for a good full minute—then asked if I was drunk.
When I told him the shortened version of the story, he told me he was booking a flight the next morning. He needed to be present to watch history go down.
The moment Merit walked out onto the deck after we’d arrived, she’d cried. “It’s so beautiful and perfect,” she gushed.
I’d pulled her into my arms and kissed her before I whispered how much I loved her. Then I’d held her in my arms as we gazed out over the turquoise water. I never thought anything could be more beautiful than the mountains of Montana, but Lake Tahoe gave it a run for its money. The mountains seemed to be held between the blue waters and blue sky. I’d always thought the view was stunning when I came here before to visit Doug, but with Merit in my arms, it was a thousand times more beautiful.
“Dude, I still cannot believe you’re getting married. You…” Doug said with a slow shake of his head. “Does she know how many women you’ve…”
“Fucked?” I said. I couldn’t use any other word, because that was exactly what every single one of them had been. I hadn’t made love to any of them. With more than half of them, I’d never even bothered to ask what their names were.
“Okay, I was going to be a little more sensitive, but it looks like you’re getting straight to the point.”
“She knows I have a colorful history when it comes to women.”
He smiled. “Why this one?”
“Because she’s the reason I had such a colorful past. Partly. I slept with all those women thinking it would put her out of my mind, but it never really worked.”
He nodded. “Oh Lord, I’ve been there and done that. Why did we think sleeping with other women would erase the ones burned in our hearts?”
I shrugged. “Too afraid to admit there was actually one to burn into our hearts.”
He grinned. “Exactly. Men: we are a beastly bunch.”
I looked at him thoughtfully. “You’re happy now, right? Now that you’re married to Jill?”
Doug didn’t even have to answer; I saw it in his eyes. “I’ve never been happier. She saved my life the day she showed back up in it. I’d be lost without her.”
I went back to pacing.
“Is Merit the reason you quit?” he asked. I knew it was a question that had been burning inside of him since he found out.
“Partly. I took the rest of the year off after my father died because my head wasn’t in it, and I needed to be home. But when Merit told me she was pregnant, that changed everything.”
Doug’s chair tipped, and he fell backward. He jumped up and straightened his tie and then looked at me with a stunned look on his face. “She’s pregnant?”
“Yes, but again, that’s not why I’m marrying her. I’m marrying her because I love her, and I don’t want to spend another day without knowing she’s mine and I’m hers.”
Jill walked out about that time and sighed dramatically. “That is so romantic, Dirk Littlewood! I always knew you had it in you.”
“Romance, or finally getting someone knocked up?” Doug asked.
Hitting her husband on the shoulder, she laughed. “Stop it.” Jill faced me. “She’s almost ready. The pastor I arranged for y’all will be here any minute, and the photographer friend of mine showed up a little while ago. She wanted to catch Merit getting ready, so she went straight up to the bedroom where she’s getting dressed.”
I nodded. We had gotten into Lake Tahoe three days ago. In that short amount of time, we’d gotten our marriage license, contacted a pastor, hired Jill’s friend to take photos, and shopped for something to wear for the wedding. Merit wanted to keep it simple, so I was in jeans, a button-down white shirt, and a light blue tie. Doug and Jill, who were our witnesses, were dressed up, as well. Doug was wearing the same thing as me—Merit had bought two ties—and Jill was in a blue dress that she and Merit had picked out together yesterday.
“Jill, was Merit able to find a dress she liked?” I asked.
With a huge smile on her face, Jill nodded. “The first store we walked into, as a matter of fact. I think it was fate. It fits her like a glove. I have a feeling it won’t stay on long after Doug and I leave.”
The loud pounding in my ears was my heartbeat, I realized.
“My only