The Wedding They'll Never Forget - Chapter 10: Chapter 10
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A year in Evercrest had flown by, and somehow, against all odds, I'd made it home. Those first few months were rough—navigating a new city alone, still shaking off the ghosts of my past. But piece by piece, I built a life.
I hustled. Networked. Forged real connections. My business took root, friendships bloomed, and for the first time in years, I wasn't just surviving—I was thriving.
Andrew became my anchor through it all. After the Paul disaster, he'd stuck by me with a quiet steadiness that surprised me. The kind of guy who shows up with coffee before you even realize you need it. Before long, our professional lunches turned into lingering dinners, then lazy Sundays tangled in his sheets.
He filled spaces I didn't know were empty. I'd all but severed ties with Casouth—only a handful of understanding friends and family made the trip to visit. The past still ached, but less sharply now.
That Saturday, Central Park glittered under a postcard-perfect sky. We'd claimed our usual spot by the pond, me half-reading a novel while Andrew pretended to focus on his finance journal. The peaceful rhythm of the afternoon shattered when a flotilla of flower-laden boats glided into view.
"Must be some corporate event," I mused as crowds gathered. But then the musicians' boat rounded the bend, strings and brass weaving a love song through the breeze.
Five more boats appeared—each bearing a sign. I squinted as they drifted closer:
"BEAUTIFUL WILL... YOU... MARRY... ME... RUDY?"
I snorted. "Poor Rudy's got a public proposal with a typo."
That's when I noticed Andrew's absence.
He knelt beside me, ring box trembling in his palm, looking equal parts hopeful and terrified. The crowd's murmurs swelled around us.
"Ruby," his voice cracked, "spend your life with me?"
My brain short-circuited. "You—wait. This whole production was YOU?"
His ears turned pink. "The sign guys swore they'd proofread."
A laugh bubbled up from my chest, then another, until I was wheezing with tears streaming down my face. Andrew's face fell—until I grabbed his collar and kissed him soundly to the crowd's roaring applause.
I hustled. Networked. Forged real connections. My business took root, friendships bloomed, and for the first time in years, I wasn't just surviving—I was thriving.
Andrew became my anchor through it all. After the Paul disaster, he'd stuck by me with a quiet steadiness that surprised me. The kind of guy who shows up with coffee before you even realize you need it. Before long, our professional lunches turned into lingering dinners, then lazy Sundays tangled in his sheets.
He filled spaces I didn't know were empty. I'd all but severed ties with Casouth—only a handful of understanding friends and family made the trip to visit. The past still ached, but less sharply now.
That Saturday, Central Park glittered under a postcard-perfect sky. We'd claimed our usual spot by the pond, me half-reading a novel while Andrew pretended to focus on his finance journal. The peaceful rhythm of the afternoon shattered when a flotilla of flower-laden boats glided into view.
"Must be some corporate event," I mused as crowds gathered. But then the musicians' boat rounded the bend, strings and brass weaving a love song through the breeze.
Five more boats appeared—each bearing a sign. I squinted as they drifted closer:
"BEAUTIFUL WILL... YOU... MARRY... ME... RUDY?"
I snorted. "Poor Rudy's got a public proposal with a typo."
That's when I noticed Andrew's absence.
He knelt beside me, ring box trembling in his palm, looking equal parts hopeful and terrified. The crowd's murmurs swelled around us.
"Ruby," his voice cracked, "spend your life with me?"
My brain short-circuited. "You—wait. This whole production was YOU?"
His ears turned pink. "The sign guys swore they'd proofread."
A laugh bubbled up from my chest, then another, until I was wheezing with tears streaming down my face. Andrew's face fell—until I grabbed his collar and kissed him soundly to the crowd's roaring applause.
End of The Wedding They'll Never Forget Chapter 10. Continue reading Chapter 11 or return to The Wedding They'll Never Forget book page.