The waves crash against the beach behind me, the soundtrack to the most perfect day. Standing on the edge of the water, though, I can only look at the scene in front of me: the two-story beach house with the wraparound porch that Violet and I bought once we realized we were going to need more room. The folding white chairs all lined up in the sand. Six-month-old Leo perched in Mom’s arms, making gurgling noises.

I know I’m a damn lucky man. I hope I never forget it.

“This is tight,” Frank grumbles from next to me. He winces and adjusts his bowtie.

I laugh at him. “It’s a clip-on.”

He scowls. “No, it’s not. I tied this shit myself. And all for your wedding day. Don’t you ever forget that.”

“I won’t.” I nudge him with my elbow. “You look good, though.”

“Yeah? How good? Think any of the bridesmaids will be interested?”

“There’s just one. Kaila.”

His eyes light up. “Violet’s assistant?”

“Yeah, but don’t—”

Before I can remind him that Violet will have his head on a stake if he breaks any of her friends’ hearts, the guitarist starts playing.

This is it. My wedding is here.

If you’d told me a year ago that I’d be tying the knot, I would have lost my mind laughing. Now, I couldn’t imagine things turning out any different.

Each second passes in slow motion as I wait for my bride to appear. Out of the house and down the path to the beach comes Kaila, wearing pale pink and carrying a bouquet of sunflowers. And then—finally—Violet.

The breath is stolen right out of me as she appears, golden hair fluttering on the breeze, the waistband of her flowing white dress decorated with seashells. Our gazes connect, and with each step she takes closer to me, the more I buzz.

As she passes by Leo, he makes his ‘mommy’ sound. Violet gives him a wave and a smile, and I think my heart is about to explode from joy.

Finally, she’s at the end of her walk, handing her bouquet over to Kaila and taking her spot by my side.

There must be words spoken. Vows, even. I wrote them down on a slip of paper so I could read them off. But if all of that is happening, it’s going on in another world. For me, there’s only one thing: the beautiful blue eyes I could fall into.

As I slip the ring onto Violet’s finger, I’m suddenly yanked back to reality. I’m married. We’re married.

“Holy shit,” I breathe.

Violet giggles. “Sean.”

Her eyes dart over to the reverend, but I don’t so much as glance his way. I’m way too busy pulling Violet into my arms and kissing her like she belongs to me, like she’s my everything…because she does, and she is.

Congratulations are passed around and pictures taken. The whole time, I hold tight to Violet’s hand. As the afternoon stretches on, we join our family and friends at the long tables in our backyard, where the excited chatter fills the air.

Claiming my spot next to where Violet sits with Leo in her lap, I grab a champagne glass and raise it high. The yammering dies down as the guests take notice.

“First of all,” I start, “I want to say thank you to everyone for coming today. It means a lot to me, and my beautiful wife.” I glance down at Violet, who is glowing. “To our parents.” I nod at the table the three of them sit at. “Thank you for everything. And, to my best man…”

Frank puffs his chest up.

“You can keep your gun collection,” I tell him. “I have everything I could ever need right here.” I give Violet and Leo another purposeful look before turning back to Frank. “Although, it you ever want to borrow my bike, just ask.”

Frank rolls his eyes. “Thanks, Sean.”

I sit back down amid puzzled looks.

“No one knows what you’re talking about,” Violet whispers into my ear.

“Yeah, but you do.” I hook my arm around her waist and kiss the top of Leo’s head, enjoying the blush creeping across my bride’s cheeks.

Down the table, Kaila pulls a chair up right next to Frank. Violet also sees what’s happening and stiffens in my arms.

“She’ll be fine,” I promise her.

My wife gives me a doubtful look.

“Kaila isn’t like other girls,” she whispers. “She doesn’t have as much…experience.”

“Okay. I’ll take care of it.”

Squeezing Violet’s leg, I get up. By the time I make it down the table, though, Frank and Kaila are nowhere to be found, nothing but vacant seats marking their absence.

“Oh, come on,” I groan.

Chasing down Frank and cock-blocking him is not how I planned on spending my wedding day, but Violet is right. Kaila is the opposite of Frank. She’s delicate and sensitive. She wouldn’t last a day in his hands.

It takes five minutes to make it across the yard, since someone stops to congratulate me every other step, but I finally get to the porch. A familiar male voice sneaks around the side of the house, drawing me along the smooth boards.

Keeping to the wall, I creep to the front of the house, which faces the foliage across the street. It’s an amazing neighborhood, with the nature I used to imagine myself living in, combined with a few neighbors within walking distance.

At the corner of the house, I stop and peek around the side. Frank and Kaila are sitting on the steps, passing a bottle of beer back and forth.

“He loves his squeaky bone the best,” Kaila is saying. “But it’s falling apart. I’m going to take him to the pet store tomorrow to let him pick out a new one.”

“You should let me come with,” Frank answers. “You know, as a second opinion.”

A long moment passes as Kaila, whose face I can’t see, looks at him.

“Okay,” she finally says.

“Cool.” Frank takes a swing of beer and evaluates Kaila. “You ever shoot a gun?”

I roll my eyes. Now is about the time that I should step in and end this conversation, per Violet’s request, but something stops me.

“No,” Kaila answers. “But I’ve always wanted to!”

Frank chuckles. “I could tell there was something wild about you. You keep it hidden away, though.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Kaila flirtatiously answers.

She flips her hair over her shoulder, and Frank’s eyes follow every movement. His dark irises sparkle even in the quickly-dimming light, and his lips are slightly parted, as if he’s in awe.

It’s a look I’ve never seen on him.

Could it be… No. But maybe.

Drawing away from the corner of the house, I slowly creep back along the deck so neither of them hears me. I never thought I’d see the day, but is it possible that Frank has found a girl he’s actually into? Someone he sees as more than a quick lay?

I stop walking as the realization hits. Of course it’s possible. It happened to me, after all. In a matter of weeks, my entire life turned upside down. And, since then, I haven’t regretted the change for one second.

My chest warms at the thought. Frank in love… It sounds crazy, but weirder things have happened. And, having found that very kind of happiness for myself, I can genuinely say I hope he gets a chance to experience it one day as well.

“There you are.”

The voice startles me, and I look down to see Violet hovering at the bottom step. Her hair is mussed—probably thanks to Leo—and her cheeks are flushed from all the excitement.

“Can you wear that dress every day?” I ask, walking down the steps and pulling her into my arms.

Her musical laughter caresses my ears.

“I’m afraid it wouldn’t hold up for long with a six-month-old around.”

“Where is young Leonardo?”

“You dad has him.” She runs her fingers down the front of my suit and lowers her voice. “Did you find them?”

“Yeah,” I quietly say.

“And?”

A burst of laughter comes from the front part of the porch, and Violet peers over my shoulder suspiciously.

“I think they’re going to be just fine,” I say.

Violet frowns. “But Kaila…”

“Can take care of herself,” I finish.

Violet slowly acquiesces, nodding. “If Frank does anything to hurt her—”

“You’ll more than take care of him,” I chuckle.

“You know I will,” she devilishly answers, then tugs at my hand. “Come on. Let’s get back to the reception.”

“Not just yet.”

She doesn’t resist as I guide her away from the backyard and down one of the little trails to the beach. The sun is about to set, casting its hazy glow on the ocean and the sand. Violet kicked her shoes off long ago, and she steps right up to the water, lifting her dress so the waves can gently lap at her toes. I stand a few feet away, hands in my pockets, my gaze tethered to the beautiful woman.

Brushing some of her loose hair from her face, she looks over to me.

“What are you thinking?”

“Not thinking,” I quietly say. “Just…”

“Feeling?” She grins.

“Exactly.”

She comes to me at the same moment I reach for her, slipping into my arms like she was made for them. And, apparently, she was. It just took me a long time to figure that out.

Holding Violet in front of me, I wrap my arms around her waist and rest my head against hers. Behind us, the people we love talk and laugh, their joy filling our home with promises of even more happiness to come. In front of us, the ocean shimmers with the setting sun and a future designed for us.

* * *