In Good Company: EPILOGUE

My body trembles with excitement as the bridal coordinator plays with the hem of my wedding dress.

From a few feet away, someone else helps fix the knot of my father’s tie. He smiles at me from across the entryway of the villa, giving me a wink as they continue fussing over the tie he insisted on tying himself.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm the jitters.

I’m getting married today.

I smile, still in shock that today’s my wedding day.

It feels like it took forever to get here, but it also came so fast. At the end of our first summer together, Cal proposed. It was magical, and I didn’t know it was possible for me to be so happy. At first, we were going to do a small wedding as soon as we could. But after thinking about it, I knew my dream was to get married in front of all our friends and family. We thought about doing something at Pembroke, but when Cal was able to book my dream villa in Lake Como, Italy, for our wedding, it seemed like fate. We were engaged a little longer than we first thought we’d be, a little over a year, but I already know it’ll be worth the wait.

Plus, it has already felt like we’re married in the year we’ve been engaged. We moved in together the moment I came back to the Hamptons. With anyone else, it would’ve been fast, but with Cal, it felt right. I just wanted to be with him. When we got engaged at the end of the summer and Cal had to go back to Manhattan, I went with him. We bought a brownstone in the city with the most magical kitchen that was also close to our friends. I continued to film my cooking recipes there. Each one got more views until finally, they became so popular Emma set me up with her talent agency.

I’m in the process of writing my very first cookbook—an actual dream come true. While we’re here in Italy, we’re also shooting photographs for the cookbook.

I smile, letting out a shaky breath, thinking how none of this would be happening if the man I’m about to marry hadn’t shown me how to believe in myself.

Dad’s arms wrapping around me to pull me into a hug break me from my thoughts. “You ready?” he asks, holding me tight. He’s careful not to touch my hair that the stylist took an hour curling into perfect waves down my back.

I nod, giving my dad a nervous smile. “I am. Are you?”

I reach up to wipe underneath his eyes, where tears are forming. He laughs, trying to swat my hand away, embarrassed at being caught crying.

“As I’ll ever be,” he answers, his brown eyes—the same color as mine—roaming my face. His broad shoulders rise and fall as he lets out a strong exhale. I don’t try to fill the silence, giving him the time he needs to say whatever’s on his mind. In the last year, my parents and I have become closer than ever. Cal surprised me by buying a house a few streets down from my childhood home, so we visit them a lot, and because of that, the last year has been really healing for us as a family.

We talk freely about Luke and Logan now and even about the little things in life when our conversations always used to revolve only around the family business. The store is thriving more now than it ever has, and we’re able to just enjoy each other’s company, something I don’t take for granted. Luckily, Dad’s health is also better than ever. Forcing him to take it easy has really allowed his body to heal the way it needed to.

“I love you, Lucy,” Dad manages to get out, his voice thick. He wipes a tear away the moment it hits his cheek. “And I might not say it enough, but I’m so proud of you. Your mother and I both are. And I know Luke and Logan would be too. You’ve built a beautiful life.”

I blink, trying to prevent the tears from falling, knowing the makeup artist had spent a good chunk of the morning perfecting my makeup for my big day.

The blinking only helps for a bit before tears fall at my dad’s words, paired with the adoration in his eyes. “I love you too,” I whisper. “So much,” I add, needing him to know that.

He nods, his eyes moving to the wedding coordinator, who cautiously steps closer to us. “We’re about three minutes away from when the orchestra will start playing your entrance song. Are we ready?”

“We are,” Dad answers for me, giving me one final squeeze before he weaves his arm through mine. His hand squeezes mine in encouragement.

Arianna, our head wedding coordinator at the villa, flies into the room with a clipboard in her hand. “Almost showtime!” she excitedly says, stopping in front of me. “You’re as stunning as ever,” she gets out with a smile.

I return her smile. “Thank you.” I glance down at my wedding dress. I thought it’d be really easy for me to pick a dress, but it took four bridal salons before I finally found one I envisioned myself walking down the aisle in.

It’s made of delicate lace with a beautifully intricate pattern that took my breath away. The dress has an off-the-shoulder neckline and sleeves that go to my wrists. The lace fabric clings to my skin and gathers at my feet with a gorgeous train.

I take a deep breath, reminding myself that this moment is real. I’m about to walk down the aisle to the love of my life.

“You’ve got about thirty seconds until the doors will open,” Arianna declares, handing me my bouquet of flowers.

I try to get words out to thank her as she pulls my veil over my face and makes sure I’m ready for the grand entrance, but I’m not able to say anything.

I’m too excited to see Cal. We tried to do the traditional thing where we slept in separate rooms, but we both lasted until about midnight, and then I was texting him and begging him to sneak into my room. We’re not used to spending time away from one another, and it didn’t feel right to not sleep next to each other, even the night before our wedding.

But it’s still been hours since he slipped out of my room this morning. I’ve missed him, and now I get to see him and call him my husband for the very first time.

“It’s time,” Arianna announces, a beaming smile on her face.

I look over at my dad, my chest constricting with love at the look in his eyes.

He doesn’t have to say it again. His face tells me everything I need to know. He’s proud of me. I squeeze his hand before looking forward.

Arianna gestures for us to begin walking, and with each step, the nerves start to leave my body. I know with every step, I’m getting closer to the man of my dreams.

The large, old wooden doors of the villa open up. Our loved ones all stand up as my dad leads me down the aisle.

For one split second, I look at our friends and family all gathered here to celebrate with both Cal and me. Our villa is big enough to accommodate all of them, and we’ve all been here for a week, enjoying Lake Como together while staying in the villa.

It’s been the best week of my life, but the next two weeks will give it some competition. Our loved ones will return home while Cal and I take off on our honeymoon.

Speaking of Cal, my eyes finally connect with his.

My steps falter for a split second at seeing the man I fell in love with during a summer in the Hamptons waiting for me at the end of the aisle.

Luckily, Dad guides me forward, making sure I don’t miss another beat as he leads me to my Cal.

All nerves leave my body as I focus on Cal. He’s my safe space, my other half. I was always scared to depend on someone else, but I just hadn’t found the right person. Cal’s never let me down. He’s been solid and steadfast in his love for me from the beginning of our relationship.

And now he’s about to be my husband.

I want to pay attention to all the details everyone put into our dream wedding. Huge, gorgeous floral bouquets line the aisle, guiding me right to Cal. There’s a stunning lakefront view right behind the floral-covered altar.

But all I see is him.

We’re about halfway to him, and happy tears are already falling down my cheeks.

Cal looks incredibly handsome in a tailored black tux. It fits him perfectly, his frame standing out against the white floral background.

He smiles, his hand moving to cover his mouth as he stares at me from down the aisle in awe. He mutters something to the officiant, but he’s too far away for me to know what he says.

“Oh, wow,” Dad mutters in awe from next to me. I pull my gaze from Cal just long enough to see what’s caught Dad’s attention.

Right next to Mom in the first row are two empty seats, each with a picture frame.

Luke and Logan.

Dad and I lean on each other to keep walking down the aisle.

My heart bursts at the sentiment. I never wanted to imagine my wedding day without the two of them. Now, I don’t have to. They’re right here with us.

I meet Cal’s eyes again and know that it was his idea to save the spots for them. Leave it to Cal to make me fall even deeper in love with him, even on our wedding day.

My heart beats faster with each step closer to Cal. He’s so close now I can make out the brilliant blue of his eyes.

Another step.

I can’t believe I finally get to marry this man.

He smiles, making my heart leap in my chest. God, I can’t wait to see that smile for the rest of my life.

Another step.

I’m close enough now that I can see the reason his eyes look so blue is because they’re glossed over with his unshed tears.

“Hi, baby,” he croaks, meeting us at the edge of the altar. His eyes roam over my body as he drinks me in. I love that after he snuck out this morning, we kept it on the traditional side and waited to see each other until right now.

Nothing will ever top this moment.

The love and reverence in his eyes as he looks at me.

The way he shakes my dad’s hand before my dad takes his seat next to Mom.

The way he grabs my hands and doesn’t listen to the officiant for a moment, allowing himself time to look me over from top to bottom.

“I love you,” he whispers, his back still to the officiant as he leans in and presses a kiss to my cheek through the veil.

“I love you too,” I whisper back, my hands shaking with excitement as he leads us both to the altar.

We stop in front of the officiant as the orchestra plays the last notes of the song.

The officiant clears his throat. “Friends and family, we’ve gathered here today to…”

I hear what the officiant says, but not everything registers. I’m too lost in looking into Cal’s eyes. Now that the day and moment is here, I’m just ready to officially be announced as his wife.

I stare at the man in front of me, tears pooling in my eyes at how much I love him. I didn’t know a love like we share even existed, and I don’t know what I did right in life for fate to align for us to meet not just once but twice, but I’m so happy it did.

I give him a smile before mouthing the words “I love you.”

He winks and squeezes my hands before mouthing the same thing back to me.

The ceremony is perfect. When Cal finally lifts my veil and presses his lips to mine as our first kiss as husband and wife, pure joy overtakes my entire body.

He cries.

I cry.

Both our families cry.

And I swear even some of our friends cry too.

I’ve had a lot of amazing days with Callahan Hastings. From the very beginning with our early morning farm stand adventures to cooking with him in the kitchen of our home in Manhattan while snow blanketed the city in white. Even some of our most recent amazing days, like the one where I got the call from my agent that my cookbook was going to be published, or even the other night where Cal and I sat on the terrace of our room at the villa and planned out the next few years that are hopefully filled with lots of love, cooking, and babies.

We’ve shared many incredible days together.

But as we kiss in front of all those we love most as husband and wife for the first time, I count this moment right here as the best moment of my life.

Callahan Hastings is my husband.

He pulls away, that cocky grin that made me fall for him on his lips. I can’t wait to keep falling more in love with him every day for the rest of my life. “You’re my wife, Lucy baby.”

I nod. “And you’re my husband. I love you, Callahan Hastings.”

He leans in and presses one more kiss to my lips as our loved ones cheer in front of us. “I love you too, Lucy Hastings.”

The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!