Chapter 59
“Ican’t believe you hogged up all the suave in this family and have the nerve to show it off like this.” Nicky straightened my bow tie and brushed away a stray bit of dust from my crisp tuxedo. “You’re making the rest of us look bad.”
I grinned at her. “Listen, I’ve got to compete with my bride here.”
“Oh, there’s no competition.” Nicky laughed. “I just came from the bridal suite, and she looks incredible—real Marilyn Monroe meets Hedy Lamarr vibes. She’s going to knock your socks off.”
“She does that every time I see her.” The mere thought of Allie warmed me through. We’d spent most of the last year planning today, going through the minute details, celebrating each milestone with our friends and family.
Nicky playfully whacked my shoulder. “Quit being a sap. You’re going to make me envious, and Mom will be able to tell and start harping on me about finding someone, too.”
“Have Luca run defense.”
“I heard my name.” Luca popped up, dressed in a matching tuxedo with a red pocket square. “What am I doing?”
“Keeping Mom occupied so she doesn’t shove Nick down the aisle after me with the first decent person she can find in the crowd.”
“Can do.” Luca grinned. “I’ll flirt with one of the bridesmaids where she can see me and that should distract her.”
“Nervous?” My father joined us, smiling at his three children.
“Only about tripping,” I replied.
My father laughed. “Good. You picked a fine partner, and I’m glad to have her in the family.”
“Everyone, stop being sentimental around me or I’m going to start tearing up.” I shooed the lot of them away. I’d tried to sneak away to see Allie before the ceremony, but her mother had taken up guard duty and threw a towel at my face before I could see my bride. All the ladies, including my mom and Nicky, had spent the night at Allie’s mother’s to get ready together that morning.
I didn’t particularly mind the various traditions around marriage, but being separated from Allie the night before the ceremony meant I had to miss her. I was decidedly not a fan of that. It had taken me what felt like an eternity to fall asleep without her in the same bed. All I wanted was one little kiss to tide me over, but no one seemed keen on allowing me that.
I checked the clock for the fifth time in half an hour, eager for the ceremony to start.
“Calm down those ants in your pants,” Nicky chided. “Time won’t flow any faster because you’re impatient.”
“You don’t know that,” I countered. “Maybe the sheer force of my will can speed it up.”
“There’s only ten minutes left. We can probably go line up already as long as you don’t sneak any peeks if Allie comes around,” said Nicky. “We need that first look captured by the camera.”
The group of us left the groom’s suite and headed to wait outside the ceremony room. Allie was tucked behind a decorative folding screen, if Meg and Luna standing guard in front of it were any indication. The parents had gathered and one of the venue staff was waiting to direct everyone.
“Okay, it’ll be just like the rehearsal,” the staffer said. “Groom will go in first, then maid of honor and best groomswoman, then bridesmaid and groomsman followed by our bride and her mother. Everyone ready?”
A murmur of agreement rippled through the group.
Allie made herself known when her bouquet and hand appeared over the top of the screen. “Let’s get this show on the road!”
The staffer arranged us all in our proper order, and the music to announce the bridal party began.
I turned to the double doors, took a deep breath, and stepped through. Two hundred pairs of eyes turned to stare at me. Bundles of red flowers decorated the tops of small marble caryatid statues connected by red ribbons to create an aisle among the standing crowd. The air was scented with honeysuckle but even the blossoms weren’t as sweet as my bride. Allie had chosen the botanical gardens for the wedding, which gave us the bright blue sky above through the glass and all manner of tropical trees and flowers that filled every spare inch.
I forced myself to walk slowly like we’d practiced. The officiant had reminded us all multiple times not to rush because people got nervous and always zipped down the aisle. I smiled at my friends and the plethora of cousins grinning back at me.
I took my place to one side of the officiant. Meg and Nicky came next, walking arm in arm like a pair of models except for the fact that Nicky stuck her tongue out at me before taking her place at my side. Luca and Luna came after, my brother’s cheeks flushed pink, gaze slipping to the pretty omega every few steps. They parted ways, Luca standing next to Nicky and Luna next to Meg.
The music shifted and the crowd stood, turning as one to wait for Allie’s arrival. Energy shifted through the room in a ripple—Allie, the pebble tossed into the still lake. I froze when she came into view and my throat tightened.
Holy shit.
She was always beautiful, always perfect to me, but right this second she was a goddess descended to earth. Her smile was bright, and her gaze locked on me. Warmth burned my eyes and I blinked back the encroaching tears. I matched my breaths to her slow steps, focusing on keeping myself steady and not crying for the photos.
White satin hugged her body, emphasizing every exquisite inch. I wasn’t sure what all they’d done with makeup but her brown eyes sparkled and her red lips kept stealing my attention, even as my gaze swept over her, taking in the glittering earrings and swish of her skirt.
It honestly bordered on ridiculous how much I loved the woman walking toward me. She swept into my presence in a swell of honeysuckle, her soft hand reaching for mine. I took it and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. A teddy bear charm hung from her bouquet. I raised a questioning eyebrow. She winked at me, smiling at her throwback to Mr. Bear, who had come along with her for her first heat with me.
I took her in—the sheen of her sleek updo, the depth of her chocolate-brown eyes and the sweep of thick lashes around them, and the flush of her cheeks. She glowed.
Allie passed the bouquet over to Meg and focused all her attention on me. The officiant welcomed the guests, and a hush fell over the crowd. My heart pounded like a drum as I listened to the words. Hundreds of eyes were glued to us, but I looked only at my bride.
“Today we are gathered here to unite Allison and Sidney in marriage,” the officiant began. “Our bride and groom have prepared their own vows for the ceremony. Sidney, you may begin.”
I swallowed hard, encouraged when Allie squeezed my hands.
“I never thought I’d find the perfect partner at work or that fate would put you in my path again after four years apart. You’re beautiful—inside and out—and I couldn’t ask for a better person to share my life with. I don’t know why the universe decided to bless me so thoroughly, but I’ll be grateful until the day I die for the opportunity to love you. Even if your socks never make it into the hamper.”
The officiant smiled at me and gestured for me to continue, guiding me through the standard portion of the vows.
“I take you, Allison Maisie Carmichael, to be my wife, my bondmate, and my omega for as long as our souls endure. I will cherish, protect, and care for you until the last breath leaves my body.”
Then it was Allie’s turn to speak. Tears already rimmed her lower lashes.
“I’ve thought about marrying you since I was nineteen years old, when all I knew about you was that you were pretty and took care of me and let me eat dessert first.”
The wedding guests laughed softly.
“And then—” She sniffled. “And then we got another chance, and I’ve been wondering what I did to deserve you every day since. I love you so much and I apologize in advance for how many times I’m going to cry on you today.”
I squeezed her hands and soothed her with gentle strokes of my thumb.
Allie shivered. “I take you, Sidney Manuel Marino, to be my husband, my bondmate, and my alpha for as long as our souls endure. I will cherish you, protect you right back, and care for you until the last breath leaves my body.”
“Sidney and Allison have chosen to exchange rings as a symbol of their unending love and devotion,” said the officiant.
Luca passed over the rings, and Allie and I each took one to give the other.
I lifted her left hand and kissed her knuckles again. “I give you this ring to wear as a symbol of our love so all the world knows I will always stand by your side.” The slim gold band fit easily on her finger next to the engagement ring I’d put there last year.
Allie did the same for me, repeating the phrase that cemented our relationship for everyone in attendance.
“By the authority vested in me by the Department of Bondmates and Matrimony, I now pronounce you alpha and omega, husband and wife, and bondmates forever. You may now kiss your partner.”
Finally.
I tucked one hand against Allie’s cheek and the other to her waist, pulling her closer. Honeysuckle blossomed and filled my senses as I leaned in to accept Allie’s eager kiss. The hint of salt from her tears only highlighted the sweetness of her mouth and how much I wanted to touch her this way, every day, into eternity.
The audience roared their approval, applause like thunder in my ears. We were shuffled over to sign the legal paperwork before leaving the ceremony venue with the bridal party and parents in tow. Photos passed in a blur of color and laughter.
I stole Allie away and tucked us both into a copse of banana trees. “I need a few seconds alone with you. It’s been too many hours of chaos.”
She grinned up at me. “Hi, husband.”
“Hi, wife.” I leaned in to inhale her scent and pressed a soft kiss to her throat. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too.” Allie looped her arms around my neck.
We wouldn’t have long before people would be looking for us, but for the moment it was just the two of us among the verdant plants and I needed to have my arms around my wife.
“It was super weird spending the night without you,” Allie said.
“Well, luckily we have a ridiculously indulgent hotel room to share tonight so we can make up for lost time.” I slid my hands down her back to cup her satin-clad ass.
She giggled against me. “Bet you ten bucks that the photographer is lurking somewhere and already has a pic of you touching my butt.”
“Good. We should commemorate it.” I scooped her up and carried my happily cackling bride back to our group.
“There’s the lovebirds,” Meg said, laughing, as we rounded the corner and she ushered us over. “We should get our girl some snacks before we head to the reception.”
I set Allie upright but kept my arm looped around her waist. “Absolutely. Can’t have a hungry bride on our hands.”
We still had a bit of time before we needed to greet our guests, so for the moment the entire bridal party settled back into the bridal suite with a charcuterie board between us. Allie sat on my lap while Meg made meat and cheese bundles for her, passing them over on the tip of a tiny fork while the photographer snapped candids of everyone.
It was very likely my bride hadn’t been taking care of herself today, so I was glad Meg was taking her duty as maid of honor seriously and was keeping my ravenous mate fed until dinner. Flutes of champagne and fizzy lemonade decorated all of the flat surfaces, and I made sure Allie sipped some water as well to stay hydrated.
“You too, buster.” Meg held a water bottle out to me. “I’m not letting either of you keel over tonight.”
“Meg to the rescue!” Allie laughed and planted a firm kiss on her cheek.
“I can’t wait for dinner,” said Luca. “My stomach is gonna start going concave if I don’t get a real meal soon.”
Luna snorted. “There’s literally a tray of food in front of you.”
“Yeah, but if I ate as much of it as I wanted, there would be nothing left for anyone else. I’m being polite.”
“It’s true,” Nicky said with a laugh. “Don’t give Luca free rein on any food you want to actually eat yourself.”
“Lucky for Luca there’s a few things a girl can’t eat herself.” Luna winked at him and he flushed crimson. “I’d give him free rein on that.”
“Loons,” Meg chided. “You promised to behave.”
“Excuse you, I promised no such thing.” Luna popped a cherry tomato into her mouth.
“I vote we not mention either of my brothers eating anything ever again,” Nicky said, thrusting her hand into the air.
“Pretty sure you’d get outvoted between Allie and me.” Luna snickered. “But I’ll take pity on you for the moment. Besides, it’s all Allie’s fault.”
Allie squawked. “How is it my fault?”
“Because you’re all cute and happy and it makes me sad about my own very single life.”
I glanced over at Luca, who was red as a beet, eyes darting toward the door.
“Loons,” Meg said, “I’m gonna need you to keep your skirts down for the duration of the wedding. Tomorrow you do what you like.”
Luna sighed dramatically. “Fiiine.”
“Have you had enough to eat, sweets?” Meg asked Allie.
“Hmm, one more bite, please.” Allie popped her mouth open like a little bird for another meat and cheese parcel.
We’d all been awake since the ass crack of dawn, and I was grateful that we’d planned this short bit of reprieve after photos while the guests started on their cocktail hour.
“Okay, so,” said Nicky, staring at the wedding program, “dinner, then dancing through the whole evening, cake, bouquet and garter toss, and then our happy couple abandons us, right?”
“You bet!” Allie beamed. “We’ve got a bathtub big enough for a half dozen people calling our name.”
There was a knock at the door and Meg got up to answer it. One of the venue staff smiled on the other side.
“They’re ready to announce the couple whenever you’re ready.”
“We’ll be right out,” Meg replied and turned back to the group. “Come on, babes.”
Allie snickered and slid off my lap, pulling me along with her. “Time to greet our adoring public.”
Meg looped arms with Nicky and led our group to the reception hall, where the guests were gathered. The double doors swung open.
“Here’s the couple of the hour!” The DJ’s voice boomed over the speaker system. “Please welcome Mr. and Mrs. Carmichael-Marino!”
Nicky and Meg went in first, splitting apart to stand at each side, followed by Luca and Luna, and then finally Allie and I entered as the guests roared with applause, whoops, and whistles. Not for the first time, I was knocked breathless by a perfectly joyful Allie as I twirled my bride right onto the dance floor.
“We’ll kick off the evening with the couple’s first dance,” the DJ announced, switching the song.
I gave my bride another spin, her gown flaring around her knees, her sweet laughter rising over the music. I had no idea what god I’d impressed to be so blessed, but I’d take it. Even with all the eyes on us, it felt like it was just the two of us under the spotlight.
I spared a brief glance to the edge of the crowd to see the bridal party hustling someone away. Whatever it was, they could handle it. My only focus was Allie.