42. Chapter 42
Chapter 42
Stella
I married Noah Carter in Chatham County Courthouse, the heart of downtown Savannah.
Despite the hurried way in which we were married—despite the fact that I was wearing a dress Luna had bought to be Dracula's Bride for Halloween—the time between when we stepped into Judge Corbin's chambers and when we stepped out, was like a serene pause in the midst of Savannah's bustling life.
"You sure you don't want to get married in a church?" JR asked me. "Maybe the FBI will never open an investigation. You don't have to—"
"Hey, I've managed to manipulate the guy into marrying me by making him afraid of a federal investigation. Don't take that away from me."
Noah kissed my forehead and pulled me against him tighter outside Judge Corbin's chambers. "Yeah, JR, don't stop her from manipulating me into marrying the love of my life."
"You're just happy that she suggested it," JR mocked, but he was smiling.
"She's making me marry her. Isn't that right, Sweet?"
"Yeah, Noah."
I felt emotion surge through me. Oh my God! We were getting married for all the right reasons, even if the timing was a tad wrong. I had no doubts left in my mind that we loved one another and that we'd make it. Hell, if we could survive the kind of betrayal we did when we started out, we could probably get through our marriage without divorce…or murder.
The courthouse wasn't John the Baptist Cathedral, the most coveted wedding venue in the city, known for its beautiful architecture, high ceilings, and rich history—but with its elegant structure of red brick faced with ivy that turned a fiery red and orange this time of year, it seemed more appropriate for who Noah and I were.
The building had proudly stood the test of time, and its steps swept up to a massive wooden door, polished to a high shine. Inside the courthouse, the air was cool and filled with a light fragrance of aged wood and history.
"Baby, there's a red spot here." Noah's thumb touched some fake blood on my dress.
"Of course, there is," Luna muttered. "This was my Halloween costume…what, three years ago? She's lucky the housekeeper didn't know any better, and had it cleaned. Or you'd be getting married in a white satin dress covered in fake blood."
"What the fuck, Stella?" Noah murmured. "You should at least have a proper dress? Why don't we wait until tomorrow and—"
"Shut it, Noah," Royal snapped. "Does she look like a woman who gives a flying fuck about what she's wearing?"
Noah sighed. "Yeah. But what about photos? Don't all brides want photos?"
"We all have cellphones with cameras." Royal wiggled his Samsung at me.
"You know, even if Carter Construction loses the Savannah Bridge project, I won't be destitute; we can manage a proper wedding."
"If I didn't know any better, Noah Carter, I'd think you were trying to not marry me."
"True." Nina folded her arms, a smile flirting on her lips. "He doth protest too much."
"No," Noah exclaimed, immediately contrite. "I don't want you to regret this…ah…courthouse wedding."
"It’s the marriage, stupid." Nina thumped Noah on his back. "No one cares about the wedding."
"True," Aurora interjected. "Gabriel and I got married at the Rhodes Estate. Raphael, his brother, got an online ordination or something, and married us. We had exactly ten people at the wedding and that's including Gabriel and me."
I laughed softly.
"Don't bite my head off, darlin'," Noah whispered. "You sure about this?"
"I will bite your head off if you ask that question again. But I have one for you. Are you sure?" I didn't bother to keep my voice down.
"I'd have married you when we got engaged…hell, before that," he said honestly.
"That's a good thing," Judge Corbin said dryly. "Come on in, let's get this show on the road. I'm assuming the media is going to swarm around like flies."
"I don't think so." I gave Judge Corbin a hug. "No one knows we're getting married. JR got the license on the down low—"
"Please tell me it's legal, JR." Judge Corbin ran a hand over his balding head. In his late sixties, he was a teddy bear of a man, and yet still one of the toughest judges in the county.
"And she didn't even buy a proper wedding dress," Luna added, "She's wearing my former Halloween costume."
Judge Corbin wrinkled his nose and looked at Noah. "What? You can't even buy your future wife a proper wedding dress, Carter?"
Noah's shoulders slumped. "I'm never going to live this down, am I?"
"No," I agreed. "I'm gonna bring it up at every fight."
"You're on," he whispered. "You know how much I love make up sex."
On that note, we stepped into the judge's chambers.
The room, with its high ceilings and dark wood paneling, was illuminated by soft, diffused light, filtering through tall, arched windows. In that gentle light, surrounded by friends and family, Noah and I made eternal promises to one another.
Want to know what happens to Senator Hunt and Whitney? What's up with Royal and Neveah's friendship ?