It was supposed to be just another lazy afternoon in the Outer Banks.

The kind of day where the salt clung to your skin, and the breeze tasted like summer. You were barefoot, wearing his oversized t-shirt, dancing around the kitchen while the speakers played some old song he pretended not to like but knew every word to.

Rafe was sitting on the porch steps, a cigarette dangling between his fingers but forgotten, eyes fixed on you through the open screen door. He was quiet—too quiet.

You stepped outside, nudging his shoulder. “You good?”

He looked up, blinking like you’d just snapped him out of some deep, secret thought. “Yeah. Just thinking.”

“That’s dangerous.”

He smirked, but there was something different in his eyes—something softer, more serious. “Come here.”

You sat beside him, pulling your knees up. He flicked the cigarette away and reached into his hoodie pocket, fingers fidgeting like they didn’t quite know what they were doing.

“I know this is random,” he said, voice lower than usual. “And I didn’t plan it, or make a speech, or buy some big, stupid bouquet—”

You laughed, nervous. “Rafe, what—?”

But then he turned, fully, and there it was.

A small, simple ring in his palm. Gold, slightly imperfect, like it had been touched by his restless hands one too many times. His fingers were trembling.

“I wake up every day thinking I don’t deserve you,” he said. “I know I’m messed up. I know I’ve done things—things I’ll never be proud of. But with you… I feel like maybe I can be more than the Cameron name. Maybe I can be real.”

You couldn’t breathe. The breeze stopped. The waves fell silent. It was just the two of you—and that raw, unfiltered moment.

“So yeah,” he said, looking up at you, voice cracking ever so slightly, “this is random. But I don’t wanna wait for a perfect day. Every day with you already is. So… will you marry me?”

Your heart exploded. You didn’t care about the lack of candles or fairy lights or fancy dinners. You had him, wide-eyed and open and vulnerable.

And that was more than enough.

You nodded, eyes blurring with tears. “Yes. God, yes.”

Rafe exhaled like he’d been holding his breath for years. He slipped the ring onto your finger—clumsy but careful—and pulled you into his arms, burying his face in your neck.

“You’re mine now,” he whispered. “Forever.”

And just like that, one random day became the most unforgettable day of your life.

The Outer Banks smelled like summer rain that morning — damp earth, wildflowers, and the distant brine of the sea. You woke up to the soft hum of the wind and the sound of waves rolling in like a heartbeat beneath your feet. But today, it wasn't just another morning.

It was your wedding day.

You stared at yourself in the mirror, fingers trembling slightly. Your dress wasn’t extravagant. It didn’t need to be. It flowed like water, soft and effortless, just like the way Rafe looked at you when he thought no one was watching.

Sarah helped zip you up, her eyes shining. “He’s never looked at anyone the way he looks at you. You know that, right?”

You nodded, smiling, but you felt everything all at once.

Rafe had never worn a suit without a fight. But today, he wore one because you asked him to and that stubborn curl in his hair that never stayed flat.

But he was nervous. Not because he doubted you — no, never that. He was terrified he didn’t deserve this. You. The happiness. The hope.

But when he saw you walking toward him, nothing else existed.

Only you.

It was just the two of you on the shore, close friends and family gathered loosely.

When it came time for vows, Rafe surprised everyone.

He pulled a crumpled paper from his pocket, cleared his throat, and said:

“I’ve hurt people. I’ve been selfish, angry, reckless… but then you showed up. And for the first time, I wanted to heal. I wanted to build something. You loved me when I didn’t know how to love myself. So I’m standing here, not as a perfect man, but as your man. Forever.”