“Open it.”
His fingers carefully break the seal, and he pulls out two tickets. His eyes widen.
“Paris?” he whispers, looking up at me. “You got us tickets to Disneyland Paris?”
“For our honeymoon,” I say as warmth floods mychest at his expression. “A real one this time. I figured if I’m going to love a Disney adult, I might as well go all in.”
Lucas is out of bed in an instant, lifting me off my feet in a spin that sends the Mickey ears flying. When he sets me down, his eyes are suspiciously bright.
“Jessica Lexington-Carmichael,” he says, his voice rough with emotion, “you continue to surprise me.”
“That’s the plan,” I reply, reaching up to touch his face. “For as long as you’ll have me.”
Outside our window, Los Angeles continues its eternal performance, its lights and glamour concealing complexity beneath. But here, in this space we’ve made our own, we’ve found something beyond the carefully constructed narratives we’ve both built our careers upon.
We’ve found the truth.
epilogue
. . .
Jess - Six Months Later
Honey Pine Farms
Grant and Sophia’s Wedding
The skyover Honey Pine Farms is dusted in gold, the sun just starting to dip behind the mountains, as the ceremony shifts into the reception. Rows of white chairs are still scattered across the hillside, and guests mingle with champagne flutes and camera-ready smiles while fairy lights blink awake above the dance floor like they’ve been waiting for this exact moment.
I slip my hand into Lucas’s as we wander toward the main lodge and the soft murmur of conversation rises around us. His fingers squeeze mine, a quiet pulse of affection. He looks effortlessly polished, as always, in a crisp black tux, with his tie slightly loosened now that the vows have been said, and his eyes are warm when they land on mine.
“You doing ok?” he asks, dipping his head slightly to catch my eye.
I nod. “I’m good. Just a little in awe.”
He smiles, slow and knowing. “You mean from Grant actually pulling off an emotionally intelligent ceremony without needing to quoteThe Breakfast Club?”
I nudge him with my shoulder. “I meant Sophia’s vows, smartass.”
“To be fair, they were excellent,” he concedes. “And Hazel stole the whole show.”
“She always does.”
We fall into step again, quiet for a beat as guests trail past us. Blair and Wyatt are among them, strolling with their hands linked, Blair glowing and very, very pregnant.
“She’s practically floating,” I say. “They both are.”
Lucas glances over and grins. “Wyatt’s about one false labor call away from wrapping her in bubble wrap.”
“Classic first-time dad energy.”
Brandon and Stella pass next, deep in conversation. Or rather, Stella’s talking, animated and dramatic as always, while Brandon looks hypnotized by her story.
“I’m just saying,” she says, tugging at Brandon’s sleeve, “that you’re a dating ninja. The least you could do is teach me how to flirt like a normal human.”
“I’m not a ninja,” Brandon replies, looking both smug and unbothered.
“You got that girl from 4B to ask you out by recommending a podcast,” she huffs. “I recommended banana bread to my crush, and he asked if I was ok.”
