Page 152 of When the Stars Rise

Hayley nods. “I had my parents and I had all of you to look up to.”

My mom and Shiloh are smiling through their tears when my uncle Ridge says, “It’s starting to feel like we’re in a cheesy Hallmark movie” and we all laugh because it’s true.

I’m not entirely sure what the point of this conversation was but as Evie said, all marriages are different and so are all relationships. The way my mom and Jude love each other looks different than the way Shiloh and my dad love each other andthe way my uncles love their wives. But one thing is the same. They all love each other fiercely in that forever kind of way.

I’ve witnessed the way they honor their vows every single day. In sickness and health. In good times and bad, they love and cherish each other. Just like Hales and I plan to do.

“You’re going to be okay,” my dad says. “We never doubted that for a minute. You both have what it takes to go the distance.”

Two years ago, I don’t think he could have said that. There for a while, I guess Hayley and I both lost hope that that would be the case. Not because we didn’t love each other. That was never in question. But we needed to build a strong foundation and we both worked hard to do that. Now I don’t have a single doubt in my mind that we have what it takes to go the distance.

“I love you,” I whisper into her ear. “I will love you until my last breath.”

She turns her head to look at me and this time I’m sure of it—she has stars in her eyes. “I will love you in this life and the next.”

I squeeze her hip. “You just had to one-up me, didn’t you?”

Hayley grins, those dimples in her cheeks making an appearance and kisses me on the lips. “It’s the McCallister way.”