I think about those dark days – how lonely I felt in my apartment, watching his games, driving past my school just to feel connected to something. And then Logan appearing at my door that morning, unshaven, apologetic, his knuckles bruised from punching a wall.
"Hold still," Elena instructs, leaning in to apply mascara to my lashes. "Close your eyes."
I breathe deep and exhale. It doesn’t help.
"All done." Elena's voice pulls me back to the present. "Ready for the dress?"
My legs feel like they might fail me. Elena steadies me, her grip firm on my shoulders.
"Deep breath," she instructs. "In through your nose, out through your mouth."
“I just tried that. Didn’t work.”
“Just do it again.”
I obey, trying to calm my jitters. Elena holds on to me as I step into the dress, carefully shimmying it up over my hips, guiding my arms through the lace sleeves.
"Don't cry yet," she warns, fastening the tiny buttons up my back. "You'll ruin your makeup."
But when she turns me to face the mirror, we both tear up despite her warning. The woman staring back at me looks like someone from a dream – radiant, elegant, transformed by joy.
"Oh, Reese." Elena's voice catches. "You're so incredibly beautiful. Look at you!"
I touch the fabric, feeling suddenly shy. "Do you think he'll like it?"
"Like it?" Elena laughs through her tears. "He's going to stop breathing when he sees you."
A knock at the door startles us both. My dad pokes his head in, his eyes widening when he sees me. "Princess," he whispers, "you look so beautiful. You look just like your mother."
“Thank you, Daddy.”
It's the sweetest compliment he could give me. My mom has been gone for three years, but for a second, it’s like she’s right here beside me.
"It's time," he says, offering his arm. "They're ready for us."
Reality crashes over me in a wave. This is happening. Right now. I'm marrying Logan McCoy – hockey god, new father, the man who fell in love with me after I doused him in coffee.
"I can't believe this is real," I whisper, more to myself than to Elena or my dad.
"Believe it," Elena says, handing me my bouquet – wildflowers in blues and purples, tied with a pink ribbon. "You deserve this, Reese. You deserve him, and he deserves you."
Dad squeezes my hand. "Ready, sweetheart?"
I take one last look in the mirror, barely recognizing the woman I see there – not because of the dress or the makeup, but because of the joy radiating from her eyes. From my eyes.
"I'm ready," I say, and for the first time today, my voice is steady.
I peek through the gap in the wooden doors, my heart pounding so hard I'm sure my dad can hear it standing next to me. The barn stretches before us, transformed by hundreds of twinkling lights hanging from exposed beams, with wildflowers lining the aisle where our guests sit in simple white wooden chairs.Sunlight filters through the open sides of the structure, it’s magical. I spot Logan at the altar, tall and impossibly handsome in his tuxedo, fidgeting with his cuffs as he talks quietly with Kovy beside him.
"You okay, sweetheart?" Dad whispers, squeezing my hand.
I nod. My voice won’t work. The string quartet begins playing, and I watch as our guests turn expectantly toward the doors. I can’t believe all these people are here for us—for me.
Tyler appears at my side, his tiny suit making him look older. He supports the ring pillow with both hands, his expression as serious as I’ve ever seen him.
"Remember what we practiced?" I ask, kneeling carefully to avoid crushing my dress.
"I walk slow," he recites, "and I don't run, and I hold the pillow flat so the rings don't fall off."
