Slow Burn | HS

epilogue

July 2018

Ocean bluer than anything Joelle's ever seen stretches within her line of sight. Elaborate tables are arranged elegantly, decked out with beautiful floral centerpieces, gems, and candles. All guests are dressed in their finest attire, and the sun was setting low in the sky, pinks, reds, and oranges painting the horizon.

But still, even now, Joelle can't take her eyes off of Harry.

His suit fits him impeccably, but he's ditched his jacket and rolled up his sleeves to just below his elbows. He chats with the other dates of those in the wedding party who are all seated together while Joelle watches him from her own seat at the head table.

She taps her foot as she waits for the best man that she's never met before to finish his phony speech. Everyone has eaten dinner, and the cake is about to be sliced and then dancing. She can't wait for the formalities to be finished so she doesn't need to be separated from him anymore.

She'd left their hotel room while he'd still been asleep as she needed to leave much earlier to get ready with the rest of the bridal party. During the beach ceremony, she was at the front closest to the altar and he had been sitting a few rows back.

Her father rubs her mother's back as tears stream down her face, even when Lola grabs Ivy's arm and forces her to shove the slice of cake she was feeding Daniel up his cheek. Daniel looks less than impressed, and Ivy lays into Lola, but when Joelle turns to look back at Harry, he's already looking at her. He shoots her a knowing look.

To hell with it she thinks to herself.

She makes her way across the venue to where he's sitting. He sees her approach and pulls over an unoccupied chair so she can sit beside him. Even after she's sat down, he still continues to pull it closer, not stopping until the sides of the chairs are pressed together and their arms are touching.

He leans over to kiss her cheek.

"Hi," he says quietly, mindful that most people's attention is still centered on the newlyweds and Lola, the maid of honor.

"Hi," she whispers back, her hand pushing some matted hair off his forehead. "I missed you today."

"I missed you too," he says, but loosens his collar. "I'm so sweaty," he explains. "July in Mykonos is no joke. Especially while wearing a suit."

"I told you that you could bring something else to change into for the reception," she reminds him.

"And be underdressed next to all of Daniel's Big Business Buddies? I don't think so."

She laughs, and he puts his arm on the back of her chair as they watch Ivy and Daniel make their way to the dance floor for their first dance. It's a Celine Dion song that the singer of the hired band does not do justice. Harry looks at her with a grimace.

"This is a brave song for that vocalist," he remarks.

"I didn't even realize people still hired bands. I thought everyone chose DJs for weddings. Or even just made a playlist on their phone and found an aux."

Harry shook his head. "Ivy doesn't do anything halfway."

"That's for sure," Joelle agreed.

As the song came to a close and a round of applause was heard, Joelle's father went to the dancefloor for the father-daughter dance. Joelle was happy for her sister, despite not being Daniel's biggest fan, and seeing her parents so emotional throughout the day was enough to pull at her heartstrings.

After all of the important dances were out of the way, Harry grabs her hand and pulls her toward the band. He wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her close as hers settled around the back of his neck. Harry begins to lead them in a slow swaying motion, circling carefully on the crowded dance floor.

Speaking of topics that pulled at her heartstrings, Joelle knew that Harry was still uneasy about their upcoming trip to the UK. He hadn't been back since his mother and sister had died all of those years ago, and he had confessed to her one night when they were alone in the dark of her bedroom that he wanted to go back and visit their graves.

He'd been in communication with some of the people in the school district his mother had worked for and once learning that he was coming back for a visit, they had started a fundraiser. A bench was going to be dedicated to her and his sister outside of the elementary school where she had been a teacher. Harry and Joelle were attending the unveiling and the small memorial service that would occur.

In his arms, Joelle fights the urge to pull him closer and keep him here forever. When he's here, he's not in danger of being hurt - or worse - in a fire. No problematic father can affect him. He doesn't feel inadequate. Her arms provide a shelter for him that she selfishly doesn't think he could find elsewhere.

But she closes her eyes and lays her head on his shoulder. This kind of thinking is useless. Harry doesn't need protection. He doesn't take risks during calls anymore. Liam hasn't had to yell at him for months. Working through his harmful thought processes with his therapist has allowed him to learn to value the importance of his own life above others, helped him learn that his own safety should always be his priority. That he has a lot to lose if he dies.

As if his thoughts align with hers, his hand trails up and down her spine and he kisses her hair.

"What will our wedding be like?" he whispers in her ear.

She smiles, her eyes still closed as they sway back and forth. Conversations like this have become more frequent recently. Their relationship, their future, and commitment are no longer topics that Harry shies away from.

"Much more practical," Joelle replies. "Smaller, intimate... a more comfortable temperature." As if to emphasize her point, she places her hand on the small of Harry's back and can feel the damp sweat forming through the cotton of his shirt.

He pulls back to look at her and smiles slightly. One of those barely-there smiles that he always gets when he looks at her. He looks at her like he's got her all figured out now, and Joelle thinks that he might be the only person in the world who does.

"When we first got together, and you took me to your family's house, I was so intimidated. And I think you know this," he says. "I knew that my feelings for you were deeper than anything I'd experienced before, and I didn't ever want you to leave me. So looking up at your sprawling house, seeing Ivy's entitlement, and hearing your father talked about work made me literally want to shit my pants thinking about a future with you." They laugh together, and Harry's hand moves to her cheek, brushing her soft skin with his thumb. "I thought to myself this girl comes from a lot, so she must expect a lot. I will never be able to provide any of this for her." His smile deepens as they continue to sway back and forth. "Now I realize how stupid that was. You don't need me to 'provide' anything for you. You don't even really care about that kind of stuff. You are intelligent, successful, and driven. You can provide for yourself."

Joelle's smile matches his at this point. "I don't need you to do anything other than love and support me."

"I will love and support you for as long as you'll let me."

"Good. Because I plan on keeping you forever."