That’s not why I changed my mind and came though. I was telling Finn the truth earlier. At first, I wasn’t planning on coming here today, but then I got to thinking, like really thinking. I knew if I didn’t give us a chance, it would be the single biggest regret of my life, and no matter what came after it, I would always wonder what would have happened if I had just given Finn a chance.
Yes, he made a mistake, but when I let myself think about it rationally, I knew he’d done it with good intentions. He wasn’t trying to control me, he hadn’t even thought of it that way, he just didn’t want to lose me. I knew I couldn’t let us lose each other just because I was mad.
Finn has been in the bathroom and now I spot him walking back towards me. We’re still outside. Lights and heaters have been set up around the edge of the event and it’s beautiful out here, it really is, but Finn is grinning at me in a way that indicates we might not be out here for much longer, and I’m definitely on board with that.
As he gets closer to me, his smile slips a little.
I frown. “What’s wrong?”
He sits down next to me and takes my hand in his. “Earlier Ashley, I promised you that I would never keep anything from you again. There is one more thing I’ve been hiding from you.”
I feel my stomach turn over and a cold shiver runs through me.
Finn digs in his pocket and pulls out an envelope which he hands to me. “I hope you can forgive me.”
I open the envelope, almost afraid of what I’m going to see. When I pull out the documents from inside, my jaw drops. “But this is—”
“Yeah,” Finn interrupts.
“And we’d have to—”
“Yeah,” he interrupts again.
“Finn, I really appreciate this, and the idea of flying off to Rome with you is just perfect. But you know I can’t just go. The charity needs—”
“The charity is sorted. I’ve already spoken to Andrea. She’s cleared your calendar and the day to day stuff, she’ll be doing.”
“I don’t even have any clothes with me. Or my passport.”
“Your mom organized both. Please just say you’ll come on this honeymoon with me,” Finn pleads.
“Fine.” I sigh, then I laugh with delight. “Yes. Yes, I’ll come. Thank you.” I throw my arms around Finn. “Winding me up like that and letting me think it was some big secret that I might be mad about was a cruel joke,” I laugh when I release him.
“It wasn’t a joke. I really didn’t know if you’d be mad I’d kept it from you after what we said earlier,” he replies.
“Ok then, we need some ground rules. Anytime you wanna fly me off to one of the most romantic cities in the world, I won’t be mad if you keep it as a surprise.” I grin.
“Got it.” Finn nods.
“When do we leave?” I ask.
“Now.”
I nod and stand up, noticing the area is suddenly empty. “Wow, people have cleared out quickly, haven’t they?”
Finn grins at me.
I realize the grounds have cleared suspiciously quickly. “Another secret?” I giggle.
“Not so much,” Finn says. “This is just a standard wedding thing.”
“I’ll give you that one.” I take his hand.
We cut across the lobby of the hotel and step out of the front doors. We walk down the steps and through the tunnel of guests who throw confetti at us.
I don’t feel like I’m just walking to a waiting car and going to the airport. I feel like I’m walking towards a whole new life.
Epilogue
Five Years Later
Finn
I smile proudly to myself as Ashley steps up to the front of the small crowd who is gathered in the dining room area of the new Jagger Center.
“Look, it’s mommy!” Carla squeals excitedly from my side, pointing to Ashley.
“It sure is.” I grin. “Listen to what she’s about to say, okay?”
Carla nods and turns her focus to Ashley. Carla is three, a carbon copy of Ashley to look at. She even acts like her, she’s quick to anger, but so loving, she definitely makes her decisions with her emotions. Reece, our nine month old son, sits in my arms gurgling away happily. He’s more chilled out than Carla ever was as a baby. Maybe he’s going to turn out to be more like me. Ashley insists he has my eyes, although I don’t see it.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” Ashley announces, a wide smile on her face. “Thank you all so much for being here today. As some of our top donors, I thought it only fitting to invite you to the opening day of the new Jagger Center, a place for homeless teens to get advice and help, but also to get so much more than that. It’s also a place where they will get a hot meal, food to take away with them, and perhaps most important of all, a bed for the night in our dormitories. This place is going to make a huge difference to our community and it’s going to show our youth that someone does care about them. That’s a powerful message, especially when everything feels hopeless. So… thank you, each and every one of you, for making all of this possible. I now declare the Jagger Center officially open. Please do feel free to take a look around and ask any questions you might have.” Ashley moves through the crowd to join me and the kids as a rapturous applause from the donors sounds through the room.