Chapter 160

Jean’s POV

“Come on, Luke,” Jean said, tugging on her brother’s sleeve. “I don’t want to be late.”

“We won’t be late, Jean,” Luke replied with unfounded confidence. “They won’t start without us.”

While the guests had been taking their seats in the wooden fold-out chairs arranged on the beach, and the rest of the wedding party was finishing getting ready in the house, Jean and Luke had sneaked away to collect shells from the surf.

Now that they’d found one of the biggest shells either had ever seen, Jean realized how late it was getting. She dragged her brother back to the house, while hoping no one would notice the salt water and sand clinging to the bottom of her dress and his pant legs. Both were barefoot, having lost their shoes a long while ago.

Who wore shoes on the beach? It didn’t make sense to Jean or Luke.

As they came nearer the house, they started acting sneaky-like, not wanting anyone to catch them. Luke still carried the seashell with both hands.

Unfortunately, two steps into the house, we walked right into Dad, Uncle Jasper, and Grandpa Harold. All three looked down at us.

“There you are,” Dad said with some relief. “We’ve been looking all over for you.”

“Sneaked out, huh?” Uncle Jasper teased. Though technically, he was a cousin, not an uncle, we still saw him as one. He seemed to like the title. “Taking after your uncle…”

“Let’s hope not, or we’ll all be in for it,” Grandpa said with a laugh. Uncle grinned, while Dad gave a big smile of his own.

“They are mischievous,” Dad said, like he was proud. “Put that down. It’s almost time to start.”

Luke set aside the seashell and then hurried to follow Dad and the others to the door. The men were to wait by the preacher for the girls to come down the aisle during the main event.

“We’ll see you there, Jean,” Dad said. His smile was so big, so easy these days. Jean remembered a time when he had been much more serious, his smiles more pained. That had been a long time ago now. These days, happiness seemed to come easy for him.

…and for Mom, too.

Jean crept closer to the bridal room, where Grandma Julia and Aunties Cathy and Piper were helping Mom tie up the back of her gown. She was so beautiful, and her smile was bright too, just like Dad’s.

“Jean,” she said, spotting her in the doorway. Her smile only grew. “Come in and see.”

Jean barely made it to her mother’s side before she was engulfed in a hug.

“Are you happy?” Jean asked her mom.

“Yes,” Mom replied. “Are you?”

For Jean, the answer was easy. “Yes.”

Not long later, Jean came down the aisle, then stepped to the side with the other bridesmaids. Turning back, she watched Mom come down the makeshift aisle on the beach.

Mom and Dad had wanted a small and private wedding, but word traveled fast in this small town. Most of the town was here, invited or no. Yet Mom and Dad didn’t seem put off by it. Today, they seemed to only have eyes for each other.

There could have been an earthquake, or a volcano eruption, and Mom and Dad would likely keep looking at each other and smiling. It was almost embarrassing to Jean, how lovey dovey her parents were, but it made her happy too.

They truly were in love.

Aria’s POV

After Lucian and I finally exchanged our vows, all of the guests and us moved more in town where the reception was taking place at one of the local parks. Everyone was having a good time, with laughter and happiness abundant. Even me, though I refused to let go of Lucian’s hand.

He didn’t seem to mind. In this, as in most things lately, Lucian had allowed me to take the lead. He’d remained supportive and contributed his ideas and opinions, but never once anymore did he state his opinions as law or facts. Instead, we’d had conversations where we weighed the pros and cons of each decision.

He was so gentle in all ways, not just in those conversations, but in also how he touched me. Even now, he stopped me, lifted a hand to cup my cheek, and then kissed me softly, a bare press of his lips to mine.

Around us the crowd cheered, yet I could barely hear them over the loud beating of my own heart.

As we mingled, we said allow to most of the town where we lived. In lieu of gifts, as we didn’t need anything, everyone had brought a food dish to share. As such, everyone was full and happy. Nearby a few musicians began to play their guitars, and many started to dance...

Including, I noticed, Cathy and Jasper. They hadn’t shared with me any news of a relationship yet, but with the way they smiled and teased each other, I knew it wouldn’t be long.

I had been a bit worried inviting Jasper to the wedding, not wanting to hurt him. Yet he had showed no signs of hurt at all. Instead, like a true friend, he had seemed happy for me, perhaps with his romantic intentions now turned elsewhere.

Piper and her family were there, Piper animatedly telling a story, waving her arms, showing how excited she was. Silas sat beside her, amused. Jean and Luke were there too, asking her questions.

As evening set in, the party continued. Lucian motioned to me, and together we stepped away from the party to return to the beach to watch the sunset.

Holding both of my hands now, he looked at me, not the beautiful horizon. I looked at him too, watching the colors reflected in his eyes.

“I love you, Aria.”

He didn’t have to say it. He said it every single day. Yet, each time he said it, my heart took flight like it was the first time all over again.

He didn’t have to say it, but I hoped he never stopped.

“I love you too, Lucian,” I told him.

His smile slipped then, just a little, as his eyes grew distant as if he was transported somewhere very far away.

“When I think of how much time I wasted… Things should have been this way from the start,” he said.

He wasn’t wrong, but I didn’t think he carried the full blame. I, too, had made choices I wasn’t proud of. Though I hadn’t neglected our marriage as he had, I had loved the idea of him more than the man he was. I had tried too hard to please him, without just speaking to him to make my needs known.

“We both made mistakes,” I said.

“Mine were worse,” he insisted. This wasn’t the first time we’d had this discussion, but I hoped it would be the last.

Leaning in, I kissed him, soft and sweet, while the waves lapped the shore at our feet.

“No more looking behind us,” I said. “From now on, let’s make a promise to only look ahead.”

Our future was bright. The two of us, and the kids, together. There was so much to look forward to.

More children. More life. More love.

Smiling, he kissed me this time. It felt like a promise.

“I will love you every day for the rest of my life, Aria.” His smile returned, full force this time. “And if the gods allow, much longer.”

“Much longer,” I agreed and lost myself in his arms.