James grinned. "I don’t know how you got her to agree to this. Sabrina was way out of your league back then, and she definitely still is."
Walker laughed, the sound warm and genuine. "Don't I know it."
Terrel, the quietest of the Star brothers, gave Walker a wink. "She's good for you. We all see it."
"You guys clean up nice," Walker observed, looking at his brothers all together in their formal wear. It had been years since they'd all been in the same room. "Didn't think SEALs knew how to dress for civilian occasions."
"We had help," James admitted. "Reed sent very specific instructions and threats."
Reed shrugged unapologetically. "Someone had to make sure you yahoos didn't show up in tactical gear."
Their laughter filled the room as they reminisced about old times. Walker could sense his father would have enjoyed seeing his sons together again.
Henry appeared in the doorway, looking distinguished in his charcoal suit. "It's time, gentlemen."
The ceremony space was breathtaking. White chairs lined the shore, with an aisle of scattered rose petals leading to a simple wooden arch draped with greenery and white flowers. The lake stretched beyond, reflecting the blue sky and distant mountains. About sixty guests had gathered—close friends, colleagues whohad become family, and those who had stood by them during the darkest days.
Walker took his place beneath the arch, his brothers beside him. The pastor, a longtime friend of both families, nodded warmly.
A string quartet began playing, and Walker's breath caught as Sabrina's mother appeared, escorted by a beaming Henry to her seat in the front row. She caught Walker's eye and gave him a tearful smile of approval.
Then the music changed, and everything else faded away.
Sabrina appeared at the end of the aisle, radiant in a simple white gown that caught the sunlight. Her hair was loosely styled with small white flowers woven through it, and she carried a bouquet of wildflowers that matched those growing along the lakeshore. But it was her smile—brilliant, loving, certain—that made Walker's heart stop.
As she walked toward him, escorted by her cousin who had stepped in to give her away, Walker remembered every moment that had led them here: summers spent at this very lake as teenagers; the years of separation; finding her again in the midst of danger; bringing Kraslov to justice together; and finally, rebuilding their lives over this past year.
When she reached him, Sabrina handed her bouquet to her maid of honor and took both of Walker's hands in hers. Up close, he could see the happy tears shimmering in her eyes, matching the emotion he felt welling in his own chest.
"You look beautiful," he whispered.
"So do you," she whispered back with a smile.
The pastor began the ceremony, speaking of commitment, partnership, and the journey that had brought them together. But Walker barely heard the words. He was lost in Sabrina's eyes, in the promise of their future.
When the time came for their vows, Walker spoke from the heart, his voice steady and sure.
"Sabrina, life took us in different directions once, but I think we were always meant to find our way back to each other. You've seen the best and worst of me, and somehow you love me anyway. I promise to be your partner, your protector, your best friend. To support your dreams and share whatever challenges come our way. I've loved you since we were kids, and I'll love you for the rest of my days."
Tears slipped down Sabrina's cheeks as she began her own vows.
"Walker, when we reconnected last year, I was scared and lost. But even in the midst of chaos, you were my certainty. You reminded me of who I am, of what we can accomplish together. I promise to stand by you, to build our life with purpose and joy, to never take a single day for granted. You are the love I never forgot, the one I'll cherish always from God."
They exchanged rings—simple gold bands that symbolized their unbroken commitment. When the pastor pronounced them husband and wife, Walker pulled Sabrina into a kiss that drew cheers and applause from their guests.
The reception took place at the main cabin, with tables set up on the sprawling lawn overlooking the lake. Strings of lights hung from tree to tree, bringing warmth to the scene as daylight began to fade.
During dinner, Reed stood to offer the first toast, raising his glass to the newlyweds.
"To Walker and Sabrina—proof that some things are worth waiting for, that some connections can't be broken, and that love really can conquer all, even international conspiracies." This drew laughter from the guests who knew the full story. "May your life together be filled with as much joy as you've brought to each other's lives this past year."
Later, as the band played and couples filled the dance floor, Henry approached them, emotion evident in his weathered features.
"Frank would have given anything to be here today," he told them, his voice rough with feeling. "To see his little girl so happy, and with a man he always respected."
Sabrina embraced him tightly. "He is here," she said. "So is Robert. We wouldn't be here without them—any of us."
As the evening progressed, Walker led Sabrina away from the festivities to a quiet spot on the dock, the same place where he'd first kissed her when they were seventeen.
