Filthy Beautiful Forever(Filthy Beautiful Lies, #4)

Mia

The stylist pulls my hair back in a wavy updo, allowing several loose curls to escape, framing my face. Then she weaves in fresh violets, which match the dress perfectly. The makeup artist takes her time, and when she’s finally done, I stand in front of the wardrobe’s full-length mirror in shock. My hair, the dress, and my face all blend together so smoothly. I’m not normally one to over think how I look, but I have to admit the woman I see looking back at me is beautiful.

As if on cue, Sophie comes to collect me as soon as my makeover is finished. When she enters the room, I instantly know something is up. She’s wearing a deep purple satin dress, and her hair and makeup has been professionally done as well.

“Serious double date,” I say.

She nods and smiles through a faintly blushing face. “Come on, the guys are waiting.”

I look around the room realizing I’m missing one thing. “I don’t have any shoes that will go with this.”

Sophie’s eyes widen and she bites her lip. “What size shoe do you wear?”

“Eight,” I say.

“You certainly won’t fit into my size sevens. It’s okay, you can just wear what you came in,” her voice drops as her eyes find my tired flip flops in the corner of the room where I’d kicked them off.

“No. It’s fine,” I say and step into them. “This dress is long enough that no one will see.” I pull my feet under the dress then and show her.

Sophie considers for a moment, then nods. She hooks her arm through mine and guides me downstairs. I assume we’ll be heading out front to be picked up by the guys, but she makes an abrupt turn towards the back of the house. Sophie is strangely silent, and won’t look me in the eye. When she wipes a tear from her cheek I don’t know what to think.

Colton’s house is on the ocean, the beach is literally in his back yard. We step out the back to an amazing view of the Pacific. Deep blue water that sparkles from the sun. I have absolutely no idea why Collins would want me to get this dressed up to go run around in the sand, but at least I know why there were no shoes waiting for me.

Kylie meets us at the bottom of the steps. She’s wearing a dress that matches Sophie’s, and holds a huge bundle of lavender silk in her arms.

My skin prickles with an excited chill, and I notice my heart is fluttering like a hummingbird’s wings. Somehow, my body has figured out what’s going on, but it’s not bothered to tell me. My legs have forgotten how to walk, and Sophie has to help me down the path to the beach.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

It’s that magical time of day, just before sunset, and rows of chairs fill the beach. The chairs are filled with people all facing Collins, who stands at an altar, flanked by his brothers. When we reach a spot several yards from the ocean, my feet stop again.

“What is this?” I ask, even though I’m pretty sure my slow brain has finally figured it out.

“It’s your wedding,” Sophie says. She’s crying as she and Kylie work to unravel the large bundle of fabric Kylie’s been cradling. It is, of course, the train for my dress. My wedding dress. As they work to attach the train a wave of emotion hits me. I cover my mouth with my hands, unable to speak.

“Don’t forget to breathe, sweetie,” Kylie says.

Which is when I notice that, with this surprise, Collins has quite literally taken my breath away.

I manage to pull in a shaky breath while I stand there looking down the aisle at Collins who’s eyes have found me and is gazing back. He’s traded in the T-shirt and jeans from this morning and now wears a black tuxedo, which even from this distance makes him look so handsome that I ache to be alone with him.

Sophie slides a piece of paper into my hand and my fingers shake as I unfold it and see that it’s a note from Collins.

Gremlin,

Some part of me has known all along that you are the one I wanted to spend the rest of forever with. From the first day we met, I’ve known that you are the one for me. The five-year-old me knew it. The ten-year-old me-the one who thought all girls were gross-knew it.

Every time you smile, I can’t help but feel happy with you. The sound of your laughter is a song that has the power to lift my spirit. Your kind soul has guided me through so much.

The day you left when we were teenagers, I thought my life was over, and for a long time, it seemed it was. When you came crashing back into my world, you shook things up so much, at first I didn’t know what to think, but now I know what you were doing. You showed me how to live again.

I’m sorry it took so long for the idiot thirty-year-old me to figure it out. But this whole time you’ve had my heart, and I hope on this day you’ll say yes and agree share your life with me.

I love you. I always have, and always will.

My first. My last. Be mine forever?

-Collins