Epilogue Grace, Six Months Later
The sound of the ocean waves crashing against the shore is the same as it was that first time, but everything else has changed. It’s been several months since Emily and Joseph’s wedding, and now Logan and I are back at the same resort where everything began.
This time, it’s not for a wedding. It’s just us, here to celebrate something real—our real engagement.
I glance out at the ocean from the balcony of our suite, the sun dipping low on the horizon, casting a golden glow over the water. The memories of that first trip flood back—how we arrived here tangled in lies, pretending to be something we weren’t. Now? Now it’s real. More real than I ever imagined it could be.
Logan steps up behind me, his arms wrapping around my waist as he pulls me close. His chin rests gently on my shoulder, and I lean back into him, savoring the warmth of his embrace. There’s a peace between us that wasn’t there before—no more pretense, no more pretending. Just love. Real, deep love.
“Remember the last time we were here?” Logan murmurs into my ear, his breath warm against my skin.
I laugh softly, turning my head to glance at him. “How could I forget? The lies, the awkward moments, trying to keep up the act in front of everyone.”
He chuckles, pressing a kiss to the side of my neck. “Look at us. Who knew pretending would lead to the real thing?”
I smile, thinking about how far we’ve come. It’s crazy to think about how much has changed since then—how our fake engagement turned into something real, how the lies we told eventually crumbled away to reveal something honest and beautiful beneath it all.
“I’m glad it did,” I say softly, turning in his arms to face him. “I wouldn’t trade any of it. Even the messy parts.”
Logan’s eyes soften as he looks down at me, his hands resting gently on my waist. “Neither would I. I didn’t think I could feel like this… about anyone. Then you came along and ruined all my plans.”
I raise an eyebrow, playfully swatting his chest. “Ruin your plans, huh? I seem to remember it was your idea to fake an engagement in the first place.”
He laughs, capturing my hand in his. “Okay, okay, maybe I ruined my own plans. It was worth it. Every second.”
For a moment, we stand there in the fading light, the sound of the waves a steady backdrop to the quiet intimacy between us. I feel like I’ve finally found where I belong—here, in this moment, with Logan.
He takes a step back, his expression turning more serious, but there’s a warmth in his eyes that makes my heart skip a beat. “Grace,” he says quietly, his voice thick with emotion, “I’ve been thinking about this for a long time… since the moment I realized what we had was real. I don’t want to wait any longer.”
Before I can fully process what’s happening, Logan reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small, velvet box. My breath catches in my throat, and I feel a rush of emotion sweep over me.
“Logan…” I whisper, my heart racing as he drops to one knee in front of me, opening the box to reveal the most beautiful engagement ring I’ve ever seen. It sparkles in the dimming light, the diamond catching the last rays of the setting sun.
He looks up at me, his eyes full of love and sincerity. “Grace, I know we didn’t start off in the most traditional way. What we have now is everything I could ever want. You’re everything I could ever want. I love you more than I thought was possible, and I can’t imagine my life without you.”
Tears prick at the corners of my eyes as he continues, his voice steady but filled with emotion. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you. No more pretending, no more games. Just us. Will you marry me?”
For a moment, I can’t speak. My heart is pounding in my chest, and all I can do is nod as the tears start to spill over. “Yes,” I finally manage to whisper, my voice breaking with happiness. “Yes, Logan. Of course, I’ll marry you.”
A smile breaks across his face as he slips the ring onto my finger, and the moment his hands close over mine, it feels like everything falls into place. It’s real, it’s happening, and it’s more perfect than I ever imagined.
Logan stands, pulling me into his arms and kissing me deeply. There’s a sense of finality in this kiss, a promise of the future we’re about to build together. I can feel the emotion in every touch, every breath, and it fills me with a sense of joy I can hardly contain.
When we finally pull away, both of us laughing softly, I glance down at the ring on my finger, my heart swelling with happiness. “I can’t believe this is real,” I say, shaking my head in disbelief. “We went from a fake engagement to this.”
Logan grins, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “It was always meant to be real, Grace. Even if we didn’t know it at the time.”
I smile, leaning into him as we both gaze out at the ocean together. The future feels bright, filled with endless possibilities, and I know that no matter what comes next, we’ll face it together.
“So,” Logan says, his arm wrapped around my shoulders as we watch the last of the sun dip below the horizon, “what do you say we start planning a wedding for real this time? No fake engagements, no elaborate schemes. Just us.”
I laugh, my heart light. “I think that sounds perfect.”
As we stand there, wrapped in each other’s arms, I know that this is just the beginning of the life we’re about to build together. From a fake engagement to a love deeper than I ever imagined—we’ve come a long way.
I can’t wait to see where this journey takes us next.