Chapter 14: Pages Still Turning

Spring came to Elden Bridge in waves—first in the warming wind, then in the blooms erupting from window boxes and orchard branches. The town felt reborn, fresh and expectant, like it was catching its breath for something beautiful.

The Hushed Hour welcomed the season with lavender-scented candles, new titles on display, and the buzz of Violet's quiet determination. Each morning, she unlocked the doors with a deeper sense of belonging, the ring on her finger glinting in the morning light like a private vow.

But with that vow came pressure.

Everyone asked about the wedding. Customers, friends, even the sweet couple who ran the flower shop across the street. "Have you picked a date?" they asked. "Are you eloping? A garden wedding? Destination?"

Violet smiled and nodded and said, "We're just enjoying being engaged."

And it was true. Mostly.

She and Adam spent their evenings curled up on the reading nook cushions, planning photo shoots, future book club themes, and Sunday markets. They debated what kind of bread to bake for the spring fair and how many succulents could fit in their window boxes. It was easy, ordinary, lovely.

But part of Violet itched for something deeper. The more she said "we're not planning anything yet," the more it started to feel like hiding.

On a rainy Friday, Grace invited her out for coffee. Just the two of them.

Hazel & Brew was unusually quiet, the storm keeping most folks indoors. Violet found Grace tucked into the back booth, two steaming mugs already waiting.

"You're brooding," Grace said by way of greeting.

"I am not."

"You brought your planner and three pens. That's peak brooding."

Violet sighed, wrapping her fingers around the mug. "I feel like I'm failing at being engaged."

"You're not." Grace sipped her coffee. "You're just not the Pinterest type."

"That's the problem. Everyone's expecting a big wedding. My mom's already asking about colors. And Adam—he says he's fine waiting, but I think he wants me to make a decision."

"Do you want a big wedding?"

"No," Violet said instantly. "I want something small. Personal. Maybe even here in town. Just us. Our families. Some of the chaos. Something... real."

"Then tell him that."

"I don't want to disappoint anyone."

"Who are you afraid of disappointing? Adam or everyone else?"

Violet stared into her coffee. "Both."

Grace leaned forward. "Vi. You don't owe the world a fairytale. Just a truth you believe in."

That night, Violet returned to find Adam in the apartment, editing photos on his laptop. Rain tapped gently on the windows, casting silver shadows across the room.

"Hey," he said, looking up. "How was coffee?"

"Insightful."

He shut the laptop. "What's going on?"

She took a deep breath. "I want to talk about the wedding."

Adam stood, watching her carefully. "Okay."

"I don't want the whole town watching us say vows under a tent with four-tier cake and a DJ. I want it to be small. Maybe at the orchard. Just the people who matter. And I want it to feel like us."

Adam's expression softened into something she couldn't quite name—relief, maybe. Or awe.

"I've been waiting for you to say that," he said. "Because that's what I want too."

Violet exhaled, a laugh escaping through the tension. "Really?"

He stepped closer. "Really. I want you. Not a circus."

They stood like that for a while, the silence between them no longer heavy but full.

Then he added, "You know Grace and Lucas are going to demand roles."

"Lucas can officiate," Violet joked.

"God help us all."

Over the next few days, they began to quietly plan their version of a wedding. They picked a date in early summer. They chose the orchard clearing where Adam had first kissed her in the rain. Violet's mother offered to make her dress. Tessa volunteered flowers. Elena surprised everyone by offering to write the ceremony script.

Even her father—after a long pause—agreed to walk her down the aisle.

The simplicity felt right. The quiet felt earned.

One afternoon, as they sat on the back porch with steaming mugs and a basket of seed packets, Violet asked, "Are you ready for forever?"

Adam looked at her, sunlight catching in his lashes. "I've been ready since the day you asked if I wanted extra sugar in my tea."

She laughed. "That was our first real conversation."

"And I knew then. You were trouble. But the kind I'd stay for."

They leaned into each other as the afternoon melted into golden light.

And just like that, another chapter was waiting to be written.

Together.