Epilogue

EPILOGUE

GAbrIELLA

“ Y ou came!” I squeal when Lev comes through the door. I rush over to give her a hug.

“Whoa.” Lev laughs. “You have become chipper.”

“Love makes you happy.”

“Or stupid?” She quirks one of her perfect eyebrows. Caleb was able to help me get back in touch with her. I had been worried about her since Cup of Sugar closed.

We both picked up as many shifts as we could back in the day, but I got the sense that Lev didn’t only do it for money but to get out of her home too. When I confided in Caleb about my concerns, he proposed the idea of reopening the coffee shop, which I found absurd. Then he offered to find Lev a new job altogether. Lev took him up on the offer and is going to be starting a new job next year, which is tomorrow.

Caleb didn’t want us going into next year not married, so here we are having a New Year's Eve wedding. He would have been up for a courthouse wedding, but I told him we’re starting our own family now, and we should imprint these moments. Have the pictures to show our babies one day.

“I don’t care if it’s stupid.” I shrug.

"Is there a prenuptial agreement?"

I scrunch my nose at the question. “He’s never brought one up.”

“Okay. Not stupid.” I roll my eyes playfully at her. “I’m teasing. The man did get me a new job, and I’ve never seen you this way.”

“What do you mean?”

"I could never convince you to hang out at Cup of Sugar," she reminds me. Again, I think she’s been avoiding going home. “Now you text me every day, we’ve hung out twice, and you even call me. Who calls people?”

“You’re right,” I agree.

“Always.” Lev smirks.

“As I was saying, you’re right; I did dodge going out, but I was always scared of getting close to people with how I grew up and all. Now I see if you don’t take chances, you’ll end up alone and missing out on some pretty great people.”

“I am pretty great.” Lev pops off with another one of her half jokes. It’s not surprising. While I tend to run away from people, Lev simply avoids anything that is emotionally charged.

“You are,” I agree. “And one day you’ll find?—”

"I'm going to cut you off right there. I don’t do the love thing.”

Lev motions toward her clothes. Yes, for the most part, she wears all black, with pops of color here and there. Her jet-black hair, black nails, and the million thick bracelets going up her arms scream goth. I hesitate to categorize it as goth because Lev truly exudes her own unique vibe.

“I’m sure even the Grim Reaper might want some lovin’.”

“You think he’s single?” I snort a laugh. “All right, enough about my love life. I can’t vomit, and I’m the maid of honor, so I have duties to tend to.” She holds up her makeup bag.

Makeup is her obsession. Hers is always flawless. She generously offered to do my makeup as a wedding gift. I told her she didn’t need to do anything, but she insisted.

“Let’s do this. I have a man I need to marry.” I sit down to let her get started.

We rented out a beautiful estate for the wedding. There is enough room for our guests to stay here too. The wedding is small, and I love that. Everything here feels personal. The people invited mean something to us.

“You clean up good, Gabby.” Lev smiles at her work in its completion. She also styled my hair before assisting me in putting on my dress.

“Not too bad.” I stare at myself in the mirror, looking like a princess. Caleb always makes me feel like one.

I link my arm with Lev for us to go downstairs.

“Nervous?” she whispers to me.

“Nope,” I say without missing a beat.

“Do I go first or what? Never been to a wedding, because gross , but seen them on TV.”

“Walk with me?” I’m going to start the new year with my husband. Why not go into the next year with a best friend too?

“All right.” Lev gives me a rare smile before leading me out and toward my future. When the doors open, all I can see is Caleb at the end of the aisle. The way his whole face changes when he sees me is a reminder that I’m this man’s whole world.

Our vows are perfect and sealed with a kiss.

My luck really has changed…. forever.