Sweet Ruin: Epilogue

“How do I look?”

I gasped as my mom walked into the room in the most gorgeous long white dress. The silk glided effortlessly across her skin, and the simple silhouette was exactly how I pictured her when I’d imagined her marrying my dad. I’d been doing my best not to cry as we got ready for the wedding, but the sight of her looking so perfect had tears springing to my eyes.

“Don’t cry. You’ll ruin your make up!” Mom said. “Or worse, you’ll make me cry, and I’ll ruin mine.”

“We can’t have that.” I let out a laugh and lightly touched the corners of my eyes to stop the tears. “You look beautiful, and the dress is perfect.”

I’d helped her pick it out a few weeks ago, but it was one thing to see it in a store and something else entirely to see her wearing it with her hair and makeup done. The beaming smile she also wore was what truly completed the outfit. She’d never looked so happy.

When my father had asked my mom to marry him six months ago, it had been hard to imagine this day arriving so fast. Their lives had been so separate, and it felt like they had only just started rekindling their relationship. But it was amazing how much everything had changed and how quickly time had passed this year.

My mom was now living in New York with Matthew, and I had finally graduated from school. It had taken a while for Mom to recover from the fire, but as soon as she’d received the all clear from her doctor, she’d launched herself back into life with a vengeance. She was now a qualified yoga instructor, and my father’s treatment for her thyroid cancer was working well. The cancer was almost completely gone, and the doctors were confident she’d make a full recovery.

“You’re sure it looks okay?” she asked, biting her lower lip nervously as she glanced in the mirror

I walked over and took her hands in mine. “Matthew is going to lose his mind when he sees you. You look incredible.”

“Thank you.” She released a breath and smiled. “I still can’t believe this day is here. I know when we first set the date it seemed too soon, but to me, it felt like forever away.”

“I know,” I agreed. “But you and Matthew are meant for each other. And this wedding is long overdue.”

She let out another relaxed sigh and checked herself in the mirror once more. “This may sound silly, but it feels like fate guided us back to each other. The way I got sick and freaked out so much I ended up calling him. It all worked out in the end though, didn’t it?”

“It did,” I agreed. “And it’s definitely not silly to feel that way.” I felt the exact same about Noah. It was as though we were destined for one another, and no matter what we went through in life, I felt certain we would always find our way back to each other.

Not that I had any plans for us to be parted any time soon. We were headed to college together next month, and things would get really awkward if we broke up seeing as Matthew had bought us a place to live in together.

“Would you mind getting me a glass of water?” Mom asked. “I don’t want to run into your father before the ceremony.”

“Yeah, of course. Is there anything else you need?”

“Maybe you could check in on Matt and see how he’s feeling?”

“Consider it done.”

We’d all returned to Rapid Bay for the wedding and were getting ready in the house my father had purchased for my mom on the foreshore. My mom was in her room upstairs, and I found my father down on the balcony overlooking the ocean. He was dressed in a gorgeous black suit, and he seemed to be struggling to put his cuff links on.

“Here, I’ll help with that,” I said.

Matthew smiled and handed me his cuff links. “How’s your mom?”

“She’s doing well. Can’t wait to marry you, of course.”

He seemed to relax at my words, and he glanced down as I slid his cuff link easily through the hole in his shirt.

“I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve put these on before with no problem,” he said.

“It’s okay to be nervous.”

“I’m not nervous,” he said. “I’m excited.”

“Yeah, Mom is too. Though I think she’s struggling to wrap her head around the fact that today’s already here.”

Matthew released a breathy laugh. “She’s not the only one who feels that way. It’s like this day has come up so fast but also not nearly fast enough,” he said. “I can’t wait until your mother is officially a LaFleur.”

“About that…” I murmured. “I’ve been thinking a lot, and…” I paused, not quite believing what I was about to say. But it felt so right to say it. “I think I want to change my name.”

“What?”

“I want to change my name to LaFleur.”

“Really?” My father’s eyes became glassy, and I was afraid he was going to cry. He had better not start. If he did, I’d probably cry too. And my mom had already warned me about ruining my makeup.

“Really,” I said. “Mom’s changing her name, and it feels right. We’re a family, you’re my family, and I want my name to reflect that.”

He pulled me in for a hug, and I held him tightly. I’d decided a few weeks ago when Mom and I had been talking about whether she’d change her surname. I figured I’d change my name at the same time too, and I was glad I didn’t have to wait too long before they were married. My adult life was just starting, and I wanted to live it as a LaFleur.

When my father stepped back from the hug, he was still beaming.

“I should probably get back to Mom,” I said. “But I’ll see you at the end of the aisle, Dad.”

He’d been trying to hold back tears, but when he heard what I’d called him, one broke free and rolled down his cheek. I shared a smile with him before I left him to finish getting ready. I went down to the kitchen to get my mom her glass of water and then returned to her room.

“How is he?” Mom asked, as I handed her the water.

“Good. Struggling with his cuff links but good.”

Mom smiled. “I never thought I’d see the day Matthew LaFleur was nervous.”

“I think it’s more nervous excitement. He can’t wait to be your husband.”

My mom beamed in response. “Well, the feeling’s mutual,” she murmured.

There was a knock at the door, and the wedding planner poked her head in. “Are you ready?” she asked. “We need to leave for the ceremony in five minutes.”

“I’m ready,” my mom replied. From the easy way the words left her lips, it made me think she’d been ready well before today.

The ceremony took place on the secluded beach down the road from our house. It was a small event, but my parents had extended the invite to my friends from school. They had flown in for the occasion, and it felt so good to have everyone I cared about in one place.

I was my mom’s one and only bridesmaid, and as I walked down the aisle, even though my dad was waiting at the far end, I was watching Noah. He stood at my father’s side, looking devastatingly handsome in his tuxedo. My heart flipped when he saw me, and the corner of his lips lifted in a smile. I was never going to get sick of his smile or the way his eyes lit up when he looked at me.

The ceremony was short but beautiful. And my parents’ love for one another radiated in their smiles as they exchanged their vows. I’d often wondered what my life might have been like if I’d grown up with my father, but in this moment, I knew I wouldn’t change the way things had ended up for anything.

The wedding reception was held in my mom’s old café—well, where my mom’s old café used to be. Matthew had spared no expense renovating the space as quickly as possible, and it was now run by Norma, with Frank at her side, after she had happily stepped up to fill my mom’s absence.

I spent most of the night on the dance floor with my friends. I’d missed Cress and Anna terribly since school had broken up a couple of weeks back, and it was so amazing to have them here. I knew it would only grow harder next year when they both went to different colleges, but we’d made a pact on the last day of our senior year that we would always remain friends, and I had no doubt we were going to keep it. We might be going our separate ways for now, but I had a feeling fate wouldn’t keep us apart for too long.

Wes and Sawyer had both come to the wedding too, and even though Wes despised dancing as much as me, he’d spent the night on the dance floor with the rest of us. Things had never quite been the same with Wes after we broke up, but we had somehow managed to remain friends.

Even Kaden and Luther had come for the wedding. And while neither of them knew my parents all that well, they had charmed my mom so much at her engagement party in New York a few months earlier that she insisted they be here too. The guys spent most of their night by the bar, but Kaden made sure to pull Cress aside for a dance whenever a slow song came on.

“Having fun?” Luther asked as he came to sit beside me.

I was taking a break at one of the tables that had been pushed to the side when everyone converged on the dance floor. I’d been dancing all night, and my feet were killing me so it had seemed like a good time to rest.

“Yeah, tonight’s been perfect,” I said. “Have you been enjoying yourself?”

“Oh yeah, tonight’s been great. Your dad has very good taste in whiskey.”

“That’s your highlight of the wedding?”

“Oh, and the company, obviously.”

“Uh-huh, sure.”

Luther relaxed into his chair, and a smile pulled at his lips as he watched Anna on the dance floor. There was an adoring look in his eyes as she burst out laughing at the dance moves the twins were pulling. I’d been seeing him look at her like that more and more throughout the year, and I wasn’t sure I could go another night without saying something.

“Are you ever going to admit you have a thing for Anna?” I asked.

Luther’s eyes practically twinkled as he glanced back at me. “And have her hold that against me too? I don’t think so.”

I shook my head. He was so confusing. “So, you do like her?”

“Like her?” He laughed. “That girl’s going to marry me one day. She just doesn’t know it yet.”

My mouth dropped open. “What?”

He grinned at the shock in my eyes.

“How is she going to marry you if you won’t even admit you like her?”

“Perseverance,” he replied. “And it helps that we’re going to the same college next year.”

The music changed and Luther grinned as he glanced at the dance floor again. “That’s my song. I better go see if my girl wants a spin.”

He started to stand but then turned back to me. “Great party, newbie. I’m really glad I came.”

I glared at him but laughed. “Do you think you’ll ever stop calling me newbie?”

“Nah, you’ll always be the new girl to me.” He winked and took off after Anna.

I watched him go onto the dance floor and hold out his hand to her, inviting her to dance. I half expected her to roll her eyes and walk away, but the next thing I knew, she was in his arms. She had a horrified look on her face as he happily spun her around, and it was only after the song ended, when he bowed and walked away from her, that she smiled after him. Perhaps Luther’s perseverance was already starting to pay off.

“You look deep in thought,” Noah said, arriving to sit at my side. Norma had been dragging him around the dance floor for the last three songs, whispering who knows what in his ear. I had a feeling she was probably giving him her latest predictions.

“Just thinking about the future, I guess.”

“Well, I can tell you all about mine,” he said. “It’s got a gorgeous blonde with curly hair and bright blue eyes in it.”

‘Really?”

“Yeah. Apparently, we’re going to have incredible adventures, successful careers, and then we’ll settle down and have five kids.”

I burst out laughing. “Is that what Norma’s been telling you?”

“And that we’re getting a golden retriever.”

“I mean, the goldie sounds great. But five kids?” I said. “Is she trying to scare you off?”

“Nothing could scare me off you.”

I smiled because I believed him. Especially after what we’d both gone through with his grandfather. It was a relief to know William was behind bars now, and we’d never see him again.

“Do you want to dance with me?” Noah asked, offering his hand. A slow song had just come on, and I glanced down at his feet.

“Yes, but I should probably apologize to your toes in advance.”

“Apology accepted.” He chuckled and led me onto the dance floor.

My mom and dad were holding each other and swaying slowly in time with the romantic song the band was playing in the background. They looked so in love as they stared into each other’s eyes, and I was glad we didn’t have to wait any longer to see them married. That they’d finally reached the happy ending they deserved.

“I still can’t believe Norma told you we’re having five kids,” I said as Noah and I slowly danced. I’d never given much thought to having a family. I felt way too young for that. But I wasn’t against the idea of having kids one day as long as they got Noah’s smile.

“She’s just predicting the future as she sees it,” he said. “Maybe it’s wishful thinking, but it could also be magic.”

“You think?”

“Maybe.” He shrugged. “But she’s not the only one who can see our future.”

“You’re a psychic now too, are you?”

“I am when it comes to us.”

“And what is it exactly that you see?”

A smile slowly crept to his lips as he looked into my eyes. “Well, I see us going to college together.”

“We already know that.” I laughed. “What about after that?”

“Beyond that?”

“Yeah.”

He barely paused for breath. “Well, I see adventures, successful careers, five kids, and a golden retriever.”

I burst out laughing. “You’re not serious.”

“I could be.” He grinned and lowered his lips close to my ear. “But let’s be honest, Crash. As long as we’re together, I don’t care where we end up.”

It might have taken us a while to get to this point. Heartbreak, betrayal, secrets and a few too many brushes with death. But those moments had bonded us together, and made us so much stronger. I knew now that nothing could tear us apart and as Noah stared into my eyes, I felt like I could see our future clearly too. Our future, together.