Ainsley
Carly had just zipped up the back of my dress when a knock came to her door. Jane walked over, pulling it open. The wedding planner stood there holding a small pillow that contained our rings for Nikki to carry, along with my bouquet.
She came right in, handing Nikki the pillow and showing her how to hold it, then she came over to me and placed the bouquet in my hand. I smiled as I looked down at the tropical flowers.
“Okay, so we are heading to the beach,” she said. “Nikki, you will walk beside me. Carly, you will be next, and , of course, you will be last. We will meet your father down there, and that is when the ceremony will begin.”
I swallowed hard and nodded, hoping that everything would go smoothly.
“What about Spencer, Max, and Mike?” I questioned.
She smiled. “They are already down there. I just left them before I came here.”
I let out a breath as she took Nikki by the hand. “Ready?” she asked, looking down at her.
Nikki nodded her head, and we began the walk toward my future. People turned their heads and watched as we made our way through the resort. Carly walked beside me, holding the back of my dress up out of the sand.
“You ready?” she asked, leaning into me.
“Never been more ready for anything in my life,” I said, smiling at her.
“I’m thrilled for you,” she whispered.
“Thank you.”
Things between us grew quiet for a moment. Then she leaned in. “Can I tell you something?”
“Of course.”
“I wanted to apologize to you. I really was wrong about Spencer. He really is a good man. I am so happy that you found him.”
I laughed. “Found him? Well, in all fairness, I practically stalked the man.” I giggled, thinking back to when I’d set up that ridiculous profile through his website just to speak to the man I lived beside.
“I know. I just wanted you to know that I was wrong. I never really gave him a chance.”
“It’s okay,” I said, stopping and wrapping my arms around my best friend. “You’ve always been overprotective, and I know now that you were just looking out for me.”
“I was.”
We continued on our way toward the wedding gazebo we had chosen down at the end of the beach, finally coming to the end of the path. I glanced through the trees and caught sight of Spencer standing beside his brothers, talking. He looked so handsome in his dark suit. As I watched him, I noticed little things. He fiddled with his watch, then the button on his suit jacket. Then he laughed again at something Mike said before returning to the watch. Was he nervous?
I smiled, and then I heard Carly let out a little gasp as she, too, looked in the same direction. “Are you okay?” I whispered while the wedding coordinator spoke to Jane.
“Hmmm, yes,” Carly said, a light blush on her cheek.
I glanced through the trees and saw Max standing there looking toward us as he spoke to Spencer. Then I turned and looked at my best friend. She was watching his every move, her cheeks flushed.
I softly smiled to myself, then nudged Carly. “I know what, or should I say who, you are watching.” I giggled. “Perhaps a little crush going on here?”
“Maybe.” Carly giggled.
They’d hit it off last night and spent most of the evening sitting at the bar, talking. When Max offered to walk Carly back to her room, Spencer and I glanced at one another.
I was about to lean in and say something when I saw the men take their positions, and then the Bohemian music began playing, and Nikki headed toward the gazebo carrying the little pillow that contained our rings.
As the music played, I took my father’s elbow, and we stood together while Nikki and Carly started toward the gazebo. My father turned to me and smiled. “You look gorgeous, . Just like your mother did the day we wed,” he whispered.
It was the first time I’d ever heard my father reference my mother as being beautiful, and a tear escaped my eyes. “Thanks, Daddy. I’m so glad you are here.”
“Me too,” he whispered, leaning in and kissing my cheek. “I feel like I lost a lot of time with you because it was so hard for me to come to grips to hand you over to this man, but I know in my heart this is the right thing for you. I’m sorry for all you’ve lost.”
A tear slipped down my cheek. My father wiped it away with his rough fingers. “I can’t walk you down the aisle in tears,” he said, leaning in and kissing me on the cheek. “It’s supposed to be the happiest day of your life.”
“It is, Dad. I am happy.” I sniffled.
When the wedding coordinator signaled to us, my father looked over at me as I let out a breath. “Ready?” he asked me quietly.
“Never been so ready in my life,” I whispered back.
Together we took the first few steps, and when I looked up, my eyes locked with Spencer’s. All the memories came flooding into my mind. The first time I saw him over the fence in his backyard, the first time he’d turned those blue eyes toward mine and allowed them to run the length of my body, the first time his hand brushed my cheek and his lips brushed mine.
A flood of emotion waved over me as his eyes trailed my body. When we approached, my father leaned in and whispered something to Spencer, and then placed my hand in his. I took a step closer to Spencer. He looked down into my face. “You look absolutely stunning,” he whispered to me as he leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on my cheek.
A gentle breeze blew as the wedding official began speaking. We stood listening to the words he spoke, each of us taking them in. Then he looked at us both. “It’s time for the vows.”
I swallowed hard. Spencer and I had written our own vows, and while I’d run over my words with Carly a hundred times, butterflies still floated around my stomach as I worried I may forget them.
I looked at Spencer as he took both of my hands in his. He looked at the ground and then up at me, looking me directly in the eyes.
“, my love. It is with great pride I take you for my wife. We have proven to each other that together we can weather any storm that life presents.”
I watched as he swallowed hard, his eyes looking a little glassy.
“In you, I have found my forever partner.”
I blinked hard as my vision became blurry, and I reached up to dab under my eyes before I had tears and makeup streaming down my face.
“In a short time, you have become my lover, my companion, but most of all, my best friend. With you by my side, I know I will never be lonely again. I get to have you every day and night for the rest of eternity as my lover, my wife, and soulmate. You’re my love and my light.”
Spencer turned to Max and held his hand out. Max reached down and untied the ring from the small pillow that Nikki held and handed it to Spencer.
Spencer turned back to me and took my hand in his, sliding the ring partway onto my finger. “, I give you this ring as a sign of my love, that it is forever, eternal and never-ending,” he said, gently placing the ring on my finger.
I swallowed hard as I met his eyes. I took his hands in mine again, hoping that he couldn’t feel them shaking.
“Spencer, I am so lucky to call you mine. You are everything that I dreamed of, and all that I will ever need. I’m so madly in love with you, and I promise that my love for you will only grow stronger with each day that passes. I promise to be your friend and partner every step of the way, no matter what we may face.”
Spencer’s eyes were glued to mine as I swallowed hard, willing my voice not to shake.
“Today I give myself to you in marriage. To share my life in good times and bad. When our love is simple and when it’s an effort, through whatever may cross our paths, I promise to cherish you and always hold you in the highest regard.”
I turned to Carly, waiting while she removed the ring from the pillow and placed it in my hand.
I turned back to Spencer and met his eyes. “I vow to be here with you and for you today, and all the days of our lives. Spencer, I give you this ring as a sign of my love, that it is forever, eternal, and never-ending.” I slipped the ring onto his finger and met his eyes. He smiled down at me as I smiled up at him.
“I would like to take this opportunity to present to everyone Mr. And Mrs. Spencer Brooks. You may now kiss your bride.”
Spencer took a step closer to me and wrapped me in his arms, pulling me against him. He brought his hand to my cheek and met my lips, kissing me for the first time as my husband.