43. Caleb
Caleb
C asey stares at me as she walks down the aisle, and I can’t help but imagine for a moment that this is our day.
Our wedding. I mentally kick myself for never proposing to her during all the years we were together.
Of course, breaking up is a lot easier than getting a divorce, and I know in my heart I wasn’t the right man for her then.
Things are different now.
I steal a glance at her now, tuning out Jack while he has Madden and Jade repeat their vows.
Tears sparkle in her eyes, making them look like emeralds.
She wears a slight smile on her beautiful face, clearly ecstatic for her best friend.
When Madden kisses Jade, she claps, a tear escaping and rolling down her cheek.
The bride and groom are presented to the crowd, which only consists of a few people.
We clap and cheer for them, all of us happy for our friends.
Jack announces he’s headed back to the bar.
Marlene and his wife tag along, assuring everyone they have the place covered and to come by for food and drinks whenever we’re ready.
“Are you going to cry at our wedding too?” I ask Casey, approaching her and pulling her into my arms.
She laughs at this. “What makes you think I’d say yes?”
“Will you? Marry me?”
I wait on her to acknowledge what I’ve said. Wait on her to tell me yes, she’ll marry me. All our years of fighting, the pain we caused each other, have only led to this. Now we’re both ready for it.
“Caleb, I —”
“Don’t give me some excuse about how wrong we are for each other,” I cut her off. “Because the way I see it, we aren’t right for any damn body else.”
She sighs. “Well, I —”
“And I’m ready, Casey. Ready to be everything you need me to be. You deserve it.”
Casey huffs. “Damn it, stop interrupting me,” she raises her voice, and I roll my eyes. “I was only going to say that if you’re asking me to marry you, I’m not saying yes until you’re down on one knee.”
I blink twice, not believing what she’s just said. Casey admitted she would marry me. After everything we’ve been through, what we’ve put each other through, and this woman says she’ll marry me!
“I guess it’s a no then because I don’t see you getting on your knee,” she snips, crossing her arms and pretending like she’s going to walk away from me.
I drop down, a big grin on my face as I do. “Not so fast,” I say, catching her arm. “I don’t have a ring, but I’ll get one. I’m not passing up this opportunity.”
Our friends are starting to look at us, and I hear Brady mumble it’s about time. Casey smiles down at me, and my heart pounds in my chest. I know what her answer will be, but I’m still nervous as hell.
“It’s always been you, Casey. Through all the fighting and making up.
Through what we lost. And through the one time we didn’t make-up.
..right away,” I add with a smirk. “There’s never going to be another woman for me.
You ruined me, and I mean that in a good way.
I’m not the same man without you, and it took losing you for me to change and become the man you deserve.
I will love only you forever, Casey. Will you marry me? ”
The silence lasts only a few seconds before she replies, “Yes.”
I’m on my feet and pulling her into my arms, my lips crashing against hers. As we kiss, it’s only the two of us. Not our friends clapping and cheering. Not the history we have between us.
It’s only the two of us, here and now.
Forever.