Chapter 10 - The Beginning of Always
Six months later. June.
The sky above Lake Michigan was a brilliant, flawless blue, the water sparkling like millions of crushed diamonds under the warm summer sun.
At the cedar-shingled beach cottage in Grand Haven, a long wooden aisle had been laid out across the white sand dunes, lined with white hydrangeas, yellow sunflowers, and delicate sea grass.
Fifty close friends, family members, and colleagues sat in white wooden chairs under the open sky, listening to the gentle melody of a string quartet playing over the sound of the gentle waves.
At the end of the aisle, standing under an archway made of driftwood and white roses, stood Adrian Moretti.
He wore a bespoke dark navy linen suit, looking impeccably handsome, his tall frame erect, his grey eyes fixed on the house with an intense, expectant joy.
Beside him stood Vance, his best man, smiling warmly.
The string quartet shifted into a slow, breathtaking rendition of "Can't Help Falling in Love."
The porch doors of the cottage opened.
First came six-year-old Josie and Willa—the flower girls. They wore sweet white lace dresses with sunflower flower crowns in their hair, walking down the sand aisle with big, bright smiles, dropping yellow rose petals along the path.
And then came Camille.
She walked down the aisle alone, holding a vibrant bouquet of yellow sunflowers and white lilies—a tribute to her father, Arthur Ashford.
She wore a gown of breathtaking ivory silk that swept softly across the white sand, her shoulders bare, her dark hair pinned back with delicate pearl clips. She looked radiant, powerful, and filled with a luminous, unshakeable joy that lit up the entire beach.
When she reached the driftwood arch, Adrian stepped forward, taking both of her hands in his.
His hands were large, warm, and steady.
"You take my breath away," Adrian whispered softly, his grey eyes shining with happy tears.
Camille smiled, her hazel eyes locked onto his. "You gave me my breath back."
The minister smiled warmly at the couple standing before him. "We are gathered here today on this beautiful shore to unite Adrian Moretti and Camille Ashford in holy matrimony..."
As the vows were spoken, the gentle sea breeze blew through Camille's hair.
There were no fear in her heart. No shadows lingering in the corners of her life. No threats waiting in the darkness.
There was only a man who had loved her before he even knew her, who had stood between her and danger, and who had given her and her daughters a future filled with infinite light.
"I give you my promise," Adrian spoke, sliding a band of solid platinum onto her finger, "to honor you, protect you, and cherish you. To be your shield in every storm, and your home in every calm, for all the days of my life."
Camille slid a matching platinum band onto his finger, her voice clear and resonant over the sound of the ocean. "I give you my heart, Adrian. To love you without fear, to build a life of truth and joy with you, and to stand beside you forever."
"I now pronounce you husband and wife," the minister declared with a broad smile. "Adrian, you may kiss your bride."
Adrian pulled Camille into his arms, dipping her gently over the sand as he pressed his lips to hers in a deep, passionate, and joyful kiss that drew thunderous applause and cheers from everyone on the beach.
Josie and Willa ran up, throwing their tiny arms around their legs, laughing with pure delight.
May you like
Adrian scooped both girls into his arm, holding his wife with his other, pulling his complete, unbroken family into a warm embrace under the golden summer sun.
Camille looked out over the sparkling blue waters of the lake, holding her husband's hand tightly, knowing that the ordinary, beautiful life she had once prayed for was finally, permanently, hers.
