As time passed and weeks turned into months, life's hectic moments came and went all the while Jake and Chelsea always made a point of having time for each other. When the divorce money finally came in, part of it was used to fund a trip to Hawaii while the rest went into purchasing their condo. It was more than enough room for the two of them, and they loved holding onto the memories that were being created there each and every day.
After the first year, Jake had to tell his father that he'd moved to LA and was making a name for himself. Peter was ecstatic. While the secretary romance hadn't gone exactly as planned and ended rather unpleasantly, the man chalked it up to one of life's many lessons. Peter promised to stop by for a visit soon, but Jake took it as seriously as his father's last promise to visit him in college which never happened during all four years.
At the completion of Jake's fourth movie with Helix as an assistant director, Kathryn had called in enough favors to give him a shot at directing. It was the chance he'd been waiting for, and Chelsea bought him an engraved watch to commemorate the occasion.
Stopping by the studio for lunch with Jake or visiting with friends in the industry, she and Kathryn met on several occasions. The voice message was the first thing Chelsea thought of when she saw a sexy executive approaching, and she was certain they would be enemies for life. But after getting to know each other, defensiveness turned to friendship and they became close friends. Seeing them out and about drinking and dancing, shopping, or just gossiping about Kathryn's latest infatuation was a constant source of Jake's hidden amusement.
Ultimately it was Kathryn who told Jake to start giving marriage some serious consideration. She was looking out for her best friend, and reminding Jake that Chelsea was patient but eager for a ring on her finger was enough to get the message across - that and making the subtle threat to cancel his existing contract and have him mopping floors was her tactful way of making him see things her way. It had been enough for Jake to start searching for rings, and he found the perfect diamond later that month.
Nearly five years of life together in Los Angeles had passed by the time Jake stood in a suit on a cliff overlooking the ocean and watched with profound joy as Chelsea walked down the aisle carrying a bouquet. He looked at the moment as if still in the director's chair and knew that there was nothing he would change. Her dress, her smile, the lighting, and the location were all perfect. He stood beside her in front of their many friends and family and recited his vows. They were all things she already knew, but it felt good hearing them all the same.
While not all family members chose to show up, the vast majority were there. Some seats were vacant as a way of expressing their disapproval, but they were distant family at best who had been invited more as a formality than anything else.
To Jake's surprise, his father was in attendance. Though he had initially been shocked by this turn of events, his son's happiness was more important than creating a rift. And besides, he approved of Chelsea wholeheartedly. He wanted to see her happy as much as she desired it for him. Seeing her and Jake taking their first kiss as husband and wife made it clear that this was how things were supposed to be. He set aside the history they shared and wished the newlywed couple his best.
"Do you remember what the old house used to look like? Chelsea asked one night. She tossed a camisole over her head and wrapped her arms around her husband as he brushed his teeth. "The walls were so bare. I hated it."
Jake spit out the toothpaste and looked at her curiously in the mirror. "I thought you were the one responsible for doing the decorating."
