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She takes a step closer to me. “You look pretty handsome yourself, Mr. Muscles,” she says, leaning in for a kiss.

Closing the distance, I press my lips to hers. She tries to step back after giving me a quick peck, but I sweep my arm around her waist and pull her into me.

“Drew!” She throws her head back and laughs. Which makes me want to kiss her neck. “We’re going to be late,” she says, playfully swatting at my chest.

I groan. “Okay, fine.” I remove my arm from her waist and thread our fingers together instead.

We walk to the Bronco hand in hand, smiling at each other like fools.

When we walk into the botanical gardens, there’s acoustic guitar music playing in the background and twinkle lights draped in the trees and bushes. There are only about fifty guests here, if I had to guess. It’s twilight, and the setting is incredibly romantic.

Sophie’s face lights up when she spots two older ladies standing near the chairs that have been set up for the wedding guests.

Taking my hand, she pulls me toward them. They both grin when they spot us, but not in a sweet grandma-like way; more like two Cheshire Cats who are up to no good.

“Oh my goodness, is this the hot surgeon?” one of them asks Sophie and then shoots me an ornery wink.

Sophie’s cheeks pinken. “You two behave yourselves!” She glances at me and tightens her grip on my hand. “This is Drew.”

I reach my free hand out to shake their hands, but one pulls me into a big hug and the other follows suit.

“We’re huggers!” The slightly taller one says before turning to Sophie and quietly stating, “Wow, you’re right. Good muscles on this one.”

I think it was meant to be a whisper, but was definitely loud enough for me to hear. I pretend to be oblivious to the comment, but Sophie’s face continues getting redder by the second. Sophie raises her eyebrows at the women, as if silently pleading them to play it cool.

She clears her throat. “Drew, this is Bernice and Gerda. They’re sisters and they started Wonderful Widows together.”

“Pleasure meeting you both.” I nod my head at them and then slip my arm around Sophie’s waist. The silky fabric of her dress is calling to my fingertips like catnip to a cat. My hands can’t seem to stop reaching out for her.

Bernice and Gerda’s eyes trail down to my hand on Sophie’s waist and they give each other a look. Like they’re speaking to each other telepathically. I wish I knew what they were communicating to one another.

“Ashley saved a row for us. Lisa and Evie are already seated.” Bernice points to a row where two women sit chatting amiably.

The music changes and a man steps under the floral canopy at the front of the ceremony area. Everyone seems to take that as a signal that the ceremony is about to start and finds a seat. We follow the sisters to the seats they saved for us, and they introduce me to Evie and her son and also a woman named Lisa.

The ladies hug Sophie and they all look genuinely thrilled to see each other. There’s a closeness between the five of them that makes it seem like they’ve known each other all their lives.

I can see the joy exuding from Sophie by being with them, and it’s then that I realize this group of widows is probably the entire reason Sophie’s heart has healed enough to allow me inside. They’ve really helped her move forward and process her grief.

The feeling of gratefulness to these ladies brings a sudden bout of fresh tears to my eyes. I blink several times and gulp down the lump in my throat, trying to keep the tears down.

Sophie takes her seat next to me and puts her hand on my knee. I cover her slender hand with mine and she smiles up at me. “Aw, Drew. Are you crying?”

I sniff. “Probably just allergies.”

We both know it’s a lie. I kiss her temple and bring my free hand around her shoulders, slowly rubbing circles with my thumb on her bare skin. Her gorgeous skin feels even softer and silkier than her dress.

“It’s okay,” she whispers, laying her head against my shoulder for a moment. “Weddings make me cry, too.”

Smiling against her temple, I pull her into me, just a little tighter.

After the bride and groom’s parents are seated, the guitarist strums Adele’s, “Make You Feel My Love.”

Sophie leans in to whisper, “Sam used to play this song, it was one of his favorites.”

I swivel my head to look at her and realize the memory makes her happy. Not sad. I smile at her, remembering back when I could finally think of my parents with happiness and not in mourning. My heart felt so much lighter when their memories brought me joy instead of grief.

The officiant at the front gestures for the audience to rise, and we turn to see a bride at the opposite end of the aisle. The groom has taken his place at the front and he’s a wreck. The man has tears streaming down his face as he looks at his bride. She has a little girl on one side, and a little boy on the other. The three of them walk down the aisle together. The bride is all smiles as she holds the gaze of her tearful groom.

Sophie sniffles next to me and whispers, “Those are her children walking her down the aisle. So sweet.”

She pulls a tissue from her clutch and dabs at her eyes. I don’t think there’s a dry eye in the entire botanical garden at this point. Even a few of the tears I’ve been holding back break free. Sophie hands me one of her tissues.

This is just such a vivid picture of what me and Sophie's wedding would be like. Joining together as a family. It’s absolutely beautiful and breathtaking.

If I was ever uncertain where I wanted my relationship with Sophie to go, this would’ve solidified it. But I was never uncertain.

The ceremony continues and I can’t seem to pry my eyes away from the couple standing before us. They’re probably around my age, and the ceremony is simple. The bride is wearing a dress that’s fairly casual, and she doesn’t even have a bouquet. The groom is wearing dark jeans and a button-up shirt tucked in. There’s nothing fancy or over-the-top, just two people whose love is palpable. And the beauty of these four becoming a family.

The officiate announces it’s time for the groom to kiss his bride, and the groom dips her back and kisses her. The kids jump up and down, cheering along with the rest of the crowd. The guitarist starts playing again, an upbeat song that I don’t recognize. The couple walks down the aisle together, the kids trailing right behind them.

All four of them look incredibly happy.