Epilogue
S ix Months Later
Rachel had not been wrong. Planning a wedding was incredibly stressful, even for someone who loved planning like Ava did. Yet, she wouldn’t have traded this for anything. She was marrying Reed Campbell today, this time on purpose and in front of their family, friends, and everyone else they had been forced to invite, mostly on his side, since she had no one left.
They had gotten their way in what mattered most. Ava stood just inside a small outbuilding, waiting to walk down the aisle, though aisle was a slight misnomer. They had insisted on getting married outside, under a trellis, in the fall. Reed was happiest outside and Ava was learning to love it too, especially as he introduced her to the pleasures of making love outside. Who knew she had the flare of exhibitionism, not that she ever wanted to be caught!
Most of the guests were already settled in the white plastic chairs under the tent they had reserved in case there was bad weather, but someone had reserved a gorgeous fall day. Ava preferred to think her mom and dad had arranged for the perfect day and were watching from above.
Beside her, Noah adjusted the cuff of his tuxedo jacket and gave a low whistle. “You clean up nice, sis.”
Ava turned to look at him. “So do you, big brother.”
He smirked, then gave her a once-over. His gaze softened, pride and something deeper gleaming in his eyes. “Mom would’ve lost it seeing you like this. You know that, right?”
Ava’s throat tightened. “Yeah,” she whispered. “She would’ve cried through the entire ceremony.”
“And Dad would’ve tried not to cry, but would’ve failed miserably by the time you hit the first step of the aisle.”
She chuckled, even as a tear escaped. “He always said he wasn’t a crier, but he totally was.”
Noah nodded. “They’d be proud of you. All of this—your new job as permanent Emergency Department doctor, your new life. They’d be so damn proud.”
Ava swallowed hard, the weight of his words both a comfort and a quiet ache. “Thank you for being here. For walking me down the aisle. For everything.”
He grinned and tapped her chin gently. “You’re my little sister. It’s the best job I ever got.”
The processional music swelled from the outdoor venue, signaling the beginning of the processional. Rachel peeked her head inside, giving Ava a double thumbs-up and mouthing, “He’s here.”
Ava’s heart began to pound, not from fear, but from the overwhelming realization that she was walking toward something she’d once believed she’d never deserved. Love. Stability. A future not built on sacrifice alone, but shared joy.
Noah offered his arm, and she took it, squeezing tight as the doors slowly creaked open.
Sunlight blinded her for a moment, then she adjusted. She walked past the hedges that hid the bride from the audience until she reached the aisle. Then she stepped into the center and sucked in a deep breath.
Reed stood at the end of the aisle, dressed in a dark suit with an open collar, his eyes locked on hers with such fierce devotion it nearly buckled her knees. He looked every bit the man she’d fallen for in that chaotic emergency department—the one who cracked jokes under pressure, who brought her coffee before long shifts, who saw her even when she didn’t want to be seen. But today, he also looked like her future.
Noah leaned in close as they walked. “He’s not even blinking.”
“I know,” she whispered, breathless. “It’s kind of intimidating.”
They reached the front of the aisle, and Noah carefully placed her hand into Reed’s waiting one. For a moment, their fingers lingered, a quiet exchange of trust between the two men who meant everything to her. Then Noah stepped back, slipping into a chair in the front.
“You look…” Reed trailed off, eyes shining. “I don’t even have words.”
“That’s a first,” she teased, and he laughed softly, the sound laced with awe.
The officiant began, his voice warm and familiar. Ava barely heard the first part of the ceremony. Her eyes stayed locked on Reed’s. She didn’t care that people were watching. Didn’t care that her mascara might be smudging, though it had better not. She and Rachel had tested all kinds of waterproof mascara for weeks. But it didn’t matter now. All that mattered was that she’d made it here—through fear, through loss, through heartbreak—and she was still standing. And so was he.
When it came time for vows, Reed reached into his pocket, unfolded a slightly crumpled piece of paper, and cleared his throat.
“I thought about winging it,” he said, “but then I remembered you’re a planner. And I wanted to get this part right.”
Laughter rippled through the crowd.
He glanced down at his notes, then back up at her. “Ava, when we got married in Vegas, I didn’t know what it would turn into. I thought it was a joke at first, a wild story to tell later. But then I woke up and saw you lying next to me, and something inside me just settled. Like I’d been running my whole life and didn’t even know it—until I wasn’t anymore. Because you were there. You ground me. You challenge me. And you make me want to be more. Not just for you, but with you. And I promise I’ll keep showing up. Even when you’re stubborn. Even when I leave socks everywhere. Even when life gets hard. Especially then.”
Ava wiped her cheeks and pulled out her own folded note, her hands shaking only slightly now.
“Reed, I was afraid of love. Of needing someone. Because needing meant losing, and I’ve lost more than I thought I could survive. But you showed me that loving someone doesn’t mean losing who I am. It means becoming more. With you, I’m not just a doctor or a sister. I’m someone who can laugh at 3 AM, who sings badly in the car, who burns pancakes but still tries to cook. You reminded me that I’m allowed to live. And love. I don’t just want to be married to you. I want to build a life with you. The messy, imperfect, beautiful one we’re going to make together.”
The officiant smiled, his voice thick with emotion as he prompted, “Do you, Ava Spencer, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
“I do,” she whispered.
“And do you, Reed Campbell, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
“I really, really do.”
Laughter burst out again, gentle and joyful.
“By the power vested in me, and in front of this community of friends and family, I now pronounce you husband and wife. Reed, you may now kiss your bride.”
He didn’t wait. He pulled her close and kissed her like she was oxygen, like he’d been holding his breath for six months and had finally come up for air.
Cheers erupted. The music roared back to life. Rose petals fluttered from Rachel’s bouquet and into the air.
Ava turned into Reed’s chest and whispered, “We did it.”
He leaned down, kissed her forehead. “We’re just getting started.”
T he reception took place on the patio of the country club, strung with fairy lights and decked out with long tables draped in white tablecloths. Dinner was a choice of steak or roasted chicken and the cake was devil’s food cake because both she and Reed adored it. Yet neither of them tasted anything, too busy with each other to take a moment to eat. And Reed held Ava’s hand the entire night.
They danced under the stars, swaying to a slow country ballad as her bare feet rested on his boots.
Noah gave a toast that left not a single dry eye, talking about their parents, about resilience, about Ava finally letting someone in.
“Mom would’ve loved having you as a son-in-law,” he told Reed, glass raised. “Dad would’ve grilled you, then hugged you like a son. You’re one of us now, whether you like it or not.”
Reed pulled Ava in close after the toast, his voice low in her ear. “He’s right. They would’ve loved you. They would’ve been proud. And now you’re one of us.”
She nodded; her throat too tight to speak.
But in her heart, she could feel them. In the way the wind danced through the trees. In the warmth of Noah’s hand when he’d passed her to Reed. In the laughter that rose from the crowd. They were here. Not in body, but in spirit. In legacy. In love.
As the night wore on, she leaned against Reed beneath the strings of soft golden lights, her head resting on his shoulder.
“You still happy you married me twice?” she teased.
He kissed her temple. “Second time’s the charm.”
“No,” she whispered, smiling. “This time… it’s forever.”
I f you like Midnight and Marriage, you might like other small town romances from Megan. Turn the page to read an excerpt from The Wrong Cowboy , a small town western romance, featuring an opposites attract, friends to lovers romance where Mr Wrong is actually Mr Right.