their seats at the table. “To Graham and Kennedy, for teaching all of us what it means to truly love and be loved. You are our greatest example of what it means to commit. Kennedy,” I address only her, “thank you for being a sister to me. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have gotten back to this table.”
“I’d like to believe I helped,” Amanda blurts, making us all laugh.
“And to Graham, for being everything she needed when she needed it most. Even when you were a stubborn pain in the ass,” Dan adds to my toast, and I grin at him. Our hands reach for each other under the table.
“Sorry we’re late,” Mark shouts as he pulls Bea into the kitchen. “We just got back.” They drop their luggage in the entryway and take their seats at the table. Apparently, they’ve been tucked away, never to be seen by anyone else, except for small glimpses in time.
For a few seconds, everyone glances around the table. For Graham and Kennedy, everyone they love is surrounding them on their big day. For me, I’m standing witness to what life is all about. There’s too much love to measure at this one table. If only we could bottle this feeling.
“You okay?” Dan whispers in my ear.
“I’ve never been better.” I grin at him. “I’m so sorry it took so long for me to get here.”
“The only thing that matters is you got here, right?” He kisses the crown of my head as the rest of the table tells stories and gives advice to the newly married couple.
I don’t say much more for the remainder of the day. Instead, I listen to the laughter filling the room and the shared tears between friends stemming from a wicked, torturous path of discovery for each of us.
Later that night, when the house is quiet, Dan and I lay down beside each other. Tucked under the covers, my legs cross over his, and I place my head on his chest.
“I once believed ‘If it was my heart or yours, mine will always win’,” I quote myself from the day we broke up.
“And now?” His hand lazily skims up and down my arm in a small pattern.
“Why can’t both our hearts win?” I kiss him before turning out the lights, not only in the room, but also on a chapter in my life where I doubted the one thing that has always gotten me through.
Love.
Two Years Later
Two years ago, I’d have laughed if you told me I’d be in Greece right now. That’s life for you, though. It has a way of sneaking up on you with the unexpected. Now, I see the unexpected as more of an opportunity than a curse.
After all the unexpected is what led me here.
“Our room is ready,” Violet says. She has her luggage gripped in one hand, and the other reaches out for my own. “And it’s still early enough to go down by the water.” As she ushers me through the lobby to the elevator, my eyes stay transfixed on her. Her once-again curly hair flows in the September breeze.
Eager to get to the beach, she bounces from foot to foot as I hang up our clothes.
Delay. Delay. Delay.
“This all can wait.” She places her hand over mine. “The beach, however, cannot.”
As the door shuts behind us, I pat the pockets of my shorts.
“Crap. Can I meet you down there? I forgot something.”
“Suit yourself, Dan, but if you aren’t down there in five minutes, I’m going on a romantic walk with one of the pool boys.” She kisses me on the cheek and chuckles. “Hurry up.”
Always so demanding.
I race back into the room and pick up the phone. It rings and rings.
“Seriously?” I shout, slamming it on the receiver. “Answer the damn phone.”
I call down to the front desk, leaving a message for when they check in, which they should be already, but apparently traveling is new to them, and they’re trying to ruin everything for me.
By the time I make it to the beach, I scour the sand in search of the most beautiful redhead I’ve ever seen. She stands on the shore, pushing water back with her foot. No one is around to hear her, but she laughs, content with being by herself. This skill, something she learned a while ago, may have saved the two of us.
“You look awfully pretty, kicking around,” I say, sneaking up behind her.
When she turns, her jaw drops.
Element of surprise. Check.
“What are you doing?” She asks the question, but she already knows the answer.
“A long time ago, I met this girl. She was obnoxious in the kind of way that you want to keep for yourself because you’re too afraid if someone else sees it, they’ll try to rip it from your grasp.”
“Dan.” Her voice cracks. Tears form in her eyes, dripping down her cheeks when she bends forward to get closer to me.
“You were ripped away from me for too long, Vi, and I promise to never allow anything to keep us apart. You are my entire world, my reason for breathing, and I couldn’t imagine not asking you to be my wife in the place that brought you back to me.” My own tears blur my vision. Violet’s gentle touch heats my cheeks as she forces me to stand. Her eyes dance to the small velvet box in my hand. “Will you marry me, Violet Jones, and make me an even happier man?”
“Oh my god,” she shrieks. Her eyes shift behind me, and her smile widens to unrealistic proportions. “What are they doing here?”
I follow her gaze and see all of our friends, standing along the white stucco wall leading down to the beach.
“Thanks a lot, guys,” I shout. “You’re sort of interrupting something here. Do none of you have watches?” My attention is drawn back to Violet whose shaky hand is touching the cluster of diamonds on the rose gold band. “It wouldn’t have been the same without them here to celebrate with us. They’re our family. We chose them, but more importantly, you and I chose each other.”
“Yes,” Violet says, her voice a near whisper. “Yes! Of course, I’ll marry you. Oh my god, Dan.” She throws herself into my arms. Our lips connect, sending a new sense of love through our bodies.
I set her back down onto the sand, slipping the ring on her finger. We admire the vintage style band while our friends cheer in the background.
“You’re my fiancé.” Her small hands take my face and hold it gently. “We’re getting married.”
“We’re getting married.” I reiterate her excitement. Her smile is breathtaking, filling any
room I have left in my heart.
“Welcome to the club,” Graham says. His firm pat on my back rattles my attention away from my fiancée. The word feels oddly comforting.
Mark, Rico, Graham, and I stand in a huddle as the girls whisk Violet away. They congratulate her and gush over her new piece of jewelry.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this? You know, first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in the baby carriage?” Rico’s eyebrows wiggle up and down, jokingly. He shakes my hand, pulling me in for a hug. “Congratulations, man.”
“Now the question is, who’s going to be next?” My eyes dance between Mark and Rico. They both hold up their hands in defense, as if that could hold back the urge this group has when it comes to creating a forever with someone. They may not know it yet, but when it hits them square in the chest, I hope I can be there to see it bring them to their knees.
If this life has taught me anything, it’s that love can make you feel defeated. What we sometimes forget, though, is its ability to lift us up, ignite our souls, and inspire us to be the people we want to be.
Violet finally fends off the girls’ attention and comes to stand by my side. Our friends leave us on the beach, alone. We don’t speak. No words are necessary.
My chest bursts with a happiness I’ve only felt once before in a corn maze with a young, curly-haired girl who thought she could play hard to get. The only girl who’s ever captured my heart will soon be my wife.
It’s that undeniable feeling of a beginning.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, please contact the national sexual assault hotline 800.656.HOPE
Please know you aren’t alone.
Other Works by Lindsey:
When Our Worlds Collide (Our Worlds #1)
When Our Worlds Fall Apart (Our Worlds #2)
When Our Worlds Stand Still (Our Worlds #3)
To reach Lindsey:
Facebook
Goodreads
Email
Acknowledgement
I always start out by thanking my husband and there’s an important reason why. He’s always known my dream to have others read my words. As farfetched as the dream seemed most days, he never stopped encouraging me to continue. So, thank you, Bryan, for doing the dishes and taking the kids outside when I needed a quiet moment to get some work done. I wouldn’t have been able to do any of this without you.
To Katie, my editor, I’m not even sure if words can explain what you mean to me. You aren’t just my editor; you are my friend. Your endless encouragement and confidence in me as a writer is impossible to measure. Thank you for believing in me.
To Cassy, my cover designer, and Wendi, my formatter. Without you, I wouldn’t have a finished product. I can’t thank you enough for helping me bring my vision to life.
To all the readers, this book wouldn’t have happened without your encouragement. You are the ones who fell in love with Dan and Violet in the Our Worlds series, and although I had my doubts, I’m so happy I wrote their story. It’s one of confusion and doubt, but at the center, it screams of love. Thank you for being passionate about my characters enough to want to hear their voices.
About the Author
Lindsey Iler is the author of the Our Worlds series. She’s had her feet planted in the state of Michigan since she was born and she still lives there with her husband and three kids.
When she’s not writing (which should be all the time, so if she’s not you have permission to yell at her), she’s spending time with family and friends, listening to music, reading (obviously!), and hopefully just enjoying every moment in life. She has a twisted sense of humor, tends to speak honestly, and her mind tends to feel most comfortable in the gutter.
Lindsey writes mature young adult/new adult contemporary romance. She falls in love with every character that pops into her head and is notorious for writing long chapters in her notes on her iPhone (It is sort embarrassing how many started/unfinished projects are on that thing). She finds inspiration from music and the people around her.
