Chapter Twenty-One #2
“Exactly!” Sia jumps in, stepping forward. “Now let’s get you into this masterpiece before you start spiraling again.”
She grabs the hidden zipper on the back of the gown while I shrug off my robe, revealing the lingerie I picked out for tonight.
Cue the predictable chaos.
The girls giggle, and Joseph lets out an obnoxious wolf whistle.
“Wow, Dee. If I were straight, I’d have a hard-on right now,” Joseph blurts.
“You’re a dick,” I reply, deadpan.
He grins and holds out his hand gallantly. “And yet, here I am, helping you into your dress. You’re welcome.”
With practiced ease, I step one foot, then the other, into the layers of silk and lace. Anna and Sia lift carefully and ease it over my shoulders, zipping and adjusting, while Sia fits all the lace into the right places.
And then I look down.
And for a moment, I can’t breathe.
The nerves dissolve in a wave of warmth that makes my chest swell and my eyes sting. I’m not just wearing a dress. I’m wearing every fight Colt and I pushed through. Every sacrifice. Every kiss. Every “I love you” whispered in the dark.
I want to cry, but Kira steps in fast. “Don’t even think about it. I spent an hour on that face, and if you cry it off, I swear to God…”
I laugh and walk over to the mirror.
Joseph lets out a dramatic sigh behind me. “Dee, you’re not a princess anymore. You’re a damn goddess.”
And for once, I believe it.
My hair is soft but structured, with little wisps framing my face just right. My makeup enhances without hiding. I look… ethereal. Like I’m walking into a fairytale written just for me.
My heart skips when I picture Colt waiting for me in his tux. I haven’t seen the style he picked, but I know whatever he chose, he’ll look dangerous and divine. And I know he’s going to lose his mind when he sees me in this dress.
Mum walks in and immediately bursts into tears.
“Mum, no,” I say, half-laughing, half-pleading. “You’ll make me cry!”
She hurries over, hugging me tightly, her voice thick with emotion. “Oh, Deliah, sweetheart, you look simply stunning.” She pulls back and hands me a small box, eyes glistening. “It’s from Colter. He told me to give it to you while you were getting ready. Said it’s your ‘something blue.’ ”
A quiet gasp moves through the room as I sit on the edge of the bed and lift the lid. Inside, nestled in tissue paper, are a white and blue lace garter, a delicate hairpin with sapphire stones, and a pair of earrings that make my breath catch.
The earrings are elegant, understated, and slightly tinted in a purplish-blue hue, perfectly in line with the wedding’s color palette. The hairpin is even more special. Intricately detailed, it sparkles with soft blue gems, and in the tiniest stones at its center are the initials D & C.
My throat tightens instantly.
He had it made.
He thought about this.
Every piece, every color, every detail.
Colt doesn’t do anything halfway, and this is only more proof that he sees me. He knows me. My pulse races, and my fingers tremble slightly as I hold the earrings up. They’re exactly what I would have picked myself.
“Wow,” my mom breathes. “He knows how to spoil you, doesn’t he?”
I nod, smiling through the emotion thickening in my chest.
Anna kneels down and carefully slides the garter up my thigh to where it won’t slip. Sia takes the earrings and fastens them gently. Kira pins the hairpin with a soft smile.
And then Joseph steps forward with my bouquet in hand. He holds it out, eyes bright. “You ready to go get your man, goddess?”
My lips curve. “Hell, yeah.”
We move together down the stairs, laughter trailing behind us as everyone’s heels click and chatter fills the space.
At the back door, I pause.
My heart is pounding so hard I can feel it in my ears.
“Don’t worry, Deliah, I’ve got you,” Dad says, stepping in beside me.
I look up at him and instantly relax. His smile is radiant and proud, and his eyes glisten with unshed tears.
“You look beautiful, darling. He’d better take care of you. And hey, it’s not too late to pull out, if you’re having second thoughts.”
I laugh, my nerves dimming. “No one’s ever taken care of me like Colt. Except for you, Daddy.”
His face softens. “You called me Daddy.”
“I think today, I need both my parents by my side.”
Mum appears, hugging me from the other side. Then Joseph joins in. Then Anna, Kira, and Sia. One giant group hug before the walk of my life.
I take a deep breath, willing my tears not to fall.
Everyone looks incredible. Joseph in his tux, the girls glowing in lilac. And me? I feel like someone out of a dream.
“Okay,” I say with a trembling grin. “Let’s go. Take me to my man, Daddy.”
Anna gives the go-ahead to start the music.
I hook my arm through Dad’s, and we step outside into the blindingly beautiful day.
The garden is immaculate. A red carpet runs across the grass, laid perfectly down the aisle toward the willow tree.
White chairs line either side, and flowers are woven everywhere in soft lilac and ivory. It’s stunning.
I silently remind myself to thank Anna for the carpet because I’d be falling flat on my face without it.
I glance up. I still can’t see Colt—he’s beneath the tree, out of sight.
But then the quartet starts to play, and my pulse goes wild.
“How are you doing?” Dad murmurs as we begin our walk.
“Nervous,” I whisper. “But so damn happy.”
As we reach the edge of the aisle, people rise. Cameras flash. Joseph walks first, followed by Kira, Sia, and then Anna, who stops to kiss my cheek.
And then…
… the world tilts.
A helicopter hums above us.
I look up, squinting as the noise steals the serenity of the moment.
Bloody paps. Can’t even give us one damn day.
We didn’t tell anyone beyond our closest circle, so I don’t know how they found out, but I’ll worry about that later.
Because then… I see him.
Colter Slade.
Wearing a black tux, black shirt, and black tie. The only color? A soft lilac David Austen rose tucked in his jacket.
He looks lethal. Controlled. Beautiful.
Mine.
Colt’s eyes find me. He bites his bottom lip, blinking fast, a tear slipping from one eye before he wipes it away with a rough hand.
That breaks me.
My own eyes tear up, and I dab at them while holding his gaze.
The world fades.
There is only him.
There’s always only him.
We stand facing each other, hands intertwined, foreheads nearly touching as the celebrant speaks, though I barely register his words. All I can feel is Colt. The heat of his skin, the steady pressure of his hands, the way his thumb strokes across mine like he’s grounding himself as much as me.
There’s a weight in the air, thick with anticipation, emotion, and love so palpable it hums between us.
The guests fade.
The whispers quiet.
The world stills.
It’s just us.
Colt takes a breath, long and slow, and when his eyes meet mine, it’s like he’s baring every part of himself without hesitation. My heart stutters, and the air leaves my lungs. Then, in that deep, gravel-laced voice that’s only ever for me, he speaks,
“Deliah Norman, I take you to be my wife, lover, and friend.
“I take you to be mine and mine alone.
“I will love you forever as I love you now.
“I promise to love and care for you, and I will try in every way to be worthy of your love.
“I will always be honest with you, kind, patient, and forgiving.
“I will love you as we grow and change.
“I will love you when we are together and hate it when we are apart.
“I will cherish your friendship, and I will honor your goals and dreams and help you to fulfill them.
“I will comfort and encourage you, laugh with you, and stay honest with you.
“I will be in love and make love with you every second I can, and I promise I will love you… until the end of time.”
I swallow the lump that formed in my throat and blink back the tears forming freely in my eyes. I don’t even know if I’ll be able to speak after hearing those words. Colt’s grip around my waist tightens, grounding me, and I sniff as I lean in to kiss him softly.
The celebrant clears his throat while the guests chuckle again. At least we’re giving them a good show.
I pull back, and Colt flashes me that smile, the one that always melts my insides.
Clearing my throat, I draw in a shaky breath and begin, pouring every word straight from my soul,
“Colter Slade, I take you to be my husband, lover, and friend.
“In your eyes, I have found my home.
“In your heart, I have found my love.
“In your soul, I have found my mate.
“With you, I am whole, complete, and alive.
“You make me laugh. You let me cry.
“You are my breath, my every heartbeat.
“I am yours.
“You are mine.
“Of this, we are certain.
“You free me to sing my own song.
“You are more of an amazement to me, and each day I rediscover you.
“You are lodged in my heart… until the end of time.”
Colt sniffs and leans in again, kissing me without hesitation, causing the celebrant to groan dramatically. The sound earns another round of laughter from our guests, and I smile against Colt’s lips.
Overhead, the helicopter continues to buzz annoyingly. Another one is on its way. I spot it in the distance, a black dot growing larger against the blue sky. I expected the paps to irritate the hell out of me, to ruin the moment with their intrusion.
But they don’t.
They can’t.
Not today.
I’m not letting anything spoil this—our day. Not them. Not anything.
“Now, we exchange the rings,” the celebrant says, bringing us back to the ceremony.
I frown for a brief second, realizing Colt is going to have to let me go. He steps back just enough, but not for long, as we both instinctively reach out, keeping our hands clasped as tightly as ever.
“Deliah, repeat after me… With this ring, I thee wed.”
A ripple of excitement rolls through me, so intense I almost bounce on the spot. Colt notices, of course, he does, and flashes me that cocky, heart-stopping smile that turns my knees to jelly.
“With this ring, I thee wed,” I repeat, my voice steady, filled with joy.
I take the ring from Anna and slide it gently onto Colt’s finger. It glides on perfectly, and I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.
Colt stares at it, his jaw ticking as he grips my hand tighter.
“Now, Colter, repeat after me… With this ring, I thee wed.”
He takes my hand in both of his. I can feel it, the slight tremble, not from nerves, but from pure, electric anticipation.
“With this ring, I thee wed,” he repeats, loud and proud, his voice deep and full of conviction.
I giggle as he slips the ring onto my finger, his touch reverent. The weight of it, the symbolism, the finality, it all hits me at once. A tear slides down my cheek, and he’s right there to catch it, his thumb caressing the skin just beneath my eye.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife,” the celebrant declares.
But Colt doesn’t wait for the go-ahead. Hell no.
He yanks me forward, crashing his lips to mine in a kiss that’s so powerful it leaves me breathless.
“You may now kiss the bride,” the celebrant says with mock dryness, causing the crowd to erupt into laughter.
Colt deepens the kiss, his tongue sweeping across mine, and everything else—helicopters, cameras, guests—melts away.
It’s just us.
His arms are around me.
My heart is pounding against his.
Our rings.
Our forever.
We’ve been through hell to get here.
Faced more pain than most couples do in a lifetime.
But we made it.
We chose each other. Every time. Through every storm, every scar, every setback.
Because this?
This is meant to be.
The crowd bursts into cheers and applause, and I barely hear it over the rush in my ears. We’re kissing like the world is ending, and we’ve only got one last chance to savor it.
“Seriously, guys,” Hux calls out, laughing as he slaps Colt on the back. “Save it for the honeymoon.”
We break apart reluctantly, and I already miss his lips on mine.
But the truth is, I’ve got a lifetime to kiss him.
And I plan on doing it.
Every damn chance I get.