The Story of Us (Book 1 of "The Story of Us" Series) [Completed]

Epilogue - Love Story

We were both young, when I first saw you.
I close my eyes and the flashback starts
I'm standing there, on a balcony in summer air

[May 2010]

Harley Harper stood in front of the mirror, looking down at her wedding dress. It was a Vera Wang and it was designed specifically for her. It was strapless and fitted at the top but was poofy and full as the dress hit her hips. She helped design it, down to each stitch. To her, it was the perfect wedding dress. It was the dress she always dreamed of having. It was the dress she was about to be married in.

She looked over, watching Scarlett and Nick's mother, Jane, talk to the video cameras. She couldn't believe that she and Nick had agreed to have their wedding filmed for a reality show. It was something they both swore they would never do, but when the opportunity arose, everybody thought it was perfect with the way they had been so open the last six months about their life together and their story.

After touring for six months, she and the Backstreet Boys had a month off before starting their North American leg of their joint tour. Harley didn't know why, but she and Nick decided to get married then, before the rest of the tour started. She couldn't wait any longer and if she wanted to be honest with herself, she was still scared Nick would back out and run the other way.

It was May, the flowers were blooming and the Carnton Plantation outside of Franklin, Tennessee looked like Tara in a flashback to "Gone with the Wind." While it wasn't a castle like the one Nick had proposed in, it was perfect.

Everything was perfect. Everything had to be perfect.

I see the lights; see the party, the ball gowns.
I see you make your way through the crowd
You say hello, little did I know...

[September 4, 2009]

Nick Carter stood off to the side, watching Harley Harper as she posed for a photographer in one of the hallways of Windsor Castle, just outside of London. She looked like a princess. Her long dark hair was in ringlets with a small tiara on top of her head. Her dress looked like something that only a princess in a Disney movie would wear. He thought she looked like something out of a dream – his dream.

It had been a long day, being interviewed with Harley for Vanity Fair and then her photo shoot that he wasn't a part of. He didn't mind that part. He liked watching Harley get dolled up because it was one of her favorite parts of the music business. She loved having her photo taken. She loved getting dressed up, pretending to be a character that she wasn't.

"I think we're done," the Italian photographer said as one of the helpers helped Harley off of a platform she was standing on. She grinned, walking up to Nick and smiled.

"You look fucking gorgeous," Nick smiled, leaning against the stone wall. "I think you need to just keep this dress and wear it all the time. You look like a princess."

"That was the idea," she smiled. "Me as a princess, in a castle with my own little fairy tale." Nick looked around, seeing some of the photo shoot crew clearing out.

"Harley, come to hair and make-up so we can get you out of that dress," a lady said as he walked by Harley.

"Come with me first," Nick said, taking Harley's hand. He led her down the hallway and looked around before opening one of the double doors that lead outside. They looked out as the rolling hills of emerald green grass on the estate that the castle was on. He led her away from the door and smiled at her.

"Nick, we can't do that out here," she said as he shook his head. He reached inside of his pocket and kneeled down on one knee. "Nick, what are you doing?"

"I promised you like six years ago that one day I would ask you to marry me," Nick whispered, looking up at her. "We were here in England, in London and you told me what kind of ring you always imagined yourself having." Harley watched him as he moved a heart-shaped diamond ring between his fingers. "Took me a little while, but I bought his ring over two years ago and I waited for us and I waited for you, baby and I know this is it. At this castle, you dressed like a freakin' princess and I want to give you your fairy tale that you've always wanted."

Tears started flowing down Harley's cheeks as she put her free hand over her mouth, in shock.

"Harley Harper, will you marry me?" Nick asked, his voice trembling from nerves.

"Nick, you better not be kidding..." Harley whispered, her voice cracking.

"Baby, I'm serious. I've never been more serious," he said as she started to smile.

"Yes, I will so fucking marry you," she whispered, watching Nick slip the ring on her finger.

[/September 4, 2009]