Chapter 63
CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
“You look stunning, honey.” Savannah wraps me up in another hug. The Callahans are a hugging family, and as someone who grew up without any kind of physical affection that wasn’t for appearances, I soak it up every chance I get.
“Thank you, Savannah. Really, for everything, you have all been so amazing.” And the fact that we are getting married on a date with all odd numbers? It makes my little nerd heart even happier.
“It’s easy, Harlow. You enrich our family, and I am thrilled it’s going to be official today.” Savannah lives and loves big, and I love that after today, my friend will also be one of my three sisters-in-law.
Although I doubt it will be too long before that number is four—I see the way Jack and Tinsley are together.
But they may need to squeeze it into her already jam-packed schedule, especially since her world-wide tour kicks off in a few days, and we will attend the opening concert before we leave for our honeymoon.
Even having her attend today was tight with her schedule, but she insisted it was important.
I wanted to make sure Tinsley didn’t feel left out since I didn’t ask her to be a bridesmaid, but she insisted she would rather be in the crowd—included with the family and loved ones witnessing the event—than risking stealing the spotlight on our special day.
Vivian hands her bouquet to Savannah and gives me a watery smile. “I know you were Liam’s friend first, a fact he loves to point out every chance he gets, then Walker’s before joining our book club, but I like to think that getting to claim you as one of ours is just saving the best for last.”
“Absolutely,” Savannah agrees.
Cami nods. “I agree, and it’s awesome that you’re stuck with us now.” She winks as I laugh at that.
Savannah nods. “Your wedding dress will work perfectly for your something new today, and the sapphire bracelet Ryan gave you last night is your something blue, but we need a few finishing touches.”
I look around, not sure what we forgot. I know we kept things simple for today, and I lowkey love how much my parents will hate the fact that I am getting married in an actual barn, but I don’t think I forgot anything.
Vivian smiles at me. “When Mama gave birth to Savannah and me, Daddy gave her a piece of jewelry to commemorate the occasion. She passed the rings on to us.” She nods to Savannah, who lifts her right hand and shows the gorgeous cushion cut sapphire in a dainty pavé setting, and I think I know where she’s going.
“Vivian, I couldn’t—”
She raises her hand to stop me. “Please don’t interrupt your elders, Harlow, it’s rude.” She giggles before even finishing, unable to keep a straight face about our five-and-a-half-year age difference. “I never used to be able to play that card, but now, with you and Cami, I can!”
“Weird flex, Viv.” Cami tilts her head with a smile.
“I know, anyway. You can consider this something old and something borrowed.”
Vivian reaches for her right hand and slides the stunning pear cut emerald ring from her finger. “The setting matches your necklace perfectly, and it’s a nice way for Mama to have a place today, too.”
She slides the ring onto my right hand without giving me a chance to try to refuse before taking hold of my hand with a gentle squeeze. “It’s a joy to have you in our family. Welcome to the Callahans, Harlow.” She leans over and softly kisses my cheek before wiping away a few of her tears.
“Our makeup is doomed.” Savannah wipes away tears with a chuckle.
“It’s perfect,” Cami adds as she joins the group hug.
“Knock, knock, how’s it going in here ladies?” Aisha calls as she walks into the guest room we have turned into a bridal suite at Murphy’s house.
“Good, I think we are ready to go.” I look to Savannah to confirm I haven’t forgotten anything else, and she nods as she pushes a rogue hair back from my face. I wore my dark hair down today but used a pearl clip to have it up on one side.
Aisha grabs the train on my dress to help me navigate the stairs.
She’s the only person here from my past. I didn’t want to have any professional colleagues here outside of my immediate team members, and she’s my only friend now that’s not affiliated with the Callahans in some way.
Thankfully, our wedding isn’t traditional or formal enough to require bride and groom sides because mine would be very sparsely populated.
My parents chose not to accept my wishes, and therefore, are not here today.
We didn’t even do formal invitations, but if we had, I don’t know that I would have sent them one after my father doubled down on my mother’s threats.
I may be losing an inheritance by committing this “act of disobedience,” as they referred to my wedding, but I never cared about my trust fund or the money.
I also invested the initial portion of my trust fund that I received at twenty-one incredibly well, and the returns have already secured my financial well-being for the rest of my life, so long as I make wise financial decisions.
I think marrying the newly appointed Chief Financial Officer for Lux is another wise financial decision.
When the CFO that Jack and Wells had wooed from a tech start-up left Lux to go back to the start-up world, it was the perfect opening for Ryan to finally accept Jack’s attempts at getting him to come work with him at Lux.
I understood Ryan’s hesitation. He didn’t want anyone to think he was handed the job without the right experience.
The timing was kismet as the hospital in Forrest Falls is currently being bought out by a larger hospital system in Nashville—one of the exact hospitals that the now-former chairman of the board was determined to compete directly against.
Ryan will be based out of the Forrest Falls location, and occasionally will need to travel, but thanks to technology, he could easily work most days from home and not miss a thing. We will build our lives together here with our family.
We make our way downstairs, and I realize this is the part I will have to make the walk alone.
But before the emotions can overtake me, I am quickly reminded that the Callahans never leave a man behind.
Murphy is standing at the back door that leads to the pathway we will walk to the barn.
His hair is more gray than dark brown these days, but I can see pieces of his sons in his face, and of course, the green eyes that match both Vivian’s and Cami’s.
The same dimple he shares with Ryan pops as he grins at me.
“You look beautiful, sweetheart.”
“Thanks, Murphy.” I’m not sure what’s going on, but the sisters all have a knowing look on their faces as they smile at me. “What’s going on?”
“Well, we knew your parents were not going to be here today, but we wanted to give you options,” Cami starts to explain before looking at her sisters.
“Right, and this is totally up to you, you get to decide what’s best for you, we are not steam rolling you at all,” Vivian says this to me but is looking at her sister with a fierce look.
“What? I wouldn’t do that on her wedding day …
probably. I mean, she just has to make the right decision, and it will be fine.
I’m sorry I care so much!” Savannah smiles at me directly.
“No, actually, I’m not. I’m not sorry that I care at all.
You deserve to be taken care of and have your people show up for you, Harlow. It’s our honor to fight over you.”
“I am really missing something here.” I look from Murphy and the girls, then I notice Liam sneak in the back door and joins us in the kitchen.
“Hey, we’re ready when y’all are. Well, damn, Whiz Kid, you look like a princess.” He leans over and kisses my cheek. “Did she decide?”
“Decide what?”
“Guys, I’ve got this.” Murphy raises his hand to silence his kids. “You are more than capable of walking down the aisle on your own, Harlow. We just wanted to give you options in case you wanted them. I would be honored to escort you down the aisle, if you would like.”
“Or one of your bridesmaids could as well,” Savannah says, gesturing to herself, Vivian, Cami, and Aisha.
“Or…” Liam adds, and Murphy gives him a look.
“She was my friend first. I have to make the offer. If you’d like Harlow, I’d be honored to walk you down the aisle.
We just want you to know that you can do any of this life on your own, and we respect that, but you never have to do anything alone ever again if you don’t want to.
Ryan wanted to come in and offer to walk you himself, but the girls convinced him you would want to walk to him instead. ”
They were right—that was the one moment of the wedding I’ve been envisioning in my head.
My parents wanted to use me as a tool in their social game.
Graham wanted to objectify me as something to feed his own narcissistic ego and delusion.
But Ryan?
Ryan sees me for who I am—not my job, not my last name, not my social circle. He doesn’t want me to be someone other than who I am.
He loves me for exactly who I am, nothing more, and nothing less.
Today, I choose to walk down the aisle to him.
And after today, I’m choosing us for the rest of our lives.
“It’s your call, babe,” Aisha tells me.
“There’s not a wrong answer here, I promise,” Savannah adds.
“Okay, well, I appreciate the generous offers, but I think I’ll accept the experienced one, if that’s alright with you, Murphy?”
Murphy puffs his chest out like a proud peacock. “It would be my honor, Harlow. Obviously, I was clearly the logical choice as I’ve done this a few times now.”
“I told you he was going to play that card,” Vivian adds. He likely walked Vivian and Savannah both down the aisle at their weddings—their first and second ones.
We make our way to the barn, and before I know it, the music changes, and I am about to walk to my future and the love of my life as an acoustic version of our favorite song plays.
Ryan is standing at the end of the aisle under a custom archway Finn built for the occasion.
His brothers and Walker stand next to him, with his sisters and Aisha standing up for me.
The girls all chose different dresses in varying shades of pink from a boutique on Main Street.
Ryan insisted on the guys wearing dark navy tuxes, and the rich color somehow makes his smile even brighter today—or maybe it’s just the joy radiating off of him.
He is breathtaking, and I forget to move or breathe.
“Take a deep breath, honey. You’ve got this. But I do need you to breathe, please,” Murphy murmurs so no one else can hear.
I laugh and wipe a rogue tear from my cheek. “That is an essential function required to be alive.”
“Then let’s get living, Doc, shall we?”
I nod, and we make our way down the aisle, with our friends and loved ones beaming smiles at me as we pass, but I only notice in my peripheral vision because I cannot take my eyes off Ryan.
He wipes his own tears, and any hope of me holding it together disintegrates.
Savannah’s husband Theo is officiating, and I’m sure he says wonderful things, but all I see and hear is Ryan—until Theo leans in to tell me it’s my turn.
“Oh! Right. Sorry, I … I got a little lost in the joy.”
Ryan hums and squeezes my hands tighter. It may be tradition for the groom to go first, but we didn’t care about tradition when we planned this.
“Ryan, you are the steady that I always craved but only thought was possible in my dreams. You are my best friend, the love of my life, my protector, my partner, and my future. I promise to honor and respect you, to always assume the best, and to always have your back, no matter what storms life may throw at us.”
But hopefully, that won’t include any additional kidnappings.
“I promise to always say yes when you ask if we can dance in the kitchen, to never give up in your quest to figure out the perfect cookie recipe.” He smirks at the crowd at that part.
“To always be honest and true, and to love you every day of my life.” I slide his wedding ring onto his finger, and he flexes his hand once before taking my hands in his.
“Harlow, you are the best thing that has ever come into my life. I didn’t even know how much I needed you until you stole my heart and became such a source of joy and love.
” Ryan pauses and clears his throat before exhaling a deep breath.
I reach up to wipe away a tear off his cheek, and he leans into my touch with a soft nod.
He’s always the steady one, and seeing him overcome with such emotion in this moment nearly undoes me.
I take his hand again, releasing my own deep breath as he continues.
“I promise to assume the best, and to remind you of the incredible gift you are to me every single day, both by encouraging words and dependable actions. Loving you is the joy of my life. It is an honor to call you my wife, and I will do whatever I can to make all your dreams for our lives together come true. I love you with every ounce of the man that I am and anything I ever hope to be.” He slides a narrow diamond-embedded wedding band on my finger to fit next to my engagement ring.
“Ryan and Harlow, you have declared your intent and exchanged rings as a physical representation of the commitment you are making here today before your family, friends, and God. It is my honor by the power vested in me by the State of Tennessee to pronounce you husband and wife. Ryan, you may kiss your bride.”
Ryan wraps a hand around my waist and pulls me into him, turning us slightly as he dips me back and kisses me.
I wrap my arms around his neck, getting lost in the moment.
As he stands me back up, he interlaces our fingers as the crowd cheers for us.
I glance up at my husband—my husband!!—and am unsure how I got so lucky.
I never thought a love like this was in the cards for me, until Ryan proved me wrong in all the best ways.
Looking around the barn—a detail that I made sure is included in our wedding announcement for The Cotton Ledger—I am once again overwhelmed by the amount of love and joy that meets my eyes as I survey the small gathering of our family and friends.
I’m not only a Callahan now, I’m home.