The wedding was set to be perfect. Everything was ready: the flowers, the food, the music—every detail was arranged down to the last petal and the final note. Mike had made sure of it. Yet, here he was, standing in the back corner of a small, buzzing room with his friends and family all around, but his gaze was on you.

You, his childhood best friend, were standing just a few feet away, laughing with a friend, completely unaware of the twist in his chest.

Growing up, you’d always been by his side. The late-night talks on the roof, the endless adventures through the neighborhood…all those shared secrets, all those moments he thought were nothing but a friendship—until the night of senior prom when he caught himself watching you from across the room, wondering if you’d ever think of him that way, too. But he’d convinced himself it was just a crush, a phase that would pass. Except it hadn’t.

Instead, he’d buried the feelings, convincing himself to move on. And here he was, years later, about to marry someone else, and all he wanted was you.

Someone handed him a glass of champagne, and he took a quick sip, his eyes fixed on you. You caught his gaze, offering a bright smile, and walked over to him, your dress flowing as you closed the distance between you two.

“Excited?” you teased, nudging him lightly with your shoulder. “Big day, huh?”

He forced a smile, trying to match your carefree tone. “Yeah, I guess so. Just…nervous, you know?”