Free

Epilogue

Charlie

One Year Later

The beach is alive with music and laughter, the salty breeze carrying the sound of waves and the occasional burst of clapping or a delighted shout from one of the kids racing up and down the shoreline. Strings of twinkling lights stretch between driftwood poles, casting a soft glow over the sand as the sun dips low on the horizon, painting the sky in fiery streaks of orange, pink, and violet.

It’s exactly how Nick described it. Our wedding day, written all over with everything that feels like us. Barefoot on the beach, surrounded by the people we love most in the world, celebrating not just the love we’ve built, but the life we’ve chosen together.

I glance down at the smooth white fabric of my dress, its hem dusted with sand and sea spray, and smile as Sunshine circles my feet. She’s wearing a flower collar—Nick’s idea, of course—and looks immensely proud of herself for carrying the rings down the aisle earlier.

Nick is a few feet away, his jacket long since discarded, the sleeves of his crisp white shirt rolled up as he balances Nathan and Mina’s firstborn on his hip. She’s fascinated by his undone collar, her little fingers tugging at the buttons while Nick just laughs, pressing a kiss to her soft curls.

“You’re staring,” Ivy teases, sidling up beside me with a knowing grin. She’s holding Jeremiah’s hand, who is currently entranced by the waves lapping at his toes. “Can’t say I blame you, though. That man is pure magic with her.”

I nod, my throat tightening with emotion as I watch him spin little Sophia around, her laughter ringing out like music. “I didn’t think I’d fall prey to baby fever but… he’s not making it easy to resist the idea of starting a family.

“Believe me, I understand,” Ivy agrees softly, with a glance towards her husband.

The sound of a clinking glass draws our attention, and we turn to see Wyatt standing near the bonfire, a mischievous glint in his eye. “Before the dancing gets wild and the cake is devoured, I want to take a moment to embarrass—uh, I mean, celebrate—my son and his beautiful bride.”

The crowd quiets, gathering closer as Nick sets Sophia down and joins me, sliding an arm around my waist. His hand rests lightly on the small of my back, grounding me as Wyatt clears his throat, holding up his glass.

“Now, I’ve been told by Kara that I’m supposed to keep this short,” he begins, earning a wave of laughter from the group. “But if you think I’m going to miss the opportunity to embarrass my son on his wedding day, you’ve got another thing coming.”

Nick groans, but his grin is wide, his eyes sparkling as he pulls me closer.

“This boy of mine,” Wyatt continues, his tone softening, “has always been stubborn. Always driven. Always reaching for the next big thing. And for a long time, I worried that he wouldn’t ever find the kind of peace and happiness he deserved. But then Charlie came along.” He pauses, his gaze sweeping over us. “And suddenly, everything clicked. She didn’t just bring him peace. She brought him joy. She brought him home.”

My eyes blur with tears as Wyatt raises his glass higher. “To Nick and Charlie—their love, their laughter, and the life they’re building together. May it always feel as good as it does today.”

The crowd erupts in cheers, glasses clinking as Nick leans down to kiss me, his lips soft and sure against mine.

As the toasts wind down and the music picks back up, I find myself pulled into a slow dance with Nick, the sand cool beneath our feet as the tide rolls in. He holds me close, his hands firm and steady, his eyes locked on mine.

“Happy?” he asks, his voice low and rough, but filled with wonder.

“More than I ever thought possible,” I whisper, brushing my lips against his.

We sway together, and I lose myself in the summer sky of his eyes, cloudless, serene, and filled with promise. I catch sight of Angela and Garrett dancing nearby, Elise perched on Garrett’s shoulders as she giggles. Nathan and Mina are chatting with Ivy and Micah, their laughter rising above the music. Kara and Wyatt sit side by side near the fire, their hands intertwined, their love still as steady as the waves after all these years. Mom and Dad are dancing, smiles etched into their faces, the warmth of the moment reflecting in their eyes. Mom catches me watching and presses a hand to her heart, while Connor whispers with the woman he’s sure to marry in a quiet corner.

It’s everything I ever dreamed of. And as I press my forehead to Nick’s, the words he wrote in one of his letters echo in my mind.

I promise, our wedding would have been screaming “Charlie!” from the rooftops.We’d be barefoot, on the beach, people cheering and dancing and laughing. There’d be good music and better energy and just, I don’t know, the kind of love that could heal the whole damn world.

And it will.

It has.

Loving Nick has brought me a peace, a sense of purpose. I’m free from the fear of getting it wrong. Of not being enough. Free from the uncertainty of what the future might hold.

Because when I look at him, when I feel his touch, I know.

It’s him and me and me and him, wrapped in the unblinking truth of our love. Yes, we will have hard times. Sure, we’ll face our share of trials.

But the overriding truth of it, of us, will be a love so pure it existed from the first moment we met and will continue to exist through every second, minute, hour, and year we spend together.

“Penny for your thoughts,” Nick says, pressing a kiss into my hair.

“They’re beautiful tonight.”

Nick tilts my chin up, his eyes locking onto mine with a warmth that makes my heart stutter. “Beautiful thoughts from the most beautiful soul,” he murmurs, brushing his thumb over my cheek. “But for the record, Charlie, every thought you have is beautiful to me—because they’re yours.”

Laughter, warm and welcome, bubbles up from somewhere in my heart and I press my cheek to his chest. “Oh, you cheesy, wonderful, brilliant man.”

“Whatever I am, I’m yours.”

A smile blooms and I meet his eyes. “I love you, Nick Hutton.”

“I love you, Charlie Hutton. Forever and ever, for the rest of our days.”