Evelyn forced a smile as she blinked back her tears. Her daughter, her only child, was a vampire, and in a few minutes, she would be married to a vampire. But, vampire or not, Megan was here, as loving and happy as always, and for that Evelyn would be forever indebted to her future son-in-law. And even though it certainly wasn’t the kind of life she would have wished for Megan, Evelyn couldn’t deny the proof of her own eyes. Megan had never looked happier. And Rhys adored her, anyone could see that.

There was a knock on the door, and then George peeked inside. “Everybody ready?”

“Yes, dear,” Evelyn said. She hugged Megan, then left the room to take a seat in the living room with the others.

“So,” George said, his voice gruff with emotion, “this is it, the big day.”

Megan nodded, suddenly too choked up to speak as she recalled a night a year or so ago when she and Shirl had talked about weddings and promised to stand up for each other when the time came.

George cleared his throat. “You look beautiful, princess.”

“Thank you, Daddy, so do you.” Standing on tiptoe, Megan kissed her father’s cheek. “I love you.”

George blinked back a tear as he placed her hand on his arm. “Okay, sweet pea, here we go. I hope that man of yours knows how lucky he is.”

Megan’s heart fluttered with excitement as they walked down the short hallway that led into her parents’ living room. They had decided on a small wedding, just the immediate family and a few close friends. She winked at Daisy and Erik, who were sitting beside Alex and Paula, nodded at Mr. and Mrs. Parker, smiled at Drexel, who made a sad face in return. And then she saw Rhys. Clad in a black tux from Shore’s, he stood next to the minister in front of the flagstone fireplace.

As she moved toward him, Megan overheard several of her friends remarking on what a hunk Rhys was, whispering how lucky she was to have him. She couldn’t have agreed more.

He smiled at her then, a slow, sexy smile that released a million happy butterflies in her stomach. Her heart swelled with love, and she knew, deep inside, that choosing to stay with Rhys had been the right decision.

When the minister asked if she would have Rhys Costain as her husband for the rest of her life, Megan smiled inwardly, thinking that the minister had no idea just how long that might be.

Moments later, her husband swept her into his arms and claimed her lips with his in a long, slow kiss that turned her legs to jelly and set her blood on fire, and she knew without a doubt that no matter what the future held, she would face it unafraid as long as Rhys stood beside her.

Smiling, she looked up into his eyes. “And just like in the fairy tales,” she murmured, “they lived happily ever after.”