My turn.
“I spent twenty-six years building walls.” The words surprised me with how steady they were. “Stone by stone. Brick by brick. I told myself they kept me safe. Turns out, they just kept me alone.”
Liam’s thumbs moved, slow circles grounding me.
“You didn’t tear them down. You waited. Patient. Steady. Always there.” My throat tightened. “Until one day I realized the walls weren’t protecting me anymore. They were just keeping me from you.”
I drew in a breath and didn’t look away.
“I thought needing people was a weakness. That depending on someone meant handing them the power to destroy you.” A small, broken laugh. “You proved me wrong. Every single day. And for the first time in my life, I’m glad to need someone.”
He was crying harder now. I didn’t stop. I couldn’t.
“I choose you.” Not louder. Not softer. Just certain. “Not because I have to. Not because of custody or inheritance or any of the reasons we told ourselves at the beginning. I choose you because you’re where I want to be. Because you made me believe I could have this.”
My voice dropped—not from weakness, but from focus.
“A home. A family. Someone who stays.” I stepped closer, forehead nearly touching his. “You’re my home, Liam. You and Mia.” A breath. “That’s everything.”
The officiant mentioned rings. Liam slid the new band onto my finger, settling it beside Gran’s ring, beside the original gold band. Three rings now. A history written in metal.
Then the words we’d been holding our breath for.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife. Again.”
The crew whooped. Mia cheered like she’d just won something important.
Liam kissed me—deep, certain. His arms wrapped around me and lifted me just enough that I laughed into his mouth, surprised by how easy joy felt.
When we broke apart, he dipped me—actually dipped me—and the crowd lost it.
Grinning down at me, breathless, he said, “So. Wife. For real this time.”
I didn’t hesitate. Didn’t joke it away.
“Husband.” My smile felt steady. Earned. “For real and forever.”
The reception spilled across the property.
Champagne flowed. Music played from speakers someone had rigged up in the barn. The crew had abandoned their dress uniforms for something more comfortable, and Cal was already telling embarrassing stories about Liam to anyone who would listen.
I stood at the edge of it all, watching. My family. My friends. My life spread out across this ranch like something from a dream.
Movement caught my eye.
Owen was weaving through the crowd toward Liam and Cal, his phone in his hand, something tight in his expression.
I watched from across the lawn as he clapped Liam on the shoulder, leaning in to say something. Liam’s frown was visible even from here. They exchanged a few words, and Liam pulled him into a brief hug, clapping his back before letting go.
Then Owen turned, scanning the crowd until he found me.
He crossed the lawn with that same tight expression, stopping in front of me.
“Hey.” His smile was warm but distracted. “I have to take off. I’m really sorry.”
“Everything okay?”
Owen slowed—not enough to stop, but enough to give himself away. His jaw tightened, eyes flicking toward the driveway like he was already halfway gone. He scrubbed a hand over the back of his neck, breath shallow, like the words didn’t want to come out.
