says, holding up her index finger, all her nerves suddenly gone.
“I think we better…” I trail away as Sterling comes into the room, Zeus on a leash at his side. The man can wear a suit, but he owns a tuxedo. It fits his body perfectly, showing off all the assets I’m getting in this merger. His dark hair is combed to the side, his face clean shaven for the first time in months. A wicked smile curves across his lips, matching the cocky glint in his eyes.
His eyes skim over me with approval, but before he can get too distracted, Ellie hurls herself at him. “Daddy!”
He catches her with his free arm, his shocked eyes looking over her shoulder to my smile, before he buries his face against her. Ellie turns a familiar grin on me. “Were you surprised?”
“So surprised,” I admit with a laugh. Apparently, her stage fright was only a ruse to keep me here long enough for Sterling to sneak up on me.
“Not doing this without me, right?” he says.
“What are you doing?” I ask. “Shouldn’t you be…”
“Poppy mentioned how you didn’t have anyone to walk you down the aisle,” he says, “but you do, Lucky. Me.”
This one detail had bothered me since we began planning the wedding. I hadn’t known until then how much I would wish Felix was with me today. I’d obsessed over my lack of escort for weeks before gathering up the conviction to do it myself.
“Isn’t it bad luck?” I ask as he draws closer.
“Nope,” Ellie pipes up. “Daddy says we’ve got all the luck in the world.”
“Does he now?” I repeat, my eyes never leaving his handsome face. I don’t know how we made it. The road that led me to him is twisted and rocky. It hides behind blind curves in spots. It runs along narrow, terrifying cliffs. It winds through darkness. Navigating it is an act of faith, a test, but what’s waiting here at the end is worth the risk.
A family.
A future.
A forever.
Sterling opens the door, steps through onto the porch, then turns to offer his arm. Our eyes meet as Ellie and I join him. I take his arm carefully, looping my small bouquet of magnolias around it. Ellie’s hand is warm in mine, and she looks up at us with adoration as our friends and family cheer over the music.
A pathway of magnolia petals blankets the ground leading to an archway that drips with creamy white roses, lilies, and more magnolias. Large pillar candles set in hurricane glass light the way to our friends, waiting for us to join them at the end of the aisle to make our vows.
“You ready?” Sterling asks.
We’re finally here. Past the darkness and the despair and the deception, emerging from it into the brightness of endless possibilities.
“I’m all in,” I say.
“You got this?” he asks Ellie.
She grabs a handful of petals with a determined focus that makes us both laugh.
“Thank you for your picture,” he tells her as he leads us down the stairs.
“What was the surprise on it?” I ask him.
“Actually, I was wondering the same thing.” He leans down so she can hear him over the music swelling around us and we move toward our future. “You drew me and mommy with you and Zeus and…?”
She tosses an exasperated look in our direction like she can’t believe she has to explain it to us. “My baby brother.”
“Oh!” Sterling breaks into a wide grin. “Is that a request?”
“Nope!” She breaks free of us, running ahead to toss even more petals, earning appreciative laughs from our guests.
“I think we’ve been given an order, Lucky,” he says wickedly.
“You have plans later?” I whisper as we reach the minister. Here, surrounded by friends, by one another’s side, I can’t think of anything I want more.
He takes my hand, bringing it to his lips. “I have plans for the rest of my life. You?”
“I’m all in.”
True love stories never end…
Want to see the entire wedding?
Join my mailing list for an exclusive, extended epilogue featuring your favorite characters and more swoon-worthy, steamy moments from Adair and Sterling’s wedding!
Read the extended epilogue.
And look out for more stories in The Rivals world coming soon!
Looking for another steamy, emotional read? Check out my bestselling book, Command Me, and dive into the world of the royal family. When Clara meets a mysterious stranger on her graduation day, she’s swept into a romance with the last person she expects: Alexander, the Prince of England. Grab a FREE copy for a limited time!
Join my Facebook reader group, Geneva Lee’s Loves, for exclusive giveaways, sneak peeks, live videos and more. I can’t wait to see you there!
Or stalk me on Instagram @realgenevalee
Acknowledgments
First of all I have to thank you, lovely reader, from coming on this journey with me. I hope you laughed, cried, and swooned as much as I did.
Thanks to Louise, my fabulous agent, and the team at The Bent Agency for always being a source of guidance.
Thank you to my foreign teams for working to bring this new series to readers worldwide. Thank you to my team at Blanvalet for your excitement about The Rivals.
Thank you to my amazing assistants, Natasha and Shelby. I would go nuts without you.
Thanks you to my Loves for recipe swaps and meme posts and everything you do. Special thanks to my Inner Court, who I can count on any day, any time.
To my author friends, thank you for being women who inspire me every damn day.
Thank you to my family for sharing me with fictional people, and only complaining a little.
And to Josh, thank you for always cracking a joke. Thank you for being my forever. Thank you for being my rainbow after the storm.
About the Author
GENEVA LEE is the New York Times, USA Today, and internationally bestselling author of over a dozen novels, including the Royals Saga which has sold two million copies worldwide. She lives in Poulsbo Washington with her husband and three children, and she co-owns Away With Words Bookshop with her sister.
Geneva is married to her high school sweetheart. He's always the first person to read her books. Sometimes, he reads as she writes them. Last year, they were surprised by finding out Geneva was pregnant with their third child. They welcomed a beautiful baby girl in 2020.
When she isn't working or writing, Geneva likes to read, bake ridiculous cakes, run, and binge television seasons. She loves to travel and is always eager to go on a new adventure.