One and half years later.

  Maggie sighed heavily, twisting a flower gemstone embellishment into Daphne's hair. “Couldn't you have looked at the storefront any other day?” Maggie asked, glaring at Daphne in the mirror.

  Daphne smiled at her older sister and then looked back at her own image. She carefully touched the panel of see through mesh holding her white sweetheart gown on. “No. As soon as I saw this property, I knew that it was going to go fast. It’s too ideal of a location. I knew if I didn't go today, that I was going to miss it.”

  In the mirror. Maggie frowned. “But on your wedding day, of all things? We've all been waiting for you all morning.”

  Daphne let out a short giggle. “The world doesn't stop turning just because it's my wedding day. I knew I'd regret it if I didn't at least try to get this property.”

  Maggie sighed again, adding a couple more of the gemstone flowers into Daphne's hair. “Did you at least make an offer on it?” she asked.

  Daphne grinned, meeting her sister's brown eyes in the mirror. “I did,” she said. “The realtor said I have a really good chance of winning the bid too, if it becomes a war.”

  Maggie let out a little snort and smirked a little at Daphne. “I hope it was worth making yourself thirty minutes late to your own wedding. Hopefully Asher will still be waiting for you at the altar.”

  Daphne's heart skipped a beat. “I'm sure he will still be waiting for me,” she said confidently. “We went through so much at the beginning of our relationship. You remember, right?”

  More stuff than anyone will ever fully know, Daphne added silently to herself.

  Maggie groaned. “Why do you have to remind me of those horrible few months?” Daphne spun around, standing up, taking Maggie in in her wine red bridesmaid dress. “That's a period of life I'd much rather forget.”

  “Even though you and I got closer as sisters during that time period?” Daphne asked, a smirk playing about her lips.

  “Yes,” Maggie replied, giving Daphne a dirty look. “But not because of you, you know that, right?”

  Daphne let out a little giggle. “You're right. I do,” she said.

  “But you're right about Asher,” Maggie said with a small smile. “He's probably more confident about your relationship than you are.” She shook her head. “I never thought I'd see the day you'd meet your match until he showed up.”

  Daphne smiled. “Shall we make our way to the entrance of the ceremony?” she asked.

  “We ought to,” Maggie replied, the smile returning to her face.

  “Don't forget your bouquet,” Daphne said, grabbing the bouquet of white and red flowers from the vanity.

  “I wouldn't want all of the hard work I put into them to go to waste. It would be an absolute shame,” Maggie agreed, grabbing her own bouquet off of the nearby counter. “They're beautiful. I'm sure you're bound to get tons of wedding orders once you get the flower shop open.”

  Daphne sniffed her bouquet of flowers. “I hope so,” she murmured.

  “Speaking of that, have you come up with a name for the flower shop?” Maggie asked, as they began walking through the halls to get to the entrance of where the ceremony was to take place.

  “I have,” Daphne replied. “It's going to be called ‘Bloom again.’”

  Maggie let out a small gasp. “Oh, I love that so much. It fits so well with the meaning of your name.”

  Among other things, Daphne thought.

  “Thanks,” Daphne replied.

  “I hope you get the property,” Maggie said. “Hopefully there isn't a next time, but if there is, get your ass to the wedding first, okay?”

  Daphne giggled a little, “Yes, ma'am,” she replied.

  Maggie rolled her eyes and the pain the pair strode up to the two of the other bridesmaids, Viola and Holly. “Oh my goodness!” Holly exclaimed, giving Daphne a once over. “You look incredible.” She pulled Daphne into a hug, “Congratulations!”

  “Thank you,” Daphne said, pulling out of the hug.

  “Great call on the red lipstick,” Holly said to Maggie.

  “Thanks,” Maggie replied with a grin. “It's totally her color, isn't it?”

  Daphne scowled, turning to Viola and enveloping her younger sister into a hug. “Congratulations,” Viola murmured.

  If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  “Thank you, Viola,” Daphne said, stepping out of the hug. “Thanks for coming from school to be here.”

  “Of course,” Viola said, with a small nod,

  “Is Alexa coming?” Daphne asked.

  “She'll be right back,” Viola replied.

  Daphne nodded, before smiling a little at her younger sister. “I suppose after this wedding, you'll be the only unmarried Woods sibling, Viola.”

  Viola let out a puff of air and gave Daphne a half smile. “I'll get married someday,” she murmured.

  “Are you ladies ready?” one of the staff members asked, as Alexa came back up to the group giving Daphne a hug as well.

  “We're ready,” Maggie confirmed.

  “Great,” the staff member replied. “We'll go ahead and start the music for you.”

  A few minutes later, the music began, and Daphne felt butterflies flitting about in her stomach. The women in front of her began walking down the aisle one by one.

  I'm really getting married to Asher right now. Daphne remembered back to shortly after she had come back to the past and how Asher suddenly had caught her eye. He tried to help me from the get-go. She remembered the team get together, where Asher had asked her out to her first date with him and going to the amusement park in the fall…where Asher had asked her to be his girlfriend, after she had spent so much of her time trying to figure out what they were to each other…

  When we first got together, I was terrified to think about the future. Daphne played with the necklace around her neck. I wasn't even sure I was going to be able to live to see our first Christmas together as a couple. I almost didn't get to see that first Christmas together. She pressed her lips together.

  There was only one more bridesmaid in front of her, and she could feel her heart thrumming in her chest. Those three months after the accident were so hard for both of us. He worked so hard to make sure that my life felt as normal as possible. While I was in that wheelchair, he drove me to work appointments hanging out with Holly and Viola and Maggie. I truly am a lucky woman. A lesser man may not have been able to survive that challenge with me.

  Daphne's heart swelled at the memories of Asher. I'm so lucky to have met someone who loves me as much as he does.

  Finally, the music changed, and Daphne knew it was her cue to walk down the aisle. She gulped, then took her first step into the mid-June air into the garden she had chosen to get married in. Ahead of her on the stage stood all of her bridesmaids and all of Asher's groomsmen, including Asher himself.

  She met Asher's eyes across the garden and smiled at him. I never thought this day would come when I first dated Asher. At that point it was more of a pipe dream that I would get married someday than anything close to reality.

  Asher smiled at her as she got closer to the stage. We're going to be husband and wife. Daphne stepped onto the stage and took Asher's hands into her own, the minister smiled at the both of them as the music faded off at a natural end point.

  “Today, we are all here to celebrate the relationship between Asher and Daphne,” the minister began, “and the commitment that they have chosen to make to one another.”

  Daphne was staring into Asher's warm brown eyes, eyes that she was certain she would never get enough of. She had to blink several times to clear some mist that kept finding its way back into her eyes as the ministers spoke.

  “Please exchange rings the tokens of your affection for one another,” the minister said, handing the rings to Asher and Daphne. The rings were a matching pair of inlaid opal rings.

  Asher gently took Daphne's left hand and slipped the ring on her left hand. Daphne then took the large ring from the minister, took Asher's left hand and slipped it on his.

  “Now, please exchange your vows and promises to one another,” the minister instructed them.

  Asher cleared his throat, and Daphne nodded at him when he raised his eyebrows. “I don't know what at moment it was that you captured my attention,” Asher began. “But when I found myself in a position to help you, I knew I had to go for it.” He reached a free hand out to hers, capturing it and gently squeezing it. “As I told you back then, I ended up regretting not taking a chance on something, and as a result, I knew I wasn't about to let the opportunity with you slip by.” He paused, biting his lower lip a little and clearing his throat. Daphne noticed that his eyes looked a bit damper than usual.

  “I know that we still have our differences and that there will probably be more differences to come,” Asher continued. “But I hope that I can still be the kind and reliable husband you need and deserve.”

  He pressed his lips together tightly for a moment before continuing. “To you, Daphne, I promise to cherish and love you for all of our days. I promise to be by your side when things are hard, and to continuously grow our lives together. I promise to be the person you can come and complain to and to be the person who will love you come what may.” He paused again, clearing his throat once more, and Daphne caught sight of a single tear sliding down his cheek. Her heart ached.

  We really have been through so much already. So much more than other people at this point in their relationship.

  “Thank you for loving me,” Asher said, his voice tight. “I am looking forward to our future together as we continue to build it.”

  Daphne's throat felt dry as Asher let go of her hand to fold up his vows, and she began unfolding her own. I won't be able to top that. She bit her lower lip before clearing her own throat and blinking rapidly to reduce the wetness of her own eyes.

  “To my dearest Asher,” she began, “thank you for everything you have done for me and everything you will do for me in the future. At so many points during our relationship, it would have been impossible for me to keep going without you, and I'm unbelievably grateful that I had you in those times. I hope that you can find it in your heart to continue to help me in the future, as I expect that our lives will find new ways to be hard for you.”

  Daphne cleared her throat, as it began to tighten down on her. “I vow to be by your side as we both continue to grow and change branching out into different aspects of our lives. I vow to keep our relationship as my number one priority in my life. I vow to take care of you just as you have taken care of me, come what may.” Daphne's voice broke a little. A couple of tears snuck their way out of her eyes. Her throat was parched, but she continued, anyway.

  “I vow to love and appreciate you for all of my days,” She murmured, her voice pained. She looked up at Asher, who smiled a little at her.

  “You may now kiss the bride!” The minister exclaimed. Daphne looked at Asher's eyes, which were fixated on her lips as he swooped down to kiss her. The small crowd of their friends and family whooped and cheered. Daphne's hands found their way into Asher's hair as he deepened the kiss, before their embrace broke. Daphne grinned like a fool as they both turned to face their cheering crowd to leave.

  “Now presenting Mr. And Mrs. Hawthorne!” The minister, shouted through the garden. The crowd got louder, whooping and clapping as Asher and Daphne made their way down the aisle together towards their happily ever after.

  In the end, the one who created happiness for me…was me.