Epilogue
Matt
Six Months Later
The ceremony was beautiful.
We’d held it on a private section of the beach, behind one of the nicest venues in town.
It had been pure luck that we’d managed to get in.
When we’d called with our list of dates, every one of them was booked.
Two hours later, they’d called back. They had a cancellation, six months from the date we called.
We accepted immediately, because it was at the top of Noah’s dream wedding locations.
Between Noah’s mom and Eli, we had managed to pull together our dream wedding in a matter of months.
The reception was held inside, and it was packed.
Noah had a large family, and most of them had come to the ceremony.
Brooke and my college friends had flown in from California, and Noah’s friends from New York had come down for the weekend.
My parents had showed up, all three of them sitting together in the front row.
I got to declare my love for Noah in front of the people I loved.
Dinner and toasts moved relatively fast. The entire day felt like it was moving so fast. When the dancing started, we were inundated by people congratulating us.
People telling us how beautiful the ceremony was and how much fun they were having.
Between my friends and Moira and our families, we were rarely alone.
I didn’t care. I had my entire life to be alone with Noah.
The party went by in a blur, the same way the ceremony and dinner had.
I didn’t think I’d remember specifics in a few days, but I’d never forget the feeling.
I would never forget the way it felt to see Noah waiting for me at the altar with my four best friends.
I would never forget the feeling I had when our officiant announced us married and Noah kissed me in a way that got catcalls from everyone around us.
I might not remember the meal we’d served, but I’d remember laughing as my friends joined together to give a speech.
A speech with a few bits I probably would never forget, because those assholes had chosen to take that moment to roast me instead of just talking about love or happiness or whatever else.
I’d never forget the way Noah had almost started crying when Moira gave her best woman speech, one that was heartfelt and touching and everything my friends’ combined speech wasn’t.
I’d remember the way I felt when we danced our first dance as husbands, the annoyance at the formal pictures, the joy and laughter as my friends forced me into some line dance, all of it.
But eventually, it ended.
“Time to go?” Noah whispered. “We’ve got to get to the airport.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “I just need to say goodbye, okay?”
“Make it fast?”
I knew he didn’t want to be late. He’d been worried about being late for our plane all day.
He’d been worried about me being late to our wedding for the last week, and he only stopped worrying when Seb promised to be in charge of getting me there.
He was always on time for everything. He would probably worry about us being late to the plane all the way up to the moment that we were seated on the plane.
I kissed my husband—husband—and went off to find my friends while Noah disappeared to say goodbye to Moira and his family.
I found Seb and Jonas easily, seated at a table with Chris and Silas.
“Where’s Eli and Holden? I wanted to say goodbye to all of you!
” I whined as they gave me hugs and wished me safe travels.
“I haven’t seen them in…” Jonas started. He looked over at Seb helplessly.
“An hour? They went to get a drink and just never came back.”
“Tell them I said bye?” I requested. I’d do another lap through the crowd to see if I could find them, but something told me I wouldn’t.
The party was already thinning, and if I couldn’t see them on the dance floor, then they weren’t there.
I’d give them hell later when I got home from the honeymoon.
Because now, it was time to go off with my husband. Husband. It was officially my new favorite word in the English language. We left the reception to applause and best wishes, and we climbed into our limousine.
As we drove away, I looked down at the ring on my finger and the matching one on his. They meant forever, and that was what I was going to have with Noah.
Our love story had spanned a decade. Our love story had other people who had come and go, shaped us into the versions of ourselves that we were now.
Some people looked for their happily ever afters, but I didn’t want that.
I didn’t want a happily ever after with Noah.
I wanted the good and the bad. I wanted the happy times and the sad. Happily ever after was an ending.
Our real love story was just beginning.
The End