25. Grant
Two years later…
In early June, when all the flowers at the botanical garden were in bloom, I stood at the altar and waited for Elise to join me.
Derek fidgeted next to me. I didn’t have a chance to go to his wedding, but I was proud to have him next to me as my best man.
“I’m telling you, it would’ve been so much easier when they were babies.” He shot a stern look at his son who threatened to run down the aisle too soon.
Ricky was the troublemaker, but my niece, the adorable Deborah, caught her brother’s sleeve and tugged him back in line.
I chuckled, amused as I always was at their antics. Two little hellions sure kept us all busy, but Elise and I loved to watch them.
“Mara still is a baby,” I reminded him.
My daughter watched her slightly older cousins from Ginny’s lap. Sucking on a pacifier, she looked like a calm child, just over a year old.
“All I’m saying, man, is you’ve got maybe ten seconds before he darts down here…”
I smiled, ready to agree with him on that countdown. I couldn’t have planned this wedding any other way, though. I had to make it perfect for Elise.
She hadn’t wanted to get married when she was pregnant, too focused on that event and in no rush to have our baby before sharing our I do s.
And I hadn’t considered marrying her before she showed or was too far along on the baby train because it took a while to arrange this special day as accurately as I could.
Claudia finally stepped closer, slanting a stern look at her son and daughter. Deborah smiled at her cheekily, always the good girl. Ricky straightened and feigned innocence. For only being two, they were innocent.
She gestured for them to walk down toward us. A small band of instrumentals filled the spring air, and I waited anxiously for the procession to come down the aisle.
Ricky threw the flower petals while Deborah selected them one at a time and delicately placed them on the carpet laid over the grass. Their vastly different methods earned plenty of laughter. Vince’s chuckles lasted the longest.
Both of the Newmans remained in our lives, no longer as business acquaintances but as good friends.
The twins took their spots in the small chairs arranged for them.
Next, Claudia walked down the aisle, already starting to show a bump for the twins’ future sibling. She smiled serenely, appearing calm and happy as ever. Even though she and Derek married so swiftly, their marriage was lasting long and well.
At last, my bride showed up. Elise stepped into the opening, dressed in as much of a replica of her grandmother’s dress as I could manage. That was the element of this special day that had taken so long to make happen. With Claudia’s help and her great secrecy, she provided me with photos and drawings of the family gown that was lost to them forever. Then with the help of Ginny’s connections with designers, I commissioned the dress to be made.
I surprised Elise with it last night. Perhaps it was “bad luck” to see the bride in her dress before the ceremony. I’d never been one to believe in luck or superstitions, though, not about weddings and love.
Elise and I had that spark. We loved each other too deeply, and we understood each other too well to need to count on luck helping us.
To keep the surprise going, I had her buy a dress, but last night, I revealed this gown. She cried. She stared at it, shocked. Then she cried more tears of happiness.
Watching her walk toward me, a gorgeous smile on her lips, I knew that I’d succeeded in making all her dreams come true.
We hadn’t started out with much of a foundation other than hidden desire and mutual attraction, but over time, since that weekend in the Bahamas, we’d grown as a couple. Our love was unshakable, and still, each day felt like a new adventure.
“Oh,” Claudia said, sniffling and smiling. “She’s so beautiful.”
“She is.” I smiled back at her as we locked eyes. I winked, feeling playful with her devoted gaze on me.
Then she played dirty, tucking the corner or her lower lip between her teeth.
You tease…
Back before Mara was born, I explained that her habit was such a turn on because it taunted me with wanting my lips on hers, my teeth torturing her flesh to the fine point of pleasure.
She took my hand and squeezed it as she faced me.
“Ready?” she asked as the wedding officiant began speaking louder for all the guests to hear.
I nodded. “I’ve been ready for this day for a long time.”
Her smile lifted higher. “Me too,” she whispered.
“We’re really doing this,” I whispered.
“No doubts?” she asked playfully.
I leaned in to kiss her, and the guests laughed.
She didn’t shy away, smiling and giggling after she kissed me back. “We’re not at that step yet!”
I glanced at the officiant, wondering if he’d hurry it up.
Six years of pining for this woman were long enough. Another two years of wanting to make her my wife were even longer to endure.
But it was all worth it to make this dream of hers come true. She never had to worry about belonging with me or being my type. She just knew she was.
I would bend over backward to make her happy, and it made the wait a fair price to pay. Ensuring this wedding could match the visions she’d rambled about at that museum might have seemed like overkill to others, but there wasn’t a thing I wouldn’t do for my assistant. My love.
And several minutes later, when the officiant told me to kiss my bride…
My wife.
I framed her face and leaned down to kiss her, sealing my vow to love her until my last breath.
Which was exactly what I planned to do.