Page 95 of In Every Chapter

Danielle smiled gently. “Nope, still a mystery.”

“You spoil me. It reminds me of the Tetons outside Jackson.” Stephanie sighed, drinking in the watercoloured mountain range landscape. “Thank you.”

“I thought it was fitting given how you and Nash got together.” Danielle winked.

“Open mine next,” Nana said grinning.

“Nana,” Stephanie warned, arching an eyebrow.

“What?” Nana tried to be innocent, but the mischief was too deep.

Stephanie took the small gift bag and rummaged around in the tissue paper without removing it. Her face crimsoned, and she shot daggers at her grandmother, who only cackled.

“I told you nothing . . . like this,” Stephanie said, words muffled by the hands covering her face.

“What is it?” Liz reached for the bag, but Stephanie slapped her away. “We’re literally all married, Steph.”

“Hailey’s not. Do not corrupt her before her time.” Stephanie tucked the bag under her seat and fanned her tomato cheeks. “You’re the worst,” she told her grandmother.

“It’s tasteful, baby girl.” Nana winked. “You can thank me later.”

“I will be doing no such thing. I’m going to try and forget this ever happened.”

Ivy proffered her a silver gift bag. “Here. Nothing scandalous, I promise.”

“This is why you’re my favourite,” Stephanie grumbled. But she smiled when the tissue paper revealed a hand-carved wooden sign: “I have found the one my soul loves.”

“It’s beautiful,” Stephanie breathed, tracing a finger over the raised lettering. “Thanks, Ives.”

Ivy smiled. “Your brother suggested the quotation.”

“Such a softy.” Stephanie grinned at her. “If I didn’t love it so much, I’d probably tease him about it.”

Hailey snorted. “Like that’s gonna stop you.”

More gift bags and tissue paper littered the floor around us. But my mind was stuck on the words I have found the one my soul loves. Love could be a scary thing, but it was also beautiful. A vow and a promise. A partnership.

Something worth the risk.

Greyson’s wry smile and blue eyes flashed through my mind. He loved me. He’d proven it every day since the accident. Healing a heart he hadn’t broken.

And I . . . I think I loved him, too.

“So . . .” Hailey drew out the word. “Do you know where you’re going on your honeymoon?” She waggled her eyebrows before scooping a chipful of guac into her mouth.

She’d joined the four of us for our traditional “Last Single Woman” night. Every last night before we’d gotten married, we had a sleepover, watched movies and ate in our pj’s, had a dance party to shake out all the anxiety, and fell asleep surrounded by the women whose love and support had gotten us this far. My memories were hazy, but I remembered the feelings of sisterhood.

And since Hailey was Stephanie’s cousin, close enough to be a sister, a friend of ours, and single to boot, we’d invited her into our shindig at Liz’s house.

Stephanie snorted. “Of course I do. Do you really think I could have handled not knowing?”

Juliet shrugged. “Some guys take surprises seriously.”

“Did Nash plan it or did you?” Liz asked skeptically.

Stephanie threw up her hands. “I’m not a total control freak. He did all the planning but asked for my input on a few things.”

“Where are you going? I heard Europe,” Hailey cut in.