I laugh, shaky and breathless, and let myself look at them.
My people.
Women who know my past. Who saw me arrive broken and unsure and scared of my own shadow. Who watched me fall in love anyway.
“You’re glowing,” Olivia says. “Like… settled glowing. Not ‘new relationship panic’ glowing.”
“That’s because she’s marrying the right people,” Ivy says firmly. “Plural.”
There’s a knock at the door.
“Don’t come in,” Ivy yells automatically.
Silas’s voice filters through anyway. “I brought snacks and emotional support!”
“Go away,” Sloane shouts.
“Love you,” Silas replies cheerfully, retreating.
I take a deep breath.
Okay.
This is happening.
The ceremony is under the big oak by the pasture, sunlight filtering through leaves. Wild Reverie plays softly as I walk out, acoustic and intimate. Roman’s voice carries on the breeze.
Everyone is there.
The town. The family we built. Faces that were once strangers and now feel like anchors.
Sadie stands at the front in a flower crown that’s slipping sideways, hands clasped, vibrating with excitement. When she sees me, her face lights up so bright it nearly knocks the air out of my lungs.
Boone is holding himself together by sheer force of will. His eyes are bright, jaw tight, hands clenched and unclenched. He doesn’t trust himself not to reach for me early.
Caleb’s smile is quiet and devastating, the kind that saysI choose this life, every day.
Silas grins like he won something he never expected to deserve.
When I reach them, the world narrows to just us.
I say my vows with my whole chest. About choosing. About staying. About love that isn’t loud to be real.
They say theirs like promises already kept.
When we kiss, Sadie cheers so loudly the officiant laughs.
The rest of the day blurs into joy.
Music. Dancing. Boone spinning me under the lights. Caleb’s hand warm on my back. Silas dipping me dramatically until Ivy threatens him with bodily harm while bouncing her baby.
It really is perfect.
And somehow, it keeps getting better.
Much later, after the music fades, after the lights are dimmed and the last hugs are exchanged, we tuck Sadie into bed together.
She’s half asleep already, still wearing her flower crown, curls stuck to her cheeks with sugar and exhaustion. Boone kneelsto untangle the crown gently. Caleb smooths the blankets. Silas presses a kiss to her forehead.
