31. Leo
Chapter thirty-one
Leo
Calming music played through the speakers as the wedding guests found their seats one by one.
The ceremony space was insane.
White chairs lined perfectly in rows, all facing the ocean.
Flowers everywhere. Soft lavender, white, and touches of gold woven through.
The aisle stretched down the center, lined with cream candles in glasses, lavender petals scattered along the path.
The water behind the altar...endless.
The groomsmen were in position. Voices lowered.
I adjusted my jacket, then immediately adjusted it again.
Eric leaned closer. “Bro, chill, you're acting like you're the one getting married. Your jacket is fine.”
I exhaled. “I’m good.”
“Uh-huh. You’ve said that three times already.”
I didn’t answer him. My eyes were locked on the entrance.
Waiting.
Anticipating
Then—
Layla stepped out, then Chelsea and Tessa. Lavender catching the sunlight. Dresses flowing as they made their way down to us. Ocean waves crashing in the distance.
It was beautiful.
All of it.
But nothing compared to her.
Cherise stepped into view, and everything in me melted.
The lavender dress, soft against her skin, moved with her as she walked, stunning in a way that made it impossible to look anywhere else. Her hair fell in loose curls over her shoulders. Her makeup simple, glowing, like she hadn’t tried too hard and still somehow outdid everyone.
My throat tightened hard as I struggled to swallow.
Eric let out a whistle. “Damn, Derrick, I see you.”
I ignored him.
Because Cherise’s eyes found mine.
And she smiled.
That one smile that always sent my heart into overdrive.
I stepped forward, lifting my arm for her, and she slid her hand into the crook of my elbow.
“Hi,” she whispered.
“Hi,” I managed. “You look…unbelievable.”
Her smile softened just a little. “You clean up nice yourself.”
“Don’t gas me,” I murmured. “You’re stealing the whole show.”
She leaned in. “Please. You haven’t seen Grace yet.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know, I don’t think she can top this.”
Her eyes flicked toward the entrance. “Just wait.”
The music swelled again, signaling us.
I tightened my arm slightly around her. “Ready?”
She nodded. “If I fall, you’re going down with me.”
I let out a quiet laugh. “Not gonna happen.”
“Which one? Me falling, or me taking you down with me?”
“Both, because I would never let you fall.”
She stared into my eyes for a moment, then Rebecca signaled us to proceed down the aisle.
The sound of the waves mixed with the music, the air warm against my skin, the soft scent of the ocean carried through. People watched, smiled, cameras flashed, but my focus wasn’t on any of it.
It was on her.
Her hand rested lightly against my arm, her body close enough that I could feel the warmth of her.
We reached the front, and I guided her into place just as we rehearsed.
Her hand slipped away from my arm, and I felt the loss of it immediately as we went our separate ways of the altar.
The rest of the bridal party followed, including Logan with his mom on his arm. They were both smiling and throwing small head nods and waves at the crowd as they passed.
The music shifted again.
Everyone stilled.
Every head turned.
Logan straightened, his entire demeanor changing in an instant.
Then—
Grace appeared.
The collective breath of the crowd hitched, soft and in unison.
She was… absolutely stunning.
Her dress flowed around her, white and effortless, catching the breeze just enough to look as if she were floating as she walked. Her hand rested in her father’s arm, she wore a quivering smile, and her eyes were already shining.
Logan’s expression broke completely.
His jaw ticked, his eyes glassy, and for the first time since I’d met him, he didn’t look like this confident, untouchable guy.
The man was done for.
“She is beautiful.” I could hear Tessa whisper.
My eyes flicked over to Cherise.
“Yeah,” I said quietly. “She is.”
Grace reached the altar, her father kissing her cheek before placing her hand in Logan’s.
Logan didn’t waste a second.
He pulled her in, pressing his forehead against hers, his eyes closing like he needed a moment just to breathe her in.
“Sorry,” Logan said to the crowd, his voice rough. “I just…needed a second.”
A few quiet laughs echoed.
Grace laughed softly, brushing a tear with her thumb along his jaw. “Take all the time you need.”
“You look breathtakingly beautiful,” he said with a smile.
“And you look breathtakingly handsome,” she responded. They both laughed.
Logan didn’t take his eyes off Grace the whole ceremony.
“I used to think love was something I had to protect,” he said, his voice steady but filled with emotion. “Something I had to keep private and controlled. I felt like once people saw it, they could take advantage of it. Twist it. Turn it into something else.”
Grace shook her head softly, smiling up at him.
“And then I met you,” he continued, his gaze softening. “And I realized… love isn’t something to hide. It’s something to fight for. Even when it’s messy. Even when it’s hard.”
Grace’s eyes filled, her smile trembling.
“You saw me,” he said. “Not the version everyone else sees. Not the headlines. Not the image. Me. And you chose me anyways.”
A tear slipped down her cheek.
“And I will spend the rest of my life choosing you right back.”
Soft sniffles from the crowd.
I let out a long, shaky exhale and instinctively glanced at Cherise.
She was watching them, her eyes shining.
I closed my eyes, and for a second I let myself imagine it.
Imagine an alternate world where Cherise would be the one standing there.
With me.
One hand in mine, while the other hand brushed a lone tear that had fallen from my face. Us sharing a passionate kiss after exchanging our vows. Her calling me a wimp or something insulting for crying.
I chuckled, then realized that I probably looked like a damn fool standing there with my eyes closed, giggling like a psycho. I shook the vision loose and opened my eyes to see Eric looking at me, eyebrow raised.
I cleared my throat. “I’m good, I promise.”
“Um, hmm, you keep telling yourself that.”
We turned our attention back to the ceremony.
Grace took a breath, her hands tightening in Logan’s.
“I fell in love with you when I wasn’t supposed to,” she said softly. “When everyone told me it was a bad idea. When it didn’t make sense.”
Logan shot her a look. “Dang, everybody?”
A few soft laughs.
“I tried to fight it,” she continued.
“God, did I try. Because loving you meant stepping into a world I wasn’t ready for.”
Her voice wavered.
“But loving you also felt like home.”
Logan’s eyes closed briefly.
“You gave me a place where I could be myself.”
She smiled through her tears.
“I will choose you. Every day. In every version of our life. No matter what.”
Envy twisted in my chest.
Standing there, listening to them say everything out loud without hesitation or fear, as if loving each other was the easiest thing in the world.
People wiped at their eyes around me, smiling, completely pulled into it. Happy for them. Rooting for them.
Some people got their forever.
And some people didn’t.
“By the power vested in me,” the officiant said, smiling, “I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
Logan barely let the man finish the sentence.
He pulled Grace in and kissed her.
The crowd erupted.
Cheers.
Applause.
Laughter.
I joined in, clapping, smiling.
But my eyes found Cherise again.
She looked back at me, smiling.
For a second, I wondered if she was thinking the same thing I was.
The music picked back up as the ceremony ended.
I stepped toward her, lifting my arm again.
“Ready, me lady?”
She rolled her eyes and smirked. “Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.”
Looping her hand between my arm, we made our way back down the aisle.
Together.