Money (The Keatyn Chronicles Book 10) (29 page)

“
Grandpa, these boots are like the story of us!
”
I say as tears fill my eyes.
“
They are amazing. I
’
ll cherish them forever. And I
’
m definitely wearing them.
”

“
There
’
s something I want you to know, Keatyn,
”
Grandpa says seriously.
“
Before he proposed, Aiden asked me for your hand.
”

“
He did?
”

“
He talked to Tommy as well, but I have to say it choked me up a little
—
and I don't choke up easily. Grandma says that I
’
m a ruthless bastard.
”

I open my mouth to disagree, but he holds up his hand.
 

“
And your grandmother and I made a big decision last night. When we pass, other than a few small bequests and trusts for future generations, you were set to inherit our estate. I don
’
t want to toot my own horn, but your grandpa is pretty loaded. When I bought my farm, the neighbors used to say I was all hat and no cattle, but I showed them. With the sale of Captive, I reckon you really don
’
t need my money, so we
’
ve changed our plans. We
’
re endowing our money to the Moon Wish Foundation in the hopes that you and Aiden can do more good things with it.
”

“
Oh, Grandpa
—”

“
I know. I know. But don
’
t you go getting all teary. You
’
ll make this old man cry, and I can
’
t let Ma see that. She
’
ll think I
’
ve lost it and send me to a home.
”

“
She will not,
”
Grandma says from behind us.
“
Sorry to interrupt, but Ariela says the wedding is about to start, and I have something for you too, sweetheart. When me and this old geezer over here were dating, he didn
’
t have a pot to piss in, but he had big ideas. And although my father told me never to marry a dreamer, I knew your grandfather wasn
’
t just going to dream, he was going to achieve, and I wanted to help him do so.
”

“
Never underestimate the power of a good woman,
”
Grandpa says,
“
I
’
m pretty sure I wouldn
’
t have amounted to a hill of beans if it weren
’
t for her. Hell, back then I would
’
ve promised anything just to get her to kiss me. Once she did, I realized I
’
d better deliver.
”

Grandma rolls her eyes at Grandpa, but she
’
s smiling at him.
 

“
On our first anniversary, we were living in a little shack in Texas near an oil rig, and we didn't have much. To celebrate, he bought a cheap bottle of champagne and this rock, which he told me someday he
’
d replace with a sapphire. On our ten-year anniversary, he did. I considered giving you that ring to wear today, but decided this old rock has more value, because it represents the promise of love and what you can achieve together.
”
She hands me a smooth blue rock
—
the kind you find at a tourist stop in different colors.
“
You should also know that donating to Moon Wish was my idea.
”

“
Thank you, Grandma,
”
I say, giving her a tight hug.
“
Where do you think I should put it?
’

Grandpa holds up the boot.
“
We had a spot made for it.
”
 

Sewn inside the top of the boot is a small suede pouch. Grandma tucks the stone inside, gives me a kiss and says,
“
I better get going. Your Grandma Stevens and I will be the first up for the processional.
”

I grab the locket with the photo of my dad and tuck it in with the stone.

Tommy steps into the room, looking handsome in his tuxedo.
 

“
Are you ready? Ariela says we have to get going now if we want this wedding to start on time.
”

“
Yes, I'm ready,
”
I say, quickly pulling on the boots.

Tommy takes my hands and admires my dress.
“
You look beautiful.”

“
Thanks, Tommy.
”

“
I
’
m honored to be walking down the aisle with you.
”

“
You
’
ve treated me like your daughter since you met my mom, I wouldn
’
t have it any other way.
”

“
Then let
’
s go get you hitched,
”
Grandpa says, leading us out the door.
 

Asher Vineyards
—
Wedding

AIDEN

Riley and I take our places at the altar. I
’
m nervous. Excited. Happy. And I can
’
t stop smiling.
 

I
’
m standing under an altar decked out in white tulle, softly colored flowers, and a large chandelier
—
one that Keatyn pulled out of storage, telling Ariela she had purchased it years ago just for this day.

There are ribbons blowing in the trees around us, each hand calligraphed with gold letters spelling out our words of love.

Our favorite quotes from music, poems, and books. Mostly, the books that told the story of our courtship. Things like:
Top of the Eiffel Tower; A million sunsets; We
’
re sorta like fate; Always. Only. Ever. For you; A piece of cake peace offering; A push-me-over-the-edge-of-the-love-cliff smile; Your lips are my bliss; Hammering. Nailing. Pounding. Screwing; Points for Dances; Panties. I win; ifly; Shh, baby;
and so many others from what she calls the
Swoonworthy List
. A list of all the things I
’
ve done
—
over a thousand of them
—
that have made her swoon. She says after the wedding is over, she
’
s given the crew strict instructions to carefully take them down and save them because she wants to use them to decorate the ceiling of the nursery, so our baby will live in a cocoon of love.

Her ability to see beauty in everyday life is part of what makes her scripts so good. Even though on the surface most seem like fun romantic comedies, there is always a soulful depth to them that make people fall in love with the story. That is also why the
Trinity
spinoffs with her and Knox have been so wildly successful. Behind all the bombs, danger, and action, she
’
s woven in a tender love story that resonates with everyone.
 

Especially me.
 

Our journey to the altar was fraught with danger, action, and heartbreak, but we survived and are stronger because of it.

We
’
ve savored every moment we
’
ve had together, and I
’
m looking forward to giving her more
take-her-breath-away
moments. She thinks those moments are things I do to spoil her, but what she doesn
’
t realize is that she takes my breath away on a daily basis. Sometimes when I look at her, I feel like the boy I was when I first saw her
—
shocked, breathless, mesmerized, intrigued, and completely smitten.

The guests are seated and the wedding processional starts, first with our respective families, our parents, and then her grandmothers who are our flower girls.
 

The grandmas have huge grins plastered across their faces as they practically dance their way down the aisle, tossing pale pink rose petals mixed with four-leaf clovers onto a metallic linen runner covering the grass.

The two hundred and sixty people here represent the story of our lives
—
our families, our friends from Eastbrooke, friends from college, teammates from when I played professional soccer, the movie industry, the wine business, and our philanthropic efforts. They are sitting on an assortment of pastel antique furnishings, happily sipping spiked lemonade and still in a bit of a shock from the announcement that the fundraiser was just a ruse to get them here for our wedding.

Vanessa walks down the aisle next, taking her place of honor opposite Riley as the wedding march starts.
 

Keatyn didn
’
t want to see me before the wedding
—
a bit of tradition she was adamant about.
 

I didn
’
t argue.
 

I mean, we
’
ve been lucky so far, and there
’
s no way I
’
m going to be responsible for screwing that up. I smile broadly as I watch her barreling up the hill in a green, floral-garland-draped Gator utility vehicle. A vehicle that has so much more meaning after learning we conceived after getting caught in the rain
—
and mud
—
in one.
 

When she gets out of the vehicle, my breath catches, the air seemingly sucked out of my lungs by her beauty. She
’
s glowing much like she did the first time I saw her. When I barely believed she could be real.
 

That
’
s how I still feel today. Like I can barely believe I got so lucky.

A long time ago, she told me about a dream where she was in a meadow, marrying the man she loved. I realize that she
’
s recreated the dream for our wedding as she walks down the aisle wearing a dress etched with gold, her hair in long curls, and a jeweled flower band across her head.
 

Grandpa Douglas and Tommy stand on each side of her, escorting her down the aisle.
 

As she gets closer, I feel like
I
’
m
in a dream.
 

On one hand, it seems like I
’
ve waited so long for this. On the other hand, it feels like only a moment has passed by since the day she kicked a soccer ball at my head.
 

But today is different.
 

She wants to be my wife. She
’
s pregnant with my child.

The closer she gets, the more details I notice. The pale roses, pink peonies, and white hydrangeas surrounded by feathers making up her bouquet. The vintage four-leaf clover ring on her finger.
 

When she joins me at the altar, I tell her she
’
s beautiful.
 

She doesn
’
t say anything, just looks down. I follow her gaze and watch as she pulls the skirt of her dress up slightly, revealing a pair of cowboy boots and not the gold sparkly heels she had told me she was wearing.

It
’
s then when I
’
m overcome with emotion.
 

I swore to Riley that I wouldn
’
t be a pussy and cry, but it
’
s hard not to get emotional when the person who embodies your life is standing in front of you.
 

And she
’
s wearing boots.

“
You in boots is my favorite,
”
I whisper as I take her hand in mine and kiss it.

Asher Vineyards
—
Wedding

KEATYN

I
’
m standing at the altar looking at my moon boy. My green flash.

His eyes glisten when I show him my boots.
 

I
’
ve been trying not to cry. Not to be all emotional, but when he takes my hand in his and kisses it like freaking prince charming, I feel the tears well up.
 

And as we face each other to say our vows of love, my heart feels like it could burst with happiness.