Chapter 32
Cal
The ride to the vineyard passed much quicker than I expected, my mind a blurred loop of childhood memories and the sheer disbelief that this day was actually here.
By the time we pulled through the heavy iron gates, Bellavigna Estate looked less like a venue and more like something conjured from a dream.
Rows of dormant winter vineyards stretched across the rolling hills, dusted in the pale, crisp light of the afternoon sun.
Crisp white roses lined every winding stone walkway, their scent faint but sharp in the cold air.
Towering oak trees, wrapped in thousands of tiny lights that pulsed like earthbound stars, perfectly framed the ceremony lawn, all of it anchored by a massive limestone villa that overlooked the valley—elegant, timeless, and imposing.
Stormy had completely outdone herself.
Everywhere we looked, a quiet, hyper-efficient chaos was unfolding.
Professional photographers moved like ghosts around the property, capturing the untouched perfection before the guests arrived.
Florists made hushed, final adjustments to towering arches, and servers floated through the massive reception tent, placing crystal wine glasses with military precision.
Somehow, against all known laws of the universe, everything ran exactly on time.
The reason for that miracle stood right in the center of the madness. Stormy. She stood like a general in the middle of it all, a headset clamped around her neck and an iPad tucked beneath one arm, directing vendors with the sharp, effortless grace of an orchestral conductor.
She spotted our group the moment we stepped onto the gravel.
"Groomsmen are here," she called into her ear piece. We all looked over, stepping in sync.
"You're five minutes early."
Stormy didn't break stride, pointing a manicured finger toward the groom's suite. "Get inside."
"Yes, ma'am," Isaiah laughed, raising his hands in mock surrender.
She turned back toward a catering manager before we could even offer a proper greeting. The woman simply never stopped moving.
But as the ceremony time crept closer, the atmosphere in the groom's suite shifted.
The joking slowed to a crawl. The easy laughter we'd shared all morning settled into a heavy, reverent quiet.
Reality finally hit us, thick and undeniable.
Jalen was getting married. My little sister was about to walk down an aisle and become a wife.
The gravity of the moment settled over my chest, a mixture of fierce pride and a sharp, sudden ache at how fast time had moved.
When the cue came, we lined up near the ceremony entrance. Stormy descended upon us for her final inspection, moving down the line like a drill sergeant. She straightened jackets with a harsh tug, adjusted ties, and ruthlessly fixed boutonnieres. Nobody escaped her gaze.
Beside me, Aaron stood unusually still. The man was usually a non-stop engine of energy, but right now, he was dead silent.
I glanced over, nudging his shoulder. "You alright?"
He didn't answer. He didn't even blink. Instead, he leaned a fraction closer to me, his voice dropping to a stunned whisper. "Aye, man..."
I followed his paralyzed line of sight across the lawn.Pepper.
She was standing with Becky, her wild red hair had been swept into an elegant, sophisticated updo, though a few soft, defiant curls had broken free to frame her face.
Aaron swallowed hard, his throat moving in a tight click. "...Who is that?"
A slow, knowing grin spread across my face. "That's Pepper.
"He didn't nod. He didn't look at me. He didn't pretend to hear a single word I’d just said. He was completely under a spell.
Stormy materialized beside us, her gaze darting from Aaron’s starstruck face to Pepper, and back again. She didn't waste breath on an explanation. Without a word, she gripped both of Aaron's shoulders and physically nudged him a full step closer to Pepper's side of the lineup.
"Stand up straight," Stormy commanded.
Aaron blinked, snapping out of his trance for a split second. "What?"
"You're slouching." She brushed an invisible piece of lint from his lapel, gave it a firm pat, and muttered, "There." Then, as quickly as she’d arrived, she vanished back into the crowd.
The movement caught Pepper's attention. She turned toward him, offering a polite, warm smile. "Hi."
Aaron cleared his throat, the sound a bit choked. "Hi."Lord... I thought, hiding a smirk. That boy looked like he'd just seen the most beautiful woman on Earth and was currently trying to remember how human lungs operated.
I leaned toward him, keeping my eyes forward. "You good?
"He let out a slow, shaky breath. "No."
I chuckled under my breath. "I figured."
Before I could tease him any further, the music suddenly changed.
The strings swelled across the vineyard.
Every conversation around us died instantly.
Guests slowly rose to their feet.
Then I saw her.
Nia.
My breath caught in my throat.
Her curls had been swept into an elegant updo, soft tendrils escaping around her face exactly the way they always seemed to.
The maid of honor gown was just different enough from the bridesmaids' dresses to make her stand out without taking a single ounce of attention away from Mars.
Simple.
My woman looked every bit as breathtaking as she'd looked the night I fell in love with her.
Maybe even more.
She looked up and found me staring.
The corner of her mouth lifted into the sweetest smile.
I smiled right back.
No words were needed.
Not after last night.
Not after everything we'd finally said.
One look told me everything.
She was mine.
And I was hers.
Stormy motioned us into position with a sharp flick of her wrist. A second later, Nia slipped into place beside me, so close that the silk of her gown brushed against my arm, sending a quiet jolt straight to my chest.
I glanced down at her, the rest of the world instantly blurring. "You look beautiful."
She didn't look away from the aisle ahead, but her smile deepened—soft and radiant. "And you look incredibly handsome."
Ever since last night, that smile hadn't left her face, like she was holding onto a beautiful secret only the two of us understood.
The music swelled, a rich wave of strings that carried us forward, side by side.
As we took our first steps down the aisle, the sea of guests turned as one to watch us.
Normally, my instincts would have kicked in.
I would have noticed the flash of cameras, the reporters lingering at the perimeter, the familiar faces of athletes and celebrities filling the rows, and the weight of countless eyes tracking our every move.
But today? The crowd was just white noise. The fame didn't exist. There were no flashing lights, no headlines, no distractions.
Today, the universe had narrowed down to a single point, and the only thing I noticed was the woman walking beside me.