The Best Man (Blue Heron #1)(120)

As speeches went, it wasn’t great. As feelings went...different story. Looked like the branch may have been removed.

She looked into those soft, green eyes, at the slight frown on his face. “It’s more than enough,” she whispered, feeling the sting of tears in her eyes.

“Oh. Good. That’s good.” He nodded. Looked over her shoulder. Back at her.

“You should kiss me now, Levi.”

Before the words were fully out of her mouth, he was doing just that, her face cupped in his gentle hands, and his mouth on hers was...well, she hated to even think the word, but it was perfect. Most things in life weren’t, but this was. He kissed her the way a man kisses the woman he loves, as if they were alone, or on an altar, as if they weren’t standing in the freezing dark night with far too many relatives watching their every move.

“You need a ring and a date, young man,” her father called. “This is my princess we’re talking about. None of this living together nonsense.”

“Again with the princess crap,” Jack said.

“Why can’t I be the princess once in a while?” Prudence added.

She felt Levi smile against her mouth. He kissed her forehead, held her close, then looked over at her father, who was doing his best impression of a stern parent. “Way ahead of you, sir,” he said.

He uncurled her fingers—right, she’d almost forgotten—and there, in her palm, was an engagement ring.

“I’ll need to think about it,” she said.

“She said yes,” he told her family, and a cheer rose from the ranks. Jeremy even wiped his eyes. Dad, too.

Then Levi kissed her again, and slid the ring onto her finger, and nothing had ever felt so right.

EPILOGUE

THE REHEARSAL DINNER was at Hugo’s so Colleen and Connor wouldn’t have to work, and where Jessica Dunn was a guest this time. Tomorrow, everyone would be dressed in their finery, but tonight was loud, casual and fun; Faith walked in on Pru and Carl in the coatroom; Goggy and Pops had danced half of one dance before the bickering became too intense; Mrs. Johnson scowled, criticized the food and drank piña coladas.

Ted and Elaine Lyon had come for the wedding, as well as Liza and Wonderful Mike. Freakishly enough, Lorena Creech was also there; Levi had invited Victor Iskin, and apparently Victor and Lorena had made a quickie trip to Vegas on Christmas Day and came back married. “I just want someone to take care of, Faith, you know what I’m saying?” she’d said, and yes, Faith did. The Bible Study Babes were knocking back the pinot grigio, and the fire department was playing cards at a table in the back.

Tomorrow, the cast would be much the same as Faith’s first attempt at getting married, with a few minor changes: Colleen was still maid of honor, Faith’s sisters bridesmaids, as well as Abby and Sarah Cooper.

Jeremy would be best man. Of course.

He’d also brought a date, which was rather wonderful—a good-looking guy named Patrick who was shy and sweet and a terrible dancer.

When the party was over, Levi led Faith across the icy town green to his apartment. They’d be living in the Opera House for a while, though Faith had her eye on a little house on Elm Street. It was in a nice mix of a neighborhood—outside the Village but close enough to walk, a peek of the Crooked Lake from the top floor window, a lovely porch. But for now, they’d live at Levi’s place, which was looking much improved with a red-painted wall. Sarah would still live here when she was back from school, and Faith thought it was nice, finally having a little sister to boss around as Honor and Pru had bossed her all those years.

“You’re not getting any action tonight, Chief Cooper,” she said, her breath clouding the quiet air. “You’re not even supposed to see me after midnight.”

“Well, then,” he said. “I’ve got half an hour to go.” With that, he scooped her up over his shoulder and carried her, caveman style, up the stairs, making her laugh so hard she could hardly breathe.

“I have something for you,” he said, setting her down to open the door. “Blue, you’ll have to wait.”

“You don’t have to wait for me, buddy,” Faith said, kneeling down to rub the dog’s tummy. “You’ll always be my first love. Right? Who’s my best boy, hmm?” She took off her coat as Levi rustled around in his desk. “Whatever it is, it’d better be good,” she added, sitting on the couch. Blue leaped up next to her.

“Here you go,” he said, sitting across from her. He held a little package, but handed her a folded up piece of paper first.

“If this is a poem, I may faint,” she said, smiling. Her smile stopped. He looked...tense.

“Just read it,” he said.

She unfolded the paper—notebook paper, soft with age and filled with rather sloppy, youthful handwriting.

Dear Faith, it said.

I’m sorry your mom died. I wish could think of something better to say. I think you’re a nice girl, and also pretty. That probably doesn’t help any. But I mean it.

Sincerely, Levi Cooper.

“Oh, Levi,” she said, feeling the hot burn of tears down her cheeks.

“You’re not the only person who keeps stuff, I guess,” he said, looking at the floor. “I should’ve given it to you back then. It just felt...inadequate at the time.”