Epilogue

One Month Later

“Are you ready?” Millie popped into the room at Cloverleigh Farms that my sisters and I were using to get ready.

“Definitely.” I studied my reflection one last time. “Do you think it’s lame that I’m wearing the same dress? Everyone here will recognize it.”

“Not at all,” Winnie said, handing out bouquets to everyone. “It’s gorgeous on you, and this time you’ve got the veil. That totally changes the look.”

I reached up to touch it—it was Frannie’s veil, and none of us had thought it would look right with the dress, but somehow the long, traditional veil gave the short, modern dress just the right touch. We’d all shed tears when Frannie had brought it out of the box so I could try it on, remembering the day she’d married our dad.

“Also the sneakers.” Millie laughed, shaking her head. “It’s a look all your own.”

I looked down at my feet. “Yeah, I couldn’t do those heels again. At least they’re clean and white!”

“You look amazing. You can’t even see the blood on the dress,” Emmeline said generously.

I laughed. “Thanks.” The dress had been dry-cleaned after the party, but you could definitely still see the faint stain. That was okay—little imperfections didn’t bother me.

Audrey fussed with my bangs a little. “And your hair is so cute. Good job staying away from the scissors today.”

“You know what?” I smiled at all four of my sisters. “Believe it or not, I wasn’t even tempted. But I think Hutton took all the scissors out of the house yesterday just in case.”

Hutton and I were renting a place in town while we looked for land to build on. He’d left his position as CEO of HFX and sold most of his shares to Wade, but he’d agreed to stay on as a consultant as long as he could work from home. He had several offers from other companies, both in the crypto industry and outside it, but so far, he’d turned them all down.

He wanted to devote more time to his charitable foundation, and he’d also been offered an adjunct professor’s position in the mathematics department at a university nearby. The department head was one of our old high school math teachers, and she and I had persuaded him to try teaching just one small class this semester.

Natalia, his new therapist, was also on board with the plan, and even though he complained about her all the time—she reminded him too much of Allie—he hadn’t fired her.

I thought that was a good sign.

“You all look beautiful,” I said, my heart swelling with love and gratitude as I looked at the women surrounding me. They’d each chosen their own dresses in different styles but in complementary shades—the twins in peach and watermelon, Winnie in coral, Millie in scarlet. “I could not be more proud to have all four of my sisters beside me today.”

Winnie fanned her face. “Don’t do this to me. My mascara isn’t even dry yet.”

“No tears! We’re all happy today. Have you seen Hutton?” I asked Millie.

She smiled and nodded. “He looks like a million—sorry—a billion bucks in his suit and tie, but also a little nervous.”

“Yeah, fifty pairs of eyes on him is not his thing,” I said. “He’s definitely doing this for me.”

“Honestly, Dad’s probably a bigger mess,” said Millie, laughing. “He keeps tearing up and pacing.”

“He puts on such a tough front, but he’s really a softie,” said Winnie. “Giving away one of his girls for the first time is probably killing him.”

“If you’re ready, Felicity, we should go down,” Millie said. “Frannie’s already been seated, and Dad’s waiting outside. I don’t think we should leave him alone too long.”

“Let’s go,” I said, giving myself one last look in the mirror. “I’m ready.”

“Just give it like two minutes, okay?” Millie looked over her shoulder from me to our dad. We were standing on the patio of the restaurant at Cloverleigh Farms, in the shade and out of sight of the ten rows of chairs that had been set up on the edge of the orchard. The sound of the Clipper Cuts floated over the lawn toward us.

The twins had walked down the aisle side by side, and Winnie had followed. Millie was serving as maid of honor, and she’d be the final attendant before my dad and me.

“Okay.” My stomach was full of jitters, but I felt steady on my feet. I smiled at my father, so strong and handsome in his gray suit. Suddenly I felt like crying, so I made a joke. “Bet you never thought I’d be first, huh?”

His smile was sweet and sad at the same time. “I never thought about this at all, or I’d have fallen apart.”

A lump popped into my throat. “No fair, Dad. Do not make me ruin this moment with ugly tears.”

“Sorry.” He held out his arm, and I slipped my hand through it. “I couldn’t be happier for you, honey. It doesn’t surprise me at all that you’re first, because it’s Hutton. Maybe if it had been a stranger, I’d have questioned it...but you two have always been there for each other, and that’s what marriage is. The fireworks are cool, but it’s the friendship that matters.”

I kissed his cheek. “I love you, Dad.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.” He glanced in the direction Millie had gone. The Clipper Cuts had launched into our song. “I think it’s our turn.”

“Let’s do it.”

We stepped out of the shade and into the warmth of the late afternoon sun. I felt surprisingly confident on my dad’s arm as we walked through the guests that had gathered for us. Maybe it was the sneakers. Maybe it was the weather. Maybe it was all the familiar faces—not only the MacAllister and French clans, but the entire extended Sawyer family as well. All Frannie’s sisters and their husbands, their children, John and Daphne, who’d been like grandparents to me. The Prancin’ Grannies were all in attendance, and even Mimi was there, sporting some freshly cut bangs, as short and choppy as if I’d done them myself.

Maybe it was Hutton, who watched me walk toward him as if he’d never imagined this kind of moment would belong to us. When we reached him, I saw some nervousness in his eyes, yes—but also love and pride and gratitude. My dad shook his hand and kissed my cheek, then took his seat next to Frannie, who blew me a kiss and dabbed beneath her eyes with a tissue.

I glanced at my sisters, all grinning widely, Winnie and Millie with eyes full of tears. I touched my heart and faced Hutton—my friend and my forever.

The love of my life.

That disobedient lock of hair had overpowered his styling product and sprung free onto his forehead. Self-conscious, he tried to brush it off, but I reached for his hand and smiled. “Leave it,” I whispered. “I love an imperfection.”

But standing there, in this place full of warm memories, next to my best friend in the world, in front of the people we loved most, looking forward to our happily ever after, I had to admit that even with imperfections, some moments in life were still perfect.

Both things could be true.

THE END