Through it all, we’ve found our way back to each other. Not because love is easy, but because what we’ve created together isworth every struggle, every heartache, every moment of growth that brought us here, to this unfinished house that already feels like home.
Epilogue
I’ve lived this momenta thousand times in my head, but nothing prepared me for reality.
Meesha floats toward me in ivory lace, her smile incandescent against her beautiful brown skin. The beading on her dress sparkles with each step, creating tiny constellations across the fabric. My heart swells impossibly full, overwhelmed by the miracle of her walking toward me after we nearly lost everything.
It’s been only nine days since a madman held a gun to my head in what should have been our bedroom. Only nine days since I thought I might lose her forever in the most permanent way possible.
Yet here we are.
Maman sits in the front row, her expression neutral. Frédérique returned to Quebec, where she belongs. To my right, Pierre, my cousin, stands as my best man, with Kamal and Jaxon flanking him in matching suits.
Jasmine and Jessa precede Meesha down the aisle of this historic Winter Bay estate, their sea foam dresses exactly the shade Meesha wanted. I make a mental note to tell her the choice was perfect.
But then everything else fades away.
Meesha approaches, one arm linked with her father’s, the other with her mother’s, while Carmen and Antonio complete their family procession. This moment feels perfect in ways I couldn’t have anticipated.
When she reaches me, her eyes are already brimming with tears. I’m not faring much better.
The officiant speaks, but I barely hear the words. My focus is on the woman before me.
When it’s time for our vows, Meesha speaks first. “Connor, ten years ago, I left a hockey game with a boy I barely knew because something inside me recognized you. Not just as someone I could love, but as someone who would challenge me to become more fully myself.”
I swallow hard as she continues.
“I promised you I’d always be honest, and I nearly lost you with my fear and silence. Standing here today, I vow not just my love and fidelity, but my truth, even when it’s difficult, even when I’m afraid. I choose you, Connor Beauregard. Not because you’re my first love, but because you’re my last and greatest love.”
When the officiant nods at me, I take a deep breath. “You once asked if I ever doubted us, and I said no. That wasn’t entirely true. I’ve doubted many things. My career, my decisions, whether I deserve someone as remarkable as you. But I’ve never doubted that you are the love of my life.”
Her fingers tighten around mine.
“I saw firsthand what it means to love fearlessly when you placed yourself between me and danger without hesitation.Today, I promise to love you with the same courage. To never let pride keep me from fighting for us. Je t’aime, ma belle. Not perfectly, but completely. For all my days.”
A tear slips down her cheek, and I reach up to catch it with my thumb, just as I’ve done countless times over the years.
As I slide her wedding band onto her finger, my hand quivers. I consider how close we came to throwing everything away, how easily our story could have ended before this chapter began.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the officiant declares.
The large gathering erupts in applause, their joy a tangible force surrounding us as I pull Meesha into my arms. Our kiss is charged with promise for the future, forgiveness for the past, acknowledgment of our growth, and commitment to the hard work that still lies ahead. It feels like sealing a covenant more binding than any legal document could capture.
“Mrs. Beauregard,” I murmur against her lips.
She laughs, that bright sound that’s been my north star for a decade. “That’s me.”
We turn to face our loved ones, hands firmly clasped together. What we’ve created isn’t unbreakable because it never fractured, but because we chose to repair it, making it stronger at those broken places.
Outside, twilight has settled over the estate grounds, transforming the landscape into something magical. Hundreds of tiny lights illuminate the garden, creating a canopy of stars above the dance floor. The atmosphere buzzes with celebration.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the DJ announces over the sound system, “please welcome, for the first time as husband and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Beauregard!”
Cheers erupt as we step onto the wooden platform for our first dance. I pull Meesha close, one hand resting at her waist whilethe other holds hers, and we begin to move to the gentle rhythm of the French ballad.
“Are you happy?” I ask softly, my lips close to her ear.
She responds by resting her head against my chest. “Beyond words,” she whispers. “I’m going to spend every day making sure you never regret giving me this second chance.”
