Total pages in book: 238
Estimated words: 231781 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1159(@200wpm)___ 927(@250wpm)___ 773(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 231781 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1159(@200wpm)___ 927(@250wpm)___ 773(@300wpm)
“Damon and Winter? I pronounce you husband and wife.”
I bit my lip, inching into Will and ready.
“Kai and Nikova?” she continued. “I pronounce you husband and wife.”
Kai growled before kissing Banks hard.
“And William and Emory, I now pronounce you…husband and wife.”
I dived in and kissed him deep, whimpering as he wrapped his arms around me, the ring on my finger solidifying what we should’ve known could never be stopped.
Not in the chem lab, the movie theater, or my first night at Blackchurch as he stood in the shadows of the kitchen.
“Live for your love,” the judge said, “love your life, and raise hell.”
I laughed against his lips, my stomach swarming with butterflies and my heart pitter-pattering a mile a minute.
Cheers and clapping went off around the village, crowds still loitering at Sticks and in the tavern as it was only about midnight still.
“Start your adventure,” the judge told us.
“Thank you,” I said, turning to her.
We all hugged each other, hugged the judge, and I spotted Misha, Ryen, Micah, and Rory head over to us as we descended the stairs. Will’s grandfather left a group of men outside the White Crow as he pulled a cigar out of his mouth and headed over, as well.
I didn’t realize he was still here.
“Congratulations,” he said to Will, engulfing his grandson in a big hug.
“Thank you,” Will told him.
Senator Grayson moved to me, taking my hand and kissing me on the cheek. “Congratulations, honey.”
“Thank you, sir.”
He looked to Will. “I’ll let you get settled in and set up house and such. We’ll talk in a couple of weeks, okay?”
“You got it.”
They hugged again, Will telling him, “Thank you for everything.”
“Hey, man,” Micah called, gesturing Will over.
Will met my eyes, looking between me and his grandfather. “I’ll be right back.” He left a peck on my forehead.
I watched him head over to Micah, probably to check on how things went with the police.
I looked at the senator. “I kind of feel bad I sprung this on him,” I said. “His parents weren’t here.”
It just seemed too perfect when Rika suggested it. But if he’d wanted his own wedding with all the trimmings, I would’ve loved that, too.
He shrugged a little. “My son and his wife love that boy to kingdom come,” he teased. “I promise you they’ll just be happy he’s happy. And…you can always have another ceremony, of course. I can tell you right now, his mother won’t be denied a proper reception, so get ready.”
I laughed. That was fine. Sounded really nice, actually.
“Take care of him.” He touched my arm, leaning in. “He’s kind of my favorite.”
“Ugh,” Misha said, walking past us, clearly hearing.
I held back my snort, Mr. Grayson shot his other grandson a look. “That one’s like me,” he whispered. “Too much like me.”
“So of course, you don’t get along,” I joked.
“Nope.” He looked after Misha with a kind smile. “I do like his style, though. I had a pretty nice black leather jacket back in the day.”
I could picture it. The man had to be eighty, but he looked fifty-five. Tall like Will, with amazing hair.
“Thank you for looking out for him, Senator Grayson,” I said. “When I couldn’t, I mean.” I looked behind me, seeing Will shaking hands and smiling, surrounded by his friends and his town and all the possibilities to come. “At least he had his friends all those years, though. I used to pick on them in high school, but they really did start something incredible, didn’t they? The first Horsemen will be a tough act to follow for future generations.”
Lord help our kids, filling in those shoes, right?
But when he didn’t say anything, I looked back to him, seeing a coy smile on his lips as he stared at me.
“They weren’t the first,” he said. “And please, call me A.P.”
A.P.?
What?
Before I could react, he kissed my cheek again and turned around, walking back to the tavern. I stood there, frozen as I pieced together where I’d heard that name before.
A.P., A.P….
Someone took my hand, and I walked over to Will, all of us setting up for a picture as my feet moved of their own volition.
And then it hit me. Reverie Cross. Edward McClanahan’s best friend and Reverie Cross’s boyfriend. The rumor that Reverie might not have jumped. The rumor that Edward or his friend or both of them…
Oh, my God.
I shot my eyes over to A.P., seeing him chat with Banks, both of them deep in discussion, and I turned to Will, wide-eyed. “A.P.?” I blurted out, gesturing to his grandfather.
William Aaron Paine Grayson, Sr.
The corner of Will’s lips turned up. “Well, you’ll never be bored with me, at least, right?”
I gaped at him, but then…a laugh escaped, not sure how to react to anything anymore, especially after the events of tonight.
Jesus Christ. After helping Damon bury a body, getting kidnapped, making the great train escape, and everything that went down tonight, I supposed a sixty-year-old murder mystery could sit for another evening or two more.