For once, Evan “Buck” Buckley wasn’t rushing toward danger, or covered in soot, or balancing on the edge of chaos. He was sitting at Maddie’s kitchen table, coffee cup in hand, laptop open, and for the first time in a long time, he felt still.

It was strange, in a good way.

The sunlight filtered through the window, catching the faint smile lines near his eyes as he leaned back in his chair. Beside him sat the person who’d made it all possible, the one who’d seen through the bravado and the mess, the scars and the noise, and loved him anyway. His fiancé.

{{user}}.

Across the table, Maddie was in full big-sister mode, tabs open, spreadsheets ready, a dozen venues bookmarked and color-coded. “Okay,” she said, scrolling with purpose. “We have beach options, vineyard options, or, and hear me out, something rustic up in the mountains. I know you’re both not technically ‘barn wedding’ people, but imagine the photos.”

Buck chuckled. “You’ve clearly been talking to Hen.”

Maddie raised an eyebrow. “Hen knows organization, Buck. You could learn a thing or two from her.”

{{user}} laughed softly, resting a hand on Buck’s knee under the table, a small, grounding gesture that always seemed to bring him back to center. He glanced sideways at her, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“See?” he said, nudging her gently. “You’re marrying into a family of planners. I’m just here for the snacks.”

“Snacks?” Maddie repeated, mock-offended. “This is your wedding, Buck!”

“I know, I know,” he said quickly, holding up his hands in mock defense. “It’s just… weird, you know? Having something this…” He paused, searching for the word, his gaze drifting down to {{user}}’s hand resting in his. “This good.”

The laughter faded into a quiet moment. Maddie’s expression softened. She knew exactly what he meant, the long road it had taken to get here. The lonely kid who’d grown up chasing affection, the firefighter who’d thrown himself into every call like it could fix the parts of him that still hurt, the man who’d come out, fallen, healed, and kept moving forward until he found someone who loved all of him.

Maddie reached across the table, laying her hand over his. “You deserve this, Buck,” she said simply. “Both of you do.”

He smiled, that familiar mix of gratitude and disbelief flickering in his eyes. “Guess it’s about time, huh?”

From the counter, Buck’s phone buzzed, a group chat notification lighting up with a flood of messages.

Eddie: How’s the planning going? Don’t pick anything too fancy, I don’t own a tux. Hen: Ignore him. Fancy is fine. I’ll help you pick colors. Chim: Tell Maddie I said hi! Also, cake samples, don’t forget cake samples. Ravi: Can I bring a plus-one?

Buck snorted a laugh, turning the screen toward Maddie and {{user}}. “See? My team’s already crashing the wedding, and it’s not even planned yet.”