Page 72 of Love, Take Two

That evening, we're cooking dinner together when Stella calls for our weekly check-in. Her face appears on the kitchen tablet looking happy and relaxed.

"How are my favorite newlyweds?" she asks with obvious affection. "Still disgustingly happy?"

"Disgustingly successful too," I say, giving her a quick update on our latest bookings and business growth.

"That's amazing," Stella says with genuine pride. "I love that you two found a way to make being ridiculously in love into an actual career."

"Best job ever," Vada agrees, settling beside me in frame. "Though I have to ask—any chance you'll let us plan your wedding when you're ready?"

"Are you offering?" Stella asks with obvious interest.

"We're insisting," I say immediately. "You've been rooting for us since college. The least we can do is give you the most incredible celebration ever."

"I'll think about it," Stella says with a smile that suggests she's already thinking about it seriously. "Though fair warning—if you plan my wedding, I'm going to expect the full Tulum treatment."

"Deal," Vada and I say simultaneously, which makes Stella laugh.

After we hang up, we finish cooking and settle onto our couch with wine and leftovers, scrolling through the latest comments on our wedding content.

"Look at this one," Vada says, showing me a comment that reads: "These two give me hope that true love actually exists. Their happiness is contagious."

"This one's good too," I say, pointing to another comment: "Can we all just agree that Vada and Emory are living proof that soulmates are real? I need someone to look at me the way they look at each other."

"They're not wrong," Vada says, curling up against my side. "We do look pretty happy."

"That's because we are pretty happy," I point out. "Turns out marrying your favorite person and building a business around celebrating love is a pretty good life plan."

"Who would have thought?" she says with mock surprise.

"Stella," I say immediately. "Stella would have thought. She's been telling me for years that I was in love with you."

"Maya too," Vada admits. "She never bought my claims about being over you."

"Smart women," I say, pressing a kiss to her hair. "Though I'm glad it took us eight years to figure it out."

"Why?"

"Because now we appreciate it," I say honestly. "If this had happened in college, we might have taken it for granted. Now we know how rare this is."

"Plus," Vada adds with a grin, "if we'd gotten together in college, we never would have had our epic Paradise Cove reunion story."

"True," I agree. "And epic reunion stories make great marketing material."

Later, as we're getting ready for bed, I catch myself thinking about how different my life is from a year ago. Back then, I was stressed about money, uncertain about my future, and living out of suitcases. Now I'm planning international celebrations with my wife, building something that matters, and looking forward to tomorrow in ways I never expected.

"What are you thinking about?" Vada asks, settling beside me with her laptop to check tomorrow's schedule.

"Just that a year ago, I was flying to Paradise Cove stressed about credit card bills and wondering where my next content opportunity was coming from," I say. "Now I'm married to my favorite person and running a business that books six months out."

"Funny how things work out," she says, though something about her smile suggests she's thinking about more than business success.

"The best things," I agree, settling against the pillows. "The business stuff is just bonus. The real success is this."

"This?"

"Coming home to you every night," I say simply. "Building something together. Being married to someone who makes every day better just by existing."

"That's very romantic for a business conversation," she says, but she's smiling as she says it.

---