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One year later...
"Well, this is a vast improvement over the last wedding dress you had on, I have to say," Tess said as she smoothed out my short train to a loose beachy dress.
It was fitted at the bodice and then flowed around me in silky satin. Simple, clean lines, nothing gaudy. I had my hair down in soft beachy curls and light makeup, and this time, I had no reservations. I was about to marry the love of my life.
Cooper popped the question a few short weeks after the storm, and it was an easy decision. We waited all this time to be together, and we were tired of waiting. But we wanted our loved ones there, so we coordinated schedules and it came out roughly to a year after I had run away to Hanalei.
So much had changed in the last year. Mayor Khaled hired me as a part-time art teacher at the elementary school and I taughttwice a week. The rest of my time was spent as the appointed Community Art Director, a title the mayor made up for me, out of gratitude for all the money I had brought in, and I was happy to take it. I loved spearheading projects year-round from the holiday market to the festivals, and I loved getting to know my neighbors through the process.
Cooper was a jet setter now. He spent a few weeks a year flying across the country calling bowl games, but the rest of his time was spent coordinating youth camps on the islands. He still coordinated other youth camps across the country, but he was able to hire staff to manage them in person so he could stay on the island. Occasionally, he’d visit the camps, and he was always so excited when he came home and told me about how much fun it was hanging out with the kids.
It made me look to the future. He was so good with kids. I knew in my heart he would be a fantastic father—but I wanted to have him to myself a bit longer.
Tess stayed mad... for all of four days. By the time she flew back to Hanalei for a visit, she ran to both of us with open arms.
We’ve been encouraging her to move to the island, and I almost had her convinced as we were preparing for the wedding, but she was still unsure about leaving everything behind in San Diego.
"I don't know. I like the hospital I work at and my coworkers, but my best friend is gone. Cooper is here. It does make sense," she said, relenting.
"So is that a yes?"
She looked at me through narrowed eyes. "Maybe. I need time to think about big decisions like this. Not everybody can run away on a moment’s notice to the island and find the love of their life, Haley," she said, mocking me.
I laughed. "That may be true, but I sure am glad I could."
"I am too. You really are good for each other—even though you kept it from me," she replied. "But we're not going to focus on that... I'm excited I get to be your sister now. I always loved you like a sister, and now we’ll officially be family."
I hugged her tightly.
"Haley," she said, in a strangled voice, "you’re squeezing me too hard and squishing my corsage," she said, as I reluctantly let her go. She straightened her dress. I let her pick her own her bridesmaid dress, so I knew she was much happier with this little number than the hideous sack she’d worn for the disaster with Marcus.
When she got straightened up, she cocked her ear to the side, and we heard the first strands of music begin to play. She grinned at me. "Well, are you ready to walk down that aisle and make my brother the happiest man alive?"
I grinned at her. "Are you ready to give me away to him?"
This was one walk both Tess and I were looking forward to.
We walked down the makeshift aisle along the bumpy sand to Cooper. It only made sense to have the wedding on the beach. How could we have it anywhere else? The breeze was light, and the skies were clear.
The pastor started, "And who gives this woman away to be married?"
Tess beamed, "I do, her best friend, and now sister."
There was tittering in the audience as the pastor motioned for Cooper and me to step forward.
Cooper squeezed my hand, whispering, "You sure you don't want to run away?" He teased.
I looked him in the eye and said, "I'll never run away from you again, Cooper Barclay—you are mine forever."
THE END
