Epilogue
One Year Later
Sarah was fretting, staring at herself in the mirror. In that moment, she saw everything she hated about her body on full display. She ran her fingers over the beading of the dress, exhaling slowly. Was she overthinking things? More than likely. No matter how much she grew as a person, certain hang-ups remained.
Millie appeared in the reflection, her face set in a serious expression. “Whatever you are thinking, stop it.” Her best friend said sternly.
“I look fat.” Sarah grumbled.
“Nope, we aren’t doing this today. Not on your wedding day.”
The words bounced around in her skull. My wedding day. It was a day she never thought would come. So much time passed in her apartment, reading her books, watching TV, drinking her tea and going off to work for Mary Ann. Now, she was about to marry Logan. Logan! A man who swept into her life like a tornado, turned it upside down, left things scattered. But along with that craziness, he brought light and love to her existence.
“You promise I look alright?” Sarah asked Millie.
“Yes.” Her friend swore, fiddling with her veil. Sometimes Sarah got the feeling Millie was more nervous than she was about the whole event.
Millie wanted everything to be perfect for her. They had become so close, rekindling the friendship they had as teenagers that now they felt like sisters more than anything else. Sarah welcomed it. The past had been sorted and she no longer resented Millie for what occurred.
Working with Millie the past year had gone better than expected. They made a great team, setting up the office in downtown St. Neuri. They even hired Mary Ann to help broker the deal because no matter how much Sarah changed, she still felt a bit guilty for quitting how she did. Liam said she was too kind but she decided to take it as a compliment. After all, if Mary Ann hadn’t told her to go to the house on Brook Street, then none of this would have happened.
With Artemis Blossom taking off in St. Neuri, things went better than either of them expected. Millie, originally nervous at relocating away from the city, now didn’t regret it at all. People were so anxious to work with the label that they came to her. Sarah was her right hand, organizing, planning, scheduling meetings and events. It was a brisk change of pace from the real estate office but it never actually felt like work. It felt like merely an extension of her new life. She loved it, loved working with Millie and being part of the fashion world.
Millie had designed her wedding dress and Sarah loved it. Pure white, with intricate beading, a flowing skirt and lace sleeves – it fit her like a glove and she was enchanted by it. Millie wouldn’t even hear of Sarah paying her for it either.
“I owe you.” Was all she said and would not hear of any argument against it.
The dress was her dream dress. It was the sort of dress women would wish to have and now Sarah had it. She had so much.
Sarah pushed the self-doubt down. Logan had made it perfectly clear how much he adored her body – her curves, large thighs, all of it – but she still occasionally was plagued by issues regarding her size. Some things took more work than others and her self-esteem just happened to be one of those things.
But Millie was right. Today wasn’t the day to listen to that nagging voice. She leaned over and fixed a broach to the front of Sarah’s dress. It glittered under the sunlight pouring into the room and sparkled like a gem.
She touched it gingerly. “A wolf? Isn’t that a little dead on?”
“Tongue in cheek.” Millie remarked.
She smiled. There were no other bridesmaids fluttering about. Attendance in the church was tiny. Neither Logan nor Sarah wanted a fuss. Just something quiet to cement their place in each other’s lives. Millie fixed the veil, making sure it looked perfect and then stretched out her hand.
“Ready?”
The answer was no but Sarah nodded. She felt nervous, butterflies careening around her stomach. The fact that she was getting married was crazy to her. Never did she think she was the marrying type. Millie led her down the hallway, handing her the bouquet as Sarah reflected on the last year.
They had moved out of her apartment after four months of dating and got their own place on the outskirts of St. Neuri. It was a tiny house, built for two, but cozy and safe, which is what Sarah wanted. It had a backyard with lots of space leading directly to the woods for Logan. The days they didn’t work were spent making love in the mornings, sharing breakfast together and curled up in each other’s company. The evenings were spent with nights watching movies, or Logan out in the woods as a wolf. Sometimes, she would go with him, exploring the woods safely with him.
It was a life she never dreamt of having. Now that it was hers, she wanted to treasure it.
Two months ago, Sarah had come home from work after Logan texted her that it was urgent. Worried that some trouble had sprung up with Liam’s pack, she hurried to their house. Liam’s pack left Logan alone but she knew there was hostility that not only remained, but Liam was considering inviting him back into the pack.
But when she had come home, the living room was brimming with candles and Logan stood there, waiting for her.
“I love you more than anything. This time with you has brought me the greatest happiness.” He said as he dropped to one knee. “Sarah, will you marry me?”
How could she refuse a man like him?
And now the church doors were opening and she was going to be walking down the aisle. Her hands shook slightly. She hoped no one could tell.
As the doors opened, everything else faded to the sight of Logan waiting for her at the altar. Dressed in a tuxedo, he looked so handsome that her heart ached. How crazy life was since he came in – but how wonderful and magical it was as well.
Logan looked shocked when he saw her coming towards him. Were his eyes welling up with tears? He rubbed at his face furiously and she knew that he was crying. That made her start to feel emotional as well.
“Your makeup.” Millie hissed as a warning.
Sarah let out a small laugh and before she knew it, she was standing in front of him. He was looking at her, grabbing her hands instantly. Up this close, she could read his every thought – the love that radiated from him.
As the vows were recited and the rings were exchanged, Sarah’s heart felt as though it might pop with joy and happiness. When they were pronounced husband and wife, Logan leaned down, kissing her with such passion that she could feel herself blushing.
Then she took his hand in hers, turning to face the church, knowing that they had overcome the odds, overcome the danger and fear, to be together. That no matter what happened, the future was theirs to map out, that the secrets of St. Neuri belonged to them now.
Sarah tilted her head to look at Logan who smiled at her. It was a smile she had never seen on his face before. Pure joy, pure love, the promise of protection for all her days. Then she looked at the church, of the small community of friends she had discovered through working at Artemis Blossom, to Liam, to Millie and she let out a laugh of happiness.
Finally, things were exactly how she dreamt they could be.