EPILOGUE
“He texted me again.” I smile as I glance down at where my soon-to-be husband’s name flashes across my phone screen. Butterflies stir in my stomach as I read his message. Cole only has to wait a few more minutes before I walk down the aisle to start our forever together.
I smooth my hands down the front of my dress, the satin cool under my palms. The fitted bodice hugs me in all the right places, the lace catching the light like scattered stars.
The skirt drapes softly with every step, whispering across the floor.
Instead of nerves, warmth swells in my chest. I feel steady, grounded, like this dress was made for this moment.
This isn’t the anxious girl who doubted herself; this is a woman who knows exactly what she wants, and today I get to walk toward him with a smile that doesn’t waver.
Sophie pops her head around the doorway, her grin wide enough to split her face.
“He’s probably pacing a hole in the floor by now,” she teases, stepping fully into the room.
Her bridesmaid dress shimmers in pale gold, and she looks radiant, the kind of glow that only Sophie can carry off effortlessly.
“You look incredible,” she says, softer now, taking in the sight of me. Her eyes shine with tears she’s not even trying to hide. “He’s going to lose it when he sees you.”
My throat tightens, emotion thick as I glance down at the phone still in my hands. His message lights up the screen: Can’t wait to see you.
I laugh, shaky. “He’s sappy.”
Sophie nudges me gently, adjusting my veil. “He’s perfect for you. I’ll be forever jealous.”
“You’ll find someone,” I tell her, and she rolls her eyes in a way that says she doesn’t believe me but appreciates the lie anyway.
“Please, I already have someone,” she mutters, smoothing her dress. “Well, sort of. Not that he could be bothered to show up today.” She tries to brush it off, but I catch the flicker of disappointment before she covers it with a smirk.
I squeeze her hand gently, meeting her eyes in the mirror.
“Then he’s an idiot, Soph. You deserve someone who actually shows up.
” My voice is steady, but inside I ache for her, wishing she could see what I see—that she’s worth so much more than scraps of attention from a man who can’t even be here today.
“Hey, don’t judge him until you meet him,” Sophie says with a brightness only I, being her best friend, can tell is false.
“I’ll try,” I answer, softer this time. “I just don’t want him to break your heart.”
“I know,” she admits after a beat, her shoulders lifting in a small shrug. “Me either.”
The music swells outside, faint but unmistakable. My chest tightens again, and I take a deep breath, steadying myself. This is it. All the heartbreak, the nights spent doubting, the moments when I thought I’d never be whole again—they’ve all led me here. To Cole. To this day.
Sophie grabs my bouquet, handing it to me with a wink. “Time to go break his heart in the best way possible.”
We step into the hall, her arm linked through mine, and for a second, it’s just the two of us. Laughing, teasing, pushing each other forward when life felt too heavy.
The doors swing open, sunlight streaming in, and there he is.
Waiting at the altar, eyes locked on me like I’m the only person in the world.
His gaze softens when it finds mine, a quiet smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
It's like he’s seeing every version of me all at once and still choosing me.
Every fear, every scar, every ounce of doubt falls away beneath that look.
I walk forward, each step carrying me closer to the life we’ve built from dust and broken pieces. A home, laughter, love that never asked me to be anyone but myself.
Because the boys we meet in bars? They break you open. But the ones who wait at the altar? They help put you back together.