Chapter 36
Forever Starts Today
Grayson
The morning of my wedding, I wake up alone.
It's tradition, Maxwell told me yesterday when he physically removed Kate from the cabin and drove her to Mrs. Everly's house. "You don't see the bride before the ceremony. Bad luck."
"We met because she nearly burned down my company," I'd pointed out. "I don't think luck is the issue."
"Humor me," he'd said, already steering Kate toward the door.
Now, lying in bed with sunlight streaming through the windows, I realize he was right.
The anticipation is killing me.
In six hours, I'm marrying Kate Morgan.
The woman who walked into my life with a pink suitcase and color-coded chaos, and refused to let me stay lost.
I can't stop smiling.
—
By nine, the cabin is controlled chaos.
Maxwell arrives first, carrying my tux and enough coffee to fuel a small army. "Figured you'd need this."
"You're a lifesaver."
"I know. That's why you pay me obscene amounts of money."
Doc Martinez shows up next, claiming he's here to make sure the groom doesn't pass out—but really he just wants the whiskey I've been saving for the reception.
"It's nine in the morning, Thomas."
"It's five o'clock somewhere. And you're getting married." He pours himself two fingers. "Want some?"
"Ask me again in four hours."
At ten, Father Murphy arrives to go over the ceremony one final time. Silver hair, laugh lines, kind eyes.
"Nervous?" he asks.
"Terrified," I admit. "But in a good way."
He smiles. "That's how you know you've got it right."
—
At eleven, I get dressed.
The tux fits perfectly. Navy blue instead of black—Kate said it would bring out my eyes. The bow tie takes three attempts and Maxwell's help to get right.
"You look good," Maxwell says, stepping back to assess. "Distinguished. Like a billionaire about to marry the love of his life."
"That's exactly what I am."
"I know. It's still strange to see you this happy."
I look at him. "Thank you. For sending Kate to the cabin. For believing we needed each other even when we didn't know it ourselves."
Maxwell grins. "I'm an excellent VP. And an even better matchmaker."
"Don't let it go to your head."
"Too late."
—
At noon, the vintage cars start arriving to transport guests from town to the lake.
I watch from the porch as they parade past. Fifteen classic vehicles, polished and gleaming.
Mrs. Everly in the first car, already crying, wearing a lavender dress and an enormous hat.
Mrs. Patel following in the second, elegant and practical all at once.
The coffee shop owner. The librarian. Old Man Henderson, grumbling about all this fuss—but wearing a suit anyway.
The entire town, coming to celebrate with us.
My chest tightens.
This is real.
—
At one, Maxwell drives me to the lake.
The transformation is breathtaking.
Thousands of fairy lights thread through the trees, waiting to twinkle at sunset. White chairs with cushions are arranged in perfect rows facing the water. A wooden arch covered in wildflowers and Dutch tulips stands at the edge, framing the mountains beyond.
The climate-controlled tent is nearby, just in case. But the sky is clear and blue. Perfect.
Three hundred people are already seated, talking quietly, waiting.
I see Andrew Chen and Margaret Blackwell in the front row, looking surprisingly emotional. Victoria is there too, sitting with Maxwell's empty chair beside her. Kate's coworkers, Jenna and Marcus. Even Sarah from the office, looking genuinely happy.
The Whitmore family from Kate's first big client meeting. Susan waves when she catches my eye.
And in the very front row, I see Kate's mother and Emma.
Sarah is already crying, and the ceremony hasn't even started. Emma has her arm around her, steady and sure.
Kate's family.
Our family.
Father Murphy appears at my elbow. "Ready?"
I take a deep breath. "More than ready."
We walk to the arch together. I take my place, facing the crowd. The string quartet begins to play.
The ceremony is starting.
—
The processional music begins—something classical and beautiful that Kate chose.
Mrs. Everly stands. Everyone follows, turning toward the path from the parking area.
And then I see her.
Kate.
My breath stops.
She's walking down the aisle on Maxwell's arm. She asked him to give her away, since her father is gone and Maxwell is the one who brought us together.
But, I barely register Maxwell.
Because Kate is radiant.
Her dress is simple but stunning. Ivory lace with delicate sleeves, fitted at the waist, flowing into a soft skirt that moves like water. Her hair swept up with small wildflowers woven through it. The key necklace I gave her—the key to our cabin—resting just above her heart.
She isn't wearing much makeup. She doesn't need it.
She's glowing.
And she's looking at me like I'm the only person in the world.
I can't breathe. Can't think. Can't do anything but watch this incredible woman walk toward me.
My wife.
She's about to be my wife.
As she gets closer, I see she's crying. Happy tears streaming down her face, a brilliant smile breaking through.
Maxwell delivers her to me, gripping my hand firmly. "Take care of her."
"Always."
Kate takes my hands. We stand facing each other under the arch of wildflowers.
"Hi," she whispers.
"Hi." My voice is rough. "You're beautiful."
"You're not so bad yourself."
Father Murphy clears his throat, smiling. "Shall we begin?"
—
The ceremony is a blur of emotion.
Father Murphy speaks about love and commitment. About building a life together. About home being wherever we are, as long as we're together.
I barely hear the words.
I'm too focused on Kate. The way her hands tremble slightly in mine. The tears still sliding down her cheeks. The smile that won't leave her face.
Then, it's time for vows.
Kate goes first.
"Grayson," she begins, her voice shaking but clear. "When I arrived at your cabin, I thought my life was over. I'd made a terrible mistake, been exiled to the middle of nowhere, and I was convinced I'd never belong anywhere."
She takes a breath. "But you taught me something.
You taught me that home isn't a place. It's a person.
It's the feeling of being seen—really seen—for exactly who you are, chaos and all.
" She laughs through her tears. "You saw past the color-coded labels and the espresso machine disasters and the relentless optimism. You saw me. And you chose me anyway."
My own eyes are burning.
"I promise to always see you, too," she continues.
"To choose you every day. To bring color to your gray days and light to your dark moments.
To reorganize your life when you need it—" laughter ripples through the crowd "—and to love you through every grumpy morning and every quiet evening and everything in between. "
She squeezes my hands.
"Thank you for giving me a home. Thank you for being my home. I love you, Grayson Hart. Today, tomorrow, and always."
I take a moment before I can speak.
Then, my voice thick:
"Kate. I spent years running. From connection. From feeling anything real. I convinced myself I was better off alone. That I didn't need anyone."
I shake my head, smiling.
"And then, you showed up. With your pink suitcase and your determination to make my life better whether I wanted it or not. You refused to let me hide. You pushed and challenged and drove me absolutely crazy."
She laughs, and so do I.
"And somewhere along the way, you became everything. My partner. My best friend. The person who makes me want to be better. Who makes me believe in second chances. Who makes me believe in us."
I bring her hands to my lips, kissing her knuckles.
"I promise to always choose you. To support your dreams. To stand beside you through every challenge and celebrate every victory. To never take for granted the gift of your love."
I look into her eyes—my whole future right there.
"You saved me, Kate. In every way a person can be saved. And I'm going to spend the rest of my life showing you how grateful I am that you walked into my cabin and refused to leave."
She's crying openly. So am I. I don't care who sees.
Father Murphy's voice cuts through the moment. "The rings, please."
Maxwell steps forward with the wedding bands we chose together. Simple gold, engraved inside with the coordinates of the cabin.
I slide Kate's ring onto her finger. She does the same for me.
"By the power vested in me," Father Murphy says, beaming, "I now pronounce you husband and wife." He looks at me. "Grayson. You may kiss your bride."
I've been waiting for this moment since the night I knew I loved her.
Since every quiet morning at the lake. Every argument that burned bright and faded to laughter. Every time she looked at me like I was worth something.
I cup her face in my hands. Take one breath.
And I kiss her—slowly, deliberately, like a promise. Like I've been saving this for her.
Like she's the woman I've been waiting for my entire life. Because she is.
She kisses me back, laughing and crying at the same time, and the crowd erupts.
When we finally pull apart, we're both grinning.
"We did it," Kate whispers.
"We did."
"I'm your wife."
"Best decision I ever made."
Father Murphy raises his voice over the cheers. "Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Hart!"
The string quartet launches into something triumphant. Kate and I walk back down the aisle hand in hand, married, surrounded by everyone we love.
—
The reception is everything I hoped for and more.
As the sun sets, the fairy lights come on, turning the trees into something magical. The tent glows with warmth and laughter. The dessert wall is mobbed within minutes—Mrs. Patel's prediction proved exactly right.
Kate and I make our rounds, accepting congratulations.
Mrs. Everly hugs us so tightly I worry about broken ribs. "I knew it from the moment I met you two!"
Doc Martinez grips my hand. "You got yourself a good one, Grayson. Don't mess it up."
"I won't."