Page 101 of Falling for Nicole
Epilogue
Nicole
“Are you sure you want to do this alone?” Lilly asks as she faffs about with my hair.
Blowing out a breath in an attempt to steady my racing heart, I nod at her.
“My dad’s just outside. This is your last chance to change your mind.”
“No, I’ve got this,” I say. Thankfully, my voice comes out sounding stronger than I feel.
“Okay.” She comes to stand in front of me and grabs my hands in hers as she looks over me. Her eyes fill with tears. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you. Now stop that, or you’ll get me started.”
“Sorry,” she mutters as she smooths down the front of her bridesmaid’s dress and stands back. “You ready to do this then?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
“You know, it’s not too late to change your mind and dump my brother’s smelly arse.”
I can’t help but smile at her slightly disgusted face. “It doesn’t smell that bad.”
“Hmm, whatever you say. I’ll see you in a few,” she says, before slipping out of the room.
Turning, I stare at myself in the full length mirror we placed up against the wall in our office when we turned it into my dressing room first thing this morning.
I run my hands over the lace of my tea length dress before wrapping my fingers around the locket hanging from my neck.
I’m not doing this alone. She’s right here with me.
Taking one final look in the mirror, I blow out a slow breath and turn to the door.
I can hear the soft sounds of the music coming from the decking as I make my way through the shack. Lilly spots me and gives me a wink before instructing the music to be changed.
I wait a few minutes for everyone to be in place before I take the final few steps to the door, across the decking, and to the aisle of sand towards the man waiting for me.
Everyone turns to look at me but the face I want to see. Slowly, I make my way past our few guests down the aisle with my head held high, ignoring the couple of sad looks I receive when they notice no one is escorting me. I don’t need anyone to escort me to where I need to go. The only man I need is the one I’m walking towards.
Susan’s watery eyes lock onto mine, and I smile brightly at her. She’s finished treatment and is waiting for her surgery. The last few months have been really hard on her, but being able to help plan this day with us has helped keep her spirits up. She mouthsyou look beautifulto me. Blinking back the tears stinging my eyes, I once again look towards my future.
At the very last minute, he turns, and the look in his eyes as he sees me is one I’ll remember for the rest of my life. In that moment, any concern I may have had that he ever hated me vanishes, because it’s clear as day that the only thing this man has ever felt for me is love, and thankfully I feel exactly the same.
The End!
