A restless night had Veronica dragging at work the next day, and she groaned when she eventually remembered she'd promised to take her father out for dinner. For half a second she thought about canceling, but she didn't have the heart to disappoint him.
Besides, she knew if she canceled he'd be more convinced than ever that something was going on with her. She'd just have to be on her guard against the infamous Keith Mars interrogation tactics.
He was ready when she arrived just after six, and she was glad she hadn't canceled because he'd obviously been looking forward to it.
They spent most of the meal discussing her most recent cases. His doctor had told Keith he could return to work part-time in another month, and he was itching to get back.
"Right," Veronica reminded him, "But no stakeouts and no bounty hunting. I'll handle what I can myself and pass off what I can't. We have enough work and nothing is worth ruining your health."
"You're a tough boss, oh, daughter mine," he whined, but Veronica just rolled her eyes.
They'd given in to the Mars sweet tooth and were splitting a piece of chocolate cake when he brought it up.
"So, how'd your dinner go last night?"
Her head snapped up. "What?"
Something must have shown in her face, because Keith's eyes narrowed and he asked it again.
"You know, your business dinner? The one you put me off for?"
Veronica sighed, resigned to having the conversation she'd have liked to avoid.
"It… may not have exactly been a business dinner."
"Oh? Then who were you having dinner with?"
"Logan."
A beat of silence, and then…
"Logan Echolls?"
"Cmon, Dad! I really don't need that passive-aggressive shit. That was never your style."
Keith sighed. "Sorry, honey, I just hate to see you get dragged down that rabbit hole again."
"Yeah? And why is that?"
"You know why. That kid has always been trouble for you…"
"Jesus, Dad, he's not a kid! He's thirty years old. When are you gonna stop seeing him as the 17-year-old guy who broke our lamp? A 17-year-old who was also the victim of an abusive father. Which you already know."
"Of course I do, but…"
"But, what? He turned his life around, made more out of himself than his asshole father ever thought he could."
"Okay, I'll admit that some of my views on Logan could be a little… outdated. But even after that, when you were in law school, and he was in the Navy, you weren't happy then either. He was gone for long periods of time and you'd be so miserable. Then he'd come back and you'd fight. And break up. And get back together. Over and over."
"You're right, Dad. But what you're really doing here is reminding me about my failings… not Logan's. And please don't try to tell me your darling daughter has no failings because we both know that's bullshit."
"Fair enough." He sighed. "But will it be any different now? Can you handle the long deployments any better this time around? Because it pains me to see you so unhappy."
She shrugged. "I don't know. I'd like to think I could finally deal with something like that without turning into a basket case. But it doesn't matter, because there aren't gonna be any more deployments for Logan."
"Why not?"
"Because he's left the Navy."
Keith gaped at her. "When did that happen?"
"A year ago. But I didn't know anything about it. I never saw him until I went to that island. I went to help Mac, and he was there to help Dick. That's when I found out."
"Okay. So what's he up to now?"
"Oh! He's living in Neptune, writing detective novels," she said matter-of-factly. "I wonder what gave him that idea."
Veronica had rarely seen her father at a loss for words, but this was turning out to be one of those moments.
"He even has a publisher," she added, smirking. "So what do you have to say about that?"
"I'd say it's… totally unexpected."
She laughed. "So I guess Logan can still surprise you?"
"That's one way of putting it."
Veronica knew she should stop there, that Logan probably wouldn't thank her for telling Keith his business, but she desperately wanted her father to see Logan the way she saw him.
"There's something else you should know. Besides the writing, he's also been working with the City of Neptune to create a shelter for battered women and kids. And he didn't tell me this, but I'm pretty sure he's providing most of the funding for it."
Keith nodded. "Well, that is impressive. And it's easy to understand why he'd get involved with something like that."
He sighed. "Look, I know my overprotective-father brain has probably been a little unfair to Logan over the years. Maybe even… more than a little. But I do know you're not a kid anymore. So if he's what you want, I can back off, try to get to know him a little better, to see him differently. Whatever will make you happy, Veronica. Because that's all I really care about."
"I appreciate that, Dad, I really do."
"Good. So when exactly were you planning to tell me that you and Logan were together again?"
"We aren't together again."
"What!" He frowned. "Then how come you just spent that last ten minutes lacing into me for being unfair to Logan?"
"Because you were being unfair to Logan. And… because I love him."
Keith shook his head. "I don't understand, Veronica."
Veronica sighed. "Me, either."
XXXXXXXXXX
It had been a hell of a week, and Veronica had spent most of it trying to parse not only what Logan had said to her the other night but also her conversation with her father.
It had occurred to her as they talked how much Keith's opinion had probably colored her views of Logan over the years. Even when his disapproval was tacit, it was still there, hanging in the air. As was his conviction that in the end things could never work out for them.
How much did she ultimately absorb that viewpoint? And how much did it influence her decision to walk out on Logan on the island?
She was in her apartment, sipping a glass of her favorite Cabernet and trying to figure it all out when there was a knock on her door.
What the hell? No one ever just dropped in on her without calling ahead. Unless… no, Logan had no idea where she lived.
When they rapped again, she finally dragged herself off the couch, kicking herself as she swung the door open that she'd never gotten around to installing that peephole…
"Mac!" Her gaze traveled just a little further. "And… Dick! Whoa! This is a surprise."
"Sorry for not calling ahead," Mac apologized. "Can we come in?"
"Sure." She swung the door wide enough for the two of them to step into her living room.
"Have a seat." She waved vaguely at the couch. "Can I get you some wine?"
"Yeah, thanks, Ronnie, that'd be great!"
"Dick, I don't think we'll be staying that long."
"Right! Of course, I knew that. Sorry, I just… you know, she offered us booze, so… force of habit..."
Mac gave him an exasperated smile and he finally stopped babbling.
Her visitors settled themselves on the couch, while Veronica took the chair opposite.
For no reason that Veronica could fathom, they seemed… nervous. She hoped it wasn't about…
"Listen, if you guys are here to apologize for the crazy mixup on Moa Moa, don't bother. It wasn't your fault, and I don't blame…"
"No, it's nothing to do with that." Mac interrupted her.
"Oh! Okay, then…"
"We're gettin' married," Dick blurted out in his very Dick-like way.
"Oh!" Well, why not? After all, that had been the original plan.
"Gonna try again? Make sure you get it done early this year. Course you do have another eleven months…"
Mac shook her head. "That's… not why we're getting married."
"It isn't?"
It was Dick who answered.
"Nope, we're gettin' married because when I found out we weren't married after all, I finally got up the nerve to tell Mac I loved her, and that that's the real reason I wanted to marry her. And it took a while, but she finally admitted she feels the same."
Mac laughed. "Either that or I've lost my mind."
Veronica watched in astonishment as Dick bent and kissed Mac lightly on the lips. As she took a quick sip of her wine she wondered if she could possibly be hallucinating this.
She must have been doing a crap job of hiding her reaction, though, because Mac reached over and patted her hand.
"It's okay, Veronica, really. I think I've known for a while that Dick loved me. But I just… I didn't let myself think about it. Told myself it would be impossible. That the two of us would be a ridiculous couple. We were so different, had too much history… Cassidy…"
When Mac sighed and ground to a halt, Dick grabbed her hand and took up the tale.
"I had to convince Mac that it was okay for us to be happy together, in spite of all at crap. She wasn't responsible for any of it, anyway. It was just a really shitty thing that happened to her. Me, on the other hand," he shrugged, "I've spent a lotta hours talking to shrinks about hating my brother for what he did, but also… about feeling guilty as hell because I was such an asshole to him that maybe I pushed him into it."
He sighed softly. "But that was still twelve fucking years ago. And I don't think something bad that happened when I was eighteen means I shouldn't be able to have a life. I just… decided I get to be happy. I even get to fall in love with Mac."
Dick turned toward Mac with a cheeky grin. "Course I did have to work really, really hard to convince you that you were in love with me, too. It shoulda been a lot easier, considering how irresistible I am."
Mac laughed and rolled her eyes. "So modest, Dick. How could I help but fall for you?"
As they teased each other, Veronica watched in silent amazement.
Mac and Dick had confronted the thing that had haunted them both for a dozen years and mutually decided to ignore it! To let themselves fall in love and be happy together. Even if no one else in the world understood it.
Her mind reeled as she refocused on that last part: Mac was marrying Dick Casablancas and they both seemed besotted.
She scoured her brain for the appropriate words, and came up empty.
But apparently the ever-candid Dick had something else he wanted to get off his chest.
"Look, Ronnie, I know I'm not exactly your dream husband for Mac. But I've never felt like this about anyone ever. So I don't want you to worry about her."
Veronica shrugged. "It's not really my place to decide who Mac should marry, Dick. I just want her to be happy…"
She stopped abruptly, suddenly hearing her father's words coming out of her own mouth.
Wasn't that exactly what he'd always said to her while subtly warning her off Logan? And if she could ask Keith to put aside his rigid ideas about Logan, based on incidents from a dozen years ago, couldn't she at least try to give Dick the benefit of the doubt?
She began again.
"I'm really happy for you for both," Veronica said, and this time the words were accompanied by a smile. "I hope you have years and years of happiness together."
Mac blinked at her in surprise, then her face broke into a wide smile. "Thanks, V."
When Dick reached over and shook her hand, Veronica forced herself not to pull away.
"You have no idea how much I appreciate that, Ronnie… uh, Veronica. I know damn well you have a lot of good reasons for thinking I'm a shithead. I'd like to maybe talk to you about it sometime. About everything that happened when we were in high school. I know I can't ever make it right, but… maybe you'll give me another chance."
Mac put her hand on his arm. "Dick, you can't expect Veronica…"
"No, Mac. I'd be happy to listen to whatever Dick has to say." And she was surprised to realize she actually meant it. "But not tonight! Tonight we're celebrating, and now you're definitely having some wine."
Veronica fetched two more glasses, and after they'd toasted she finally thought to ask, "So when's all this happening?"
Mac placed her wineglass carefully on Veronica's coffee table. "Saturday morning at City Hall. We're taking no chances, so no fancy locations this time. And… that's the other reason we're here."
"Oh?"
"Yeah. We'd really like you to be one of our witnesses. Believe me, I know it's a big ask after what happened on the island, but it would mean a lot to me."
Veronica smiled. This one was easy. "Of course I'll do it."
Mac gave her a relieved smile. "Thanks, Veronica. There's just this one other tiny thing."
And as soon as she saw Dick open his mouth, Veronica knew exactly what he was going to say.
"The thing is, Ron-Veronica, I'm asking Logan to be our other witness, unless… you tell me not to."
"I'd never do that, Dick. I know Logan's your best friend. It'll be fine."
Mac narrowed her eyes at her. "That's what you said the last time."
Veronica shrugged. "Practice makes perfect?"
XXXXXXXXXX
Veronica insisted on transporting Mac to the wedding,
"You're not driving yourself to your own wedding, Mac! And Dick should be waiting for you so you can make a grand entrance. I'll pick you up."
Mac rolled her eyes. "Whatever happened to the 'to hell with all this traditional bullshit' Veronica Mars?"
Veronica shrugged. "She's taking a break."
Mac and Dick had pared the idea of "wedding" down to its basics. Dick essentially had no family left, so it was only the Mackenzies who were waiting inside the mayor's office when Veronica and Mac showed up just before 10 on Saturday morning.
The truth was that it was Veronica herself who'd needed the moral support. And as they approached the door, a serenely calm Mac finally noticed.
"You okay, V? You're as jumpy as a cat. I thought it was the bride who was supposed to be a nervous wreck, not the bridesmaid."
"Sorry, Mac, I'm fine. Let's go in."
She turned to open the door, but Mac grasped her arm.
"Not until you tell me what's up. Is it just because Logan's inside? Because we can do this some other way."
Veronica shook her head. "No, I want to see Logan. It's just… he told me a few days ago that he wants to stay married. Turn this stupid accidental marriage into the real thing."
She felt vaguely guilty, unloading her problems onto Mac two minutes before her wedding. But Mac didn't seem to mind.
"Well, course he does. There was never any question that Logan loves you And I know you love him. But do you love him enough, want him enough, to give it everything you've got? Because if you do, you should go for it."
"So… simple as that?" Could that really be all there was to it?
Mac shrugged. "Simple as that."
She linked her arm through Veronica's. "Come on, V, we're late. And I really don't want anything to go wrong with this wedding."
They finally opened the door to find Mac's family lurking nervously near the back of the room, while Dick and Logan milled about, looking handsome in their dark suits.
"Mac! Thank god! I was afraid you weren't coming."
"Don't be be silly, Dick. You know me better than that."
The mayor quickly gathered the four of them together to begin the abbreviated ceremony, so Veronica had only a brief moment to glance in Logan's direction.
Where she found him staring at her intently. And what she saw in his eyes took her breath away.
Her heart began to hammer as she hurriedly shifted her focus back to the ceremony, and tried valiantly to keep it there. Her best friend was getting married! She should be able to pay attention to that for ten goddamn minutes!
But it was a losing battle.
As her pulse thrummed in her ears, Veronica turned to seek out Logan's eyes again and again.
Until she finally stopped fighting it altogether, and she and Logan simply stared at one another, the wedding itself reduced to nothing more than background dialogue for their own silent drama.
do you take this man… this woman…
in sickness and in health
forsaking all others
as long as you both shall live
His soft smile grew at every familiar turn of phrase, and somehow, although this was someone else's wedding, she knew those words meant more to them today than the pretend vows she and Logan had spoken all those weeks ago.
Then suddenly it was over.
Dick required no suggestion from the mayor that he kiss his bride, and he swooped down to kiss Mac soundly.
But Veronica never saw that, since she was focused on nothing but Logan.
Who was waiting.
Because they both knew that the next move had to be hers.
Her feet moved slowly at first, only an inch or two at a time. But when he saw her coming towards him, his soft smile became a grin.
And suddenly… she couldn't wait. Veronica flew across the room and launched herself at Logan, utterly oblivious to anyone else in that room.
He caught her and wrapped her in his strong arms, and then they were kissing and kissing. And Veronica could have stayed in that perfect moment forever.
Until, only dimly at first, she became aware that there were other people around, and that they were laughing and hooting.
Veronica felt her face flush as she and Logan finally broke their kiss. But he just smiled happily, tucking her into his side and wrapping one arm tightly around her.
Dick clapped him heavily on the shoulder.
"Way to go, dude!"
"Oh, god, Dick… Mac… I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to…" Veronica was mortified. She had no idea how to apologize for such blatant rudeness.
"Oh, hell, Ronnie, the only thing I care about is that Mac married me! And that maybe my buddy Logan here won't be a freakin' mess anymore!"
Mac smiled at her. "See?" she said. "Simple."
The mayor asked archly if he'd be called upon to perform another wedding soon, and before either she or Logan could explain, Dick had launched into a detailed story about how he was responsible for bringing them back together.
"You're never gonna believe how they ended up gettin' married by accident."
Veronica reached up and planted a soft kiss on Logan's lips.
"So how often do you think we're going to have to listen to that story?"
Logan smirked and shrugged. "Every day for the next fifty years would be fine with me."
Veronica laughed. "You are such a sap!"
But then again, she already knew that.
