Page 77 of Falling for Mr. Grump, the Big City Billionaire

In that moment, it feels like we’ve already won. I don’t even see that Drew and Meg have unfurled the huge banner announcing that “Skye has lost her mind and said yes.”

Chapter twenty-two

SKYE

My feet are sinking into the soft sand, the breeze playing with the hem of my dress as I stand at the edge of the water. The sun’s setting behind me, painting the sky in shades of pink and gold. This could be the most surreal, perfect moment of my life—or the weirdest.

I glance over at Troy, standing beside me, looking just a little bit out of place in a tuxedo that’s way too sharp for this laid-back beach wedding. But there’s something about seeing him here next to me that makes all the quirky chaos of this day worth it.

The wedding is nothing like I imagined. But then again, I never could have imagined aTroy Bellamykind of wedding. And it’s perfect. The kind of perfect that’s full of small-town charm and very little polish.

I almost expect a seagull to swoop down and steal the rings—but thankfully, we get through the ceremony without any beachside wildlife interruptions.

I turn to him and grin. “You really went all out, didn’t you?”

Troy smirks back, his eyes twinkling. “What can I say? I wanted to make sure no one would ever forget this.”

“You succeeded,” I tease. “Between the surprise food truck festival and that plane-trailing banner that looks like it belongs at a carnival, I think the entire town will be talking about this wedding for decades.”

He laughs, the sound warm and infectious. “As long as you don’t mind the attention.”

I chuckle. “After all we’ve been through, I think I can handle it.”

The ceremony itself is short and sweet—just the way I wanted it. No over-the-top speeches, no overblown traditions. Just Troy and me, the pastor, our families and the ocean. Oh, right, and a few hundred people who matter to us.

Drew stood as Troy’s best man and Zoey as my maid of honor. Unbeknownst to us, Meg had tied the rings to Lizaard’s pink lace collar and led her down the aisle on a leash. This only added to the weirdness of it all and caught Troy off guard making the whole crowd laugh as he jumped.

Meg caught the bouquet (so naturally, she’s now planning a second wedding to Drew, even though she and Drew have been married for years.) Yes, very weird. And my food truck servedeverything—from sliders to lobster rolls to decadent chocolate tarts.

Everything about today has felt surreal. Especially when we exchanged vows. Troy, serious as ever, spoke about how he’d never expected a small town—orme—to change his life.

And I said something about how he’d made me realize thatperfectdoesn’t always come in the form of a boardroom or a fancy dinner party. Sometimes, it’s a food truck on a beach in a town everyone else overlooks.

Now, we’re walking back through the reception tent. As we pass the dancing crowd, I look up at him. “So, what do you think? How was the ‘perfect’ wedding?”

He pulls me closer, his lips brushing my ear. “Perfectly imperfect. Just like us.”

I rest my head on his shoulder, watching the stars begin to twinkle above. The world is chaotic. But somehow, with him by my side, everything feels just right.

“Ready to start the next chapter?” he asks, squeezing my hand.

I smile. “With you? Always.”

And as the music swells and the town of Seaside Cove continues to celebrate, I realize I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life.

This is where I’m meant to be.

With him.

Forever.

Skye

No one could have been more surprised than Troy when I tell him that my choice for a “dream honeymoon” is, of all places, New York City. It’s a place that Troy knows like the back of his hand, pardon the overused simile.

He’s lived in New York all of his life, sans his years in college at Yale. So, my choice was truly a surprise. It’s probably the last place he wants to go, that is, until I explained that I choose New York to get to know and understand him more. I want to see “his” world firsthand. Given that explanation he was touched and more than happy to show me that world.

The streets of New York City pulse with life as Troy leads me through the crowded sidewalks. The city hums with a rhythm all its own—honking taxis, the chatter of street vendors, and the occasional shout of a performer urging people to stop and watch. I can’t help but stare at the towering skyscrapers, their glass facades reflecting the sun like a million mirrors. There’sa street performer juggling flaming torches nearby, and I can’t look away.

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