Page 69 of Every Broken Piece

One Year Later

T he warm April breeze flutters the hem of my dress and teases the ends of my hair.

The Colorado sun is just beginning to descend behind the stark blue Rockies, bathing the world in bright bursts of orange and yellow.

Part of me is surprised that I’m here. That I made it.

That life finally worked out. That dreams can come true.

Even after a year of Gabe’s unwavering love, of therapy he gently urged me into, and of launching, then running a successful business, I still sometimes feel like the scared little girl who couldn’t trust. But I’m getting better thanks to the man standing in front of me in a perfectly tailored navy suit with the spectacular sunset behind him.

He grins at me, those gorgeous blue eyes shining with love and also maybe a little bit of the same disbelief I have that we’re finally standing here.

It’s just the three of us on top of this boulder. Me, Gabe, and the minister reciting vows I’ve barely paid attention to because all I can think about is how much I love this man gripping my hands in his.

We promised each other that this wedding would be just for us.

But of course, Pax and Jack had to be here and to my surprise Gabe invited others too.

Amelia. My friends from Cincinnati. Even Conor.

But also, my long-time clients who’ve stuck with me through it all.

The author, the baseball player, and my newest (and probably favorite) client, the drummer to the newest, biggest rock band Blo Hole, Danny Rossi, and his adorable wife.

Family isn’t always made by blood. Sometimes the best families are those we choose for ourselves. Our people. Our village.

And they’re all standing at the bottom, looking up at us as we start a new chapter in our lives.

We may have entered each other's lives broken, but we’ve proven that love really can put us back together again.

Every broken piece tells a story, and our story isn’t finished yet.

If you enjoyed Every Broken Piece .

Curious about Tess's favorite client, the drummer of the hit band Blo Hole? Turn the page to read the first chapter of Danny Rossi's story, 2000 Promises