Hardin is still pining for Tessa, a year after she broke up with him upon discovering his manuscript for
After, their love story. His publisher Katherine urges him to produce a follow-up to the best-seller before year's end. She pressures him to go clubbing with her and her friend, which Hardin cannot enjoy as he has continual flashbacks of Tessa. They get him to take them to his place but his mood does not improve, so he drinks until he passes out. Over a lunch with his mother and birth father the next day, Hardin is reprimanded for drinking again, wallowing and not trying to move on. Explaining that Tessa was his whole reason for being and his muse, he has writer's block. Hardin's mum suggests he make peace with the past, then mentions that Natalie, from his youth is now living in
Lisbon. Hardin flies down to make amends with Natalie, going to the bridal shop where she works. She ushers him out, but meets with him later. He has a flashback to when they had met. To recover an expensive watch in a poker game, Hardin accepted a bet to seduce her and produce proof, so he recorded it. Natalie moved to Lisbon to escape the backlash from Hardin's friend making the video go viral. She had also lost her means to go to college, so decided to make a fresh start far from the incident. After they have caught up, Natalie invites Hardin to meet up with her and her friends on the beach. There Sebastian, a guy wary of him, talks him into cliff diving. Sailing the next day with Natalie, telling her about when Tessa broke up with him, Hardin is made to realise both situations were similar. Both had their private lives made public with no warning. Back on the beach, Sebastian and his friends beat Hardin up for flirting with another one of his friends, who gets locked up in jail. Hardin's birth father comes down and bails him out. He gives him a motivating pep talk, making him see that he can both hold a place in his heart for Tessa, but slowly work on moving forward. As Hardin is cleaning his space, he sees Landon's wedding invite, asking him to be his best man. He decides to stay a while longer, to try to write. Natalie comes by with a care package for Hardin, apologizing for Sebastian's behavior. She almost kisses him, but he reminds her he is still in love with Tessa. He thanks her for being able to forgive him. Feeling inspired, Hardin starts writing again. Finishing the manuscript entitled
Before, he gives a copy to Natalie, asking for her OK before submitting as she is included in it. She is happy with it, then Hardin surprises her with the coastal house of her dreams. Back in America, Nora is with Tessa, nervously hoping the ceremony proceeds without a hitch. As best man and maid of honor, Hardin and Tessa walk down the aisle together, the first time they have seen each other in over two years. At the reception, he bribes his little half-brother to ask her to dance, so he can cut in. Hardin's best man speech about missing half of his soul resonates with Tessa. He follows her out, they apologize to one another, then come together. Tessa calls them a mess, which he disagrees with. They decide they are inevitable. Hardin, in a moment of clarity, gets down on one knee and proposes. Flash forward, Hardin arrives home with his book
Later under his arm. He greets their little girl, then a visibly pregnant Tessa. ==Cast==