Chapter 38 Marcus
Despite all the stress and drama surrounding this one, I love weddings.
There’s no greater event than the representation of true love and joining two souls together. It’s unmatched.
Everyone’s family members and friends are together in one place, and there’s a big party afterward. It’s the perfect day.
But I wish there wasn’t so much tension at this wedding specifically.
Ryan breathes in as the processional music begins playing, fidgeting with his bow tie so much that it becomes crooked around his neck.
I glance out at the crowd of people who have all turned their heads to watch the closed double doors. Despite it being a destination wedding, a good number of people hopped on a flight to be here.
I don’t want all of them to see Ryan with a crooked bow tie, and his best man is too busy fixing his own hair to help him.
I quickly step around the other groomsmen, breezing past Jackson and Tyler to reach Ryan.
He immediately tenses up at the sight of me in front of him. “What are you doing?”
He doesn’t sound mad, just confused. I guess I can’t blame him.
At least he’s talking to me today. He said a few words to me and the guys earlier, but I’m pretty sure he just did that so that his lack of contact with his own groomsmen doesn’t make anyone suspicious.
“Your bow tie is lopsided,” I tell him, not reaching out to help him just yet.
Ryan tries to glance down at it, but it’s too close to his neck for him to see it. “Damn it. I was just trying to adjust it a little.”
I motion to it, silently asking if I can help him out.
Ryan meets my eyes and nods after a moment.
I reach up and adjust his bow tie until it’s as straight as I can make it. “There. Fixed.”
Our gazes lock again, and there’s a slight crack in his serious expression.
“Thanks,” he says.
I nod. “No problem. Congratulations.”
I get back in place just as the double doors swing open, and my heart rate immediately spikes at the sight of Cassidy at the front.
The bridesmaids file in one by one, glowing in their lilac-colored dresses.
Cassidy looks so gorgeous that I can barely catch my breath. She smiles and strides confidently, and for a second, I actually believe her performance just like everyone else watching her.
I glance over at Jackson and Tyler, and they’re just as entranced by her.
Today, we’re going to tell Cassidy how we feel when the right moment presents itself. And I have no idea what’s going to happen afterward.
We’ll either go home alone, or we’ll get to have the happily ever after that Ryan is about to have.
The moment Ryan spots Sarah as she glides down the aisle in her huge wedding dress, he smiles, looking happier than I’ve ever seen him before. He’s not thinking about anything else other than how beautiful she looks right now.
I’m happy for them.
And just a little bit jealous.
As Sarah joins Ryan in front of the officiant, I look past them at Cassidy, seeing her smile waver for a moment. She’s still wrestling with whatever thoughts are in her mind right now, which means she’s probably still going to hop on that flight if we don’t convince her to stay.
“Welcome, everyone,” the officiant says, projecting his voice throughout the entire ballroom. “We’re gathered here today to celebrate Ryan and Sarah as they embark on this wonderful new journey together.”
As the officiant talks about love, trust, and devotion, I can’t stop looking at Cassidy. I can’t stop thinking about the fact that I would marry her in a heartbeat.
It would be one of the easiest decisions to make because I know I love her. I know I want to be with her for the rest of my life. I’ve known that before I even turned eighteen.
“Ryan, do you take Sarah to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to choose her every day through good and bad, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, as long as you both shall live?”
Ryan smiles at her and nods. “I do.”
Sarah’s eyes glisten with joyful tears as the officiant repeats the same thing to her. She doesn’t even take a breath before answering.
“I do!”
The officiant grins to himself for a moment before clearing his throat and speaking. “Ryan and Sarah will now exchange rings to represent their love and commitment to each other.”
Sarah’s youngest cousin who’s practically her little sister walks up to them and hands them their rings before hurrying back to her seat.
“Repeat after me,” the officiant tells Ryan. “With this ring, I thee wed.”
“With this ring, I thee wed,” Ryan repeats before slipping Sarah’s silver wedding band onto her finger so that it can join her large, sparkly engagement ring.
Sarah does the same and puts on his matching wedding band, their hands then joining together.
I look back over at Cassidy, my heartbeat quickening at the sight of her already looking my way. I give her a small smile. I already miss her so much.
Cassidy smiles back, subtle but real.
I hope we get the chance to talk to her because I’m not going to lose her without a fight. Not when she’s carrying our child. Not when I’ve been in love with her for years.
We’re going to put everything on the line just to tell her, but she’s worth it. She’s worth everything.
“By the power vested in me, I pronounce you husband and wife,” the officiant announces. “You may kiss the bride.”
Everyone applauds and cheers as Ryan and Sarah step toward each other, their lips meeting in the middle for a short but sweet kiss.
I clap for them as they head up the aisle together, their hands joining between them. “That was a good ceremony.”
“Yeah, it was,” Tyler murmurs, looking thoughtful. “They really are meant to be together.”
Jackson quietly nods, his eyes trailing Cassidy as she and the bridesmaids step off the stage to talk with people in the crowd. He takes a step toward her before stopping abruptly, shaking his head at himself.
“We’ll try to talk to her during the reception,” I tell him, putting my hand on his shoulder to steady him. I know he’s dying to get this conversation done with, but this isn’t our day. We still have to be considerate.
Jackson takes a breath and nods. “I couldn’t stop looking at her. She’s so damn beautiful.”
“Yeah, she is,” I agree, my eyes moving to her as well as she hugs some of Sarah’s family.
I wish Ryan had more people here for him, but he didn’t grow up in a big, close family like Sarah did. His family is made up of friends, and a lot of them were right beside him on this stage.
Granted, I don’t know if he even considers us friends anymore, but we’re still here for him regardless.
And no matter what happens with Cassidy, the guys and I should be there for each other too. I don’t know if anyone else has been through what we’ve been going through together.
“We should get off this stage and get ready for the reception,” Jackson says.
And the most important conversation of our lives.
Tyler and I nod in agreement before following him off the stage. We pause to say hello to a few people that we know, but we don’t chat for long. Our minds are elsewhere.
“What if we can’t find a good time during the reception?” Tyler asks, nervousness bleeding into his voice.
“We stop her before she can get into a cab,” Jackson replies. “We just can’t take our eyes off her for a minute.”
That certainly won’t be hard.
“We need to do the other thing first,” I remind them, prompting them to nod.
One risky conversation at a time.
Before we pass through the double doors to leave the room, I pause for a second and look over my shoulder, admiring Cassidy one more time as she musters a light laugh.
This trip has been hard for her. Life itself has kicked her while she has been down.
But if she gives us a chance to prove ourselves, we’ll make her the happiest person in the world.
We’ll show her what it feels like to truly be loved.