“It’s already real.”
“I know. But let’s keep it ours for a little while. Just tonight. Tomorrow we can tell everyone. Tonight, it’s just for us.”
So they celebrated. Made love. Talked about wedding plans and honeymoons and the life they’d build as husband and wife. Laughed about how terrible Carson’s proposal had been and how perfect it was anyway.
And later, when they finally reheated dinner and ate it at midnight in their pajamas, both wearing matching grins, Carson thought about how far they’d come.
From victim and detective to partners to lovers to fiancés.
It hadn’t been easy. They’d almost lost each other. Had to do the hard work of change and growth and forgiveness.
But they’d made it. They’d chosen each other. Again and again.
And now they got to choose forever.
“I love you,” Carson said as they climbed back into bed.
“I love you too.” Nora held up her hand, watching the ring catch the moonlight from the window. “My fiancé.”
“My fiancée.”
“That sounds good.”
“It sounds perfect.”
They fell asleep wrapped around each other, both feeling the deep satisfaction of having found what they’d been searching for. Not perfection. Not the absence of problems. Just partnership. Just love. Just forever.
And tomorrow, they’d tell the world. Would celebrate with friends and family. Would start planning the wedding that would make this official.
But tonight? Tonight was just for them. For this moment. For the quiet joy of choosing each other.
One more time. One last time before the forever began.
It was enough. More than enough.
It was the beginning of everything.
Epilogue
One year later
The weather cooperated in that way it rarely did for outdoor weddings.
Clear skies. Gentle breeze. Temperature perfect—warm enough for the garden venue but not so hot that everyone was miserable in their formal wear.
Nora stood in the bridal suite of the botanical gardens, adjusting her dress for the tenth time.
“You look beautiful,” Lila said, appearing behind her in the mirror. “Stop fidgeting.”
“I’m not fidgeting. I’m adjusting,” she said, as she fidgeted a little more.
“You’re fidgeting. You’ve been adjusting that same spot for five minutes.” Lila smacked her hands awayand moved to fix Nora’s veil. “Nervous?”
“No. Maybe. I don’t know.” Nora sighed then took a breath. “I’m marrying Carson. I want to marry Carson. But standing here, about to walk down that aisle—it feels so big. So permanent.”
“It is permanent. That’s the point.” Lila was completely absorbed in adjusting her hair and the material, making sure everything was just right.
“I know. And I want permanent. I want forever with him. I just—” She stopped. “What if I mess this up? What if I’m not good at being a wife? What if—”
