Page 28 of Red, White, and You

"I love you too,” I whisper. “And for the record? You’re it for me too.”

He leans in. “So… do I get to try the cake?”

“Only if you help me figure out where the heck we’re putting all these flowers.”

He laughs again, and when he kisses me, it’s everything I hoped it would be—sweet, certain, and just the beginning.

And somewhere in the middle of all the buttercream and blossoms, I know we’re going to be okay.

Epilogue

Gigi

OneYearLater

The most important cake of my life is giving me trouble.

It’s five a.m., and I’m in my bakery kitchen surrounded by the beautiful chaos of wedding prep, smoothing buttercream between tiers and praying for structural integrity. Sunlight catches the diamond on my left hand, sending little rainbows dancing across the counter.

Focus, Gigi. This has to be perfect.

The bottom layer is strawberry—the same recipe I used for my very firstRed, White, and Youcake for Phoenix. Sweet & hopeful, with a touch of the unexpected. It’s where we started, back when Phoenix was just the annoyingly handsome Hart Health spokesman who kept showing up asking for cupcakes.

The middle layer is lemon-raspberry, pulled straight from myLemon-Raspberry & Regretscake. Tart, complex, a little messy.Just like the fight that nearly ended everything before it had a chance to begin.

And the top layer? That’s brand new. Vanilla almond with champagne buttercream. Light and celebratory. It tastes like joy. Likeforever.

It’s not the most elaborate cake I’ve ever made, but it feels exactly right. Elegant swirls of white buttercream, fresh berries, and a cascade of sugar flowers I redid three times just to get right. It’s imperfect but beautiful. It’sus.

My phone buzzes on the counter.

Phoenix:How’s the most beautiful bride-to-be this morning?

I grin and text back:Covered in frosting and mildly panicking about cake physics.

Phoenix:The cake will be perfect. Because you made it. Just like everything else about today.

Me:Flatterer.

Phoenix:It’s not flattery if it’s true. I love you, future Mrs. Wood.

Me:I love you too. Now go away so I can finish this masterpiece.

Phoenix:Yes, ma’am. See you at the altar.

I set my phone down, heart fluttering like it has every day for the past year. You’d think I’d be used to it by now.

Later, I’m standing in the reception hall of the Honeysuckle Ridge Community Center in a dress that makes me feel like a princess, watching my husband—my husband!—charm our guests with a story about the first bake sale we worked together a year ago.

The ceremony was perfect. Small, sweet, and full of happy tears. Joe was Phoenix’s best man and grinned like he personally orchestrated our entire romance. Ella, my maid of honor,sobbed through her reading even though she’d practiced it a dozen times.

But the moment I’ll remember forever? When Phoenix saw me walking down the aisle. His face lit up like sunrise, and he mouthed “wow” like he’d never seen anything so beautiful.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the DJ announces, “the bride and groom will now cut the cake!”

Phoenix appears at my side, dashing in a dark suit, his smile familiar and still capable of turning my insides to jelly.

“Ready?” he asks, his hand covering mine on the cake knife.

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