1 Year Later

"Are you freaking out or what?"

Trey asked me this question as I finished getting ready, swiping on the last of my lipgloss.

We were in the hotel room that I had stayed at overnight down at the beach.

Where Kori and I were going to get married.

As I sat in front of the mirror, putting the wand back in the lip gloss container, I turned to look at Trey.

"Honestly, I'm not even freaking out. I'm just really looking forward to making Kori my wife."

"This is so exciting!" Addison said from across the room, where she was getting ready as well. Alyssa, who was next to her, smiled at me and nodded in agreement.

My sisters had surprised me with a night down at the beach for a makeshift "bachelorette party" the night before. I shared a hotel room with them, and it felt like old times when we would have sleepovers in each other's rooms when we were young.

Trey, Rachel, and Colin also joined us, and Trey and Colin stayed in a hotel room together, and Rachel stayed in her own room.

We had a really great night together. The six of us went out to dinner, and we didn't drink too much, as we all wanted to not be hungover for the big day.

Now, I was getting ready to marry the love of my life.

Kori had spent the night in Atlantic City with her best friend, Christa, and Charley and they were going to be meeting us down in Cape May, where Kori and I were getting married on the beach. Mike, Kori's brother in law, was going to be officiating the wedding, as he got his ordained minister lisence online about a decade ago. Also coming down separately were Kori's parents, her niece and nephew, my parents, Christa's husband and twin boys, and lastly, Damon and my 10 month old niece, Lila.

The only one who couldn't be there was our beloved Chester, who we would come home to that night.

It was going to be a small affair, with our loved ones. Exactly how Kori and I wanted it to be.

Kori proposed to me three months back in our condo. Yes, our condo. I moved in back in December, right when my lease was up. We had just gotten back from dinner at a nice Italian restaurant, when right in the entryway of the condo, Kori pulled a small box out of her blazer pocket and got on one knee.

I was stunned. Of course we had talked about how we wanted to get married one day. But I thought that was far in the future. I was stunned, however, in the best way possible. The ring was beautiful, it had an aquamarine stone surrounded by diamonds, and it was absolutely perfect. Though I didn't even need a ring, just knowing Kori and I had this commitment to each other was enough.

We both knew that we wanted a very small wedding. An intimate ceremony and then a lunch or dinner afterwards.

We were getting married on a Thursday in September, after Labor Day. We decided on a Thursday to ensure there would likely be no one on the beach.

I had taken off Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at my remote nursing job (yes, I got the job I interviewed for) and Kori had taken off those days as well. She stopped working for Hollis around the time I moved in with her, and she was now the CIO at a different company that she overall really liked. Plus, the salary was even higher, which was a plus.

As I completed the finishing touches of my makeup, I looked at myself in the mirror. I opted out of wearing white, and wore a blush pink dress instead, which I hadn't shown Kori yet. I knew she wouldn't wear a dress, that wasn't her style, she would likely be in a stylish pantsuit.

Trey put his arms around me as I looked at myself and he said, "You look so beautiful, Ash. Kori isn't going to do what to do with herself."

Alyssa and Addison walked over as well to where I was sitting and Addison looked at her phone and said, "It's time to go. Let's get you married, Ash!"

Trey started to cheer, and Colin joined in. Trey and Colin were adorable, and they lived together as well.

The beach was a very short drive from the hotel. Alyssa was going to drive her, Addison, and I, and Trey, Rachel, and Colin would go in Trey's car.

I sat next to Alyssa as she drove, with Addison in the back.

"I cannot believe you're getting married," Alyssa smiled at me, "To an amazing woman, at that."

"Kori is pretty amazing, isn't she?" I smiled back at Alyssa.

Kori and I had chosen the exact location on the beach where we were going to get married, right off a block on the beach, so everyone would know where to go.

When Alyssa pulled the car up, I could see from a distance the small crowd on the beach. It was on purpose that I was going to get there last, so I could walk up to Kori with my dad giving me away.

It took a lot for me to want my dad to be the one to walk me to Kori. However, he was still sober, and over the past year we'd had some very productive conversations about my childhood, and what his abuse did to me. This was thanks to the work I'd done in therapy that I was even able to have these conversations.

My dad met us at the car, and he looked at me and said, "Wow, Ash. You look wonderful."

I smiled at my dad, "Thank you."

"Everyone is here," he said to me, "Kori is already standing with Mike, where he'll marry the two of you. She looks wonderful as well."

"When doesn't she?" I chuckled.

Addison and Alyssa both gave me a hug, and they then made their way up to the beach.

My dad stood with me for a moment and asked, "Are you ready?"

"More than ready," I nodded, "Let's do this."

I had no doubts about this. Kori was the one I wanted to spend my life with.

My dad linked his arm in mine, and we started to walk up to the crowd at the beach.

Everyone was there, yet the only one I was focused on was Kori. She wore a stunning pantsuit that to my surprise, was white. As she stood by Mike, looking right at me as well as I approached, I saw her reach into the chest pocket of her pantsuit, take out a tissue, and dab her eyes.

My heart hammered as we got closer, and out of the corner of my eye, I could see everyone smiling, and my mom dabbing at her eyes as well, along with Kori's dad.

I met Kori's parents, Todd and Kathy, for the first time around when we moved in with each other, and I was nervous to do so. It turns out that I had nothing to be nervous about, as they welcomed me with open arms.

When I got to Kori, my dad unlinked arms with me, and Kori turned to the side to face me. My heart rate picked up even more as she took my hands in hers and said, "Wow. You look so beautiful."

Her pretty green eyes were glossy as I said back to her, "So do you. White suits you."

Kori then winked at me as Mike asked us, "Are you both ready?"

Kori smiled, and we both nodded at Mike.

Mike clasped his hands together and he started to speak to everyone, "Alright, all. This is not going to be your typical wedding, as per the request of Kori and Ashley, our lovely brides. All I'm going to be doing is marrying them, however I know that Kori had some words that she wanted to say to Ashley before doing so."

I looked at Kori in confusion, as we said that we both didn't want to say vows in front of everyone.

With Kori still holding my hands, she started to speak.

"Ashley Marie Davis, my love and my very soon to be wife. I know that we said that we weren't going to state our vows in front of everyone, however, I can't help but to say a few words to you. I'll keep it short and sweet, just like yourself."

Kori then smiled at me and took a deep breath and continued, "I never imagined that the woman that I scolded for using her phone at the front desk of our job would be the one that I would marry."

I couldn't help but chuckle as Kori said this, thinking back to that fateful day.

"I know that our journey has not been typical, but Ashley, I would not change it for the world. I would not change you for the world. I just want you to know how much I truly love you. You are everything to me, and I will stop at nothing to keep making you happy. I am so lucky to have found you in this lifetime, and I hope I find you in every single lifetime. I love you so much, Ashley."

As Kori spoke, tears brimmed my lower eyelids, and I tried to blink them back, but a few couldn't help but escape.

I chuckled as Kori reached into her pocket, pulled out a Kleenex, and handed it to me.

"Thank you for the tissue," I laughed as I dabbed my eyes.

Mike looked like he was about to speak, however I knew that I needed to say something to Kori. There was no way I couldn't.

"I want to say something to you as well," I said to Kori, who gave my hands a light squeeze, "Even though I'm not as good at public speaking as you. I love you more than I can honestly put into words. To me, you put the stars in the sky, and you make my world a much, much brighter place. I cannot imagine a life without you in it, and as your wife, I'm going to show you that each and every day. Kori Jane Casden, I love you so much as well, and I'll never stop."

A few tears escaped Kori's eyes as I spoke, and warmth spread through my chest as I looked at my very soon to be wife. When I glanced out at the crowd, there wasn't a dry eye on the beach.

"That was beautiful, from both of you," Mike looked between us and smiled, "Now, Kori, I'll ask you first. Do you take Ashley to be your wife?"

Kori flashed me a smile and said, "I do. Of course I do."

Mike then looked at me and asked, "Ashley, do you take Kori to be your wife?"

"Absolutely. I do," I smiled back at Kori.

Mike then spoke loudly, "I now pronounce you married. You may kiss your bride!"

Everyone cheered loudly as Kori leaned in and closed the distance between us, our lips meeting for the first time as a married couple. When she pulled away, beamed at me, and said, "I love you."

"I love you too, Kori."

As I looked out at the smiling faces of our family and friends, and then turned back to look at Kori, my wife, I realized that I truly had everything I wanted in this life.

Kori being the most important piece to that puzzle.

And I wouldn't change it.

Not for the entire world. 

A/N: Thank you so much for reading this story. Means a whole lot to me <333 I'm thinking there will be a part 2 to this Epilogue, so stay tuned!