His Shortcake

Epilogue

Tamara Franco

We sat in silence for what felt like an eternity after our parents left us alone, the weight of their unexpected announcement hanging heavily in the air. Stunned, we struggled to find the right words after they casually bestowed upon us a property in Aspen, their expressions betraying no hint of the magnitude of the gift. Both of us felt a swell of gratitude, yet it was overwhelming—far too much for just a wedding present.

"You two look like you've seen a ghost," Alec's teasing voice broke through our daze, pulling me back to reality.

"Alec, did you know about this?" I asked, raising the envelope to catch his attention. His response was immediate; he nodded without a moment's hesitation. "I thought you all agreed there would be no extravagant gifts."

"Baby girl, you must understand that both of you are practically their only children," he replied, his tone calm and reassuring. "They could have given you something far more extravagant than this."

"I'm not an only child," I protested, my voice rising slightly in frustration.

"I meant the only girl—unica hija," Alec clarified with a smirk.

Dustyn took the envelope from my hands and tucked it inside his coat. "There's no use in fighting over it now. What's done is done."

"Exactly! This is why you're my best friend," Alec chimed in, his grin widening.

"You're not off the hook yet," Dustyn warned, gently taking my hand in his.

"Will I be if I tell you I got Eros to sing for your first dance?" Alec replied, a victorious grin spreading across his face.

"Eros can sing?" I asked, bewildered as I glanced between them. "He can actually sing?"

Alec and Dustyn both nodded in agreement. "Really well, at that. I think you'll like it."

"Is this my wedding gift?" I asked Alec, a grateful smile spreading across my lips as I began to feel a sense of relief wash over me.

Alec chuckled, giving me a look of disbelief. "As if," he said, laughing as he walked away, casually shrugging his shoulders at us.

I shook my head at him just as the host called us to the floor for our first dance as husband and wife. I watched in amusement as an annoyed-looking Eros made his way to the center of the dance floor, a microphone in hand. The groomsmen began whistling and clapping wildly, drawing amused and confused glances from the other guests.

"What is happening exactly?" I asked, laughing a little as Dustyn whisked me away to the center of the dance floor.

Dustyn pulled me close, almost enveloping me in a warm embrace, and began swaying just as Eros started singing the song we had chosen: "All of Me" by John Legend. It was the one song we both cherished during our search for the perfect melody.

With a smile on my face, I listened to Eros sing, closing my eyes and humming along to the tune. "He is a good singer," I murmured, feeling the music wrap around us like a comforting blanket.

Dustyn hummed in agreement. "I do love this song," he said, pulling me even closer, as if that were possible.

I would be lying if I claimed to be completely relaxed or fully enjoying the song in his arms. My heart raced, beating twice as fast as usual. There was no way to explain the intoxicating feeling of being held by him. He was my husband now, and I couldn't shake the sensation that this feeling would never fade.

And honestly, I didn't want it to go away.

Years from now, I still wanted to smile unconsciously whenever I saw him. I wanted my heart to skip a beat at everything he did, to blush like crazy over every little gesture. I longed to feel this way about him until the day we drew our last breaths.