Vanessa slowly approached the motorcycle. She sat behind Cole and wrapped her arms around his waist.

She felt his warmth. She missed it so much.

Cole started the engine, gave it full throttle, and drove off.

They traveled in silence. But not to the city. They arrived at that hill where Cole had taken Vanessa before.

He parked the bike near the edge, and both got down.

Vanessa stood at the front. Cole put down his jacket and put it over her shoulders.

She felt his arms hugging her gently right after that. She felt his breath as he moved his face close to her ear.

It was cold. But his body was warming her. And hers was warming him.

They stood that way until the morning.

And the rain was still raining.

But with the sunrise, the reality came back. They had escaped. To find each other.

For a while.

But they could not hide anymore. They had to go back to where they were losing each other again.

"I tried to tell you there was no fuel in that car," Cole whispered to Vanessa's ear.

"I didn't hear you."

"You would have heard me if you had stopped."

"Okay. I didn't want to hear you."

"Now, we'll both be sick for a week."

"I have not asked you to come. You made it clear that you don't care about me. Why are you here now?"

"Vanessa." Cole took a deep breath.

He didn't know what to say. All he did lately was a desperate attempt to escape her impact. That he fired her, the scandal, even taking Andrea to the house in the evening—everything was an attempt to keep Vanessa away from his life. To forget about her and these stupid feelings.

But instead, he couldn't stop thinking about her even for a second. He couldn't accept the thought of something happening to her. Because the truth was that he was feeling her pain. All the time. But he couldn't get to her.

"What are you running away from, Vanessa?" Cole answered her question with a question.

"I'm not running."

"Said the girl who tried to escape with an empty tank."

"From you."

"Why?"

"Because from myself, I can't."

"Then don't."

"I have to."

"Why?"

"Because..." Vanessa turned to Cole and looked him in the eye. "Every time I am close to you, part of me dies."

And once again, her words stabbed him like a knife.

Cole caressed her cheek with his hand and kissed her as an act of revenge. His lips, so tender and desired, were tearing her apart.

Not long after, Cole sat on the bike and drove Vanessa to the house. Then he silently left.

***

A week passed without the two seeing each other again, but the day had come when that was inevitable.

"Why aren't you dressed, Nessa?" Rebecca asked in bewilderment after bursting into Vanessa's room. "Are you still sleeping?"

Vanessa slowly opened her eyes. "I was doing it a moment ago." She rose slightly and looked at Rebecca. "The right question is, why are you already dressed?"

"The wedding starts in a few hours!" Rebecca replied.

She was wearing a long, pale pink silk dress with floral motifs.

"Becks, it's 7 o'clock."

"Exactly!" Rebecca went to the windows and opened the curtains. "Come on, get dressed!"

"I haven't had any coffee yet. I'll get dressed after I've had at least one."

"I'm not moving from here until you get dressed."

Vanessa got out of bed and headed for the door. "As you wish. Stay here. I'm going for coffee."

"Yeah, I won't move—"

Vanessa didn't listen to Rebecca and went straight downstairs. She made herself some coffee and went back up to her room.

Rebecca was still standing there waiting for her.

"Becks, this is ridiculous. You're not going to let me be, are you?"

"Not until you get dressed! Owen and Jessica are getting married any minute now."

"The wedding starts at noon."

Rebecca crossed her arms and sat down in the armchair by the window. "I hope you'll be more excited, at least about my wedding," she muttered sullenly.

"God, you are such a drama queen."

Vanessa quickly drank her coffee and opened the wardrobe.

She took out a long satin strapless dress with a tight corset and put it on. The color was iridescent, from light gray at the top to dark gray down. A simple dress that looked dazzling on Vanessa's body.

"What do you say, Becks?"

"You look great, Nessa! The hair and makeup artist will be here any minute. Let's go to my room. We only have two hours to get ready."

"I don't need a hairstyle." Vanessa stood in front of the mirror and fixed her still-disheveled hair. "Look, my hair looks great."

"Yeah, yeah." Rebecca took her hand and led her to her room.

At 10 o'clock, the girls were ready. Rebecca's hair was styled in a tight high bun. Her makeup was in light and soft shades, matching her overall look.

Vanessa did not want complicated hairstyles, so the hairdresser left her hair loose but styled it in light waves. Her makeup was also minimal and natural, although the makeup artist eventually convinced her to apply dark red lipstick, which stood irresistibly on her lips and accentuated them against her overall simple look.

"Now, would you mind telling me what we're supposed to do for the next few hours?" Vanessa asked.

"We're going to the beach!"

Without waiting for an answer, Rebecca grabbed Vanessa's hand and led her downstairs. The two got into the car, waiting for them at the house entrance.

Vanessa still couldn't understand why anyone would choose the beach as their wedding venue. It was incomprehensible to her how it was possible to walk on the sand in heels with long dresses.

Until they arrived and everything made sense.

From the street, a wide wooden path was built across the sand down to the shore, at the end of which stood a colossal altar strewn with wonderful hanging flowers with white blooms. Chairs for the guests were arranged on podiums on both sides. All this was surrounded in a semi-circle by long tables covered with white tablecloths to the ground. Rebecca had helped Jessica with the organization, and everything was prepared down to the minor details in just a week. After the ritual, the chairs would be put away, and the dance floor would be formed in their place.

"Wow, it's so beautiful, Becks," Vanessa exclaimed as the two walked down the aisle. "You did a great job. I understand why you told Jessica she didn't need to hire an agency."

"Right? I promised her I'd give her the wedding of her dreams, and I think I did."

"Yes. You were born for this."

"Thanks, Nessa. I'm even starting to think Mike and I should also have our wedding on the beach."

"I think it will be wonderful. I changed my mind about beach weddings."

Rebecca smiled as she imagined her wedding while reviewing all the details one last time. She finished the decorations on the tables, and everything was ready just in time.

Owen arrived and was admiring the view.

Guests also began to come and take their seats on the aisle chairs.

Vanessa and Rebecca stood straight to the side.

"Mike just called me. They'll be here in a few minutes." Rebecca stated.

Vanessa shivered.

But before she could get lost in her thoughts, Jackson approached them in the company of Alice, one of the girls who were at the ball.

"Hi, girls. Sis, Nessa, you look gorgeous." Jackson kissed them both on the cheeks, then turned to his lady. "Alice, you remember Nessa, I guess. And this is my twin sister Rebecca."

Alice reached her hand to Vanessa and Rebecca in greeting. "Nice to see you again, Nessa. Hi, Rebecca. Nice to meet you."

"Hi, Alice." Rebecca hugged the girl tightly instead of shaking her hand. "So that's why I hardly see my brother at home lately, huh?"

Everyone laughed at Rebecca's words, but the smile on Vanessa's face quickly evaporated when she saw Mike and Cole walking toward them.

After Rebecca noticed them, too, she moved closer to Vanessa's ear. "By the way, Nessa, you never told me what happened the night you and Cole disappeared from the house."

Vanessa closed her eyes, remembering their last meeting. Their last kiss. "Nothing, Becks. Nothing happened."

"This nothing between you is starting to look more and more like something."

"Becks, please."

"Okay. I am just stating the obvious. Omg!" She abruptly changed the subject. "Look how handsome my future husband looks!"

Vanessa couldn't help but smile again.

"You look beautiful, Vanessa," Cole told her, staying already before her and looking into her eyes.

"Thank you, Cole. You too."

"Well, enough talk, guys!" Rebecca interrupted the intense moment. "The wedding is starting. Let's sit down."

Everyone took their seats, with Vanessa strategically taking the only available chair next to Rebecca to be as far away from Cole as possible.

The minister was already standing in front of the altar. Owen and his best man stood before, waiting for the bride.

There was silence. Mendelssohn sounded from the speakers that were lined up around. From the end of the aisle, Jessica stepped forward, accompanied by her father, followed by the bridesmaids.

As the bride walked, some of the guests, already overcome with emotion, prepared handkerchiefs to wipe their tears.

Once they reached the altar, Jessica's father gave Owen a warm nod leaving his daughter to him and retreated into his chair.

The newlyweds turned to the minister, who solemnly began the ceremony.

"Dear friends and family. We are gathered here today to witness and celebrate the union of Jessica and Owen in marriage. In the years they have been together. Their love and understanding of each other have grown and matured, and now they have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife." After a brief pause, the minister turned to the bride. "Do you, Jessica Williams, take Owen Rodgers as your lawful husband; to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health; to love and cherish until death do you part?"

"I do," Jessica replied while her eyes shone with happiness and love.

The minister turned to Owen as well. "Do you, Owen Rodgers, take Jessica Williams as your lawful wife; to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health; to love and cherish until death do you part?"

"I do."

Tears flowed. Applauses were heard from all sides.

"And now,"—the minister retook the floor—"by the power vested in me by the State of California, I pronounce you husband and wife. Owen, you may kiss your bride."

Owen put one arm around Jessica's waist, the other behind her head, and slowly bent down and kissed her passionately.

All the guests rose to their feet and began to applaud even louder.

Owen and Jessica were officially married.