Chapter 193 The Wedding Plans

Chapter 193 The Wedding Plans
Simone POV

Simone woke slowly, her eyes still heavy with sleep. Morning light slipped through the curtains and fell across the bed. For a few seconds, she stayed still, her hand resting against the pillow beside her.

Then she looked down. The ring was still there. A smile spread across her face. She had fallen asleep looking at it and had woken up looking at it.

The diamond caught the morning light, and the memory of yesterday came rushing back. Marcus sitting across from her. His hand around hers.

The look on his face before he dropped to one knee.The way her heart had raced when he opened the box.The question.
Her answer.

The ring was real. The engagement was real. Marcus was going to be her husband.
She touched the ring once more. The bedroom door opened.

Marcus stood there with two cups of coffee. His hair was still messy, and he looked like he had only been awake for a few minutes.

"You're awake."

"I'm awake."

"Took you long enough."

She laughed. "I was looking at the ring."

Marcus walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. His eyes went straight to her hand."Still there?"

"Still there."

He smiled and leaned down to kiss her forehead."Good. I was hoping you hadn't changed your mind."

She shook her head. "I haven't changed my mind."

"Good."

He handed her the coffee. Her phone buzzed on the nightstand. Jenny. Simone picked it up and smiled before answering. Her sister had already called the night before, but that hadn't stopped her from screaming through the phone for almost a full minute.

"Jenny."

"I CAN'T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT."

Simone laughed. "Neither can I."

"You're getting married. My baby sister is getting married."

"I'm older than you."

"That doesn't matter."

"It matters to me."

"Forget that. I need to come to Philadelphia. We need to plan this wedding."

Simone glanced at Marcus. He was already smiling.

"You don't have to."

"I'm your sister. I'm coming."

"Okay."

"Good. I'll start looking at dates."

"Jenny."

"What?"

"We got engaged yesterday."

"I know. That's why we need to start."

Simone laughed. "I'll talk to you later."

"Fine. But don't make any decisions without me."

"I won't."

The call ended. Marcus looked at her. "She hasn't changed."

"Not even a little."

"Good."

Later that morning, Marcus's mother called. Simone answered while Marcus was making breakfast."Congratulations, sweetheart."

"Thank you."

"I always knew. I always knew you were the one."

Simone smiled. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything."

They talked for several minutes and when the call ended, Simone looked across the kitchen. Marcus was watching her.

"She's happy."

He nodded. "She's been waiting for this."

"I could hear it in her voice."

"She loves you."

Simone smiled. "I love her too."

Iris called after that."Darius told me. Congratulations."

"Thank you, Iris."

"You're going to be a Hale."

Simone laughed. "I guess I am."

"Good. That's a good family. I should know. I practically raised one of them."

"I know you did."

"Then you'll survive."

Simone laughed again. "I'll try."

By evening, Jenny had arrived in Philadelphia. She dropped her bags in the corner of the apartment and opened a notebook before she had even taken off her coat.

Marcus stared at her."You came prepared."

Jenny looked up. "Of course I did."

Simone sat beside her at the table."I want it small."

"How small?"

"Family. Close friends. No reporters. No cameras. Just us."

Jenny wrote it down."Who do you want there?"

Simone started listing names. Jenny. Darius. Marcus's mother. Iris. Darius's cousin. A few close friends. The people who had stayed through the hardest parts of their lives.

Jenny looked at the list."That's it?"

"That's it."

"Good."

She closed the notebook."Then we can keep it simple."

Marcus looked relieved."Thank you."

Jenny pointed at him. "Don't thank me yet. You're helping."

His smile disappeared.Simone laughed.
The next day, wedding planning began.
Jenny handled phone calls and appointments.

Simone focused on the things that mattered to her. She wanted a quiet venue. Good food. Simple flowers. No huge crowd. No cameras waiting outside. The guest list stayed short.

Everything felt personal. One afternoon, Simone tried on dresses. The first one was too much.The second one didn't feel right.
The third made her stop in front of the mirror.

Simple. Elegant. Comfortable. She turned toward Jenny."This one."

Jenny smiled. "I knew it."

Simone touched the fabric."I just want to feel like myself."

"You will."

That evening, Marcus was waiting in the living room when she got home."What does it look like?"

She dropped her bag beside the couch.
"Nice try."

"Come on. Just give me a hint."

"No."

"I've guarded All-Stars with less difficulty."

She laughed and walked toward him. "You'll survive."

He pulled her closer."I don't know."

She kissed his lip gently. "You'll survive."

Later, they sat together on the couch. The apartment was quiet. Philadelphia moved outside the windows, cars passing below and voices drifting up from the street.

Simone looked down at her ring."I used to think marriage meant losing part of myself."

Marcus turned toward her."What changed?"

"You."

He waited.

"You never wanted me to give up my career for you. You never wanted me to follow you around and make your life my whole life. You wanted me to have my own thing. My own work. My own goals."

Marcus took her hand."That's the only version of you I want."

She leaned against him."I know."

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then Simone looked at the ring again."The strange part is that I'm not scared."

"Not even a little?"

She thought about it."Maybe a little. But not in the same way."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not scared of losing myself anymore. I'm not scared that marriage means giving something up."

Her fingers moved over the ring."It feels like I'm choosing something."

Marcus squeezed her hand."That's all I ever wanted for you."

"I know."

He kissed her. She rested her head against his shoulder, listening to his heartbeat. The wedding was coming. A few days ago, marriage had still been a conversation about the future.

Now there was a ring on her finger. There was a dress waiting for her. There was a guest list on Jenny's notebook. There was a date. It was happening.

Simone closed her eyes. Marcus's hand stayed wrapped around hers. For the first time, the future didn't feel like something waiting to frighten her.

It felt like something she had chosen. And she was ready.