Love isn’t easy.

As much as I’d love to brag and say it was like a Southern version of “Cinderella” after I flew out to Australia to get her, it wasn’t. But, you take away the singing mice, pumpkin carriage, and fairy godmother, and it was close.

“Boy”—Grandma swatted something from my shoulder— “you sure dress up nice.”

“Thanks, Grandma.”

Smiling, she patted my cheek. “I done alright raising you, I guess.”

“You sure did. Couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

“Aw, now, I’m not so sure about that, but I’ll take it.” She grabbed my face and kissed my cheek, then shuffled down the aisle to take a seat in the front row.

Debra stood by John’s shop with her phone pressed to her ear, shouting about the TV stations lining the road. “I swear to God, Murphy, you had better get them out of here before I—” Her eyes went wide, and her jaw clenched. “I don’t care if that’s not considered part of this property, I want them out of here!” She stormed off, still ranting.

The wind kicked up, blowing the leaves in the oak tree I stood beneath. It seemed fitting to hold the ceremony here, after all, it was where I kissed her for the first time. And how more Alabama can you get than getting married underneath an oak tree in the preacher’s front yard?

People filed in, filling the chairs covered with purple sashes and white flowers.

Trevor and Benji walked across the yard. Trevor looked alright in his tux, but Benji looked like a busted can of biscuits. “What’d you do?” I shouted. “Get a kid’s tux?”

“Well”—Benji yanked at his slacks before hacking up a loogey and spitting it on the grass—“I told them to give me a size smaller, you know, as motivation to lose some weight. But…” he shrugged. “I forgot. Besides, I wanted to do this.” He stuck his arms out and swayed from side to side. “Fat guy in a little coat,” he sang and spun around. “Fat guy in a little coat.”

Trevor shoved him, and he fell right into one of the few empty chairs, ripping off the purple sash across the back of the chair. I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Imma punch you after this is over,” Benji said, making his way up to the front beside me.

Trevor grinned like the shithead he was, then stopped next to me and placed his hand on my shoulder. “I’m happy for you, man. Seriously. You got all famous, got yourself the preacher’s daughter...” He waggled his eyebrows. “And it’s a known fact they’re freaks.”

“Man…” I shook my head. “Don’t make me hit you on my wedding day.”

“What? I mean, hell we all know she ain’t a virgin now, but still…”

“Trevor…”

He held his hands up and took a step back. “Alright. Alright. Still, shit turned out pretty good.”

“That it did. That it did.”

John stepped out of the front door in a suit, clutching Claire’s Bible in his hand. That was the first time I’d ever seen the man in anything except a pair of Wrangler jeans and plaid button-up shirt.

He smiled when he walked down the aisle toward me. “Noah.” He hugged me, keeping his hands on my arms when he took a step back. “I couldn’t be more proud. No one could ever love that girl the way you do, son.”

I fought the tightness in my chest. It’s hard when you tell yourself for so many years that you aren’t good enough to finally realize that you are.

“I know her momma would agree if she were here,” he said, tearing up as he took his place at the front.

The bridesmaids made their way to the front and then the violinist strummed out the beginning notes to “What a Wonderful World”—that’s what Hannah requested to honor Claire, and everyone rose from their seats to face the side of the yard.

My heart went nuts when Bo escorted Hannah around the side of the house. The golden color of the setting sun hit her white dress just right. God, if beauty was ever going to make me stop breathing, it would have been right then. Subtly dropping her chin on a smile, she draped her arm through Bo’s. Her eyes locked with mine as she rounded the chairs and stopped at the end of the gravel drive. The violins and hushed whispers of the guests faded away. It was just the two of us as far as I was concerned.

Her eyes locked on me when she started down the aisle, each step full of grace. Had someone told me this girl would be mine when I saw her the first time in that church all sad, I wouldn’t have believed them. There are few moments that stick with you throughout life, and I guess maybe the ones that do should tell you something about who means something to you.

Because I never forgot laying eyes on her for the first time. I never forgot the moment she walked into Tipsy’s and glanced up at the stage.

Some people are meant to pass through your life, while some are meant to be your life.

That girl, she was my life.

I’d been on stage in front of thousands of people with not the slightest of care, but when Hannah let go of Bo’s arm and I took her hand, I couldn’t calm my nerves.

“Hey, you,” I whispered, and she grinned.

“Everyone, please take your seats, and thank you all for coming,” John said. “Now, usually the father walks the bride down the aisle, but…” He stepped over and took one of Hannah’s hands. “No matter how old you get, you’ll always be my baby girl.” He kissed her cheek, fighting tears as he stepped back to his place at the front of the aisle and cleared his throat. “It is at this moment that I proudly put the care my little girl in the hands of Noah Greyson.” Hannah rubbed her lips together, her eyes watering.

“I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you, too.”

“Now, we have some vows to get outta the way here…”

I can’t recall the exact words exchanged, and I may not remember every neck I hugged that night, but the one thing I will never forget for the rest of my life is the way it felt to finally be home.