Page 260 of Micah

More than okay.

I slip my hand into my pocket one more time, my fingers brushing the velvet box.

Tonight.

I'm going to hand her the keys to the restaurant she dreamed into existence.

Then...

I'm going to ask the only question that has ever really mattered.

Not because I need an answer to know how I feel.

I've known that since the first time she smiled at me across that bar.

No.

I'm asking because I want the rest of my life to start tonight.

I just hope to fuck that she says yes.

Epilogue 2-Sloane

It’s late September and our wedding day is finally here.

I don't ask Patrick to give me away.

Some people probably think that's sad.

Maybe it is.

But the truth?

I was never his to give.

Somewhere along the way, my big brother stopped being my protector and started treating me like a lifeline he couldn't bear to let go of.

He made choices that nearly destroyed both our lives, and while I know addiction played a role, it doesn't erase what happened.

Still, I love him.

Love isn't always logical.

Sometimes it's messy.

Sometimes it hurts.

Sometimes it means praying someone finds their way back to themselves.

Patrick's been clean for nearly four months now. He looks healthier than I've seen him in years.

Older somehow.

Humbler.

He's sitting with the rest of the guests beneath a white canopy, wearing the nicest suit I've ever seen him own.

When our eyes meet across the lawn, he gives me a small smile.