There are tears in Lena’s eyes as she zips up the back of my gorgeous wedding dress, then steps back to admire me.

“This is what a wedding should look like.”

It’s five years later, and I am dressed in the most beautiful white mermaid gown with a lace overlay and open back. My hair is down, but professionally curled and styled. My makeup has been done; my eyes feel flirty with lavender eyeshadow and long, heavy eyelashes.

I feel a tug on my skirt and look down to find my daughter, Ellie, lifting her arms for a hug.

“Come here, darling.” I pick her up.

“You’ll crinkle your dress, Soph!”

I smile. “That’s okay.”

I brush my nose against Ellie’s and she giggles. She looks so cute in her tiny little flower girl dress at only two years old. She has my nose and Cole’s eyes.

Lena picks up my veil from where it lies on a stand nearby. She lifts it above my head and fixes it in place, then arranges the lace around my shoulders.

“I have to admit, there were times where I thought you weren’t going to get here, but Cole proved me wrong. In the last five years, he’s shown how much he’s changed.”

I beam. “Hasn’t he? I couldn’t ask for more.”

“This time, it’s right. I know you’re going to be happy.”

“Me, too.”

Everything is perfect. Cole and I had that long engagement that I’d asked for, and after three years of being happy together, Ellie came along. We were not only a couple but a family now.

We got Ellie through her first year, and then I asked Cole when we were going to set a date for the wedding.

Now, here we are. It’s July. The sun is shining brightly, and we don’t have to revert to our backup ceremony indoors. I step outside to the beginning of the aisle in the gardens of the beautiful venue.

I see Cole standing under the floral arch beyond the rows of chairs where our friends and family are sitting. He’s dressed in a gray suit, looking a million dollars. My heart skips a beat at the sight of him; my first and only love, the father of my child, my best friend.

It took us a long time to get here, but I’m so glad I held onto Cole. In the last five years, he’s made me feel like I’m his whole world, and he’s been a devoted and wonderful father to Ellie.

What’s more, he seems happy. Every time he glances at Ellie or me, there is such love in his eyes.

He spots me now, and his eyes gleam again. His face breaks out into a huge, boyish grin. These days, he’s so much more relaxed and ready to smile. There’s no panic or rush. We have all the time in the world to be together, and we’re making the most of it.

Lena takes Ellie from me and brings her to our mom so she can join the other bridesmaids as the matron of honor at the front of the crowd. Then, the band strikes up a wedding march, and it’s time.

My dad slips his arm through my elbow and accompanies me up the aisle. As I pass by our guests, each of them is looking at me with complete joy. Mom is dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief while holding Ellie, and Dennis looks so happy I think he might burst into song.

But nobody’s smile can match mine. I’m about to be Mrs. Cole Tanner. Again.

I come to stand in front of Cole. His eyes are filled with wonder.

“You look beautiful.”

I feel butterflies dancing in my stomach like they always do when Cole looks at me that way.

“We made it.”

The officiant starts reading the vows. We’ve been here before, but this time there’s more meaning in the words than there was ever before, because now we’ve been through thick and thin together, and I know that when we swear our loyalty and devotion this time, it’s the utter truth.

“Do you, Cole Tanner, take this woman, Sophie Ellis, to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

Cole’s eyes meet mine. His smile is soft. “I do.”

“And do you, Sophie Ellis, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

“I do.”

We exchange rings. Cole’s hand rests on mine after he slips the white gold band onto my finger.

“Then, by the power invested in me by the state of New York, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

We kiss, and the crowd erupts into cheers.

“If you’d please make your way toward the East end of the gardens, there will be some photographs before the reception begins.”

The crowd starts to file away, and I turn to Cole, alone at last. My smile is so big it can hardly fit on my face.

“This is it.”

Cole wraps his arm around my waist and pulls me close. “Here we are.”

“Ellie looks so beautiful today.”

“Maybe before long, she’ll have a little brother or sister to play with.”

I smile. “I’d like that.”

“We’ll see what we can do on our honeymoon.”

In two days’ time, we’re setting off on another adventure, retracing the steps of some of our favorite memories. We’ll be gone for three weeks to visit Italy, Thailand, and Fiji.

Last time, when we came back from our adventures, it was the end of everything. This time, it will be the start of the most beautiful adventure of our lives.