Epilogue
Nellie
Seven months later
I stared at the diamond ring in my finger.
I was getting married.
I was getting married!
Holy shit, I was getting married.
“Sally! I'm freaking out! What if I never find it?” I collapsed on the floor of the bridal boutique amid the plethora of white tulle and lace.
Sally kneeled down and wrapped her arms around me. “You will love. This is only our second stop. Maybe if you come into the city for a day, we can look.”
I nodded. “Maybe. But I thought a small town might be more unique or special. Ugh!”
“How about we call it a day? Let's go grab a coffee before our spa appointment later.” Sally suggested, and I agreed, following her out of the store.
After falling in love with Cliff, my life seemed to be on hyper mode speed.
I moved in with him a month after we said I love you and spent our first holiday season in his cabin.
I went crazy with the Christmas decorations, and the best part was ringing in the new year together under the moonlight amid the falling snow.
That's when he got down on one knee and proposed.
Since then I haven't been able to stop planning the wedding, set for the fall, and considering it was only May, I was already driving myself nuts. Thank God I finished my book series.
“It doesn't have to be perfect. It's only a day, babe. It's not the whole marriage. So don't be so hard on yourself. It'll come together, believe me,” Sally reassured me over coffee.
She booked us spa appointments at the place in town, and I couldn't wait to just relax and destress. Then go get some yummy food.
After an afternoon of pampering, we headed back to the cabin to change for dinner and pick up Cliff. But Sally wasn't driving towards the cabin. Instead, she turned on the street with the diner. “We need to change and get Cliff.” I reminded her.
“I know. But I placed a pickup order instead. I thought we could binge a few movies.”
“Oh okay. Whatever works.” I shrugged.
“Want to come in and have a drink while we wait?”
“Sure.”
Sally and I walked hand in hand into the diner, laughing about the latest trash television show we watched, when Sally walked us right by the host station. She didn't stop until we were in a dark backroom.
“Sally, what are you doi—”
Suddenly the lights turned on, and a large group of people yelled, “Surprise! Congratulations!”
Cliff rushed over to me and picked me up, spinning me around. “Welcome to your engagement party, baby.”
Sally grinned and clapped her hands.
“Oh, my God! You two are too sneaky!” I looked at both my fiancée and best friend.
So many people came, including Sally's parents, friends from college, and an aunt of mine I hadn't seen in years.
We partied the night away and celebrated Cliff and Is love, all of my worries about the wedding forgotten. For now.
And when the summer flew by and turned into fall, Cliff and I were married among the red and orange trees, leaves falling to the ground, and sealing our commitment to each other.
Forever.
THE END