Epilogue

EPILOGUE

P iper and Audrey swayed gently to the rhythm of a slow, romantic melody, their bodies pressed close together, lost in their own world amidst the crowd of wedding guests. The castle's grand ballroom was illuminated by the soft glow of chandeliers, creating a warm and inviting ambiance.

The laughter and chatter of Evelyn and Claire's friends and family filled the air, but to Piper, it all felt like a distant hum. All that mattered was the woman holding her close.

"You look beautiful," Audrey whispered, her voice a low, velvety murmur that sent a shiver down Piper's spine.

Piper smiled, her heart fluttering. "You look absolutely stunning."

Audrey chuckled softly, her eyes crinkling at the corners in a way that Piper had grown to love. "I never thought I'd be dancing with you in a castle in Ireland."

Piper's smile widened, her eyes sparkling with happiness. "Neither did I."

When the song ended, Piper and Audrey remained in each other's arms, their eyes locked in a silent promise. Around them, the reception continued as the band moved into the next song.

"I love you," Piper whispered, her voice barely audible above the hum of the crowd.

Audrey's eyes softened, and she leaned in to press a gentle kiss to Piper's lips. "I love you too."

Hand in hand, they left the dance floor as other couples took their place. They headed towards Evelyn and Claire who were at the bar. Evelyn looked stunning in a simple, yet elegant white satin dress, her hair in an up-do while Claire wore a white halter top and tailored white pants, her black hair tumbling over her shoulders in loose curls.

Evelyn smiled when she saw them heading their way. "You two look radiant," Evelyn said. "I'm so glad you could be here to share this day with us."

Claire wrapped her arm around Evelyn's waist. "Thank you for coming. It means the world to us to have you both here," she said in a melodic Irish accent.

"It was a beautiful ceremony," Audrey said as Evelyn passed them all glasses of champagne.

"What'll we toast to?" Piper asked, lifting her glass. "The happy couple?"

Evelyn met Piper's eyes. "We can do better than that. I think we need to toast serendipity," she said with a smile tugging at her lips. "Where would we be without it?"

Piper met Audrey's eyes before turning back to Evelyn and Claire. "To serendipity," she said, lightly clinking their glasses together, still not quite believing how lucky she'd been to find Audrey living next door to her grandmother's beach house.