Epilogue
Seven Months Later
Grace unlocked the front door with her elbow. "I have no idea why we bought so many groceries."
Luke followed behind her carrying three more bags. "Because you refuse to shop twice."
"I refuse to shop every day." She laughed and kicked the door shut behind them.
Their house still smelled faintly of fresh paint.
The front porch Luke had insisted on building overlooked a quiet cul-de-sac lined with young maple trees. Grace had been right about the pale blue kitchen cabinets. Luke had been right about the enormous pantry.
They'd both been wrong about how much storage they actually needed.
Grace set the grocery bags on the island. "Can you grab the flowers?"
Luke held up the bouquet triumphantly. "Already did."
He walked over and kissed her. It had become such an ordinary part of their day that neither of them thought about it anymore.
Come home.
Kiss.
Unload groceries.
Ask about dinner.
Ordinary.
Exactly as they'd promised each other.
Luke filled a vase while Grace unpacked vegetables.
There was a framed photograph on the hallway table.
Not the wedding kiss or the first dance. It was the picture Natalie had taken at the engagement session months before everything fell apart.
Luke looking at Grace as though he'd forgotten anyone else existed.
He'd insisted on framing that one. "Our beginning," he'd said.
Grace touched the frame absently as she walked past. Some memories no longer hurt.
They simply reminded her how far they'd come.