Chapter Thirty-One Vegas #2
The room is spectacular. Hundreds of white pillar candles line the aisle, casting a warm, flickering glow against the dark mahogany pews.
The scent of fresh white roses and expensive wax fills the air.
A definite upgrade from the twenty-four-hour chapel and Elvis impersonator Carson and Skyler had originally planned on.
Carson stands a step ahead of us, his broad shoulders squared, but I can see the tight, rapid rise and fall of his chest. His parents and Skyler’s dad are sitting in the front row, each of them beaming with delight.
His mom is on the verge of tears already.
Grace, unable to keep this from her parents, gave them a heads-up, and they all flew out and arrived this morning.
A few moments later, the music shifts. The soft, rhythmic strumming of an acoustic guitar fills the space, and the heavy oak doors at the back of the chapel swing open.
The bridal party begins to filter in, but the second the first figure steps onto the runner, the rest of the room completely ceases to exist.
Hadley comes down the aisle.
My breath leaves my lungs in a single, silent rush. I don't look away. I can’t.
She’s wearing a soft, flowing pale-pink dress that exposes the delicate line of her shoulders, her rich brown hair falling in glossy, perfect waves over her collarbones.
The candlelight catches the deep chocolate of her eyes, making them look impossibly bright.
She’s so beautiful it physically hurts to look at her, a sharp, aching tightness blooming right behind my ribs.
I keep my eyes locked onto hers, refusing to let her go. When she finally catches my stare halfway down the aisle, a soft flush creeps up the smooth skin of her neck. Her chin lifts just a fraction, and she gives me a look that is so bold with desire, it floors me.
She takes her place at the end of the line, and the doors open one last time for Skyler.
The entire chapel seems to hold its breath. Skyler looks jaw-droppingly beautiful, the silver silk dress draping over her like liquid light. Carson lets out a ragged, breathless sound that is half-sob, half-laugh, stepping forward to take her hand the second she reaches the altar.
The minister steps up, his voice smooth and resonant as he begins the ceremony. “Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the sight of these witnesses to join this man and this woman in holy matrimony…”
The standard words about commitment, honor, and forever echo through the quiet space. I hear Carson clear his throat, his voice cracking as he repeats the lines, his eyes never leaving Skyler’s face.
“I didn’t write anything down because everyone knows I can’t read my own handwriting anyway,” Carson clears his throat, his voice cracking on the first sentence.
A ripple of soft laughter echoes through the small chapel, but Carson’s eyes never leave Skyler’s face.
He reaches out, his massive hands completely engulfing hers.
“But I remember the exact second I fell in love with you, Star. It was when you threatened to key my truck because I parked in your favorite spot at the rink, and then you stole half my fries ten minutes later.”
Skyler lets out a watery, embarrassed laugh, a tear spilling over her lashes as she squeezes his hands. Carson’s throat bobs, his tough exterior completely melting away under the altar lights.
“You’re chaotic, you’re loud, and you drive me completely insane,” he continues, his own eyes welling up as his voice drops an octave, thick with raw emotion.
“But you’re my entire world. I don't want a single day on this earth if you’re not in it.
I promise to protect you, to laugh with you, and to never park in your spot again. Forever, Star. It’s you and me.”
Watching them stand there, stripped of their defenses and openly tearing up in front of everyone, hits me like a physical blow to the chest.
I look at Hadley, the soft pink fabric of her dress catching the golden light, and I don't see the coach's granddaughter, or a girl I should stay far away from.
I see her standing across from me in a white dress of her own.
The image hits me with the force of a clean hit against the boards, taking the air right out of my chest. I imagine what it would feel like to be the one standing where Carson is.
To hold her small, warm hand in mine. To feel the heavy weight of a ring between my fingers, and to look at a woman who looks back at me like I’m her entire world.
“I promise to love you faithfully,” Skyler’s voice trembles slightly. “For all the days of my life.”
I watch Hadley’s eyes well with tears as she listens to the words, her gaze drifting to meet mine again.
The silent connection between us is so intense it burns.
Standing there in the candlelight, surrounded by the only family I’ve ever truly known apart from Mrs. Clay, a solid truth locks into place deep in my soul.
I want a future with her.
My mind moves further, playing out a life I never thought I was allowed to have.
I see Hadley with a pair of skates on, laughing as she holds the hands of a little boy and girl with dark, curly hair, teaching them how to glide across the ice.
I see a holiday table where Coach Sullivan, Hadley’s dad, and Mrs. Clay are all sitting together, laughing, accepting me not as a rough-around-the-edges left wing, but as family.
A permanent family.
The sudden, fierce longing of the thought scares the hell out of me, but for the first time in my life, I don’t try to push it away. I just let it sit there, burning in the center of my chest.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the officiant declares. “You may kiss your bride.”
With a whoop, Carson grabs Skyler around the waist and dips her back over his arm. She lets out a laugh as he kisses her, and we applaud and cheer, swept up in the excitement and joy of the moment.