Chapter 8
Raf stormed into thehotel lobby, his heart pounding like a drum and a tight knot of worry in his chest. He had spent a sleepless night trying to reach Josie, only to be met with unanswered phone calls. What had happened? His mind raced with dark possibilities as he approached the front desk, seeking answers.
A poised brunette dressed in a black skirt and a crisp white shirt approached him. Her name tag read ”Emma.”
”Raf,” she called his name, her voice laced with concern, and she held an envelope in her hand. ”Josie asked me to give you this.”
His eyes darted around the lobby as if expecting to find her at any moment, but she was nowhere to be seen. ”Where is she?” Raf”s voice trembled with anxiety.
”She just left to go to the beach,” Emma replied before returning to the reception desk, leaving him with the mysterious envelope.
Raf quickly tore it open, unfolding the letter, and his heart sank as he read the words:
‘Dear Raf,
I wish things had turned out differently. I wish you didn”t have to choose between being with your family or being with me. I wish we were different people and we could just have a future together. I regret nothing. I”m so glad we met and had our time together. I wish I”d been able to see you to say goodbye, but I understand why you had to send the message you did.
All the best,
Josie’
Raf felt like a punch in the gut had knocked the wind out of him. What message had Mateo sent, and what had his brother done? With a racing heart, he dashed out of the hotel, heading for the beach. But as he drove, clarity descended upon him. This wasn”t a letter someone would leave if they were just going to the beach; this was a goodbye letter. Josie was leaving. He detoured home before continuing on his journey.
He parked his truck in long-term parking at the airport and sprinted toward the international terminal, searching the bustling line of passengers for the tell-tale sight of her long brown hair and bandaged arm. Just when he thought he might be too late, he spotted her at the ticket counter. He rushed to her side.
”Don”t go,” he implored, breathless.
She turned to him; her eyes wide with surprise. ”What are you doing here?”
”I”m here for you. Please, let”s talk.” Raf took her backpack and gestured away from the counter.
Josie hesitated, her lip trembling, before collecting her passport and wallet and following him. Raf spoke urgently as they moved away from the crowd, his voice rough with emotion. ”I didn”t send you a message. My brother Mateo sent it while I was in the shower, and then he deleted the message. I don”t even know what he sent.”
Understanding dawned in Josie”s eyes. ”But that doesn”t change anything. Your family disapproves of us being together, and I don”t want to come between you and them. I know how much you love your family.”
Raf grasped her hand firmly. ”Yes, I do, and it”s not true that they disapprove. I told my father about you, and he completely supports us being together. I love you, Josie. I want to be with you. Nothing has changed.”
Josie glanced at him and then quickly looked away, as if too scared to meet his gaze. ”Yes, it has,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. ”I need to go out on my own. Find myself. I need to work on my dream.”
”We can do that together,” Raf insisted.
Josie shook her head, her arms crossed defensively. ”I”m going to hold you back. You know what you want to do in your life, and I”m still figuring it out.”
”So, that”s what we should be doing,” Raf argued. ”Figuring things out. The one thing I know is that I want to do it with you by my side. You”re the one I want to be with, now and always.”
Josie blinked back tears. ”But our families won”t ever let us be. Your brother tried to break us up, and my sister will do the same.”
”Then we need to ensure that they know this is real,” Raf said, determination in his eyes. He dropped to one knee, holding her hand. ”Josephine Marie Heron, will you marry me? Will you be my life partner now and always?”
Josie blinked at him, disbelief washing over her. ”But... we just met.”
”Yes, and I have no doubt that you”re meant to be my wife. So we can do the dating thing, and the engagement thing, or we can just plunge in and begin our lives together.”
Josie bit her lip, her eyes filled with uncertainty.
”Please say yes. Please choose us,” Raf begged.
”Yes,” she cried out, tears of joy and relief streaming down her face. ”Yes, yes, yes.”
He swept her into his arms, their lips meeting in a passionate, joyful kiss. Unbeknownst to them, a small crowd had gathered, and cheers and applause erupted as they pulled away.
”What do we do now?” Josie asked, still in his embrace.
”We get married,” Raf declared, pulling out his passport. ”We go to the one place in the world where we can get married immediately and begin our life together.”
Josie beamed at him, her heart full of happiness. They joined the line again, kissing and holding each other as they waited. When they reached the counter, the ticket agent spoke up.
”How can I help you?” she asked.
”Two tickets to Las Vegas,” Raf said.
Josie laughed beside him, her eyes sparkling.
The ticket agent typed on her screen and looked up at them with a smile. ”Perfect timing. There is a flight to Sydney airport in an hour and then a connecting flight to Las Vegas an hour later.’
”It was fate,” Raf said.
”Economy or business?” the agent inquired.
”First class,” Josie said, handing over her rewards system card. ”I have enough points for us to get there.”
”And for return flights back here?” Raf raised an eyebrow.
”Here?” Josie asked, surprised.
”Yes, I want Regal Bay to be our home. I have a patch of land my dad bought me. We can put a portable house on it until we build our own.”
Josie smiled through her tears. ”And return flights,” she added to the clerk.
”When would you like your return flights to be?” the clerk asked.
”In a week,” Raf said, hugging Josie tightly. ”I want a proper honeymoon to enjoy together.”
They received their tickets and walked hand in hand to the gate, their love story unfolding with each step.
* * *
24 hours later
The neon lights of the Las Vegas Strip bathed the city in a kaleidoscope of colors as Raf and Josie stood hand in hand, gazing into each other”s eyes. Their hearts raced with anticipation as they prepared to exchange their vows at the Oceanic Bliss Chapel. The chapel was a small, intimate venue with an oceanic theme that made them feel like they were in a world of their own.
Josie, dressed in a flowing aquamarine gown that shimmered like the sea, looked radiant, the long sleeves concealing the bandage on her arm. Her dark hair cascaded down her shoulders, and the sparkle in her eyes outshone the glitzy lights of the city. Raf, dashing in a crisp white suit, couldn”t take his eyes off her. He had never seen a more beautiful bride.
As the soft strains of a harp filled the air, they walked down the aisle toward the altar, where an arbor of seashells and driftwood framed the backdrop of a serene underwater scene. Raf”s heart pounded with nerves and excitement, and Josie”s hand in his provided the comfort he needed.
The officiant, dressed as a mermaid, began the ceremony, and their love-filled vows echoed through the chapel like the gentle lapping of waves on the shore. With each word they spoke, they sealed their promises to one another with heartfelt kisses.
”I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the mermaid-officiant announced with a cheerful smile as a recorded sound of seagulls and crashing waves filled the chapel.
Raf and Josie, now married, exited the chapel as a shower of biodegradable confetti rained down on them, reminiscent of ocean spray. They laughed and kissed, blissfully unaware of the bustling city around them.
Soon, they made their way to the honeymoon suite at a luxury hotel a short drive away. The suite was nothing short of a dream, with floor-to-ceiling windows offering a breathtaking view of the city lights and the fountains of the Bellagio. The room was adorned with romantic, beach-themed decorations and scattered rose petals.
Raf swept Josie into his arms, carrying her over the threshold, and she giggled in delight. He set her down gently, and they shared a passionate kiss as they closed the door behind them.
‘I can’t wait to begin our lives together, Mrs King,’ Raf said, taking off his jacket.
‘Mrs Heron-King, thank you,’ Josie teased as she undid his shirt buttons.
‘Heron-King,’ Raf mused. ‘It has quite a ring to it.’ He untied her zipper, and her dress pooled around her feet. She stepped out of it, wearing a strapless bra and panties. Her hands moved to his zipper, and he gasped as she gently undid it, her hands inside, gently caressing him.
He lifted Josie in his arms and carried her to the bed, laying her down gently.
The room was aglow with soft candlelight, casting a warm and intimate ambiance. Raf and Josie reveled in the moment”s magic, their love intensified by the enchanting atmosphere surrounding them.
Raf kissed her deeply, his hands caressing her and taking off her bra and panties. Josie moaned and writhed on the bed as he kissed her breasts, then her stomach and navel. She tugged him up, and he looked deeply into her eyes, his hands grasping hers. ‘I love you,’ he whispered as he entered her, the two of them moaning as their flesh merged as one.
‘I love you too,’ she whispered against his lips.
He made love to her, slowly, reverently, telling her with every stroke of his body that he was here to worship her. They moaned together as they climaxed.
He lay next to her, tugging her close as her head lay on his shoulder. He held her hand, admiring the gold bands shimmering on their ring finger. They’d arranged the wedding on the plane and picked the rings from a local jeweler, getting them delivered to the chapel for their wedding.
He kissed her hand.
‘I’m so happy,’ she sighed, kissing his chest.
‘Me too.’
He held her close, their hearts beating as one, and began their journey into the depths of love and passion, cherishing the promise of a lifetime together as husband and wife.
‘But—’
‘But you’re worried about telling our families?’ he said, feeling the worry washing over her. ‘My father already knows. He’s already planning his wedding present—a mobile home to be set up on my block of land.’
‘Really?’ Josie said.
‘Yes, and I know how we’re going to tell the rest of our family.’ He reached over to the bedside table and handed her an announcement card he’d ordered online while they traveled to Vegas.
She took it and read:
‘It’s official. Josie and Raf exchanged vows on the 4 November 2023 in Las Vegas. Although we decided to celebrate our love only in the company of each other, we know that you were in our hearts and our thoughts. Love, Mrs and Mrs King.’
Josie laughed with delight, covering her mouth as she shook with mirth. ‘Amanda and my father are going to have their heads explode.’
‘My only regret is that I won’t see Mateo’s face,’ Raf said, filled with satisfaction at the thought of his big brother’s frustration and fury. ‘By the time we return from our honeymoon, they’ll have had time to process and get over it.’
Josie laughed again. ‘I’m not sure about that.’
Raf had his own doubts about how Mateo would receive the news, but it was a moot point now. He kissed his wife, holding her tightly, feeling contentment wash over him. No one would come between them.
Las Vegas may have been known for its whirlwind weddings, but for Raf and Josie, this was only the beginning of their adventure together.
* * *
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