Breaking Free (Siren Publishing Classic) (13 page)

Epilogue

“Do I look okay?” Danny stared nervously into the mirror in the bridal chamber of the university’s quaint chapel.

Gloria chuckled. “You look exquisite! And you know it.”

Danny adjusted the sheer veil lightly covering her long hair. She’d decided to wear it down today, knowing how much Gabe liked it that way. Her hands shook with the effort. She still couldn’t believe everything that had happened in such a short time. When she’d logged back onto the BACK-OFF Bikes chat room and told all her friends the news of her upcoming wedding, they’d all been thrilled, and she really hoped her story could inspire someone the way theirs had inspired her.

She turned to Gloria and eyed her perceptively. There was definitely something going on with her best friend, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. She was forever checking her hair and touching up her makeup. And she kept disappearing for several days at a time. If she didn’t know better, Danny would swear she was having an affair, but she couldn’t think of who in the world it might be.

A light tap at the door drew her from her musings. Smokey stuck his shaggy, sweet head in the door and winked at them. “You ladies ready?”

Danny nodded nervously. Turning to Gloria, she noticed an odd look in her eyes and a deep blush staining her friend’s high cheekbones.
No! It couldn’t be, not Gloria and Smokey. He was old enough to be her father.
But the evidence was there. Her gaze traveled back and forth between the pair, and she noted that they each refused to meet the other’s eyes. Yep, there was definitely something going on.

The first strains of music left her no further time to contemplate this new discovery, and as Smokey led her down the aisle toward her soon-to-be husband, all other thoughts disappeared. There was only Gabe and his warm, sexy smile, commanding personality, and big heart. The cold, cynical look was gone from his beautiful blue eyes, replaced by all the love and passion he felt for his soon-to-be wife.

* * * *

Later, Gabe held Danny close as they danced at their wedding reception. Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, he couldn’t help the silly smile that had permanently taken over his face. “I love you, Mrs. Cavanaugh.”

“I love you too, Mr. Cavanaugh,” she replied, smiling at him. Catching a movement out of the corner of her eye, she saw Gloria and Smokey dancing together. “You know how you couldn’t get a hold of your dad last weekend?”

“Yeah.” Gabe shrugged. “I wonder what the old man was up to.”

“And I couldn’t get in touch with Gloria either,” Danny continued, her lips quirking mischievously.

“Yeah.” He gave her a questioning look. She grinned when realization dawned on his face. “No!”

“Look at them.”

Turning slightly they could see his father holding their friend just a little closer than necessary, and damned if Gloria wasn’t flirting outrageously with him, batting her eyes and pouting her lips.

“Well, I’ll be damned!” His voice cracked with disbelief.

“You okay with that?” Danny asked, concerned. She knew how much he loved and missed his mother.

He seemed to consider this for a long moment. “Yeah, I guess I am. But damn, the old lech. You wait till I get a hold of him.”

“Yes, and Gloria is our friend. It’s up to us to look out for her.”

“Most definitely, but I think it can wait, don’t you?”

“For?”

“Us to get back from our honeymoon.”

“Well, you do have a point, and they are adults after all.”

“You ready to go? There’s a big bed waiting for us in the honeymoon suite of the bed-and-breakfast we’re booked at.”

“Silly, we still have to cut the cake and toss the bouquet.”

“Well, cut the damn cake, and throw the bouquet at Gloria, so we can get out of here. We’ve got a busy evening ahead of us, Mrs. Cavanaugh.”

“Well, when you put it that way,” she replied with a raised eyebrow, knowing that life with Gabe would always be full of love and surprises.

What more could any girl want?

THE END

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Grae McTavish has always had a very active imagination that sometimes got her into trouble growing up. As a voracious reader, the natural progression was to put that imagination into writing.

Growing up around bikers, it was impossible to resist adding some of the rowdiness into her writing as well.

She is married to her own sexy biker who inspires her wicked imagination every day. Her two wonderful children keep her rounded and grounded and make her life complete.

Siren Publishing, Inc.

www.SirenPublishing.com