We stayed in Easton’s apartment for now, and his brothers visited all the time. We all couldn’t wait to live together. Ethan was the most excited. I was so proud of his progress. He had burns from his chest down except for his arms. He always wore a shirt, even when the other guys took their shirts off. He was insecure about how he looked, but to me, he was handsome and still one of the best men I knew.
But something had changed in him, respectfully. He didn’t have as much confidence as he used to, and there were parts of him that remained the same. I hoped whenever he found someone; they loved him for who he was, scars and all.
My parents and I were fine. I wasn’t the kind of person to dwell on something I didn’t know much about. The guy who called himself my father, he wasn’t my father. He was a psycho, even if he was right, but I could understand why my parents never said a word about it. It was a horrible past, a terrible family, to be a part of.
I took my mom’s advice and didn’t take the money. I donated it instead. Bad things had happened when someone had the Hampton fortune, and I didn’t know if I was superstitious, but after everything that happened, I wasn’t taking risks. I wiped my hands cleans of the millions of dollars.
Things were starting to fall into place now. The boutique was doing well, and Oliver moved into the apartment upstairs, which really helped out when I was in a pinch.
I placed the veil on top of my head as I looked in the mirror, thinking back over this past year, and grinned. Life had thrown me a wicked curveball, but we all made it out alive, even my father. He got to ring the bell when he hit remission, and now, he was going to walk me down the aisle.
Well, the front yard.
I was marrying Easton Moore underneath the Oaktree, where we first said our vows when we were ten years old. It felt right. To begin under the oak tree all over again.
“You look beautiful,” London said in her burgundy bridesmaid dress. It was strapless and hugged her body like a glove. Her hair was up; the bright red tendrils were twisted in an elegant design with daises inserted in her hair.
Last year there was snow on the ground; this year, autumn felt more like spring. It made no sense, but I didn’t want to be cold, so I wouldn’t complain.
Oliver was my bridesman. He wore a burgundy suit with a beige tie. He looked dashing, his words, not mine. My friends flanked each side of me, and Oliver took his phone out and snapped a few pictures of us in the mirror.
“I always knew this day would come,” Oliver said. “You and Easton were meant to be.”
I knew that. I just denied it for far too long.
“Oh, Star,” my dad said from the doorway, his eyes watering as I twirled around in my princess gown. My wedding gown was strapless, hugged my torso until the tulle flared from my hips, and fell to the ground. “You are beautiful.”
“Thank you,” I said, reaching for his hand. “Ready?”
“To give you away? Never, my sweet, sweet Star. Never.”
I looped my hand through his arm, and Oliver and London walked in front of me and went down the stairs first. The house I grew up in had looked the same for years. The stairs we were walking down had the same carpet on it for the last fifteen years. The walls had the same photos. Happiness built this home, and I was proud to get married here under the oak tree that started it all.
The sun blinded me when I stepped outside and it heated my shoulders, but once my eyes adjusted, I saw Easton waiting under the oak tree with his brothers behind him. London and Ethan shared a look, but Ethan glanced away. Just because it was my wedding day didn’t mean I didn’t notice things.
Easton choked up when he saw me and took me from my father greedily and laid a kiss on me before the minister could say a word.
“You can’t kiss the bride yet!” Ezra yelled. “Everyone knows that.”
“I’ll kiss my bride whenever I damn well want,” Easton said, cupping my face with his palms.
“Say your vows, and then you can kiss your bride,” the minister chuckled, and Easton huffed in annoyance.
Luckily, we weren’t the kind of people to have a long ceremony.
“I, Easton Moore, promise to be the bestest friend to you, Luna Nightingale. Forever and ever. Nothing will ever tear us apart. I love you more than chocolate milk. Okay, your turn. You go.” He tugged one of my curls, and my heart melted when he recited the same words to me from when we were ten. “Forever and ever, Luna.”
Forever and ever, Easton Moore.
The End
Kiss My Boss
Lucy
There were a million things I thought I would never see or do. Space? I was a secretary, not an astronaut. President of the United States? My career trajectory didn’t go that high. I couldn’t even go a single day without using my hands to count. It was a bad habit I was scolded for when I was a child but never managed to overcome it.
Those were reasonable expectations and limitations.