Chapter 98 WHEN LOVE COMES HOME.

Chapter 98 WHEN LOVE COMES HOME.
MADISON'S POV:
The beachfront venue stole my breath.
White chairs arranged in perfect rows on sand still warm from afternoon sun. An arbor wound with white roses and golden flowers. Real gold-painted blooms that caught fading light like captured sunshine. The ocean provided a living backdrop, waves gentle against shore.
Maybe a hundred guests. "Small and intimate," Eden had insisted. "Just people who matter."
A live band played softly an instrumental versions of love songs that made your chest ache with their beauty. Women wore golden gowns that shimmered like liquid precious metal. Men in black suits with golden shirts, creating a cohesive elegance.
Scratchy sat in my lap, wearing a golden bow tie I'd found at a pet boutique. He looked ridiculous and adorable, purring contentedly.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the officiant announced, "please rise for the groom."
We stood, turning toward the path cut through the sand.
And then Maverick appeared.
He walked beside Dr. Carter, hand on his arm, pride in every step. Carter looked distinguished in his black suit, eyes already wet with happy tears.
"Oh my God," I whispered, grabbing Thane's hand. "I had no idea he was coming!"
Thane was grinning, shoulders shaking with silent laughter. "Neither did I. Look at him. He looks so happy."
They reached the altar. Maverick hugged his father tight, whispered something that made Carter laugh, then took his seat.
Music swelled, a string quartet playing something timeless and beautiful.
Vaughan appeared next, offering his arm to Eden.
She was radiant. Golden gown that complemented her skin, hair swept up to show the elegant line of her neck. Flowers woven through her hair. But it was her smile that made her beautiful, pure, and unguarded joy.
Both her sons had tears streaming down their faces. Thane gripped my hand tighter, his free hand swiping at his eyes.
"Helen's probably losing her mind in prison right now," I whispered.
Thane snorted. "And Harold's probably tearing down walls with his fingernails. Good."
Eden reached the altar. Vaughan kissed her cheek, shook Carter's hand, then stepped aside.
Carter took Eden's hands. Even from our seats, I could see them trembling.
"Dearly beloved," the officiant began.
The ceremony was simple, beautiful, perfect. Traditional vows with personal touches. Carter's voice breaking when he promised to love her. Eden crying openly when she promised the same.
"You may kiss your bride."
They came together like they'd been doing this for decades. Like the years apart had been a brief interruption in something eternal.
The beach erupted in applause. Scratchy meowed, startled by the noise.

The reception transformed the beachfront into something magical.
Long tables draped in white and gold. Centerpieces of roses and candles. String lights overhead creating a canopy of stars. A dance floor on the sand where couples already swayed to music.
Behind the head table, fireworks suddenly exploded in gold, white, rainbow colors painting the darkening sky. Perfectly timed, perfectly beautiful.
Eden and Carter's first dance made everyone cry. The way he held her. The way she looked at him like he'd hung the moon just for her.
Thane pulled me onto the dance floor, his arms around my waist. "Thank you for pushing me to forgive Vaughan. For teaching me that holding grudges only hurts yourself."
"Thank you for loving me enough to let me run, and patient enough to wait for me to come back."
We swayed together, Scratchy somehow still contentedly draped over my shoulder, until someone tapped Thane's arm.
Maverick stood there, a stunning woman beside him. She had pale skin, intelligent eyes, and a smile that transformed her face.
"Madison, Thane—" Maverick's grin was infectious. "This is Twinkle. My girlfriend."
"WHAT?" I grabbed the woman's hand. "When did this happen?"
"Iceland," Maverick said. "She's a doctor. Was there for a conference. We got to talking and—" He shrugged, looking happier than I'd ever seen him. "Sometimes you just know."
"When did you have time to fall in love?" Thane demanded, shaking Twinkle's hand. "You've been here bothering us every week!" Thane raised a brow, amused. “You mean while you were pretending to enjoy the peace and quiet?”
Maverick just laughed. “Maybe peace finds you when you least expect it. Love doesn't take time." Maverick's arm slid around Twinkle's waist. "It just happens when you're finally ready for it."
Twinkle laughed, the sound musical. "He's very romantic. It's quite endearing."
I hadn’t seen him this light in years. Love suited him. It softened the steel, the loneliness he’d carried for so long.
We talked, laughed, shared stories. Around us, the reception bloomed into something even more beautiful, Vaughan's kids running on the beach, Elise dancing with Carter, Eden surrounded by friends who'd come to support her happiness.
Food appeared, Dutch delicacies mixed with American dishes. Wine flowed freely. Music swelled and softened and swelled again.
Joe found us, slightly drunk, telling embarrassing stories about Thane that made everyone laugh.
Mrs. Chen cornered me to say she'd always known I was special, that Thane was lucky to have me.
Vaughan pulled me into a hug, apologizing again, thanking me for giving his brother a reason to forgive.
The sun set completely, replaced by firelight and starlight and the glow of happiness.
Thane's arms came around me from behind, his chin resting on my shoulder. "What are you thinking about?"
"How perfect this is." I leaned back into him. "How your mom waited years for her happy ending and got it. How Maverick found someone. How we almost lost each other but didn't."
"We're never losing each other again." He turned me to face him. "I don't care what happens. What obstacles life throws at us. I'm choosing you. Every single day. Forever."
"Forever," I agreed.
The fireworks started again, a rainbow of colors exploding over the ocean. Music swelled. Eden and Carter kissed under the lights, surrounded by people who loved them.
 Thane's arms around me, Scratchy purring against my chest, and love radiating from every corner of this beach, I knew this was what home felt like.
Home wasn’t a place, or even a country. It was the quiet between his heart and mine, the space where love kept finding its way back, no matter how far we ran.
"Dance with me," Thane whispered.
"Always."
We moved onto the sand, joining dozens of couples swaying under stars. Somewhere in the distance, the ocean kept its rhythm. Above us, fireworks painted temporary beauty across permanent sky.
And I'd never been happier in my entire life.