Epilogue
One year later . . .
Lilly had only seen a wedding like Charlotte’s in the movies, so she figured it was fitting that it would be in LA. Charlotte
had insisted she didn’t want anything too elaborate—that she’d already had a big wedding and preferred something subdued and
private for her second marriage. But Penny and Don, and Jules’s parents, had gotten involved in the planning, and while they
claimed it was subdued, it certainly looked fancy to Lilly. Her dress alone had cost quite a bit; she’d been shocked by the price. But Penny
had said she looked so beautiful she simply had to have it, and so here she was, standing in a sleeveless white gown with
a fitted top and a full skirt that hit her just above the ankles—a dress Sabrina would’ve loved because it looked like something
out of a high-fashion magazine. And with her hair styled partway up and partway down, and adorned with fresh flowers, Lilly
had never felt so pretty.
Still, she wasn’t half as pretty as Charlotte.
No one could be as pretty as Charlotte. Charlotte’s dress also had a fitted top, but it fell off her shoulders and trailed out behind her on the ground, along with a lace veil.
She hadn’t wanted a lot of beading or sequins, so her dress and veil were also subdued—if Lilly understood that word correctly—and yet it was the most gorgeous gown Lilly had ever seen.
Charlotte’s face was what made it perfect, though. She was happier than Lilly could ever imagine her being.
“So . . . what do you think?”
At the sound of a man’s voice, Lilly turned to see Robert, Charlotte’s birth father, standing behind her with his wife, Cindy.
“About . . .?”
He used a champagne flute to gesture around him at the lanterns that swung above the lawn and the Olympic size pool filled
with a tasteful number of floating candles. “The festivities?”
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” she admitted.
He chuckled. “I have a feeling Penny and Don won’t let your wedding be anything less than legendary, either.”
“Maybe.” So far, she hadn’t really been into boys. But that was changing. Charlotte said it was because she was getting older;
she thought that was only part of it. She was also feeling normal, safe. Happy.
Megan, Charlotte’s editor, approached them. “I’m going to take off, but I wanted to tell you how nice it was to meet you.”
She was looking at Lilly, so Lilly responded. “It was nice to meet you, too.”
Megan smiled at Robert. “I’m glad I came for this. I bet you are, too.”
“I am,” he acknowledged.
“I know it meant a lot to Charlotte that you came all the way from New York,” Cindy told Megan.
“I wouldn’t miss it,” Megan told her.
Robert took a sip of his drink. “How’s the book doing?”
“Excellent,” Megan replied. “Sales are growing instead of declining. That’s always a good sign.”
Charlotte’s latest novel had come out two months ago and stayed on The New York Times bestseller list for several weeks. Once it fell off, they thought that would be it. This title hadn’t done as well as her
first, but they’d expected as much. She was no longer in the public eye, not to the extent she’d been when she was with Cliff.
But the book had returned to the list three weeks ago and was still there. Megan said that was a sign that readers were talking
about it and sharing it with friends and family. Lilly remembered Charlotte being more excited about its return to the list
than hitting it in the first place, because she felt that was because of her writing, not her old connection to Cliff.
Megan said good night and left just as Sloane and Ben came up. Sloane had taken off her high heels over an hour ago. Her feet
were swelling because of the pregnancy, so Ben was carrying her shoes. She was due in just a couple of months, which was why
Jules and Charlotte had chosen to have the wedding in August, even though it was the hottest month of the year. They hadn’t
wanted to schedule it later because Sloane would be too far along to be able to fly.
“Lilly said you only have a couple of months before your baby arrives,” Robert said. “Congratulations.”
Sloane put a hand over her swollen stomach. “Thank you. We can’t wait.”
“We have the nursery all ready,” Ben added.
“Do you know the sex?” Cindy asked.
Sloane gave Lilly a look that indicated she could be the one to reveal it, and she piped up with, “It’s a girl.” Sloane had
called her and Charlotte as soon as she and Ben had left the ultrasound appointment to let them know.
“Do you have a name picked out yet?” Robert asked.
Ben switched Sloane’s shoes to his other hand. “We’re planning to call her Mila.”
“Pretty,” Cindy said.
Sloane slid her arm around Lilly’s shoulders. “We hope she turns out just like this girl here.”
Heat climbed Lilly’s cheeks, but she smiled as her phone signaled a call. Everyone she knew or interacted with was at the
wedding, so she was surprised—until she remembered telling Steve that she’d FaceTime him so he could be part of the celebration.
“Sorry, I have to answer this,” she said before connecting the call.
“Hey, did you forget about me?” Steve asked.
“Not really. I just lost track of time, so I’m glad you called,” Lilly said, feeling a bit sheepish. “How’s Old Blue?”
“He’s good. He’s right here.” He turned the phone so she could see the dog sleeping on the porch at his feet. “He can’t wait
for you to come visit.”
She was going to be staying with Steve and Old Blue while Charlotte and Julian went back to Italy on their honeymoon. “I’ll
be there soon.”
“Thanks for making it possible for me to attend the wedding—at least virtually.”
“Of course. Let me introduce you to everyone,” she said and showed him her dress before turning the phone around so he could
meet all the other people she knew and loved.
Beyond the screen, laughter scattered like confetti across the lit garden, and for the first time in her life, Lilly felt
her whole world fit in one frame.