Everyone had gathered in the small, lovely hotel chapel and watched Alex and Wren walk down the aisle arm in arm, because fuck tradition. They’d begin as they meant to go on. Together.
When he licked her palm, her thighs pressed together, but her face remained placid as she added, “Just think of how much money we saved on videography services, Vika.”
Very dry. Very practical. Very Wren.
But he’d seen her blink back tears as they’d exchanged vows, just like him.
“My heartfelt congratulations to you both, and best wishes for a lifetime of happiness together.” Vika’s smile was soft. “Lauren, I noticed your necklace, and I wondered whether it was a wedding gift. It’s quite unusual, isn’t it?”
“One of a kind.” Wren smiled back at her. “Just like my husband.”
Since she wasn’t a tattoo person, and he wouldn’t pressure her to do anything that made her uncomfortable, he’d given her a necklace to wear over her heart. A platinum chain with a feather pendant, which he’d had inscribed with the word RIDICULOUS and studded with aquamarines the color of her eyes.
“You’re not ridiculous,” he’d told her when she opened the velvet box. “But I am. Ridiculously in love with you.”
Except in the shower, she never took it off, to his continued smug delight.
Still, he’d itched to give her something else too, something she chose for herself, so right before their wedding, he’d begged her to name something—anything—she wanted. And to his absolute bewilderment, she’d promptly requested a bathrobe made from the same cotton fabric he used for his towels.
“One that fits me right,” she’d specified. “I eyed that robe in the guesthouse for months, wishing it came in my size.”
He’d stared at her, entirely nonplussed. “It is in your size, Wren. I called Dina while we were in Spain and had it made before your arrival. Why the fuck would I give you a robe that didn’t fit you?”
“Oh.” Her face had turned delectably pink. “I guess I shouldn’t have assumed.”
When he’d demanded an apology in nonverbal, naked form, she’d happily obliged.
“And what did you give him as a wedding gift?” Vika asked.
Once more, Wren smiled. “I wrote him a love letter.”
“Oh, how sweet.” Vika pressed a hand to her heart, beaming. Since his reunion with Wren, the two of them had acted out so many of his favorite fics. They’d kissed for science. Banged once, to get it out of their systems. Pretended their marriage was arranged, then accidental. Last week, they’d even acted out the body-swap trope, with surprisingly hilarious results.
Wren had strutted around their fucking house like a goddamn peacock, spouting absolute bullshit the whole time and tearing off her shirt at every conceivable opportunity.
He’d never admit it, but damn. She could have won a fucking award for that portrayal.
She understood him. And because she did, for his wedding gift, she’d written him a story on AO3, featuring the two of them as her OTP.
Well, officially Cupid and Robin, but they both knew better.
The story was perfect. Better than anything she could have bought, because really, what the fuck did he need other than her love?
Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
“One more question, and then we’ll get to the reader’s poll, which ends …” Vika nodded to her assistant, who tapped her cell screen. “Now. They’ve chosen the final topic of the interview, and even I haven’t seen the results. It’ll be a surprise to all of us.”
Huh. That seemed … potentially problematic, since some people were total assholes.
“Alex …” Vika’s brow furrowed. “You’ve had a tumultuous past year.”
If she hadn’t asked a question like this, he would have been surprised. Happy, but surprised. He had his answer ready, once she was done talking.
She ticked off the events on her fingers. “There was an arrest. An attempted attack on the red carpet. An altercation with a fan. Professional censure and lost roles. A hit new show. A surprise wedding.”
“There was also love.” He stroked Lauren’s tensing neck. “You left that out.”
“I did.” The blogger inclined her head. “That said, given some of the less-positive events that occurred, do you have any regrets?”
Of course he did. Over the last year, he’d inconvenienced and scared and hurt so many people he loved. And although he’d forgiven himself for not walking away, he couldn’t exactly applaud his decision to keep playing Cupid in that terrible final season.