2 years later…

“Addison, Aoife won’t let me put her shoes on,” Sinead shouts as she marches into the room with our beautiful—if not a little stubborn—daughter in her arms. She puts her down on the floor to play before standing with her hands on her hips. “I tried everything but she won’t stay still.”

“It’s okay, don’t worry, sweetheart. You look beautiful,” I say, taking in her emerald green bridesmaid dress. As usual, when I compliment her she gives me a beaming smile. If I knew at some point in my life I was going to acquire a step-daughter, I couldn’t have asked her a better one than Sinead, because she’s incredible. She welcomed me with open arms into the tight unit she and Blake were, and she’s always made me feel welcome. We may have hit a few bumps in the road along the way, but I’m sure every new woman in a teenage girl’s life gets the you can’t tell me what to do, you’re not my mum speech thrown at them at least once. I know I’ll never fill Kayleigh’s shoes, and nor do I want to, but I try my best to be the mother figure she needs.

“Aoife looks adorable. Thank you so much for getting her dressed.” I look down at our eighteen-month-old daughter in her matching dress and I can’t help the rush of love and amazement that flows through me. For someone who didn’t see kids in their future, I have a fierce need to look after and protect not just Aoife, but Sinead as well.

“You’re welcome. Can I see the dress yet?”

I look over to the dress bag hanging on the doorframe at the other side of the room and butterflies erupt my belly. “What time is it?”

“Almost two-thirty,” Sinead says after checking her phone.

“Okay, let’s do this, then,” I announce, and after getting Aoife’s little gold ballet shoes on, I stand in front of the bag that contains the most important dress of my life.

My wedding dress. The one I drew so many years ago, hoping I’d one day walk towards the man of my dreams wearing. The one Aunt Addy made for me even though it wasn’t needed; it was like she just knew one day I would be stepping into it as I prepared to commit my life to the most incredible man.

I pull the zip down and free the dress from its confines.

“Wow, it’s amazing. I can’t believe my nan made that.”

“She’s very talented. Your mum and I drew pictures of what we wanted our wedding dresses to look like when we were kids and she promised to make them for us when the time came,” I say, repeating the story I’ve told her a million times, but as with every story about her mum, she laps it up like it’s her first time hearing it.

“I’m going to wear the one Mum designed for herself one day,” she announces proudly. I try really hard to swallow down the lump that forms in my throat. I’m determined to make it through today without crying.

“She would love that,” I say, my voice full of emotion. “Okay then, I hope it fits.” I’ve had to work pretty hard to get this to zip up since having Aoife, even with Aunt Addy’s adjustments to let out the seams. I drop my robe and look down at my new motherly curves before glancing at my daughter, who’s waving her favourite teddy in the air. I couldn’t care less about the extra few inches or the stretch marks; she was worth all of it and more.

“Can you zip me up?”

“Of course.” Sinead puts her phone down and comes to help me. “You look gorgeous, Addison. I’m so glad you’re going to be my step-mum.” The lump that reappears in my throat is the size of a tennis ball. All I can do is nod and pull her in for a hug.

I’m still trying to pull myself together when there’s a knock at the door. “Come in,” I shout.

“You know, you could have waited a little longer and had this house finished, I get covered in dust everywhere I go,” Mum complains as she walks in, dusting herself off. “I…Oh my word, Addison. Look at you.” She grabs my hands and holds my arms out to the sides as she takes me in. “Gorgeous, absolutely gorgeous.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Aunt Addy says behind her.

“Everyone’s ready to go down there. All they need is the bride.”

After a round of hugs and a few tears patted away, we all head downstairs.

“Seriously, Addison, this is ridiculous,” Mum grumbles.

The wedding is being held in a marquee in our new garden. Six months ago, Blake and I exchanged contracts on his dream house, the one with the incredible views. He’d proposed not long after Aoife was born, but neither of us could decide on a venue. Then, when we got this place, there was no other option. The house needed a total referb; the entire place has been stripped back to brick and the only rooms that are somewhat liveable are the kitchen and two of the bedrooms—and that’s only so we can get married here. Realistically, we’re not expecting to properly move in for a few months yet, but we wanted to make use of the summer weather for today, and if I’m honest, I was getting a little fed up of having a different surname to the rest of my family.

As we approach the French doors, I see the marquee in front of us with the stunning views across the bay behind, and I feel a weird sense of calmness fall over me. It’s nothing like when I did this before, because this feels right. I can walk down that aisle to a man I truly love, and who I know one hundred per cent loves me, and I can promise to live the rest of my life as who I am and know that’s never going to change.

“Ready?” Mum asks, “if you’re going to back out, now’s the time,” she says with a laugh.

“Ready.”

Aunt Addy shifts Aoife to her other hip before walking out towards the marquee with Sinead hot on her heel. When they get there, I hear the music change. I look over to Mum and smile as she links her arm through mine.

Together we walk towards the marquee and down the aisle. My sight focuses on the back of the man I’m about to marry. His navy suit clings to his muscular frame perfectly. Is it bad I haven’t seen the front of him yet but I already want to get him out of the suit?

All forty-five heads turn towards us as we make our way to the front, but I don’t see any of them. The marquee might be full of our closest friends and family but the only person I see is Blake.

I take a deep breath as I step up behind him to prepare myself for seeing him properly, but it’s not enough. When he does turn, the look on his face takes my breath away. Love, admiration, lust and joy all flicker in his eyes as he stares into mine.

* * *

Before I know it, the registrar is bringing the service to an end. I hardly remember even saying my vows.

“Blake, you may now kiss your bride,” she says just before he takes a step towards me.

I expect him to kiss me without any hesitation, but to my surprise, after placing his hand on my cheek, he leans forward but stops when his forehead is touching mine.

“Forever, Addison. I promise.”

And then he kisses me like it’s the first time all over again.