Epilogue
Two Months Later
“Gosh, Stella. You look stunning,” Trixie said, fixing my veil as we got ready to head down the aisle. “And that ring suits you perfectly.”
When Calvin told me it had been Trixie’s ring and that she gave it to him the same day I dropped the vase of roses when I had first arrived in Love, I bawled like a baby. This man had given me so much, not just his love, but also his family. And now I was getting his last name.
“Are you ready?” she asked.
I nodded at Trixie. “So ready.”
This might be moving quickly, but when you knew, you just knew.
There was nothing I wanted more than to be a part of this family, and I didn’t want to waste any more time.
That, and when I told Calvin I was pregnant with his baby, he was ready to forget about the aisle entirely and instead walk me down to town hall to sign a marriage certificate right then and there to make me his.
I guess when we decided to start our own love story and rebuild from the literal ashes in the rail house, we did more than just create our dream. We created a life.
Thankfully, I convinced him to wait until late spring when the rail house was completed, so our wedding could be the very first.
As Trixie walked me down the aisle, I smiled at all our friends and family who filled the space.
Gloria turned from the end of the aisle she was standing at, fluffing up an arrangement of flowers.
She had been determined to fill this space with only the best blooms. It was like when she asked what kind of flowers I wanted, and I replied with “all of them,” she took that as a literal challenge to create a greenhouse inside the rail house.
There were more flowers than I could name in every colour and shade imaginable and the smell permeated my senses.
It felt like an enchanted garden, and I had no idea how she had managed it all.
“Thank you,” I whispered to her as we slowly walked.
“Love you, Stella,” she replied as she blew me a kiss.
“Thank you, too, Cami,” I said to my friend on the next aisle. The gorgeous vintage vases she provided to hold all the flower arrangements pulled everything together.
Her gracious smile mirrored all those around her, and I continued to echo my thanks to all the people who had shown up to celebrate our love on this beautiful spring day.
It wasn’t lost on me how many people there actually were.
Those feelings of being alone were so far behind me, but they taught me to always be grateful for everyone who stood by my side now.
As Trixie and I made our way up the staircase to where my groom stood, we passed by Olivia and Melody in matching dusty rose coloured dresses.
I stopped to give them each a hug, expressing my gratitude to them both.
For what? I couldn’t even begin to list everything.
I’d miss my own wedding if I tried. But they both knew how much they meant to me.
As I pulled away, I looked across the open space to the staircase that lined the opposite wall and gave a small wave to Garrett and Patrick, both looking as incredible as ever in their navy suits. I didn’t know what I would have done without any of them in my life the past few months.
We got to the top of the elegant staircase and Teddy first came into view.
“Oh, Teddy, you look so handsome.” I melted at my friend’s grandfather, who never ceased to remind me of my own. He looked dapper in his navy blue suit with a soft pink bow tie. Especially as his rosy red cheeks had tears streaming down them.
“Thank you, Stella, for everything.” He took my arm from Trixie and led me to the arch at the center of the mezzanine.
And in the middle of it all was my handsome blubbering lumberjack.
Tried though he might, he couldn’t stop crying, and I loved him even more for it.
He looked like a dream in his white suit with a red plaid pocket square that was beyond fitting. As his strong calloused hands grabbed onto mine, I melted knowing I was going to get a forever with this feeling.
“I love you,” he whispered to me.
I couldn’t help the giggle that escaped me. “I think you’re supposed to wait before we get into saying stuff like that.”
“I will never wait another moment to tell you how much you mean to me.”
His admission softened me, and I decided I would never make him wait to hear the words either. “I love you, Calvin.”
I looked into his warm green eyes that matched the ring on my finger, and as we recited our vows to each other I knew I had finally found my safe love.
The End.
Keep reading for a sneak peek of Love and Lies book two
Blind Love.