Rylee was ready.

Her and Alexa had gotten dressed and done up in Rylee's room and when they were about finished, Rylee was surprised that the room phone rang.

She was still surprised by how up to date the technology was in the room. The phone was basically just a tablet on the wall, that did far more than just act as a phone.

Rylee touched the tablet screen to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Hello, this is Daniel from the lobby service desk, I just wanted to let you know that your car is ready."

"Car?"

"Yes ma'am. Your suite comes with complimentary round trip transfers with our BMW 7-Series chauffeurs. Your car is currently waiting in the back loading zone as requested."

"Thank you, um, we'll be down in a few minutes."

"Take your time, miss." He gave her quick instructions on how to get to the back loading zone and said his goodbyes before he hung up.

Rylee hit the end button and looked at Alexa who heard the call through the phones speaker.

"Alrighty then," Alexa chuckled, putting in her earrings as she spoke. She was wearing a simple light peach colored knee length dress and a pair of nude strappy heels.

The girls did some final touch ups to their hair and makeup, and made their way down the hall to a service elevator as they were told and after a minute or so, the doors opened up to a loading zone where, as instructed, there was a BMW 7-Series waiting for them with a man standing beside the back door, waiting to open each for them.

"Good evening, ladies," the man greeted them, "My name is Jonathan and I'll be your chauffeur this evening."

The girls said their hellos and thank yous as they climbed into the backseat of the car on either side, Jonathan closing the doors behind them.

When he got around to the drivers seat, he looked in the rear view mirror, "Are you ladies ready to head out?"

They both nodded and said yes as Jonathan nodded and began to drive out of the lot.

Everything about today felt so surreal to Rylee. She laid her hand on the middle console between her and Alexa and Alexa immediately took her hand in hers, squeezing it tightly.

"You ready?" Alexa asked, smiling from ear to ear, "if you're not, it's fine. I'll just tell Sebastian you fell in the toilet or something..."

Rylee laughed, "That may have worked in our 8th grade science class, but I don't think it would work now. Even so, no need for toilet stories, I'm so absolutely ready."

Rylee squeezed Alexa's hand back in return, though it was a bit shakey from her nerves.

After a short ten or so minute drive, through the familiar streets of New York, the car came to a stop in front of the most familiar place of all.

Rylee's eyebrows furrowed together, confused.

Jonathan opened Alexa's door first, giving her time to get out and onto the sidewalk before he went to Rylee's door and did the same.

The girls were now standing in front of Round Corner Cafe, though the lights inside were dim, almost not even on, a note on the door reading:

"Closed for a family event,

sorry for any inconvenience."

Jonathan led the girls to the door, using a key to unlock it, and held the door open for them, ushering them inside.

Once they stepped in, he shut the door, locking it in the process.

In front of Rylee and Alexa were candles lining the edges of the tables, forming a path to the back of the cafe. Once they got to the last booth, Alexa gestured for Rylee to sit.

The same booth where Sebastian and Rylee started dating.

Alexa excused herself and said someone would come get her. She leaned down to give Rylee a hug, a kiss on the cheek, and an I love you before she disappeared into another room.

Rylee laid her hands gently on the table in front of her, feeling the wood grain beneath her fingertips. This booth held so much more than simple cups of coffee. It held memories.

Light touches. Languid, slow kisses. Hands resting on thighs below the table. Affection. Pure unadulterated love.

There was a book laid on the table that she slowly reached for, recognizing the scratches across the note laying on top.

Room to add many more. ❤️

- SS

She opened it to the first page and she quickly realized that it was a photo album. Each page full of memories upon memories between Sebastian and Rylee, some pictures she had never even seen before.

Pictures from the gym together.

Pictures from dinners out together.

Pictures from camping out in bed together.

Pictures from driving in the car together.

Pictures from the hospital together.

Pictures from movie sets together.

Pictures from Round Corner together.

Pictures from their vacation together.

Pictures from their engagement together.

Pictures from drinking at Alexa's house together.

All pictures of Sebastian and Rylee together. Not a single one of anything else. They had so many memories to cherish, to love, and to hold, all residing in this book.

She was on the verge of tears flipping through it, reminiscing on each moment as she flipped each page. When she got closer to the end, she noticed that the note was accurate. There were still about twenty pages of empty, unfilled slots, waiting to hold new memories.

After a few minutes of being alone, she felt a gentle hand land on her shoulder. She jumped the tiniest bit, but not enough to startle.

She turned and was confused to see Tom standing there, donning a simple tux, a light peach colored vest and bow tie lying below his black suit jacket.

"Hey, you," Tom said as he smiled his slanted smile, the one he always put on when he was trying to keep a secret. "You look beautiful!"

"Hi! Thank you!" Rylee said, sliding out of the booth quickly to give him a tight hug. "What are you doing here?" She asked curiously.

"Well. Sebastian asked me to be here." Tom started to laugh as Rylee's eyes looked almost panicked instead of confused. "—I know, I know, hear me out."

"I promised I wouldn't tell a single soul. He made me swear on Tessa. So. You know it's legit." Tom held up his hands in surrender as Rylee started to chuckle and the panic ebbed away.

"Believe me. I am so utterly happy you are here. I was almost in tears over the fact that I couldn't tell you."

"I know, that's why he called me. Well, also for another reason, but that one is solely up to you."

Rylee looked at him again, confusion crossing her brows.

"May I have the honor of walking you down the aisle?" Tom asked shyly, rubbing the back of his head.

Rylee covered her mouth with her hands, tears threatening to overflow. She stemmed them off by pulling him in tightly for an embrace.

"Oh my god Tommy, I couldn't imagine anyone else I would rather have do it." She said into his shoulder.

Tom hugged her tighter, and then pulled back to look at her, "Well then, are you ready?"

Rylee nodded, taking in a deep breath to calm herself.

He offered out his arm and Rylee immediately looped hers through his. They walked back behind the cafe's kitchen and stood face to face with a door.

Tom pushed the door open slowly to reveal the most beautiful sight.

Rylee was shocked to see that there was an entire outside yard and garden behind the cafe that she didn't know existed. Light, serene music played through unseen speakers.

There was a stone path lined with red, white, and pink rose petals as well as small, beautifully lit trees and florals. She looked up to see large trees looming over head donning tens of beautiful shining lanterns, glistening and eating away at the darkness that was now beginning to set in as the sun fell behind the city horizon.

The path led back to a beautiful ivy covered archway wrapped in shining, twinkling lights, where she saw Chris and Alexa waiting on either side of the arch. Chris wearing a black tux, identical to Tom's that also matched Alexa's light peach colored dress.

Sebastian was stood smack dab in the middle of the arch, wearing a black tux and a black bow tie, facing Chris and she could hear his laugh echoing through the outdoor oasis around them. His back was turned to her at first, but Chris nudged him, nodding in her direction, causing Sebastian to turn and see her for the first time that day.

His face was overwhelmed with a large assortment of emotions, though his smile glistened in the lights spread throughout the beautiful garden.

Tom looked at Rylee, arms still linked together, and whispered, "you ready?"

Rylee wiped away a stray tear and smiled, nodding enthusiastically.

——————————

— A/N —

Two posts in one evening? For shame! 😘

But actually, I had kinda wanted this chapter and the last one to be one whole chapter when I first wrote it out but it got pretty lengthy. So I had split them...but here we are...Reading them in one sitting anyway 💁‍♀️

(Can we talk about Tommy though? 🥺)

Okay. Anyway. Now we're for real for real so close! Literally practically touching it y'alllll!