Worship Him

31. Destiny

31

DESTINY

I stand in front of the full-length mirror, smoothing down my dress for the hundredth time. It's a simple, elegant gown I designed myself—off-white with delicate lace detailing. My hands are shaking slightly, but it's not from nerves. It's pure excitement.

"You look stunning, Des," Jackie says, adjusting my tiara. "Adam's gonna lose it when he sees you."

I grin at her reflection. "Thanks, Jackie. For everything. I don't know how I would've made it through this past year without you and Barrett."

"That's what friends are for," she replies, giving my shoulder a squeeze. "Now, let's get you married. Again."

We step out of the room and into the hallway of the small, rustic venue Adam and I chose for our intimate ceremony. As we walk, I spot Barrett holding Avery, who's dressed in an adorable white onesie with a tulle skirt.

"There's my girl," I coo, reaching for her. Avery giggles, her tiny hands grasping at my face.

"Careful now," Barrett warns, "don't want to mess up your makeup before the big moment."

I laugh, kissing Avery's chubby cheek. "Worth it."

The music starts, and my heart races. Jackie takes Avery, and Barrett offers me his arm. "Ready?" he asks.

I take a deep breath and nod. "More than ever."

I would have loved to have my dad walk me down the aisle again, but he and my mom took an impromptu vacation to Asia at the worst possible time.

Well, Barrett is a fantastic replacement and this wedding is more of a symbolic affair, so I’m not too disappointed.

We step into the small garden where our guests are gathered and my eyes lock onto Adam. He stands tall and proud at the end of the aisle, looking devastatingly handsome in his tailored suit.

When we reach him, Barrett places my hand in Adam's. "Take care of her," he says, his voice gruff with emotion.

Adam's grip tightens on mine. "Always," he promises.

I stand under the flowery arch, my hand clasped tightly in Adam's, and I can't help but marvel at the beauty surrounding us.

The white and red lilies scattered everywhere seem to glow in the soft light of dusk, their petals catching the gentle breeze. Fairy lights twinkle in the trees, casting a magical glow over our intimate gathering.

"You look absolutely breathtaking," he whispers, his dark blue eyes intense as they lock onto mine.

I squeeze his hand, a smile playing on my lips. "You clean up pretty well yourself, Mr. Ryder."

The officiant clears his throat, drawing our attention back to the ceremony.

As he speaks about love and second chances, I find myself stealing glances at our guests. Jackie and Barrett sit in the front row, Avery nestled in Jackie's arms. My heart swells at the sight of our daughter, her tiny fingers reaching for the twinkling lights above.

"I believe you've prepared your own vows?" the officiant prompts, pulling me back to the present.

Adam nods, his grip on my hand tightening slightly. "Destiny," he begins, his voice steady and sure, "I thought I knew what love was when we first met. But standing here with you now, after everything we've been through, I realize I had no idea. You've shown me what true partnership means, what it feels like to be completely understood and accepted. I promise to never take that for granted again."

Tears prick at my eyes, but I blink them back. "Adam," I say, my voice wavering slightly, "you've always pushed me to chase my dreams, to believe in myself. Even when we were apart, that never changed. You are my biggest inspiration in life. That’s why I promise to always be your biggest supporter, your partner in every sense of the word. We've been given a second chance, and I intend to make the most of it."

We exchange rings, the metal cool against my skin, and I'm struck by how right this feels. It's not just a wedding—it's a rebirth, a recommitment to the love we never truly lost.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife," the officiant declares. "You may kiss the bride."

Adam's lips meet mine, and the world fades away. In this moment, under the twinkling lights and surrounded by flowers, it truly feels like we're living our own modern fairy tale.

We walk down the aisle, holding hands, laughing as our few guests throw red and white confetti over our heads.

I catch a glimpse of Jackie sniffling and Thomas, Adam’s lawyer, grins widely at him, shooting my husband with a ‘you got this’ look.

When we say our goodbyes to our friends and family, I can't help but feel a surge of excitement. Adam scoops up Avery, cradling her against his chest, and we make our way to the car.

"Ready for our family honeymoon, Mrs. Ryder?" he asks, his voice low and teasing.

I laugh, sliding into the passenger seat. "More than ready, Mr. Ryder."

We drive to our cottage, the car filled with comfortable silence, punctuated by Avery's soft coos and occasional giggles. I find myself stealing glances at Adam, admiring the way the setting sun casts a golden glow on his profile.

"What're you thinking about?" he asks, catching me staring.

"Just... how happy I am," I admit, my voice thick with emotion. "I never thought we'd be here again."

He reaches over, taking my hand in his. "We're exactly where we're supposed to be, Des. Together."

I nod, feeling as if my heart is going to burst with joy. What a lovely sensation.

As we drive, memories of our past visits to the cabin flood my mind. The laughter, the stolen kisses, the plans we made for our future.

Unexpectedly, tears start to well up in my eyes.

"Hey," Adam says softly, pulling over the car and turning to face me. "What's wrong?"

I shake my head, wiping at my eyes. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just... overwhelmed. In the best way possible."

He leans over, cupping my face in his hands. "We've got our whole lives ahead of us, Des. And I promise you, every day will be better than the last."

I take his hand in mine. "I know, that’s why I can’t help but cry like an idiot."

He smiles and kisses me softly. "You’re wonderful." Shifting back into his seat, he smiles again. "Now, let’s get to that cabin so we can start our honeymoon already. I look forward to ripping your clothes off again."

I gasp. "Adam! We’ve got Avery with us!"

"And? She’s a deep sleeper. Fortunately, because her mom can be quite the screamer when she’s having fun."

My cheeks flush. "Y-you…"

He keeps his eyes on the road but laughs heartily. "Not your fault your man is so good at making you feel amazing. Don’t feel bad."

I roll my eyes, laughing. "Yeah, yeah." I glance at him. "You better put your money where your mouth is tonight."

"Oh, I plan to put my mouth on many places. And my hands…"

Avery’s sudden laughter rings out in the car, making me look at her. She’s looking out of the window, highly entertained by the trees passing us by.

"You like the trees, cupcake? Lucky for you, there are many at the cabin. You’ll get to enjoy lots of time outside."

As we wind our way through the lush forest, the setting sun casts a golden glow on the trees. I'm lost in thought, marveling at how perfect this moment feels, when Avery's excited squeal snaps me back to reality.

"Look!" Adam exclaims, pointing to the side of the road. "Avery's spotted something."

I follow their gaze and gasp. A majestic deer stands at the edge of the treeline, its ears perked up in our direction.

"Pull over," I whisper, not wanting to startle the animal. "Quick, before it runs off."

Adam smoothly guides the car to the shoulder, cutting the engine. We sit in silence for a moment, watching the deer through the windows.

"Dah!" Avery babbles, her tiny hands pressed against the glass.

"That's right, sweetheart," I coo softly. "It's a deer. Can you say 'deer'?"

Adam chuckles. "I think 'dah' is close enough for now." He reaches for his phone. "We should get a picture of this."

Carefully, we step out of the car. The deer watches us warily but doesn't bolt. I position Avery on my hip, angling her towards the animal.

"Look, baby," I whisper. "See the pretty deer?"

Avery's eyes widen, and she points her chubby finger straight at the deer. "Dah!"

Adam quickly snaps a photo, capturing the perfect moment of wonder on our daughter's face. The click of the camera seems to startle the deer, and it bounds gracefully back into the forest.

"Well, that was magical," I say, kissing Avery's cheek.

"Just the start of our perfect honeymoon," Adam replies, wrapping an arm around us both. "Ready to hit the road again?"

I nod, settling back into the car with Avery. We continue our drive, and I can't help but feel a surge of excitement for what's to come.

Our little cottage getaway might not be the most extravagant honeymoon, but with my little family by my side, it's absolutely perfect.

Avery quickly falls asleep in my arms and I take this time to reflect. We’ve come so far, and I can’t wait to see where things go from here.

Adam talks about SynapseX, answering all the questions I have. I listen to him talk with wide eyes, impressed by everything he’s achieved in the time we were apart.

"You’re amazing," I say, caressing his cheek.

"I know," he grins, which turns into laughter when I playfully pull his ear. His face goes serious. "You really have no idea how much I missed you when…you know."

Guilt makes me swallow hard. "I really am sorr?—"

"No, let me finish. I’m not saying that to make you feel bad. I don’t often express how I feel, but you need to know that you’re my world. You, and now Avery too."

I smile. "I do know. But thank you for saying it."

He nods, his eyes on the road.

I suddenly remember the slideshow I had made for him just after he found out about Avery. I’m glad I didn’t give it to him back then because it would make a lovely wedding gift. I’ll just have to add some of the photos we’ve taken together since. It will be perfect.

I stare at him for a moment longer, appreciating that he’s the one person I can’t live without, before Avery shifts and demands my attention.

Truly, I couldn’t be happier.