Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
Scott
The lake is calm this morning. Sunlight glistens on the surface, flickering through the trees like golden threads woven into the soft ripples of water.
A light breeze stirs the air, carrying the scent of spring—fresh grass, damp earth, the faint sweetness of wildflowers growing along the edge of the cottage.
It's not extravagant or grand, but it's ours, and it's perfect.
A small gathering of friends stands in a loose circle near the water's edge, murmuring quietly as they wait.
The wooden arch we built last week, now wrapped in white lilies and ivy, stands beneath the towering oak tree in the backyard.
Strings of fairy lights hang between the branches, unlit for now but waiting to glow when the sun dips below the horizon.
I exhale slowly, my hands tightening at my sides. I never thought I'd be here. Never imagined I'd have this. This moment, this man, this life.
Yet in a few short minutes, Harrison will stand in front of me, and we'll make the kind of promises that don't break.
A hand claps my shoulder. "You ready?"
I turn to see Aiden, one of the few friends who's been by my side through everything. He's grinning, looking far too smug, like he knew this was coming before I ever did.
"I've been ready," I admit.
He lets out a low chuckle, adjusting his tie. "Good. Because I'd hate to have to wrestle Harrison to keep him from tackling you at the altar. You know he has zero patience."
I smirk, shaking my head. "Yeah, I know."
And I do.
Harrison isn't a man who hesitates. He's steady, sure. When he wants something, he goes for it—no second-guessing, no doubts. And months ago, when he asked me to marry him, I realized I wanted to be the same way.
Because if Harrison is sure about me, then I sure as hell am not letting him go.
A soft hush falls over the group, and my pulse jumps.
He's here.
I turn, and there he is, walking toward me.
Harrison doesn't take his eyes off me as he crosses the yard, his dark suit crisp, his hands relaxed at his sides. The breeze tugs at his tie, and for a moment, he looks like something out of a dream. Untouchable and unreal.
But then he smiles, and I remember—he's mine. And I'm his.
When he reaches me, he exhales slowly, his hands sliding into mine. His fingers are warm and familiar. He's steady as he laces them through mine.
The officiant clears her throat, giving us a moment before beginning.
"Scott and Harrison have chosen to stand before us today, not just to declare their love, but to promise each other forever." My heart pounds, and I barely hear the rest of what she's saying because all I see is him.
And then it's time for our vows.
Harrison goes first. He takes a deep breath, his thumb brushing over my knuckles as he looks at me.
"Scott," he starts, his lips curving at the corners, "you walked into that tiny grocery store and turned my whole damn world upside down.
I didn't know it at the time, but that was the day my life changed forever. "
A lump forms in my throat.
"I didn't just fall in love with you," he continues, voice thick with emotion.
"I chose you. And I'll keep choosing you—every day, every hour, every second.
When things are easy. When things are difficult.
When you're laughing so hard you can't breathe, and when you're quiet, lost in that head of yours. "
He squeezes my hands gently. "You are my home. My heart. And I promise to love you fiercely, protect you endlessly, and stand beside you no matter what."
My chest tightens, a sharp ache spreading through me. Because this man, this incredible, stubborn, fiercely loyal man, is mine.
I swallow past the lump, gripping his hands tighter as I speak.
"Harrison," I say, my voice quieter but unwavering. "You once told me that life is too short to hide from the things we want. That if something matters, you hold onto it." His brows lift slightly, recognition flickering in his eyes.
I smile. "You matter. More than anything. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. And every time I look at you, I know I made the right choice."
Harrison blinks rapidly, his grip tightening.
"I promise to love you without limits, without conditions, and without fear. To stand by your side through every storm, every quiet moment, and every stupid argument about whether pineapple belongs on pizza."
A soft laugh ripples through our friends, but Harrison just shakes his head, biting back a grin.
"I vow," I finish, my voice cracking with emotion, "to spend the rest of my life making sure you never have to question how much I love you."
Harrison lets out a slow breath, his thumb brushing under my eye, catching the tear I hadn't even realized had slipped free.
The officiant smiles. "Harrison and Scott, by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you—"
Harrison doesn't wait. He pulls me in, crashing his lips against mine, and I sink into him, wrapping my arms around his neck as the cheers and applause blur into nothing but background noise.
I don't need to hear the words. I already know how this ends.
It ends with him.
With us.
And for the first time in my life, I know—
This is forever.