Live Again
Page 21
Carter kissed my head and whispered against my hair. “It looks like Mike is waiting for you.”
I looked in the direction he’d been in, and sure enough he was watching me. I broke away from Carter and walked directly to him.
“Thanks for coming.”
Mike looked like he felt awkward for the first time since I’d met him. “Brandon texted me. I figured it was my turn to apologize.” I opened my mouth to argue, but he held up his hand. “No, I need to. I said some pretty awful things to you, things you didn’t deserve. I’m sorry for so much. I’m sorry I didn’t listen to you the other day. I’m sorry I didn’t believe me when you told me you didn’t cheat on me. I’m sorry I made you choose between me and Gage. I was a lousy boyfriend, but I guess I figured that out too late.” He nodded in the direction of Carter, and a blush rose to my cheeks.
“Thank you. For apologizing and for all that you’ve done for me. I don’t think a few rough days should cancel out the months of good times we had.”
He looked at me in disbelief. “You still want to be friends?”
I pretended to consider it for a moment. “Yeah, I do.”
Suddenly his arms were wrapped around me. “Thank you, Aubrey. I’ve missed you so much.”
I squeezed him for a second before breaking away. “Me too.” I watched his signature smile return to his face before I turned and went back to where I belonged.
Carter had a plate of my favorites waiting for me. “I got you some before Alexis and Mckayla ate everything.”
I looked across the island and laughed. Bear and Donny were encouraging the girls to eat more and more while Talia stood back laughing.
Watching everyone I cared about interacting with each other made my heart sore. This was how it should have been all along, but who knows if they would have turned out like this without the drama that occurred.
Everything happens for a reason. What matters is how you handle it. I chose to lean on them, and together, as this group, we were able to overcome the horrors Tucker created.
Epilogue
Three Years Later
“Everyone needs to line up!” Diane was running around pushing people in the direction of where they belonged. I stood next to Mckayla, peeking out the window to the gardens. It was a perfect day. The skies were blue and the ocean was crashing in the distance.
“We’re starting!” Diane gave us one more look before hurrying out to her seat.
Steve walked up to us with a strange look on his face. “Where’s Carter?”
“I thought he was with you.” I tried to squelch the panic rising in my stomach. I’d seen him earlier, so it wasn’t like he was running late.
Just as I was ready to start asking around he ran up to us breathless. “Sorry! I forgot the rings in my car!” He stepped into line with me and smiled at my face. “I remembered before it mattered, okay?”
“You’re the best man!”
He pushed a stray piece of hair away from my face. “Yeah, and I got it taken care of.” He winked as the music started playing. The couples in front of us began the procession. Mckayla looked back and smiled like it was her wedding day before turning and walking out.
Now it was our turn. The moment I stepped outside and saw Brandon standing there in his suit, I started crying. Luckily I was prepared with waterproof mascara; otherwise I would have singlehandedly ruined the wedding pictures.
The smile on his face was full of nerves and pure bliss. I could tell the moment he saw Liv walk out by the change in his face. He was suddenly in awe. He wiped away a tear and beamed like a fool.
This was the exact reaction every groom should have to seeing his bride on their wedding day.
I split from Carter and watched Liv make her way to my brother. Her eyes were glassy, but she was holding it together better than I was.
Since the moment Brandon was going to propose to Liv, I’d begun counting down the seconds until she would be my sister. It was finally time.
Liv passed off her bouquet to me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I turned with her to face Brandon. Through the entire ceremony I alternated between crying, laughing, and staring at Carter.
After everything we’d been through Brandon deserved every happiness, and it was coming true for him. My only hope was that I would follow in his footsteps.
Thank you for reading Live Again!
The next book in the series, Love Again, will be available late 2015.
Find me online at BrittneyMulliner.com
Happy Reading,
Brittney
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