“From where I’m standing, that makes you lucky, not crazy.”

“Crazy and lucky. I can live with that.”

The cherry red Mustang was conspicuous when the car bearing Sophie and Kara eased into the tiny clearing that served as the beach car park.

“Looks like you haven’t been stood up at the altar,” Kara said lightly, glad to be able to be flippant about a subject that a few months previously would have wounded her deeply. As they stepped onto the sand, she straightened Sophie’s train and made last minute adjustments to her artfully romantic up-do, checking that the tiny fresh flowers she’d pinned in the back of it still looked perfect.

A single diamond on a golden trace chain glittered at Sophie’s throat, a wedding gift from Lucien. The bracelet around her wrist was her only other jewellery, another gift from Lucien, given to her back when he hadn’t known how to express his love in words. He’d shown her instead by entrusting his mother’s bracelet into her care, one of his most treasured possessions, and now one of hers.

A slow, steady bloom of joy unfurled inside Sophie’s chest as she and Kara picked their way along the path towards the beach, Tilly scampering ahead of them.

The late afternoon sun hung low in the sky, casting the whole scene peachy gold. The tiny, private cove provided the perfect, intimate setting for this most special of days, with its sugar-white sands and a tiny pavilion restaurant nestled at the edge. The soft, joyful sound of steel drum music floated on the air as Kara caught up with Tilly and took her hand. She shook it off and set off purposefully across the deeper sand, wobbly and ungainly but determined, making Sophie and Kara laugh as they clutched each other’s forearms to kick their shoes off.

In the distance, a raffia pergola stood close to the sea’s edge, fresh island flowers wound around its struts.

Inside it were three figures. The wedding celebrant. Dylan.

And Lucien.

Sophie stopped for a second and caught her breath as she looked at him, so distinctive even from a distance. He turned at the sound of Tilly running towards him, breaking into a huge smile and hunkering down with his arms out towards the little girl. Sophie watched him swing her up into his arms, and whoosh, her heart burst wide with love for them both. Kara gripped her hand tight.

“I hope I have what you have one day, Sophie.”

Sophie hugged her quickly. “You will, Kara.”

Sophie saw Dylan turn and raise his hand in greeting across the beach.

“You might just have found it already.”

Chapter Thirty-Four

Lucien walked to meet them a little way before they reached the pergola, handing Tilly over to Kara as she moved away to join Dylan.

“You look so much beyond beautiful,” he said softly when they were alone, and Sophie found herself breathless and close to tears. He’d never looked more handsome, and the rare edge of vulnerability in his eyes made her heart swell with love for him. He’d laid aside all of his fears and prejudices against marriage for her, long held beliefs that had crumbled in the face of their big, huge, unconditional love for each other.

“You too, Lucien,” she said, reaching out to lay her palm on his cheek.

He turned his face into her hand and kissed it. “You ready?”

She laughed gently. “I’ve been ready since the first day I met you, Lucien Knight.”

He leaned down and lifted her in his arms. “You’re supposed to do this after we’re married,” she said, looping her arms around his neck as he walked towards the pergola.

“When did we ever do things the conventional way?” he said, his fingers finding the hidden zip at the side of her dress.

“Lucien…”

“Just checking for later,” he murmured against her hair, depositing her on her bare feet beneath the raffia canopy, then dropping a kiss on her forehead. “Come on, Princess. Let’s do this thing.”

Kara sat down facing the ocean with Tilly sitting on her knees and Dylan alongside her with his arm slung across the back of her chair. In front of them, the celebrant began the informal ceremony, welcoming them to witness the marriage of Sophie and Lucien. A tingle ran down Kara’s spine as she listened to the words, and for the first time ever she silently thanked Richard for standing her up at the altar.

This was a real wedding. This was true love. Lucien and Sophie stood in front of her, facing each other, and no one else existed in their world at that moment.

Sophie looked down at Lucien’s hands holding her smaller ones, his thumbs gentle over her knuckles as the celebrant asked if there was anything she’d like to say to Lucien before she gave him his ring. She nodded and swallowed hard. There was so much she wanted to say.

“Lucien.” She looked into his beautiful eyes and stepped close. He held on tight to her hands. “You’ve taught me that love is so much bigger than I ever knew it could be.” She paused, gathering herself together. “I love you for so many different reasons. For your generosity and your spirit, for your loyalty and your strength, and for your vulnerability. I love you because you let me in.” She couldn’t keep the catch from her voice, and his eyes burned over-bright with emotion.

“I promise to love you forever, with every breath in my body.” She smiled, and then added under her breath, for his ears alone, “More than once a month with the lights out.”

He laughed softly and looked at the floor, nodding.

“You made me into the princess from all of the fairy tales I loved as a child, Lucien,” she said, and when he looked up at her again his eyes told her he loved her in a million different ways.

“I love you for the man you’ve always been, for the father you’ve become, and for the husband you’re going to be.”

She took his ring from the celebrant’s outstretched palm.

“Lying with you beneath the northern lights, or here beneath the Spanish sun… you’re my Viking and my sunshine.” The tears ran unchecked down her cheeks now. “You’re my hero, Lucien Knight.”

She slid the ring onto his wedding finger, holding it there for a few seconds, sealing it forever with her love.

“Always, Lucien. Always.”

Behind them, Dylan rubbed Kara’s shoulder, seeing the happy tears glittering on her cheeks as she cradled Tilly in her arms. He knew without question that he wanted her in his life forever, and he knew with almost as much certainty that he was going to lose her.

Lucien breathed in hard as Sophie slipped the ring on his finger. He hadn’t counted on the amazing sense of peace that seeing it there would bring him, or that he’d finally, finally understand the reason why people all around the world of all different faiths wedded themselves to each other forever. Why they placed their blind faith in someone else, and their heart in someone else’s hands, and trusted them not to break it into smithereens.