"Should I marry him? Or should we run away and live in some hut on a beach?" Sam spoke softly as she ran her fingers through his hair. They had been here before but he always left her heart broken and alone. Would he do it again this time? Or would he finally save her.

The sudden bang on the door made them jump, the other women were looking for her. Sam and Paul got dressed quickly. She turned to look him in the eye. "I love you, you know that right? I don't want to marry him but I also don't want to keep being alone in my life. I want someone to share things with. Will you ever be able to be that person for me?"

She was now holding his hand up to her chest. He paused and she could tell the answer was no. He would never be able to love her back the way she needed. Her fiancé was able to give her everything she needed and even though she didn't love him the way she loved Paul, she would be walking down the aisle next week.

Sam turned and left the butler's pantry, closing the door behind her.

Turning around the corner and entering the lounge room she screamed "peek a boo!!!!" and the ladies screamed with excitement. The bride to be was back and they could get back to the drinking games.

With another shot of vodka, Sam looked at her best friend Sandra and made a poor attempt at a smile. Sandra knew exactly where Sam had been because Sandra was Paul's cousin who was visiting from interstate. A fact that Sandra and Sam weren't aware of until tonight. Sandra had met Sam through a child care center that their children attended and they had been friends for ten years. When Sam walked in to the bachelorette party tonight to see Paul walk down the stairs her heart sank.

What were the chances that the man she knew twenty years ago, the man who ripped her heart out of her chest before her first marriage would be here, at the party to send Sam off on her new marriage.

Sam had been married before, had two children, but the marriage didn't last past the 12 year point and for the last 6 years she had made a beautiful life for herself. Only a year ago she met Cameron and let him join her in life. They were comfortable, kind to each other, and he didn't want children, which is great as Sam's three girls had grown up and left home. They spent their days at work or in the forest camping, just relaxing.

Paul entered the room and poured himself a drink. He lurked by the window, watching Sam. She ignored him but could feel him there. She liked him watching her.

Her phone in her pocket made a ding and she pulled it out and unlocked it, revealing a new text. From an unknown number it read 'I choose you. Do you want a drink?'

Her skin was covered in goosebumps as she had wanted to hear this from him for thirty years since they were young and carefree. Before all of the marriages and children entered their lives.

She responded to the text with 'if you truly mean it, I want you to declare it to me in front of these women. Tell them that I have you completely and that the wedding is off.'

She saw him look at his phone and then look at her from across the room.

Without hesitation he pulled out a chair and stood on it, up high above the room and cleared his throat.