I want to apologize again. “Luke, if it weren’t for me, you’d be—”
He sets a finger on my lips, smiling as if he knows what I’m thinking. “I ain’t sorry, Penny. Neither should you be. Okay?” He sounds stern until I nod. Then, more gently, he nods. “We’ll figure something out. Together. Teamwork. Right? And there ain’t a better team I know than us. Hell, we got first place.”
I nod. “Yes. We did.”
His smile is about a million watts in force. “Then we’ll figure something out. Together. But for now”—he holds me against him and tips my chin up a little more—“tell me about this dream wedding of yours.”
For the next hour, we talk about my dream wedding and his. He says that his dream wedding is anywhere and anytime, as long as it’s with me. He’s so adorable, I could eat him up by spoonfuls. Once we’re finally decided on what we’re going to do, he asks me something I didn’t expect but am thrilled to do.
He wants me to meet his grandmother.
He’s so excited when he sees my anticipation for meeting her that we head over to the nursing home before noon.
“Gran,” Luke says as we arrive.
I spot a beautiful old woman in a wheelchair, with a book on her lap and her gaze out the window, her profile pensive as Luke’s voice registers and the nurse wheels her around to see him.
Luke motions to me at his side, his face breaking into a smile. “This is her, Gran.”
His grandmother cracks the widest smile I’ve ever seen. “Come here, Nell,” she says, as if we’ve met before and have known each other forever. Which happens when you take part in a reality show, I guess.
She crooks her finger at me, and I walk over. “It’s so nice to meet you, Gran,” I say, kneeling before her and taking her hand as she ducks her head.
“This boy loves you very, very much. And I know you love him too. So when my time comes, I’ll be at peace to leave my Luke, knowing he won’t be alone. Far from it.” She winks at me and my throat closes, but I nod and straighten.
“What are you two whispering about?” Luke shoots us a scowl as he shuffles through Gran’s things. “So what do you want to do? How about a board game?”
We end up staying two more hours, until the nurse asks us to leave so Gran can rest. I exhale happily as we head out of the home, Luke’s arm around my shoulder, my cheek on his chest while I hold him by that strong, lean waist of his.
“She’s wonderful, Luke. I love her. Thank you for bringing me.”
He remains silent, setting a kiss on the top of my head. He doesn’t need to tell me how grateful he is that I came. I caught him watching Gran and me as we talked and played Life. I filled my car with babies, and Gran got to the end before we did, and we all laughed.
He had a great time tonight too.
And it only makes me wonder if I can somehow bridge the gap that I, myself, have with my own family.
“Would you be okay if you met my parents?” I ask hesitantly, tipping my face back. “I mean, if you want to. I know they’re not winning any awards this year, but recently they reached out and . . .”
“I’d love to meet your parents, Penny.” He cuts me off with this sexy little smirk, and I exhale, taking his hand and placing a kiss on the back of it. “I know they might find it difficult to attend the wedding, what with the crazy plans we have.” I grin. “But I’d love for them to meet you beforehand.”
EPILOGUE
REALITY STARS
Nell
Everyone in the country is clamoring for the release of the tell-all book from Million Dollar Marriage winners Penelope Carpenter and Luke Cross. We’re all hoping to get some juicy insight into what was reality and what was envisioned by the producers, how they fell in love, and how he finally proposed—for real! Look for it on sale next week!
—TV Buzz Daily
Paris.
We are in the most romantic city in the world, posing for pictures with the Eiffel Tower glittering in the night sky behind us.
I’m wearing white. Luke is wearing a tux.
We are surrounded by those who truly care about us. Courtney—my maid of honor—and Joe. Jimmy—Luke’s best man—and Lizzy. It’s a small destination wedding on the terrace of the